In this day and age, one of the biggest issues is home safety. For those that watch the news, it can seem like break ins are on the rise from day to day. While this hyperbolic view of the world may not be quite the cause for alarm it appears to be, it’s still good to stay prepared. So, instead of stressing out about your family’s safety, follow these tips to make your home less desirable to burglars.
Get a guard dog
One of the most common home security measure is to get a dog. Guard dogs are used to watch over and protect homes. However, guard dogs need extensive training and socialization to make them hostile towards strangers and friendly towards their owners and other familiar faces. Many dog breeds can make excellent guards, such as the German Shepherd, the Bullmastiff, the Caucasian Shepherd and the Rottweiler.
If you are considering getting a guard dog, try and go for one of the mentioned breeds. However, if you already have a dog, all you need to do is consult a guard dog training expert to help you train it.
Invest in home security
Having home security monitoring on and around your home is one of the most useful ways to prevent home break-ins. When burglars see you have a system, they will likely leave your house alone. Even if they have masks on, it’s likely that they still won’t run the risk of triggering the audio alarms of security cameras and being captured in the video footage.
Get your system checked
If you already have a home security system, remember get your system checked and serviced every couple of months/years. This will ensure that your system is fully functional. Professionals and the police can also give you further tips on keeping your home safe.
Remember to lock up
Burglars won’t just use through the front door, they will check any and every entry points whether it’s the back door or windows. Put in solid, thick doors that can’t be kicked in and install deadbolt locks and look at getting security screens or doors as well. To protect your windows, install thick glass that can’t be easily broken into and lock them just in case. These will dramatically reduce the likelihood that your home will be broken into.
Get to know your neighbours
Neighbours can be our eyes at home when we aren’t there. Developing a good relationship with your neighbors means getting familiar with their faces, knowing their names, and recognizing their vehicles. The more you interact with them, the more likely they are to notice when something is out of place at your house. This wouldn’t have prevented our break-in, but it would have helped us narrow down when it happened and possibly resulted in a neighbor noticing someone try to get in.
Disguise your house when you’re gone
It is a known fact that you are less likely to be burgled if you are home. Burglars try to strike when no one is at home so doing simple things such as leaving the lights on, get the mail collected, maybe even have a car pull in and out of the driveway abit will make it appear like someone is in the house and will deter criminals away.
If going on holidays, try having a close friend of family wither stay in the house or every few days come round and collect the mail and make sure everything is ok.
Be conscious about what you post on social media
Keeping a low profile on social media is a smart way to stop burglars from targeting your home. Never mention you’ve made large purchases or you’re away on vacation on social media, or even in person to people you think you can trust. If a burglar notices the purchase of expensive items or your absence of home for long periods, they will be more likely to target your home.
Home security should be taken seriously and with these tips, you are well on your way to creating a safer home for you and your family.