If you own a home, you have certainly thought about how to make your home secure. It’s common sense. You and your family live in your home, you keep all of your most valuable possessions there, so you want to make sure it is as protected as possible from all kinds of threats.
However, there can be another reason to invest in a good residential security system as well. If this house won’t be your forever home, and you plan on selling, having good security in place can help you do that.
People like to feel safe in their homes. And people also like it when they don’t have to put in work. So a house that comes with a trustworthy security system will be much more appealing. It could even raise the market value of your home, helping you get more money.
On average, many homes sell in about 56 days. With a security system, though, perhaps you could sell yours even faster, and get more out of it. Plus, while you live there, you will feel much safer and more protected.
There are many ways to make your home secure, as well as many benefits to doing so. Let’s take a look at some of those options, and what they can do for you, starting with the benefits.
Automation
With the advancements of technology, the days of “did I lock my front door?” are over. If you wish to, you can hook up your entire home to a security system that you can control remotely. So if you’re out shopping and can’t remember if you locked your door, you can do it right from your phone.
You can also automate other parts of your home security. Your lights could be added on, so that you can turn them on and off from anywhere. This has two benefits. The first is that you can turn off lights in another room without having to get up. And the second is that you can turn lights on and off when you’re not home, making it look like you are home and helping to scare off potential burglars. You could even connect your internet to this system, and make it easy to turn off when the kids have had enough.
Disaster prevention
Obviously, having a reliable security system can help prevent disasters like break-ins and thefts. This will save you money and potentially save your life, and can help increase the value of your home. But you can also work in other types of disaster prevention.
For example, you could integrate smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors in with your security system. This ensures that your detectors are working, and makes it easier to keep track of them, as they are all part of the same system.
Total protection
With a good security system, you can make your home secure in every area, not just the common entryways. This means all of the doors, windows, and any other ways someone may get into your home.
And you don’t have to just prevent unwanted intruders from getting in. Your security system can also prevent people from sneaking out of your home, which will be helpful if you have teenagers that like to get into trouble.
Preventing burglaries
Though it’s already been said, it’s worth mentioning again. One of the most common and important benefits when you make your home secure is preventing burglaries. Not only does this make your home more appealing on the market, but it has multiple benefits for you and your family.
First off, preventing a burglary means that you will save yourself money. You won’t have to replace stolen objects or repair damage to your home. But doing so will also prevent your family from having to go through a traumatic experience, and maybe even save your lives.
Now that you know some of the many benefits that come when you make your home secure, you may be wondering how to make your home safe. Well, there are a few common ideas that are good to start out with.
A classic home security system
When you think of home security, you may think of cameras on entryways, sensors on doors and windows, and an alarm. This is a classic security system, and one that many people use.
This type of system works well, and often does the job of keeping unwanted intruders out. However, it does not offer a lot of personalization or attention to detail, so you may want to look at some more advanced home security options.
A video system
A video surveillance system is often just one part of your home’s security, but it’s an important part. Where you choose to put cameras, and how you choose to use them, is up to you, but you will likely want them.
Many people have cameras watching their entryways, so they can know who is going in and out. Some may even put cameras or motion sensors in key areas in their home, like on stairs or central doorways, that can be activated at night for further protection.
You can also get cameras that allow you to see who is at your door no matter where you are. There are many doorbell systems that include a camera, so when someone rings the bell, you get a notification on your phone and can look at the camera feed in real time. Some of these systems can even notify you without someone ringing the bell, by detecting their presence. This allows you to see who is at your door no matter where you are, and to know if there are any suspicious people at your home.
Privacy fences
When you think about how to make your home secure, you should consider a privacy fence. They offer dual benefits, where you get more security and also more privacy from your neighbors. If you don’t know what they are, privacy fences are tall fences, usually a wood fence, that don’t have holes in them, so people can’t see through.
Hiring fence contractors to help build your privacy fence will boost your home security. It gives you more privacy, so others can’t always see into your home. And it can help keep out unwanted intruders, whether those are people or animals.
Gates
They say that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Well, a fence is only as strong as its gate. If you have a sturdy, reliable fence but a cheap, low-cut gate, then there is an easy point of entry. So when getting a privacy fence, also consider gate installation services.
You want your gate to be just as secure as the rest of your fence. You could even consider putting a lock on your gate for more security. Having a secure gate will ensure that there is no easy way for an intruder to get past your fence.
Doors
Much like gates, doors are an important consideration when you make your home secure. They are the ways that you will come and go from your home, and the most likely place for someone to try to break in. So having secure doors will help prevent break-ins and other problems.
You want to get the strongest doors that you can. When it comes to this, vinyl frame doors may be the best option. Not only are they visually appealing, but they are much stronger than traditional doors.
Getting strong doors now could prevent you from having to look into residential door replacement later.
Garage doors
Your garage door is another door into your home, so it is just as important to keep it secure. This can mean getting a door that locks, and maybe that you can control remotely. It should also be sturdy, to hold up to general wear and tear and make sure that it never becomes easy to break into.
Though you may think that you can stop when you install garage doors that are secure, you should also have a secure door leading from your garage into your home. This ensures that if for some reason, someone gets past the outer door, they would also have to get past the inner door too, which will be much harder.
Windows
When you make your home secure, you should put a lot of thought into your windows. They may be the most common place for intruders to enter, because of how easy they are to break or jimmy open. But there are things you can do to make your windows more secure.
First, you can make sure that every window has a lock, and that you use them. Make sure windows shut all the way, so they’re not as easy to force open. And if you are asleep or away, keep all of the windows locked.
You can also get impact resistant glass for your windows. Impact resistant glass is glass that is made up differently. It contains two panes of glass with another material down the middle holding it together, typically a powerful plastic or other synthetic material.
Impact resistant glass is designed to splinter, not shatter. So when the glass gets hit, it may splinter and crack. However, it will still be held in the frame by the plastic in the middle. This makes glass much harder to break, meaning that it’s less likely someone will break in through your windows.
Strong windows are also one of the best ways to make your home secure and increase its market value. People know that windows can be the most vulnerable part of a home. So if they see that your home comes with strong, trustable windows already, they will be more likely to want to buy it.
Automated systems
You have already seen some of the benefits that an automated security system can bring you. But it’s worth looking at in more detail, as this can be one of the best ways to make your home secure.
An automated security system allows you to put the maximum levels of control and customization. It means that you can make your home as secure as possible, because you have control of every aspect.
For starters, you can have locks on your doors and even windows that you can control remotely, or set to lock at a certain time. This makes it easy to ensure that your whole home is locked up tight, no matter where you are, from your living room to the grocery store.
You may also consider hooking up other home systems to your security system, like your lights, thermostat, and wifi. This will make things easier for you to control, but it will also be more appealing to potential buyers. If someone can buy a house where they can control it all from their phone, without having to worry about installation, it will seem like a big plus.
These are just a few of the benefits of an automated security system. Modern technology has made a lot of things possible, including new and better ways to keep your home safe.
Contingency plans
Of course, no matter how much you make your home secure, things can still happen. So it’s good to have plans in place in case of disasters or emergencies.
On one hand, you can have theft insurance and other plans in case of break-ins, burglaries, or other damage to your home. You can come up with a plan for your family if there is an intruder, so you’re never caught off guard. It’s also a good idea to know a 24 hour locksmith, in case you ever need to change your locks for security reasons.
And on the other hand, sometimes you just make mistakes, or things malfunction. Maybe your doorbell stops working, or your lights keep turning on and off. Or perhaps you just lock your car keys in your car. For these situations, mechanics, repairmen, and a vehicle lock out service are good things to have in handy.
Home security is important. It helps keep you and your family safe at all times. But it not only keeps you safe, it can help you sell your home faster and for more money. So when you make your home secure, do it in a way that protects you and makes it more appealing to potential buyers.
