Your home security system is only as good as its weakest link. Although you may feel safe, thieves know multiple ways to enter your home. Conducting regular home security audits can help identify weak points and ensure your home is as safe as possible. Here’s a checklist to get you started.
Keep valuables hidden from the street. Look at your home from the street. Can you see televisions, laptops or any other valuables from the road? If you can, burglars can see them, too. Arrange your living space so you can’t easily see valuable items. Conversely, ensure your house number is clearly visible so that emergency responders can quickly find your home.
Ensure your home is well-lit. Thieves love yards with plenty of dark spaces to hide. Ensure your property is well lit and that your hedges are trimmed to no more than a metre high. Remove any barriers or trees close to your windows. Additionally, motion sensor lights add a surprise element to trespassers.
Secure doors and windows. Thieves can easily break through cheap doors. Invest in solid wood or metal-clad doors and install them with keyed deadbolts and strike plates. Add secondary locks to your windows and sliding patio doors. Purchase a remote doorbell to know who’s at the door without opening it.
Store valuables securely. Lock away valuables such as jewellery, cash, laptops and hard drives containing sensitive information whenever you’re not home. Invest in a good quality safe that’s resistant to flooding and fires.
Test your smoke alarms. Fire and carbon monoxide detection is essential to any home security system. Once a year, replace the batteries in your devices and test them to ensure they work. You should also have an emergency escape route plan in case of a fire or break-in.
Know your neighbours. Secure neighbourhoods communicate and watch out for one another. Initiate a community get-together so that the people on your street can mingle. Share contact info and let your neighbours know when you’ll be on vacation.
Get monitored home security. It’s a good idea to invest in a home security system to deter thieves and aid police investigations. Ensure your system is monitored 24/7 by a credible company. If there’s ever a break-in, fire or carbon monoxide leak, a trained professional will be notified and can quickly alert authorities if needed.
Furthermore, ensure your system has indoor cameras and outdoor cameras. A home security professional will know the best places to install them. Also, place alarm company stickers prominently on your windows and ensure you have a visible yard sign.
Indoor home security and camera installation in Calgary and Lethbridge
At Guardian Security Solutions, we offer annual alarm system inspections. One of our technicians will test all your security cameras and devices to ensure they operate and connect to the monitoring service. We’ll give you an alarm certificate you can show your home insurance provider. We also have residential fire alarm and CCTV solutions. Contact us to schedule an appointment in Calgary or Lethbridge.