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Consider These Top Home Security Must Haves Revealed By Experts
While it is easily possible to spend thousands of dollars turning your house into a fortress, you don’t have to empty your bank balance in order to deter intruders and feel safe at home. There are plenty of smaller home security tips you can employ with big impact, and these are sure to make a huge difference to how well you defend your property. There are lots of ways to improve how secure your home is, from those that cost very little to systems that require a considerable financial output. The key lies in tailoring whatever measures you put into place to suit your home and your lifestyle, whether you are looking at how to secure your home for the holidays, or because you work away from home regularly. Burglars are going to take the path of least resistance when trying to invade your home, so you want to stay one step ahead of them and know the vulnerabilities, plus ins and outs of your home better than they ever could. Once you make a note of all potentially weak areas, you can then proceed to invest in the right tools and upgrades to protect your home.
USE LIGHTING TO DETER INTRUDERS
Intruders love nothing more than being invisible so if you want to put them off snooping around your property, anything that highlights their presence is a good idea. Make sure your front yard lighting ideas, as well as those elsewhere around your home, are well-planned, fit for purpose and well maintained. ‘One of the best ways to keep your house safer at night is to illuminate it,’ says Seamus Nally, CEO of TurboTenant. ‘More specifically, illuminate all of the doors and entry points. People who break into homes want to be able to do so unseen. ‘If a door has light shining directly on it, one risks being easily spotted by any neighbors or any other person walking or driving by. If all of your home’s entry points are illuminated, chances are your house will be skipped over by burglars,’ concludes Seamus. These Tuffenough Solar Outdoor Lights from Amazon are super bright and triggered by movement. Even better, this garden security lighting is solar-powered so it charges up during the day when not needed. Make sure to keep your security lights on overnight.
DESIGN A LANDSCAPING SCHEME
As well as fitting your home with technology, the plants and materials you choose to finish off your driveway and your back and front yard landscaping ideas can also play an important role in securing your home without technology. ‘When strategically placed, trees and shrubs can act as a natural security barrier to your home and provide privacy,’ explains Jeff Ketelaars. ‘You can even opt to get defensive plants that naturally have spikes and thorny exteriors to deter anyone from coming on the property. ‘While natural deterrents are more aesthetically pleasing than a cement wall or fence around your home, the landscaping will not be cheap. Additionally, you do not want to grow any plants that will inevitably block existing cameras that are protecting your home or that can act as a hiding place for someone to watch your home. However, even small shrubs that are strategically placed can help provide needed privacy and deter burglars from even trying to get up your property.’ Learn more about shrubs for front yards. ‘To the exterior of your property review your boundaries and gates – have you got high fencing, can you use anti-climb spikes (check if these are legal in your area and put up a sign advising that they are there),’ advises Julie Waite. ‘Use privacy hedges and plants to make it more difficult to get in. Around your fencing grow tall spiky bushes. Upgrade your gating and keep it locked.’ Holly, such as Dwarf Burford Holly Foundation/Hedge Shrub from Lowes, is a good low-maintenance, but thoroughly spiky option. You can also use gravel on pathways near your home as that makes more of a noise . Julie adds to make sure there are no hiding spots near your front door where someone could wait to ambush you.
UPGRADE THE WINDOWS AND DOORS
Assess your windows and doors as these are weak points when it comes to a property. Look out for signs your wooden windows need replacing and put any areas of damage right. You should also check that they all have working, modern locks. ‘Get a peephole, chain and caged mailbox on the door or an external mailbox,’ further advises Julie Waite. ‘A simple but effective tip that is often overlooked is to install horizontal blinds to all windows and keep them down (but not closed). This makes it hard for intruders scoping out your home to see into your property and, if they do break in, the blinds make a lot of noise and make it difficult to get in quietly – especially if you have some plants and ornaments on your windowsills that could get knocked off.’ A noisy entrance into your home might well cause intruders to abandon their plan for fear of being imminently caught.
Text by Natasha Brinsmead | Photo credits on homesandgardens.com | Read More Here
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