New Year’s Safety & Home Security Resolutions

Resolve To Make Home Security A Priority

Sure, you could resolve to lose weight like everyone else in the country, but as the New Year begins, there are a variety of extra security measures you could choose to take throughout your home instead. When it comes right down to it, what’s more important than the safety of your home and family? By putting a few security resolutions into place, you can have a home that is more secure than ever before, which will lead to peace of mind for you throughout 2018. Here are a few items to place on your home security resolution list.

Check Smoke Detector Batteries Regularly

You know you’re supposed to change the batteries in your smoke detectors every six months, but do you actually do it? Or do you wait until they beep you awake in the middle of the night like most homeowners? It’s not fun to chase down that beeping noise when you’re tired, and it’s not safe either! Mark it on your calendar to change the batteries every six months. Check out the carbon monoxide detectors as well to ensure that your home is safe from some of the more silent enemies.

Do Home Security Checks On All Entry Ways

You will also want to check all of your locks and alarm systems in order to ensure that your home is secure. Every month or so, do a thorough home security checkup by locking and unlocking all of your doors and windows to make sure they shut tight and lock properly. This way, if something slides open with ease, you’ll know about it and you can get it fixed before someone else (like an intruder) finds out just how easy it is to enter your home. You should test your alarm system monthly and review your alarm contacts annually to ensure the right people are contacted in the event of an emergency. You want these things to work when you need them, and the best way to guarantee that is by checking their functionality regularly.

Make It Less Enticing For Someone To Break In

Checking your locks and alarm systems aren’t the only measures you will want to take in order to prevent dangerous things from occurring around your home. Keep the shrubs trimmed back, for example, so your windows are in clear view of the street, and keep a couple lights on at night. No one will want to start sneaking around your home if people can see them from outside. Check the motion sensor lights to make sure they are sensitive enough and pointed in the right direction to catch motion as it approaches your house.

Be Prepared For A Home Invasion With An “Intrusion Drill”

Just as teachers conduct Fire Drills for our children at school, not because they are hoping to have a fire but rather to empower the students with the knowledge that will help them cope with an emergency situation, so too should parents conduct an age-appropriate “Intrusion Drill” at home.

Instruct your children to come to your bedroom if they hear glass breaking or other loud noises, or even if they see shadows or think they hear voices outside. Turn your master bedroom into a safe room by adding a good deadbolt lock to the door. If there is an intruder in your home a strong lock will buy extra time for calling 911, hooking up the escape ladder to your windowsill or even arming yourself if necessary, keeping in mind that not all weapons need to be firearms. Throwing any convenient and unanchored projectiles at an intruder who is coming up your stairs will give him pause, to say the least.

A different scenario, like when a burglar surreptitiously enters your house with intent to steal your valuables while you are home, is called a Hot Prowl. These incidents are much rarer than the “empty house” burglar who wants to break in when no one is at home but both normally want to avoid confrontation and are typically not violent.

On the other hand, Home Invaders who brazenly break into occupied homes are prone to violence but, thankfully, are very rare and their victims tend to have been specifically targeted. On the bright side, the odds are that you will never encounter any of these types of criminals but knowing what you, and your children, would do in that unlikely event is very empowering and can even be somewhat comforting if presented in a positive light, just like a well-conducted Fire Drill.

Ask Professionals For Advice

These home security resolutions are fairly simple so they are good to have on any to-do list at regular intervals. But you might want to add a more substantial security upgrade to the list as well, like adding a home security system or checking into home security monitoring. Moore Protection Home Security is here to help you with all of your home security questions and needs. We can even give you a free consultation to walk through any questions you might have. Together, let’s make 2018 the safest year for your home and your family. You all deserve to feel safe and secure inside your home and with regular checks on important items and the right systems, you can.