Home is the most important place in the world- and keeping our family, pets and property safe is a top priority. No one wants to think about worst case scenarios, but it’s always worth putting some effort into security just in case. Here are a few things to bear in mind when it comes to the safety of your home.
Find a safe place to live
If you’re looking to move house with a family, then safety will, of course, be a top priority. Unfortunately, we can never be completely sure of how safe a place is. However, judging by things like crime rates, there are some places that are of course more likely to be safer than others. Cities tend to be higher in crime, so if you do want to live in a city it’s worth taking extra precautions. Gated communities are great for peace of mind, or choose an area where the property manager has invested in a company like OPS Security Group. If you move a little further out of the city, you’ll find that crime rates naturally tend to fall, but of course, you’ll still need to be aware of the dangers. Before signing on the dotted line for any property, be sure to check the postcode stats to give you an idea of what the area is like.
Invest in good security systems
Regardless of where you live, you should always invest in good security systems for your home. Even if you believe your area to be very safe, it could always be targeted. In fact, lots of criminals prefer ‘nicer’ properties and streets as they know there’s likely to be more valuable items to steal. Smart home devices are incredible these days and can really help you to protect your property. CCTV can be viewed right from your smartphone from anywhere in the world and will send you a notification when activated. Smart lighting again can be controlled from anywhere from your phone, giving the impression that someone is in when they’re not. A good burglar alarm will massively deter thieves if they do manage to get inside- very few will stick around when one goes off. For criminals, it’s all about risk and reward, and homes are often only targeted because they’re easy. Making it that bit harder will put off any opportunistic burglars. Good windows and doors are important from security point of view, and will also make your home more eco-friendly and cheaper to run too. Like every time you run the heating, it won’t be escaping from the windows!
Create a lockup routine
The best security systems in the world are rendered useless if you don’t use them properly. In fact, most burglaries occur when criminals enter through an open door or window. It’s tempting when you’re popping out for ten minutes here and there to overlook security, but it’s something that needs to be done properly every time. A lockup routine gives you peace of mind that everything has been done. It could involve checking the windows, locking the doors, checking the oven/heating/plug sockets are off and setting the house alarm.
