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Our house is like a haven, a place where we can rest in its solace and solitude. The safety of our entire abode lies in our hands encompassing all are near and dear and all that we possess, therefore we should not be negligent about this.
Locks
- All houses are provided with locks and they serve their purpose as long as you use them appropriately. The logic here is simple ‘if you have locks, use them’.
- Locks are of various types, however the more simple they are, the easier it becomes to pry it open.
- Do not compromise on fixing some cheap or simple locks as they will not serve their purpose.
- With the new age of digital locks and electronic locks, experiment with what you think can be best. You can also make use of the old padlocks, combination and Master locks.
- Avoid having chain locks as they can be easily opened.
- Locks are always associated with the keys and most people tend to be more careless with the keys.
- If you have multiple sets of keys, keep an account of them.
- Leaving keys in letter boxes, pots or a place familiar to you is like directly giving a clue to thieves. Do not do that.
- Locks need not be restricted only to doors; they can be fixed for windows also.
- Important things like valuables etc, also needs to be locked and kept safe.
- Latches, Bolts and Strikers are of various kinds; keep this in mind when you are buying locks.
Lighting
- The lighting of a house should be proper, as a well lit house does not attract many intruders and makes it hard for them to enter.
- It is not difficult or expensive to get lights fixed and keep them in use; however, you do not need to have anything very fancy. Simple and proper lighting will do.
- It would be ideal to provide good lighting facility for the porch and patio.
- All the rooms should also be provided with good lighting and have switches near the doors.
- If you are away, it would be advisable to leave some lights on, especially the garage lights and the main entrance.
- Fix motion lights, as they detect any movement and get automatically switched on, they can be of help to you, when you are returning late at night and they can also scare away burglars.
- Some of the PIR wall lights also look like security cameras so get a camera look-alike light and get it fixed to the wall so that, it can curb burglary to some extent.
- The main circuit breaker that provides power to your house should be located in the house, or even if it is out it should be inaccessible for any outsider to tamper with.
Security Cameras
- Wireless Cameras, CCTV Cameras, Nanny Cams and Spy Cameras, provide that extra defense when you are at home or when away.
- There are also Dummy Cameras available and they look like a genuine camera and can scare the intruders.
- Even if you are using fake security cameras, they should look genuine.
Doors & Windows
- The doors are the easiest port of entry and intruders more or less try to get it through this. So, the doors should be of a good make and strong enough to withstand anything.
- Glass doors and windows give a good look, but they are easy to break. In case you want any glass, be sure they are of a good make.
- Avoid having glass doors in prominent places.
- If you have a glass door, install glass break sensors.
- Insert a peephole in your main door.
- Even doors leading from one room to another can have a good locking system, wherein you can lock them when away on a vacation.
- The hinges of the door are located towards the inside.
- Windows also serve as an easy way to enter inside a home. Therefore, use the window locks or have alarm systems that can detect entry even through the windows.
- With glass windows, be sure to install glass break sensors.
- Close windows when away, make this as a habit.
- Cover the windows with heavy drapes or blinds, so that they will make you feel secure and at the same time what is in the house can be concealed.
- Keep the windows closed at nights, unless there is a need to do so.
- Windows can be endowed with metal bars, grill or mesh so that it becomes tough for an intruder to get in and trying to break through that will be a hard task.
- Place thorny and prickly plants outside the windows, so that entry from outside is harder.
- The hinges of the window are towards the inside.
Fence
- A fence indicates protection see that it provides defense to the house, to some extent.
- If you have a hedge, maintain it well, if the hedges are too high they form a hideaway for intruders.
- At the same time they should not be too low to facilitate an easy entrance.
Garden
- The garden should also be well lit.
- If trees are too close towards windows, they would make an easy entrance. So, take these precautions.
- Ivies and other creepers serve as an easy entry. While planting trees pay attention to these details.
- Tall trees and plants serve as a hiding place for burglars. See that they serve as a ladder.
- Let the garden be for your benefit at the same time see that it offers protection.
Basement & Garage
- Keep frequenting the basement from time to time, so that you are aware what is in and can spot any changes if any.
- Basement windows if made of glass should have glass break sensors.
- Preferably keep all the windows closed and padlocked throughout.
- The basement windows and doors should be guarded with metal bars, for further protection.
- Make adequate arrangements for fires to be detected as they are usually accident prone places.
- Keep the garage doors closed whenever not in use.
- Place cameras as this is usually the easiest point of entry, at least fix a dummy camera to scare off burglars.
- Get a fire extinguisher fixed.
- Have a proper lighting and also fix motion detectors.
Kitchen
- Before taking security measures in the kitchen, ensure that the fire alarm is installed or smoke detectors are properly functioning.
- Be sure to have a fire extinguisher and ensure that you are aware of how to use it.
- Moving to basic security, it is better to give it that used look, so that intruders are under that impression that someone’s using the place.
- A kitchen usually has a number of sharp instruments like knives, scissors etc, it is best if these are concealed and not displayed, as they can be used as attack weapons against you.
- Get a fire extinguisher.
- A kitchen is a place where a lot of items are usually stored and therefore, exercise caution to keep the place safe and secure.
Bedrooms & Bathrooms
- Many burglaries take place during the peak of the night. Ensure that the house is safe while you are sleeping.
- Try to keep yourself also safe so that you can avoid any danger.
- The phone should be next to your bed, and in case you are not good at remembering numbers, paste all the important numbers next to you, or keep a phone book around. It would also be ideal to keep your mobile nearby.
- Always keep a flashlight or some emergency light nearby and check the functioning of them often.
- Have a proper fire alarm and smoke detector installed so that you are aware when there is a fire.
- Preferably close and lock your windows, especially the bedrooms of the children so that they are kept safe.
- Instruct your children on what has to be done when they feel there is an intruder at night.
- Equip your house with fire escape ladders.
- The bathrooms should also be well lit.
- Carefully plan all your electrical fittings in the bathroom, so that you are sure that you are safe even in the bathroom.
- It would be ideal to place emergency requirements like the first aid kit, flashlight etc in the bathroom.
- The bathroom windows should not be accessible to enter in.
Moving To A New Place
- The neighborhood is comparatively a safer place, and the burglary history is quite low.
- The neighbor environment is friendly and amiable.
- Your house is properly equipped with all the security measures.
- All electric fittings are in the right place.
- There is proper lighting all over the house.
- If your house is new, nothing should be left incomplete, that can pose any sort of insecurity or problem.
- Improper wiring may lead to fire break outs and short circuits, so take measures against this to happen.
- If you are shifting into a house that has already been occupied, ensure that all the locks are changed.
For Aged People
- Having elderly people at a home will require you to take additional precautions.
- Ensure all the doors and windows properly fit and can be well locked.
- Fix more lighting for them and keep the lights on at all times. The bedrooms can be fitted with dim lights and the switches within their reach.
- Do not leave any loose electrical wires lying around on the ground.
- A telephone at easily accessible places and preferably in every room.
- Important phone numbers pasted to the wall.
- Windows to be easily open from inside, but not that accessible for the burglars.
- The precautions for the intruders should not cause any inconvenience for the aged people.
- Preserve all the important valuables and papers in a safe place and keep reminding them where they are.
For Children
- If your children are really small, keeping the house secure from burglars is all the more crucial.
- Introduce children at a very young age to the concept of keeping themselves as well as the house secure.
- For toddlers, see that the house is well protected at all times, so that they cannot escape and leave the place.
- Teach your children how to use the security alarms, also ensure that they know the passwords, codes, activation and de activation of an alarm, how to prevent a false alarm and what to do in case of a false alarm.
- Keep the doors locked at all times, so that children also get into this habit.
- Children should be taught the address, locality and other details of the house so that they can give a description of their house.
With Pets
- Having a dog or at least the indication that you have a dog could scare off an intruder to some extent.
- Pets can falsely cause an alarm; therefore ensure that this does not happen.
- Fences, gates and entrances should be well guarded so that pets do not wander outside, or cause harm to those passing by.
Around The Neighborhood
- Raise awareness in your neighborhood about safety and its importance.
- Get together with your neighbors and have a kind of a society so that your neighbors can protect your home when you are away and vice versa.
- Have monthly meetings and discuss on the betterment of the neighborhood.
- Create a friendly environment, so that even during emergencies you have no reason to fear, and you would have amiable neighbors around to help you.
- If there is anything unusual object spotted around, bring it to notice.
During A Fire
- Never take any chances with fire, fires are always dangerous, and its effects are unfathomable.
- Install a smoke detector or a fire alarm.
- Change the batteries often.
- An old fire alarm may cease to function, so keep upgrading it often.
- Plan your fire escape properly, especially if you have small children.
- Accustom the members of your household to listen to the fire alarm, so that they act quickly in case of a fire.
- It is good to practice on a fire drill and escape on how to get out of the house.
- Fire drills should be rehearsed time and again, so that the family knows what to do during an emergency.
General Guidelines
- The house should be closed at all times, even if you are away for a few minutes.
- Habituate yourself to keeping all the possible places like garages, storerooms, gates etc locked when not in use, so that it gives an impression that entering your house would be difficult.
- Vehicles and bikes should be locked.
- The garden should not be a storehouse of toys, sports equipment and other goods, so that any intruder can pick up what they want.
- Keep all the phone numbers you would want to call during an emergency in a handy place or paste them up in a strategic place.
- Have a carbon monoxide alarm fixed at your home.
- Keep all electric cords, extensions and wiring in a place out of reach for children.
- A first aid kit should be kept handy.
- Periodic checks and a change of battery on the security alarms, smoke detectors and fire detectors should be carried out. As there is no point in having all the security measures which do not function properly.
- It is good to have ladders but ensure that they do not make an easy entrance for burglars.
- Vents for the air conditioners and other openings outside, like skylights, attic openings etc should be adequately guarded.
- Do not keep the keys in places, making it easy for the intruder to locate it.
- Keys should be removed from their locks and kept elsewhere.
- Do not flaunt your priced possessions.
- If anyone in your house is a smoker, take care of fire prevention.
- The batteries in the security alarms and smoke detectors run out, so therefore allot few days throughout the year, wherein you check the batteries.
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