9 Tips to Keep You and Your Family Safe
Your home is one of your most valuable possessions, along with everything inside it. Ensuring the safety of your home can seem overwhelming. Like most daunting tasks, this too can be broken down into small parts. As you address each part, you will improve the overall safety of your home. To get you started, here are 9 home safety tips from our friends at Travelers to help keep you, your family, and your possessions, safe and secure.
Landscape with safety in mind. As you walk around your property, look for areas that could be potential hiding spots for thieves, who prize the privacy they provide. Try and clear away any overgrown areas.
Talk with your local police department. They can offer insight into past break-in trends in your area.
Get to know your neighbors. Take the time to meet and engage with people on your street and encourage them to watch out for any suspicious activity when you’re not home.
Lighting matters. Lighting can set the right ambiance inside your home, but outdoor lighting can be the difference between your home being targeted – or not – by thieves. Motion-sensitive fixtures can help add security and provide light when needed. Also, consider using automatic timers or smart lightbulbs that can be controlled remotely to turn lights on and off in various parts of the house to help make it seem like you are home.
Avoid advertising that shopping spree. Thieves look for and steal newly-delivered boxes on your front porch, a method called porch pirating, so consider having them delivered elsewhere or requiring a signature for delivery. Thieves may also look at clues provided by your trash or recycling, which may indicate the new computer or flat-screen television inside.
Set a safety routine. Make sure you establish a routine where you regularly lock all doors, shut windows, and turn on your alarm system every time you leave your home. Avoid leaving spare keys outside, under a planter, or under a welcome mat, as thieves know most of the potential hiding places.
Manage visibility. Make sure you can see who is at your front door without opening it. Avoid placing valuables where they will be visible from the street, and do not place your home alarm panel in a place where people can see you arming it from the outside.
Protect your outdoor valuables. Burglars also target sheds, garages, and other outdoor buildings. Secure your grill, lawn mower, bicycles, and other outdoor gear.
Create a plan for when you are away. Hold your mail, stop your papers and ask a friend or neighbor to remove flyers from your property. Arrange for snow removal and lawn mowing so you do not advertise when you are away from home.
The Bottom Line
No one wants to be the victim of a burglary in their home. Implementing these tips will help discourage and prevent burglars — and keep your family and belongings safe. Remember that each small improvement you make will ensure your home and loved ones are that much more secure. As you think about your home security, why not take some time and review your insurance policies? You want to make sure you have the right coverages in place in case a thief does enter your home. Let’s set up a time to connect.
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