8 Tips for Improving Your Home Security
The rate of burglaries, house break-ins, and vandalism are known to increase when individuals are away at work, tending to personal issues, or asleep at night. Burglars continue to execute their malicious activities to the detriment of unsuspecting individuals who have to bear the loss of these thefts.
As a home insurance company in Ottawa, at Oegema, Nicholson & Associates, we think of our clients as family, which is why we want to ensure that your homes are safe and secure against intruders.
We also believe that as a homeowner, safeguarding your home and protecting your properties from destruction and theft is your utmost priority. Here, we have put together eight crucial tips to improve home security for these reasons.
Tips for Upgrading Your Home Security
1. Lock all your entrances
Ensuring that all entry points, such as front doors, windows, garage doors, and attics, are locked properly is the easiest and most obvious way to improve the security around your home. While keeping your doors and windows locked may not stop a break-in, it will make it more difficult for intruders to enter your property.
No matter how brief your exit from your home is, make it a priority to close all doors and windows. The more difficult it is for a stranger to gain access to your home, the less likely you will become a burglary victim. Locking all entrances is a proactive step toward protecting yourself, your family, and your belongings from people with malicious intent.
2. Install security locks
The type of locks installed on your doors is just as important as keeping your premises locked. When it comes to doors, the more levers that have to be turned while opening the doors, the harder it is for burglars to break through. To increase the security of your homes, you may opt to use a 3-lever mortise lock to tighten the security of your locks.
Another option is to install magnetic locks. Magnetic locks can withstand massive pounds of force and can lock on both sides. So, breaking in is almost impossible. The only downside to magnetic locks is that a burglary may occur during a power outage.
Finally, with a smart lock, you can remotely close all entrances from your mobile device, even when you forget to lock your windows and doors.
3. Keep your spare keys safe and don’t reveal passcodes
While you must have spare keys, do not hide them in obvious spots like under doormats, potted plants, tiny shrubs, or under fake rocks. These areas are well-known hiding spots for keys, and any seasoned burglar knows exactly where to look. Instead, keep your keys with trusted neighbours, a family member, or a close friend.
Additionally, do not reveal your passcode to anyone if you live in a smart home. However, if you must reveal your code, ensure that only a maximum of two trusted persons are aware of your passcode to safeguard your house.
4. Install security cameras
Another useful tip to improving your home security is to invest in security cameras. No burglar or intruder wants to be caught. Therefore, security cameras will ward off trespassers from your property, besides the added advantage of quickly identifying a burglar in case of an intrusion.
Security cameras can also be placed discreetly so that intruders do not easily identify their presence and destroy them.
5. Install security alarms
Security alarms are a prerequisite for keeping your home safe. These alarms notify you and the authorities when someone trespasses on your property. They can track human movement and easily pick up suspicious activities in and around your home.
With security alarms, you don’t have to worry about the safety of your home while you are away. You are assured that the relevant authorities will be alerted if something happens in your absence.
6. Landscaping
Landscaping is perhaps the most unconventional approach to upgrading your home’s security, but it is very effective in warding off strangers. For example, regularly care for your lawn in order to show potential thieves that the owners are present.
Another instance of good landscaping is planting thorny shrubs around windows and doors. While these shrubs will look visually appealing, they will prevent burglars from gaining access to your home through windows. Some examples of flowers you can plant are roses, bougainvillea, a crown of thorns, thorn acacia, and aloe vera.
7. Ensure your home has proper lighting
Burglaries are less likely to occur in bright surroundings. To make your home more secure, investing in quality lighting is paramount.
Not only does a brightly lit house make it difficult for burglars to hide, but it also shows that the homeowners are present. Usually, when people leave their homes, they turn off all lights giving intruders an unintended invitation to their homes.
8. Don’t share vital information on social media
We cannot emphasize this tip enough. Informing strangers of your whereabouts online and in real-time does not only put your home at risk of theft, but it also endangers your life.
You may want to share your experiences with your friends on various social media platforms, but it is wise not to do so in real-time. Revealing your location with people you know little about is dangerous.
Besides sharing your location, providing important information (such as when you leave for work and get back home) may put you at risk of a robbery. You should also never reveal your house address on social media platforms.
Why You Need a Home Insurance Policy
Following the tips above will go a long way in improving the security of your home. However, to cover your bases, it is advisable that you get a home insurance policy. A home insurance policy will guarantee that no matter the tragic event, your insurance coverage can replace your home and properties.
There is no better way to secure your home than to get an insurance policy. Oegema, Nicholson & Associates offers home insurance policies in Ottawa that provide coverage for homes in case of a break-in, fire outbreak, or flood. To learn more about home insurance in Ottawa, call us at 613-704-7766 or contact us here.
