9 Home Security Tips

Did you know that a burglary happens every 20 seconds in the U.S., according to the FBI?1

Your home is one of your most valuable possessions, along with everything inside. It is a place you want to feel safe and secure from the potential dangers of the outside world. Employing and engaging in some basic best practices around home security is the first step to help create a secure environment for your loved ones and family.

Consider these tips to help keep you and your family, and your possessions, safe and secure.

1.      Landscape with safety in mind. As you walk around your property, look for areas that could be potential hiding spots for thieves, who prize the privacy they provide. Try and clear away any overgrown areas.

2.      Talk with your local police department. Ask your police department to come and inspect your home and property and provide suggestions to increase home security. They can also offer insight on past break-in trends in your area.

3.      Know your neighbors. Take the time to meet and engage with people on your street and encourage them to watch out for any suspicious activity when you are not home.

4.      Lighting matters. Lighting can set the right ambiance inside your home, but outdoor lighting can be the difference between your home being targeted – or not – by thieves. Motion-sensitive fixtures can help add security and provide light when needed. Also consider using automatic timers or a smart lightbulb that can be controlled remotely to turn lights on and off in various parts of the house to help make it seem like you are home.

5.      Avoid advertising that shopping spree. Thieves look for and steal newly-delivered boxes on your front porch, a method called porch pirating, so consider having them delivered elsewhere or requiring a signature for delivery. Thieves may also look at clues provided by your trash or recycling, which may indicate the new computer or flat-screen television inside.

6.      Set a safety routine. Make sure you establish a routine where you regularly lock all doors, shut windows and turn on your alarm system every time you leave your home. Avoid leaving spare keys outside, under a planter or under a welcome mat, as thieves know most of the potential hiding places.

7.      Manage visibility. Make sure you can see who is at your front door without opening it. Avoid placing valuables where they will be visible from the street, and do not place your home alarm panel in a place where people can see you arming it from the outside.

8.      Protect your outdoor valuables. Burglars also target sheds, garages and other outdoor buildings. Secure your grill, lawn mower, bicycles and other outdoor gear.

9.      Create a plan for when you are away. Hold your mail, stop your papers and ask a friend or neighbor to remove flyers from your property. Arrange for snow removal and lawn mowing so you do not advertise when you are away from home.

Original Article Here: 9 Home Security Tips

Related Article Here: Home Security Tips and Tricks

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9 Easy Tips to Make Your Home More Secure

Keeping your home secure doesn’t always have to break the bank. There are some security measures that are definitely worth investing in, but there are also some cheap and easy security tips which will provide you with extra security benefits, without needing a big investment.

By putting some of these security measures in place, you can improve the security level of your home, without having to spend thousands of pounds. Indeed, some of our tips don’t cost a thing, so there’s really is no excuse to leaving your home unsecured.

1. Well-lit homes are much less likely to be targeted. Burglars don’t want to be spotted whilst attempting to break into a house, so installing motion sensor lights or event just general exterior lighting will help to deter burglars.

2. Use light timers whilst you’re away. Leaving your home unoccupied can make you fear for the security of your property. By using light timers you can create the illusion that your home is still occupied, which will reduce the likelihood of it being targeted.

3. Don’t hide keys outside your home. Burglars can easily find any keys hidden outside, regardless of how well you believe you’ve hidden it.

4. Keep the exterior of your home in shape. By ensuring that your hedges are trimmed back and gardens are kept neat you are not only reducing the hiding spots for burglars to lurk in but also reinforcing the fact your home is occupied.

5. Use reinforced glass on all windows so that damaging them to gain entrance is a lot more difficult.

6. Install a wide angle peephole to your front door so that you can see who has come knocking.

7. Add good quality dead bolt locks to each entry point so burglars can’t easily break in.

8. CCTV systems will provide video evidence of anyone suspicious trying to scope out the area and will also provide police with any evidence if someone should break in.

9. Make an inventory of all the items in your home, this will make it easier to determine if anything goes missing following a break in, and is handy to have for insurance purposes.

Consider Investing In A Home Safe

The security tips listed above will all help you make your home that bit more secure or assist in you dealing with a break in more effectively. The best way to protect your valuable documents, jewellery, and sentimental items at home, however, is to have a home safe installed.

Original Article Here: 9 Easy Tips to Make Your Home More Secure

Related Article Here: Inexpensive Ways to Theft-Proof Your Home

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Smart door locks, fitness bands, home security cameras, oh my! 5 tips for consumers to protect themselves

Because of technology and the Internet of Things (IoT), our lives are different today than they once were and better, as a result, in so many ways.  We live in an age where one no longer needs a key to enter his/her home. Effortlessly, we can recount to our friends how many miles we have walked and calories we have burned. And we no longer have to be present to turn the lights on or off at home.

However, along with the technological advances come new unchartered waters. The same technology that makes it all possible also comes with security and privacy-related imperfections. Just as thieves could enter your home after finding the key hidden under the doormat, there are often technological ways for modern-day thieves to do the same.

Below are five practical security and privacy tips for consumers of IoT technology including fitness bands, smart home door locks, and the like:

For wearers of fitness bands, disable Bluetooth outside the home.

Because eavesdropping by others within about 100 yards may be possible, turn off Bluetooth while you are out walking, jogging and running. Turn it back on when you return home thereby allowing the fitness band to sync the data it collected with your phone.

If you are using public WiFi, don’t use your smartphone to control your home settings.

Imagine you are sitting in the airport using the free WiFi as you head out on vacation. You want to check to make sure you closed the garage door and then want to schedule when to turn your home’s lights on and off. It would be safer to switch off WiFi and use your carrier’s cellular network to do so.

For users of electronic locking systems, learn how to disable keys associated with your smart phone in case of loss or theft.

Just realized your wife lost her phone? Hopefully the maker of your door lock provides a way for you to disable the key to the front door such as by logging into its website from another device and disabling the electronic key linked to the lost device.

If the device came with a “default” password, PIN, or key code, change it.

Devices often provide default usernames, passwords, PINs, key codes, etc.  Change these as soon as you are able.  When thieves and hackers try to attack you they begin with these “low hanging fruit” before attempting more complex attacks. Would be hackers and thieves may give up and look for someone easier to attack than you.

Do your homework.

Make sure you research whether the IoT device you are purchasing offers security protections.

For more tips, just visit Smart door locks, fitness bands, home security cameras, oh my! 5 tips for consumers to protect themselves page.