10 Common Household Security Mistakes you Want to Avoid
The saying goes, ‘hindsight is 20/20’ which means if we knew that something negative would happen, we would take the proper precautions and strategy to change the course of those actions.Crime happens. Natural disasters happen. Man-made disasters happen.Once a catastrophe strikes and we overcome our tendency to lay the blame, we then logically look for ways we could have avoided the negative catastrophic outcome. The following mistakes in household security are ones that could be avoided and save you time, money, loss of valuables and in some cases, loss of life.1.
The Second Story
Look around your house, your yard and look at your home through the eyes of a criminal, a burglar who wants desperately to break into your home and steal whatever is of value. Look for ways that make for an easy break in. A very common mistake homeowners are guilty of is leaving a ladder in plain sight and easily accessible. Most homeowners only think of burglars breaking in through a window or door on the first floor, leaving second story windows and balconies unlocked or unsecured, and a ladder perhaps leaning against the garage, shed or side of the house is a useful tool to get to that second story unsecured window. Always keep all your doors and windows locked and secured. Make sure ladders and trees do not offer easy access to the second story of your home.2.
Talking Trash
Criminals are opportunists and are looking for information on you and your activities in places you wouldn’t even think of. We all want to be good neighbors, put our trash out by the curb, have our recyclables all neatly placed for picked up. Have you checked your curbside trash lately? It could literally ready like a laundry list of your purchasing activities. Electronics come in well-packed boxes, and when you set up your new flat screen TV, where did you put the box it came in? Nice and neat, out on the curb for pick up. This is a red flag for burglars looking for a sure-thing, an easy target. Take your boxes to a recycling center if at all possible to avoid letting a criminal know what you have in your home, especially around the holidays.3.
Old News isn’t Good News
We all look forward to our well-deserved vacations. We make a checklist of everything we need to do: flight and hotel reservations, what we need to pack, what we are going to do when we get there. The last thing you want to do is to come back from your idyllic holiday to a house that has been invaded. A pile of newspapers on the front porch and an overflowing mailbox is a sure sign that nobody’s home.So before you leave on that fabulous trip, be sure to have the post office hold your mail, cancel your newspaper. And if possible, have your neighbors check on your home regularly or perhaps, park their car in the driveway.4.
Trim and Clear the Dark Places
Burglars look for hiding places to cover up their activities. When checking the perimeter of your home, look at your bushes, hedges, gardens. The more overgrown they are, the easier a hiding spot they become. Keep your bushes well trimmed and better still, install motion detectors that set off exterior lights.5.
Don’t Leave Your House Alone in the Dark
Criminals are not only opportunists, they are smart too. The experienced ones are still out there committing crimes because they have the time, patience and experience to know what to look for to get what they want.Experienced criminals will study a neighborhood and its homes before they make a move. They will look for a house that hasn’t had its lights on for several nights in a row. This is a strong indication that the homeowners are away. Once they have established this fact, what’s to keep them from breaking in and stealing whatever they can?Ensure that your house looks lived in, even what you’re not there. Have light timers installed in a variety of rooms to go off at set intervals. If burglars see lights going on and off at various times, it makes them think twice about breaking in to a home that is not an easy mark.6.
The Key to Your Problem
Although it may seem convenient to hide a key, it’s also one of the worst mistakes a homeowner makes. Leaving a key under a doormat or flowerpot, or in one of those faux hide-a-key rocks sounds good in theory. But in reality, you are a target. Experienced criminals study neighborhoods and they will study you or your children seeking that hidden key. A better alternative is to have a coded door lock.
Don’t Advertise your Whereabouts
Criminals use social media too, so be aware about posting your pending fabulous vacation to Europe on Facebook. You should know that in addition to your friends reading your Status, unscrupulous characters are watching your whereabouts too, and are happy you are gone on vacation, but for very different reasons. Don’t become an easy target through social media. Post those photos AFTER you return home.8.
A Room with a View
The position of your alarm system can either help or hurt its effectiveness. If your alarm is visible through a window, a criminal can see it and know what he is up against, and how he can prepare to circumvent your system.Be sure to close your windows or have your alarm company install the alarm in a non-visible area.9.
The Code Number
We all have levels of forgetfulness but to take the easy way out can also be the easy way for criminals to get in.When you create your code number for your alarm, use one that is unique to you and your family, but not known to outside family members. 10.
Alarm Systems Left Off
Even if you have an alarm system that is customized and ideal for your home, it’s not going to be effective if it’s not turned on.One of the most common mistakes that home owners commit is to forget to turn on the alarm system-the one action that can be the key factor in saving a home and its precious valuables from criminals.You may think that you are just running out for a few minutes to do some errands, but rest assured, a criminal may be watching you and your neighborhood and know that now is the time to strike–because your alarm system hasn’t been turned on.If the system isn’t on, your home isn’t protected.
Always Be Aware
By being aware of these ten common household security mistakes, you can lessen the chances of being a victim of a burglary, a costly criminal act that violates the sanctity of your home.If you truly want to ensure the safety of your home and family contact Home Security Concepts, authorized ADT dealer. We can be there the same day to secure your home with the most cutting edge security systems and ensure that it is not violated by criminals. Call Home Security Concepts today, we are always on watch, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year for your protection.
