Home Safety Tips

Creating a sense of comfort and peace in your home is equal parts family harmony and home security.

While we can do nothing about family harmony we can help you learn a preventative steps that add measurably to the level of comfort and peace in your home in the event of a burglary or fire.

Home Security Systems (Burglar Alarms) provide a heightened sense of well-being by alerting you to an intrusion attempt; however, many available units can also provide a security call to local constabularies. A good system should be mounted on an inside wall away from direct sight from either the front or back door. A two panel system is an even more effective system due to the fact that, should one system be rendered ineffective, the second panel can still alert officials. Wireless alarm systems can remain effectual when wired systems may be compromised by very skilled burglars.

Close Circuit Television (CCTV) can also provide a means of identifying those who may be lurking on your property. These easily hidden devices can also allow you to easily identify welcome visitors.

Security lighting is a key element in the safety of your property and can make it easy to see when you arrive home after dark. Interior lighting that is subject to a timer may confuse burglars as to whether there are family members inside. Outdoor lighting that uses motion sensing technology makes it difficult for robbers to gain undetected access to any vulnerable areas of your home.

The two primary doors burglars will attempt to gain access through are the garage and back doors. They usually are the easiest to compromise and they provide the greatest concealment. Glass paneled doors are a means of easy entrance into any home so consider replacing them with solid core doors when possible. Replace old locks with high quality mechanisms capable of resisting lock-picking attempts as well as prying and twisting. We also recommend the use of quality deadbolts. The use of a peephole is also advised when CCTV technology is not in use or in tandem when possible. If your home has sliding glass doors you can simply place a wooden dowel or similar commercial grade products like the charley-bar in the track to make it difficult for the door to slide should the latch be compromised.

With all the emphasis on doors we would be remiss if we failed to mention a burglar’s favourite means of accessing your home. It is far more likely that a window will be left either open or unlocked than a door. Because windows generally use latch technology, a secondary blocking device should be considered. Should you require nighttime ventilation be sure to block your windows so that they will not open more than a few millimeters.

Should your home be accessed by burglars, a home safe can further ensure the safety of your most valuable possessions.

Neighbours can also be an effective ally in keeping your home safe. Neighbourhood partnerships have assisted home owners in self policing the homes in their immediate area. Those participating in Neighbourhood Watch programmes can assist others by picking up mail, handbills and newspapers. A burglar will often look for homes with an accumulation of newspapers or postal deliveries as a means of assessing the potential success of a robbery attempt.

Should your home be robbed, there is a way to assist police in the potential recovery of your personal property. By engraving personal information on your valuables it makes it much more difficult for burglars to attempt to sell your property to others. When it is determined that the property does not belong to the seller, police may well be called thus increasing the chances that your possessions will be returned. A few minutes marking your valuables can prove beneficial should a burglary occur. You should also consider photographing and recording the serial numbers of high end possessions. Make sure a copy of this information is stored in a place other than your home to ensure its availability in the event of a loss.

When it comes to fire prevention, smoke alarms are a wonderful means of assuring the greatest chance of safety in the event of a fire in your home. The high pitched squeal is designed to awaken the deepest sleeper and has helped families escape what might otherwise be a horrific event. These cost effective devices continue to be a technology that is easy to use and hard to justify living without.

Making sure your home is safe from potential burglary attempts does not need to instill fear. The methods of home safety and security are simply tools to be used to help your family enjoy the benefits of life without needless apprehension.