Can your house really be considered home if it is not secure? A vital part of what makes a house a home is the security and freedom you feel when there. It seems technology has only made it easier for bandits to threaten that security at every turn. Here are ten things you can do that will help you regain that lost advantage:
- Monitor the outside of your home. When you are home alone and hear that noise around back, don't you wish you could just whip out your smartphone and check it out? Well, you can. There are a ton of products that will allow you to directly monitor what is going on, or alert you when unexpected motion is detected. It is a great way to check on potential problems without putting yourself in harm's way.
- Monitor the inside of your house. There have been things like baby monitors for years. They allow you to check on the baby while you are elsewhere. That idea has been greatly expanded so that it is now possible to inexpensively monitor any room of the house regardless of where you are.
- Don't leave emergency keys outside the house. It is so common that every would-be burglar knows to just snoop a little around the porch to find the hidden key. Guess what? Your secret key is not a secret. Everybody knows it's there. Technology provides a better way. You can use an electronic door lock that can be triggered with your smartphone. You can even give out temporary, electronic keys to people who might need to get into your house while you are away.
- Secure your home computer. Your home computer contains enough information for a thief to rob you a second time, and take much more than physical goods. Through your computer, you can be robbed and exploited without a thief ever even entering your house. Everything from your email to your social networks can be a point of attack for clever hackers. Make sure you have proper security against social threats by using the appropriate software and services. Socially engineered threats are just as real and devastating as physical threats.
- Let there be light. Growing up, it was probably drilled into you that you should turn out the lights every time you leave a room. That is great if all you are concerned about is the power bill. But one of the best deterrents is the belief that someone is home and alert. A thief does not generally want to catch you at home any more than you want to catch him. Leaving lights on at key places and times is a great way to create that illusion. There are products that allow you to control the lights from anywhere in the world.
- Change your batteries regularly. You can hardly buy a home without a smoke detector. You probably have a flashlight for when the power goes out. But all the safety gadgets in the world will not help you if the batteries are dead. Make it a habit to install fresh batteries in everything every few months whether or not you think they are needed. Non-functioning batteries is a terrible reason to die.
- Make friends with your neighbors. Getting to know your neighbors can be a lifesaver. You need to have someone who takes an interest in your property and will report strange occurrences They should have your contact information so that they can call you when that moving van shows up out of the blue. A neighbor can also pick up your mail and newspapers while away. Just a little bit of socialization can go a long ways.
- Adopt a dog. I am not talking about an attack dog. You only need a dog that will bark when someone comes to the door or in the yard. A little dog will do just fine. The purpose for such a dog is just to alert you when people come around. It is not your only line of defense, but it is a good one. Dogs, even small ones are great deterrents.
- Keep a panic button nearby. Loud noises are great deterrents. If all your defenses fail and you find yourself alone and in a bad situation, hitting a panic button can save your life. There are products you can buy for the home for this purpose. Even certain smartphone apps can serve this purpose in a pinch.
- Have a security system installed. A security system combines most of these suggestions in one product. They offer monitoring systems and service. They can alert you when there is a problem. Someone is always watching. And there is usually some sort of panic button. These services still do not protect your computer. That is up to you. And for a thousand other reasons, you should still consider adopting a dog.
