When you leave your home for the day or return for the night, you probably remember to lock the door, but your safety efforts shouldn’t end here. There’s a lot more that goes unnoticed when it comes to your home’s security. With Pop-A-Lock home security audit, you can make sure that you and your home are safe at all times. However, it’s just as important to understand why these safety measures are important. Let’s take a run through of the top items on our security checklist to see how they can keep you safe.
Check All of Your Entrances
One of the most important things you can check when it comes to your home’s level of security is whether your doors, and all of their components, are properly installed. You may think that having proper locks on your external entrances is enough to keep you safe. While this will prevent criminals from simply walking into your home, unfortunately it is not enough to prevent them from breaking in.
In addition to checking the condition of your locks, it is just as important to assess the security of the door frame, the hinges, and the material of the door.
If your door frame doesn’t feel secure, you can install longer screws or a latch guard. Latch guards are metal plates that protect the weakest points of the door – the space between the door frame and the door itself.
Additionally, if your door opens toward the inside of your home, make sure your door hinges are tamper-proof or peened hinges. Peened hinges are a very secure way of retaining the pin.
If your door opens toward the outside, adding a security stud can help protect your door hinges. Doors that open outward have their hinge pins on the outside of the building. If a potential intruder removes the hinge pins, the security stud protects the door from being removed by locking the leaves of the hinges together.
A hollow wooden door can be easily kicked in. If possible, opt for a solid wood or metal door as these materials are much stronger. If you have a doggy door or a mail delivery slot, it’s vital to check whether the locking mechanisms can be reached through these spaces. Even if the locks are not accessible from a doggy door or mail slot, it’s still very important to close and lock these openings when they are not in use.
Secure Your Garage and Basement
More often than not, homeowners disregard the security of their garage door. The problem with this is that many people store a lot of their personal belongings in their garage, not to mention that your garage likely has a door with access to the rest of your home.
All entrances from the garage to your living quarters should follow the guidelines discussed above – they should have secure locks, door frames, hinges, and door materials. Additionally, avoid leaving anything outside of your garage that could be easily stolen or give potential thieves a clue as to what other valuables you may have inside your home.
You may also forget to assess how well your basement is protected. After all, without access outside, it may feel like the basement is already secure. However, in extreme cases if you have to hide from a criminal who’s broken into your home, your basement will be the safest space. For this reason, you want to make sure that any doors to your basement have effective locks, including a deadbolt, and that they fit snug within their frame.
Double Check the Windows
Ensuring that your windows are working properly and have the proper security measures installed is not only beneficial in protecting you from potential thieves or criminals but also from general injury. This is especially true when it comes to windows on the upper floor of your home.
It’s important to check that each window in your home has a securely attached window screen. Whether the window opens up on a higher level, or out to a hazardous area, the window screen will keep the outside out and the inside in. You’ll also want to double check the locks on the windows.
Deter Criminals with Proper Lighting
At the end of the day, if your home is not well lit, all of your other safety measures will be less effective. A highly stable and durable front entrance is important, but if a burglar can easily hide in the shadows while finding a way to gain entry, it defeats the purpose. Ensuring that your front door is well lit is a must. Neighbors and passersby will be able to see your door clearly and so will you – quickly deterring away a potential thief.
This rule shouldn’t end at the front door, however. You’ll want to make sure the entire perimeter of your home has lighting – especially any secluded areas in the back or side of your lawn. Your exterior should be lit in the most logical places with a bulb that is at least 40 watts. It’s even better if you can install motion sensored lights – this is the best way to stay on alert of suspicious activity on your property.
You Can Lean on Pop-A-Lock to Keep You Safe
Auditing your home’s security can feel like an overwhelming task, but with a little guidance from Pop-A-Lock, you’ll be able to reassess your home’s level of security and implement some simple tricks to protect yourself from burglars or other criminals. For any help you may need installing new locks, rekeying existing locks, or walking through the overall safety of your home, your local Pop-A-Lock is always ready to help.
