Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Home Security Maintenance

By Christopher Williams

Increasing home security can be relatively cheap and easy. In many cases, simply looking at your home from an outside viewpoint, and considering how you would break into it were you a burglar or intruder can identify weak points and easy entry areas. Once these areas have been pinpointed, you can take steps to minimize the risk of your home security being breached.

Even the littlest things that you might take for granted each day can act to dissuade potential home invaders. Making sure you lock windows and doors before leaving, ensuring the grounds surrounding your home are cleared of obstacles that might create easy hiding spots for intruders, leaving lights on inside the home or having motion sensing lights outdoors, and having a dog are all great ways to improve home security.

But what about when you're on vacation or out of town for several days? There are things to do in these instances as well, like having someone pick up your mail for you, check the interior of your home occasionally, or having neighbors keep an eye on and report suspicious activity around your home. Consider leaving a car parked in your driveway, and if it is snowing, have someone shovel the walks or at least make tracks (car or foot) in the snow.

Many people wonder if having a security system is necessary for proper home security. In many cases, just having the security system decal in your window is enough to ward off criminals. The effectiveness of any system is greatly diminished if you don't advertise that you have it. A burglar or intruder is more likely to search for another target that he believes doesn't have a security system, rather than risking it with a house that he either knows or believes might have one.

Still, there are times when even a security system might not be a strong enough deterrent. Unfortunately, the ineffectiveness of many systems is often due to the owner's own carelessness. When having the system installed, ensure the keypad is positioned away from a window or door where it might be visible from the outside. In addition, it is necessary that you make arming your system a habit, just as you would with locking or closing the door.

For many homeowners though, the time of most concern regarding home security risk, occurs when they are away for extended periods. Maintaining the appearance of activity around your home, even when away, is once of the best ways to increase home security. Having friends or neighbors keep an eye on your home, remove excess mail, leaflets, or newspapers, and turning lights on and off inside your home, can all make your home look like it's being lived in even when it's not.

In many cases, home security is something you don't have to spend a bundle to have. Using your brain, often provides better security than any fancy system, steel doors, or iron bars could provide. Moreover, even the best home security system won't be effective if you don't use it properly and take regular precautions around your home to ensure safety and efficiency.

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