For any homeowner, one of the most important things is for their home to be secure, regardless of whether they are home or not. Home security is one of the most important aspects of any home, and possibly the greatest concern for anyone moving into a new place. Hence, taking prior measures can relieve you from a lot of stress, and allow you to go out without the fear of your home being invaded while you’re away.

However, due to the sensitive nature of the matter, some people may go overboard with protecting their home – this may end up having the opposite impact of what is intended.

Fortunately, these mistakes are easy to avoid, provided you keep a few things in mind when taking home security measures. Here are some do’s and don’ts of home security that will help you secure your home in the right way. If you’re low on budget and feel the need to save up for home maintenance, HomeServe’s Plumbing and Drainage Plus cost might help you cut back.

Here’s what you should do to better home security:

Keep a Check on Your Locks

The simplest way for an intruder to break into your home is through doors and windows. To make sure that your home is impenetrable, start from keeping a check on the locks and ensure that they are always in place. Lock everything before you go to sleep, leave the house or even if you plan to take a small nap. Any time when you are unable to monitor your home yourself, lock everything properly.

Know Where the Keys Are

If you’re someone who gets a lot of visits from close family and friends, you’ve most likely given your key to a few of them. The best thing to do in this situation would be to not share you keys with anyone, but if you must, make sure it’s people you can trust blindly. Getting a system that allows you to control who enters your home through a recognition software is even safer, but that can be fairly expensive.

Install Outdoor Lighting

It’s easiest for outsiders to break into a home if no one can see them do it. Make it difficult for someone to sneak in by installing lights at all the right spots around your home. Porch lights are one of the most important parts of a home, since they can tell you who is visiting you before you open the door to them. Try to get solar-powered backyard lights as well, since they will illuminate the area without costing you too much in the long run.

Get a Peephole

To avoid a stranger simply walking into your home and robbing you, getting a peephole is one of the best moves for any homeowner. You can ask whoever visits you to show themselves before you let them in, and this is also a great way to stay protected during the pandemic. A peephole is a great way to monitor activity around your home, and it may make any outsiders think twice before approaching your home.

Motion Sensors Can Help

There are a lot of smart gadgets these days that come with motion sensors already installed. This is why you should try to get devices that have motion sensors, for example, thermostats and garage doors. Motion sensors are connected directly through your phone through the app of whatever device you have, which means that if they detect unusual movement wherever they’re installed, you will know immediately – it almost acts as a silent alarm. Another similar option you can consider is security cameras, but if you don’t want to spend the extra money, make sure that the necessary devices you purchase come with motion sensors.

Now, here are some things that should avoid when you want to secure a home:

Do Not Distribute Keys

There are quite a few mistakes that homeowners can make when it comes to keys. Since they provide easy access to your home, never leave them outside, even if they’re hidden. Hiding them under the welcome mat can be quite obvious, and if someone sees you doing it, your house will be at risk. Another mistake you can make is giving your key to people who work for you; while it may occasionally be convenient, it can be a huge safety risk. Try to avoid this as much as you can, and make a list of everyone who has authorized access to your home.

Do Not Obstruct Windows

You might want to have certain things in your backyard or anywhere around your house, but having something like a swing set blocking your windows can actually prove to be very harmful in terms of security. Make sure that you have clear visual access to the area surrounding your home on all sides, so that you can somewhat monitor what is going on at all times. This will also eliminate a few of the hiding places that might make things more convenient for intruders. And as always, try to get a security system installed, even if it is low budget.

Conclusion

Taking the precautions mentioned above will certainly change your life for the better, and make your home a safer living space for you and your family. These measures apply especially to people who are unable to afford an entire home security system, since those can be quite expensive, particularly for new homeowners who have a lot of other expenses to take care of as well.