Whether you are going on vacation or staying home, are you worried about how to keep your home safe? Here are some great tips to follow in order to implement best practices to do so.
Smoke Detectors:
Burglars are not the only culprits to worry about when it comes to protecting your home. In 2018, 88 deaths in North Carolina occurred due to home fires. It is critical to have working smoke detectors in your home. Monitored fire detection is even better. With monitored fire detection, you know the fire department will be notified and someone will be there to help you in case you are unable to escape.
Carbon Monoxide Detectors:
CO is an odorless, colorless gas that can cause sudden illness and death. CO is found in fumes produced by portable generators, stoves, lanterns, and gas ranges, or by burning charcoal and wood. CO from these sources can build up in enclosed or partially enclosed spaces. People and animals in these spaces can be poisoned and can die from breathing CO. Every year, at least 430 people die from accidental CO poisoning, and around 50,000 people visit the emergency room due to accidental CO poisoning. It is critical that you have working CO detectors in your home. While battery/plug-in CO detectors will alert you when you are home, if you have pets, we highly recommend monitored CO detection. Monitored CO detection can alert the monitoring station, and you, to get the family pet out ASAP.
Display Alarm Sign and Stickers:
This seems like a simple thing, but making sure your alarm yard sign and stickers are visible and well placed can deter a burglar from attempting to break in.
Put your car key in a metal container:
No, you don’t need to bust out the tin foil hats. Thieves are now using signal capture from your car key remote to steal vehicles out of your driveway. The best way to prevent this? Store your keys in a metal container. Metal blocks the radio frequency of your remote.
Install motion detection lights:
Burglars like to work in darkness. Adding motion detected lighting draws attention to someone sneaking around.
Water Leak Detectors:
Many don’t think of water leak detectors as something to add to their home security system. However, water leaks are the number 1 source of insurance claims in the U.S. each year. With a water leak detector, you can be alerted at the first sign of an issue. Just place the device below your sinks, by your water heater, and washing machine. It can save a lot of money and headache.
Smart lighting:
Having your lighting on timers or a compatible alarm system can automatically turn your lights on and off, giving the illusion of the house being lived in, even when you are away. What’s great about smart lighting over timers is you can randomly set your lights to go on and off at varying times each day, so it is not as scheduled as timers.
Make friends with your neighbors: It’s always good to have friends nearby. But it can also help when it comes to having someone around who knows you and your habits. If they see someone or something suspicious, they are more likely to alert you.
Wait to Post your Vacation Photos:
Everyone loves being on vacation and sharing with their friends and family back at home how much fun they are having. However, you are announcing to the world that you are away. This tactic has been used by burglars to know they are able to break in when no one is home.
Be Prepared: If you’re going to keep weapons in your house, whether that’s a can of pepper spray or a gun, make sure you know how to properly use them or you risk having them turned on you.