Newport News Locksmith | Locksmith in Newport News VA
Call (757) 952-1861
Newport News Locksmith | Locksmith in Newport News VA
Call us (757) 952-1861
It’s important to be pro-active when it comes to looking out for the safety of your home. If you choose not to pay attention to security, unfortunately your property will be much more attractive to a potential thief. Be diligent. There are many relatively easy ways to safeguard your home from theft. Obviously, you won’t be able to anticipate every single possible vulnerability, but you can still take reasonable measures to prevent most circumstances in which a robbery could take place.
Set up basic household rules.
Don’t keep garage-door remotes and keys visible. It’s a bad idea to have your keys and remotes out in the open nearby the door, where anyone can see them through a window. Instead, it’s best to store them hidden, inside a drawer or hanging inside a cupboard door.
Don’t keep a “hidden” key outdoors. By the same token, even if you have a keyholder inside a fake rock, a professional criminal may recognize it. Any potential intruder will also likely easily locate the spare key you leave under the mat, inside your mailbox, beneath the flower pot, or above the door. Instead, give any extra key to a trusted friend or neighbor for safekeeping.
Don’t leave any ladders outside. A crook could pretend to be a handyman or contractor, and use your ladder to enter your home through a second-floor window, or use it to land on your balcony.
Secure your air conditioning unit. You wouldn’t want a cat burglar to get inside through an unsecured window. Apply a sliding window lock, an air-conditioner bracket, or corner braces.
Use lights efficiently. Install outdoor lighting with infrared motion detectors at each exterior door. Motion detector lights discourage trespassers. They can even be connected to your smart device, so you can instantly detect any unwelcome activity, and respond immediately. Some respond to changes in temperature, light, or sound. In addition, always keep some of your indoor lights on when you’re away.
Install timers. If you put your porch lights on timers, whenever you’re gone during the day, or if you’ll be out for an extended period, you can make it appear that someone’s home. It is a good idea to put timers on your radios, TVs, and computers. You can even attach a smart device to your timers, so you can monitor and control everything with a mobile app; that way you can make it look like your home is occupied all while you’re away.
Post warning signs and stickers. Some people may think it’s silly, but it can be beneficial to put up a sign or a window insignia from a security company at each door or on each window - even if you don’t actually have a security system. You might even want to put up a “No Trespassing” or “Beware of Dog” sign to deter visitors.
Eliminate any potential hiding places. Keep your hedges, trees, shrubs, and other plants properly trimmed. If they’re too tall, badly spaced, or ungainly, a prowler can easily hide.
There are many other ways to improve the security of your home. Some take more effort, but may still be affordable.
Fortify your doors. Inspect all your outside entryways. A hollow door is of lower quality, and therefore easier for a robber to penetrate. The best thing to do is to replace it with a solid door of wood or metal.
Examine your front- and back-door locks. If any of your locks have weaknesses, reinforce them by replacing the strike plate (the stationary piece where the bolt comes in), and mounting an extra solid metal plate on the doorjamb for the sliding bolt. If you have short mounting screws, replace them with longer screws, which will reach the door’s studs and strengthen the doorframe.
If you have sliding-glass doors, successfully secure them by putting in an adjustable safety bar or a cut-to-size wooden dowel. Also, you can put in a floor bolt.
Upgrade your locks. Any locksmith expert will advise you that deadbolts offer exceptional security. Get a grade-2 deadbolt lock, which is an improvement because it penetrates the doorframe.
A digital or smart lock is an electronic device that will give you greater security at your front door. With some, you can synchronize it with your smart device, so you won’t ever need to carry a house key again.
Put in surveillance cameras. Installing surveillance cameras will keep you aware of everything that’s happening around your perimeter, so you can call the authorities right away if you see any indication of foul play. You can buy a premium-quality surveillance camera that records video footage. If you want to spend more, you can add high-tech security features such as facial recognition.
Add state-of-the-art home automation. If you have a large budget, you can keep an eye on all your home’s activities with a smart app. If you install a smart alarm system, you can monitor your entire household. From simulating routine habits to checking in on what’s going on, even while you’re gone, your property will almost take care of itself! If you see anything suspicious, you’ll receive an alert on your smart device, and you can notify the authorities. You’ll definitely achieve wide-ranging safety with such a smart home security system.