When you own a home, safety and security are very important. You want to protect yourself, your loved ones and your precious belongings from theft, natural disasters and other damage. Having a safer home gives you more peace of mind and helps you sleep a little better at night. It may even help reduce your insurance premiums.
Here are a few helpful home safety tips for theft and damage prevention. A few small steps can help provide better security for your family.
Think Like a Thief
Walk around your entire house and look for weak spots where a criminal could potentially break in. Are each of your doors and windows locked at all times? Are there blind spots for any security cameras or outdoor lights? How could someone get in the house? Understanding the vulnerabilities of your home can help you take better security measures. Many police departments and security companies will offer free home security assessments if you want a professional opinion.
Protect Your Valuables
If someone does get into your home, you can have secondary layers of security for your most valuable items (jewelry, cash, important documents, personal ID, etc.). Simply keeping things in a lockbox that can easily be stolen and broken into later is not the answer. You may have secret hiding spots or a more robust safe that will deter a criminal who is looking to get in and out quickly.
Keep Your Children Safe
Some of the biggest dangers around the house don’t have anything to do with intruders. Make sure you are keeping any medicine, alcohol, cleaning chemicals, weapons and other hazardous items hidden away from your children. Educate them and keep them safe from their own curiosity.
Use Security Technology
You can work with a home security company to set up a security system. There are other things you can install yourself like Ring video doorbells, motion-activated floodlights and security cameras. There is a lot of great technology out there that can deter any troublemakers—from porch pirates to home intruders.
Cybersecurity
One of the biggest concerns in the modern world is cybersecurity. You can have the safest house on the block, but you can still be very vulnerable to identity theft and scams on your digital devices. Consider using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) service to provide more privacy and security when doing anything online. Be more diligent at recognizing potential scams and be very careful where and how you share any sensitive personal information.
Community Connections
Get to know your neighbors and work with one another to watch over each other’s homes. Many communities have neighborhood watch programs that you can get involved in, and knowing who to call in case of an emergency is always a good idea. Call the police if you see anything suspicious or if you are worried about crime in your neighborhood. Simple things like having your mail and packages picked up while you are on vacation and leaving outdoor lights on at night can help keep criminals away. You don’t want to make your house look like nobody is home and it is ripe for the picking.
Better Insurance
You likely have some form of homeowner’s insurance already, but how much protection and coverage is it actually providing? Many people only have the most basic plans that don’t cover a whole lot. Work with your insurance provider to have a plan that meets all your needs, including specific natural disaster insurance based on your location. If you live in a place where you can experience floods, tornadoes, freezing pipes, earthquakes, hurricanes or any other natural disaster, get the protection you need.
Crime, accidents and natural disasters can happen to anyone and no household is ever completely safe in every way possible. However, there are some steps you can take and technology you can implement to help provide better protection for your family and your valuables. Having the right insurance will also make a difference in case something bad does happen.
If you are a homeowner in the Southeastern Pennsylvania or Northern Delaware areas and you are looking to sell—or if you are wanting to buy a home in this market—contact The Cyr Team today. Let us help you make the right decisions when it comes to your homeownership needs.