This is a contributed story by Axle Boris, Founder of Fence Fast
Many homeowners experience going away on trips and coming back to a burglarized home. The same happens with farm owners who often complain of stolen livestock animals. It is a typical story, but it doesn’t mean it cannot be avoided. Don’t cancel or postpone trips. Instead, learn how to have a safe and secured home.
It is your right to go on vacation and thoroughly enjoy it without having to worry about what you left home. What you need to do is to prepare for a safe and secure home before your holiday. There are many things you can do, just like how you can secure your farm with a Fast Fence Electric Fencing system and some of these precautions are not just useful while you are on vacation, but they are permanent protection precautions too.
Your home is one of your most significant assets. A house is a good investment which makes it vital for you to take great care of it. You do not only have the responsibility of keeping it clean and well-maintained but also ensure a safe and secured home. Here are seven awesome tips to help you improve your home’s security.
Creating a Safe and Secured Home
Change old locks and let a professional locksmith secure new ones.
An expert locksmith is not only an expert in popping locks but also creating a secured one. Even if you haven’t locked yourself out of your house, you can still avail of their services by asking them to change old locks and install new ones. They can provide you with different high-security locking solutions, and you can choose from the given options depending on your needs.
Use smart light bulbs.
One excellent tip for having a safe and secure home is to consider lighting. Burglars target homes that have residents always out and about – and one indicator is your lighting fixture. By installing smart light bulbs, you can customize, control and schedule them accordingly. You can make it look as if there is always someone present in your home, even if you’re miles away.
Good Read: 7 Ways Technology is Changing Home Security
Invest in motion sensor lights.
The bad guys will try to be invisible to avoid getting caught. With motion sensor lights installed, they will shy away from entering your property. If one fails to see your lights, they’ll surely skedaddle when the area suddenly lights up.
Take care of your landscape.
Your landscaping can also be an effective way to make burglars think twice about breaking into your home. Make sure that grasses, limbs, and branches are always neatly trimmed, keep tall plants or trees away from your roof and consider planting prickly plants to deter burglars away. You can always hire a landscaping professional to work on your lawn while you’re away.
Put mail and deliveries on hold, or ask someone to get them for you.
When going out of town for days or more, it would be best to put all mail and deliveries on hold. Or you can ask the postal service to send them to another address. This way, your letters, and packages won’t pile up – an indication no one is home for a long time.
Install security cameras in and out of your home.
No burglar wants to be watched, and with security cameras installed, they’ll immediately cross your house out of their list knowing their chances of being caught and tracked is high. Having a safe and secured home is easier with affordable cameras. There are several you can choose from – you only need to pick one with the features you want.
Get yourself a dog (or just fake it).
A dog is one great companion which can also be a great security system. Since they are usually territorial, homes with dogs, especially the large breeds are one of the properties burglars won’t want to visit. Got no dog? You can always fake it by having a dog chain, dog bowl, and a “Beware of Dog” sign right where they can see them.
Install an Alarm System
Installing an alarm system in your house and the entire property is an excellent way to provide a safe and secured home. The good thing about alarm systems is that they are centralized so once triggered, the police will also get notified. It means whether you are away, if someone tries to get in your house, the police will come to check. Furthermore, it could also alarm your neighbors and cause panic to the trespassers. If you already have an alarm system, do not forget to turn it on.
Put a Timer on Your Electronics
Burglars often scout on houses that look abandoned. Do not make your home look like no one is there. The best thing you can do is to put a timer on your electronics such as television sets or the lights. Let them turn on and off at particular times of the day and night. It will make burglars think that someone is home. However, do not make the mistake of leaving your electronics open at all times too. It is also a sign that there is nobody at home.
Lock Everything and Do not Leave Spare Keys
Before going, make sure to check and double-check, so every single door, window or any other entry is locked securely. A lot of trespassers look for loose openings or left open windows to get in without getting noticed. Therefore, secure everything before you go. Furthermore, those spare keys you keep outside, remove them. They might find it, and it will allow them to get in and out of your house without detection.
Hire a House Sitter
If you are planning on being away for a long time, it is best to hire a house sitter or anyone who can check on the place regularly. Try to ensure that someone is there to mow your lawn so the house will look like someone is living there. If you can’t hire a sitter, try to ask some family member, friend or trusted neighbor to keep an eye on things for you.
Takeaway and Contributor Credits
These are just some of the tricks you can use to make your house a safe and secured home. If your problem is securing your farm to protect your livestock or animals, then consider upgrading your fences with Fast Fence. One only needs to outsmart the bad guys, give a little bit of effort and use your creativity to keep your home secured always.
About the Author Axle Boris
Axle Boris the founder and President of FenceFast Ltd grew up on a cattle ranch in British Columbia’s Northern Interior. After having spent several summers working for his father custom fencing as a youth years later in 1998 he started AB Custom Fencing in the BC interior. Being impressed with how electric fences consistently kept out a wide variety of animals and were a cost-effective option for customers; Axle became a dealer for Gallagher Animal Management in 2000. Since then AB Custom Fencing has become an industry leader specializing in Livestock, Wildlife, Bear, and Predator Management permanent and portable fence structures.