Hopefully we all are taking steps to safeguard our homes from robberies and burglaries.  Safety measures range from installing high-end alarm systems to altering design elements in our house to make them more secure and difficult to maneuver.  Don’t let thieves find a way into your homes!  The following questions will help you examine if you are doing enough to protect your house and the changes that you may need to make in certain cases.

1.) Are your locks secure enough?
Most people believe that if they lock and bolt all the doors of their houses at night, no one can possibly break in.  Unfortunately, this is a false notion, as most locks are quite easy to pick or break, depending on the skill levels of the burglar.  It is very easy to break open a lock using a hammer or a chainsaw.  Night time is the perfect time to attempt a break in, as there is less chance that the neighbors are watching.  Contact a locksmith and have them review your current locks.  They can upgrade your existing locks, if needed.

2.) Does your alarm system keep you safe?
Alarm systems are a great deterrent and can alert the authorities in the event of a break in.  However, a lot of systems are installed only using a traditional telephone line.  A thief can cut the phone line before attempting to break and completely neutralize your security system.

There are two basic types of installation for alarm systems available.  One type uses a traditional land line.  The other utilizes a radio or cellular communication.  Alarm systems can be installed using one or a combination of the two installation methods.  If a combination installation is used, the land line is the primary mode of sending the alarm signal to the monitoring center.  The radio or cellular mode is used if the land line is out or not operational.

3.) Do you leave a message on your answering machine?
When you leave home for a business trip or a vacation, you may be in the habit of recording a message informing your friends and acquaintances of your ‘status’.  Unfortunately, in today’s world, this is not a good habit to have.  Doing so alerts everyone calling that your home is unoccupied; an invitation to potential criminals.

Inform those who need to know your plans know so by a phone call or email.

4.) Do you inform neighbors when leave town?
It is important to inform your neighbors when you will be away from your home for an extended period of time.  It is also good to ensure they have your contact information, in the case of an emergency.  You can ask them to keep an eye on things and contact you if they feel something is happening while you’re away.

5.) Do you lock all the doors and windows at night?
Some people think it is only important to lock the front door properly at night.  Burglars will never try to enter a house from the main door.  Instead, they would try back doors and other points of entry to your home.

It is not only important to carefully lock the front door of your house, but also to secure all the exterior doors and windows of your house too.  Also, locking your bedroom doors acts as an added safety measure.  If someone does manage to sneak into your house, a locked door will slow them down and alert you that someone is trying to enter the room.

For more information or to schedule your FREE home security review, contact us at 480-213-7856 today!