Your home is your sanctuary, and it’s important that you feel safe and sound when you’re there. Fortunately, it’s easy and affordable to increase your home security to be sure you can deal with any challenges that threaten your safety. Here are a few easy ways that you can, and should, protect your home.
Install Motion-Sensing Lights
Most of us have a motion-sensing light on our porch or on the way leading up to our home. While these lights are good for helping guide you at night, or illuminating a squirrel running by, they are also a big deterrent for burglars. They are easy to set up, and it is proven that intruders are more likely to turn around if they find themselves suddenly under the spotlight.
Call the Cops
Many police departments are happy to send an officer to your house to scan the place for any break-in risks. They will point out high-risk areas for break-ins and be able to suggest ways to better secure your home. Trust us – they’ve seen their share of break-ins and they know what qualities to look for better than anyone.
Contact Your Mailman
If you’ll be out of town for a long period of time, your mail may pile up – a sheer sign to burglars that no one is home. You can easily contact the post office and have them hold on to your mail, or send a friend to pick it up everyday.
Change the Locks
Whether you live in an old home or a brand new piece of real estate in Toronto, your locks may need to be replaced to give you an extra bit of security. Have you ever tried to break into your own home with a credit card because you locked your keys inside? If you’ve succeeded, a burglar can succeed as well. Make sure you have deadbolts installed on all doors that lead to the outside.
Lock the Windows
Even if they are shut and locked, it can still be easy for an intruder to find his or her way into your home through the window. You can install window stops to prevent the window from being opened too wide, making it impossible for a burglar to shimmy in.
Get it on Tape
Installing motion-sensing cameras outside your home is one of the best purchases you can make. Thanks to advances in technology, it won’t be an expensive project. You can purchase advanced models, but a simple set-up with motion-sensing technology will do perfectly. Plus, the sight of a camera may be enough to make them turn the other way before entering your home.
Slap on a Sticker
Even if you don’t have an advanced home security system, just the sight of the decal stating “home security system in place” makes a difference when it comes to warding off intruders. You can purchase a sticker online without the purchase of an expensive system. Pro tip: you can always throw on a “guard dog” sticker too as an extra (albeit dishonest) deterrent.