It is important to feel safe and comfortable in your own home. Roughly 2.5 million burglaries happen in the United States per year and approximately 66% of those are home break-ins (ALARMS.ORG). Unfortunately, many families feel violated or experience a feeling of vulnerability after a burglary. We want you to always feel safe in your own home; here are some tips to protect your home from being a target.
6 Tips to Protect Your Home
1. Change your Locks
A lot of people do not think about changing locks when moving into someplace new, but it is one of the first things you should do. This is one of the easiest ways to add a little more protection to you and your home. It is important because you do not know who was in your apartment or house beforehand; you want to make sure that you are the only one who has access to your home. There are many different types of locks; a locksmith can help you pick out the best fit for your place. If in need of a locksmith, use MüvzU to find one in your area and to help protect your home.
You can also install a smart lock. A smart lock is an electro-mechanical lock which allows homeowners to lock or unlock doors in a house by using a smartphone. This can be convenient and help with a person’s peace of mind.
2. Use a Safe
Most home safes are aimed to protect its contents from burning in a fire, theft, or both. Some safes even protect its contents from water damage during flooding. Safes are great for holding irreplaceable or important objects that you wouldn’t want to get in the wrong hands. For example, you could keep passports, family photos or mementos, tax records, jewelry, or cash in a safe.
3. Make it Appear Like You are Home
An empty home is an appealing target for burglars. Even if you are not home, it may be in your best interest to make it look like you are. For example, you could have your lights on a timer to give the illusion that someone is there. If you are on vacation, you could ask your neighbor to park in your driveway! To be extra careful, do not reveal when you are vacationing on social media.
4. Get a Dog
This tip only works if you are ready for the commitment of a pet, but burglars are usually discouraged by the presence of dogs. Dogs are known to be protective and territorial. When hearing barking, a burglar is unlikely to carry through with their plans. If you do not want a dog, you can always pretend to have one, by placing “beware of dog” signs around your property.
5. Lock all Doors and Windows
This seems like a given but I have come across quite a few people who do not lock their doors or leave front windows wide open. Plenty of burglaries happen with no sign of forced entry, which means they were able to walk in or get in by an open window. To further secure ground-level window, you can place dowels in the window tracks or cover window wells with grates.
6. Install a Professionally Monitored Security System
Professionally Monitored security systems offer the best protection for your home. Burglars usually target home without home security systems, but only 17% of houses have a system in place (ALARMS.ORG). A professionally monitored system usually will include a control panel, door and window sensors, an alarm, and signs to let outsiders know your home is protected. When someone is trying to enter your home, an alarm will go off and the authorities will be contacted. Different security systems have different features and benefits, you can learn more here. A home security system will be best for peace of mind when you are away. Search “Home Security” on MüvzU to look for security systems in your area.
Are you ready to take extra steps to insure the protection of your home? MüvzU wants to help and will make it easy for you! Search anything from “Locksmith” to “Home Security” near you to get in touch with someone fitting for the job. The goal of MüvzU is to connect people to local and trusted home service professionals in the most convenient way. Without giving out your personal information, MüvzU makes searching for professionals in your area painless. Happy shopping!