Your home is your haven and you need to make sure that if anything happens, you and your family are safe. Of course, the obvious options include security systems and monitoring systems that automatically alert authorities if your home is in danger. These work great for the present. However, it’s important to consider how to protect your home personally.
What if a natural disaster cuts off communication or these systems simply give out?
This is exactly what we are going to look at here: measures that you can take personally to protect your own home.
Security Cameras
We already noted that there is a certain level of risk to depending entirely on a security system but buying or creating one might be a good place to start. In the vein of protecting your own home, you’re going to want something that you can monitor. We’ve seen more and more of this lately: so-called “nanny cams” for children’s rooms, doorbell cameras, pet cameras, and more.
For a more DIY option, there are apps like Camio that you can use to turn an old cellphone into a security camera. These are systems that you can control and use to monitor your property. Even if you’re opting for one that may not be able to alert authorities in an extreme situation, it’s still helpful to be notified if someone like a burglar is coming close to your house.
Floodlights
Getting away from the more high-tech options, an option that became popular years ago is a simple light. Someone breaking into your home doesn’t want to be recognized or caught. With automatic floodlights, you’re likely to see an intruder turn tail and run from the bright yard. If you’re a light sleeper, you can even position these carefully to light up your bedroom as well as your yard so you can wake up when needed.
Recommended Flood Lights:
- SANSI LED Security Lights
- Ring Floodlight Camera Motion-Activated HD Security Cam
- SANSI LED Security Motion Sensor Outdoor Lights
Answer the Door Carefully
This is something that everyone in the family should know in every situation. First, it’s something you’ve probably heard your whole life: children don’t answer the door. Children, no matter how well they’re taught, don’t have the same skills to assess a threat than an adult does.
Secondly, never open the door all the way. If you throw the door wide open, it’s much easier for an intruder to get in. You’ll also want to be careful not to let anyone into your home if you don’t know them. From peddling salesmen to a neighbor from a street over you’ve never met, it’s better safe than sorry here.
Get a Deadbolt
This point is short and sweet but also crucial. Poorly constructed or weak locks can be jimmied or even just broken. A deadbolt offers a stronger lock that’s hard to get past. A door brace can also protect against someone trying to bust in.
Keep Gardens Trimmed
This might seem like a home decor point rather than safety point but it comes back to visibility once again. Overgrown shrubs or plants can make it easier for an intruder to get in undetected because they’re harder to see both from the inside and outside.
Make Close Relationships With Neighbors
Neighborhood watches are often scoffed at but close communities can actually reduce crime. When everyone knows each other, they’re going to recognize an unfamiliar face. They’re also more likely to intervene or call for help when they see suspicious activity.
On a similar note, take a look at the security measures of the house around and ask what others do. The last thing you want is to be the house on the block that seems like the easiest target. Keep up with your neighbors’ measures.
Invest in Thick Curtains
Intruders typically break into houses because they know they’ll get something out of it. If they can glance in your window and see a flat screen TV on your wall or luxury items on your dresser, that’s a risk. The solution to this can be simple: get thick curtains that potential burglars won’t be able to see through. It’s also a good idea to put any small valuables away such as watches or jewelry.
Install a Security Fence
The best way to stop an intruder is to make sure they can’t get close to the house at all. Make sure your security fence is strong too. Most people choose a tall, solid fence because they’re both secure and attractive. You’ll want to be wary of anything that can be easily climbed such as chain link fencing.
Don’t Leave Signs That You Aren’t Home
If a house looks vulnerable, it usually is and those with ill-will know that. If you advertise that you’re out of town or let mail pile up, your absence might be taken advantages of. Having a close friend that you trust to collect your mail is a good idea. It’s also crucial to be careful of who you let into your home. It’s better to ask a family member to stop by and water your plants rather than hiring someone you just met down the street.
The last thing any homeowner wants is to experience is feeling unsafe in their own home. The best way to avoid this is to be proactive and make your home a safe and secure place in any condition.
OFFGRID SURVIVAL Editor’s Notes:
We would like thank Josh from Minute Man Review for his article. Home security is often one of the most overlooked pieces of the preparedness puzzle, which is unfortunate, because according to the latest FBI stats, a home burglary occurs every 13 seconds in the U.S.. According to the Department of Justice, 38% of assaults and 60% of rapes occur during home invasions.
Don’t become another Statistics! If your interested in learning more about home security and preparedness, check out some of our other Home Security articles:
