#HowTo: Secure Your Home

Five easy steps to protect your home against intrusion

‍1. Improve lighting in and around your home

‍Keep your house well lit at night to discourage would-be criminals. Your exterior lights aren’t just to make your home look beautiful; they also reduce the shadows that a burglar may hide in.

Burglars are more likely target homes that are not well lit to remain unseen. Motion sensor lights are triggered by motion and can scare away anyone trying to enter the home/business.

‍2. Don’t neglect maintenance on your doors and locks

‍Make lock maintenance a part of your routine by periodically checking the frame, locks and hinges for any necessary repair or replacement. It’s also worth noting that locks will eventually fail or become damaged to the point where they’re a home security liability.

We suggest that you install deadbolt locks and exterior strike plates for added protection, making a break in more difficult. Deadbolt locks have a minimum 1-inch bolt in the door jam and exterior strike plates should be secured with 3-inch long screws.

‍3. Landscape with a purpose

‍A lawn that has not been recently mowed makes it appear as if the homeowners are away on vacation, which is an optimal time for a break in. Properly maintaining your yard does more then enhance the visual appearance of your home; it also helps deter criminals from choosing your house as a target.

You can limit potential hiding spots by keeping bushes trimmed and ensuring and strategically planting a thorny bush that will make access points less desirable.

‍4. Get to know your neighbours

‍Get to know your neighbours by simply saying hello once in a while. In case of emergency, it is much easier to go to someone you know rather than a complete stranger.

Don’t forget to keep a watchful eye on the neighbourhood, and ask your neighbours to do the same when you are away from home.

‍5. Install a monitored security system

‍Having a security system not only protects your home and valuables, but can increase the safety of your neighborhood.

It has been found that as the number of home security systems increase in an area, the number of residential robberies decrease.

The goal of a security system is to secure entry points into the home with sensors communicating to a system control panel, creating a protective barrier.

If a sensor is triggered, a high-decibel alarm will be set off and alert the people inside the home that a breach has occurred. This alarm will also prompt the monitoring company to notify the appropriate emergency response personnel in the area, so even if you are not home, you can have peace of mind knowing your home is being protected.