If you’ve ever been the unfortunate victim of a home invasion, you know what a truly awful experience it can be. Most of us have never faced such a situation, and it’s hard to truly understand just what a serious, life changing event it can be. Many homeowners who have endured the experience can struggle with near-constant worry and anxiety afterwards. For them, home security becomes a priority.
While our tendency is to think that “it could never happen to me,” the reality is quite different. With more than 1.5 million home invasions each year in the U.S., it’s important to take the proper steps to protect your home, your property, and your family. We’ve put together our top tips for how to secure your home from potential burglars: read on to learn more.
Motion Sensor Lighting
One of the best ways to discourage thieves from attempting to break into your home is with the use of motion sensor lights. Adequate lighting creates a much less attractive situation for potential burglars. Without the cover of darkness, the idea of attempting to break into your home is bound to be less appealing. Bright exterior lighting is a great way to deter intruders, especially when you are away. Set your outdoor lights to a timer to save money and ensure that the outside of your home is well lit when night falls.
When it comes to motion sensor lights, you have lots of options. Keep in mind that while incandescent lights are cheaper to purchase up front, LED lights can often be less expensive in the long run. This is because LED bulbs use very little electricity, and last for much longer than traditional incandescent bulbs. If you’re planning on staying where you are for years to come, an LED motion sensor light might be the best choice for home security on a budget.
Door Locks
It may sound obvious but checking the door locks on your home is an important part of ensuring that your home is secure. When we buy a house, many of us simply assume that the existing locks are adequate. A lock is a lock, right? Well, not exactly.
When reviewing a large number of door locks on the market, many of them are ineffective at deterring burglars. Sure, any lock is better than nothing – there’s no question there. But, in many instances, kicking down a door or drilling out a lock was relatively easy to do, and the lock itself served as little more than a mild, superficial deterrent for thieves. When selecting a lock for your home, it’s worth checking its performance. Some locks stand up to forced entry and drilling; others don’t. Consider a lock with a keypad to deter burglars from picking or drilling your lock. Chose a code that will not be easily guessed by others but remembered by those who need it. One benefit of choosing a lock with a keypad is that if the locks need to be changed all you must do is change the code instead of paying for all new locks to be installed.
Smart Home Security Systems
The world of home security systems has changed dramatically in the past decade or so. In the past, a home security system was comprised of a keypad and a couple of motion detectors. Now, these systems are wireless, connected, and integrated with apps that you can download on your smartphone. With the greatest advancements in technology also comes with a greater ability to become susceptible to hackings. Make sure the home security system you choose is secure and cannot be easily hacked by tech savvy burglars.
When selecting the right home security system, you’ll want to take all its features into account. Does it satisfy your requirements? Is it way more than you need? Look for a balance of features and price point. You may want to be able to monitor your system from your phone, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you need lots of additional bells and whistles. It is wise to ensure that the system you decide to go with is connected with local emergency services in the event that you need police, fire, or ambulance assistance.
Remember: securing your home is an important part of being a homeowner.
Secure your home today and contact Heritage at 855-536-2744 for your home insurance needs.
This Home Security Tip is brought to you by Heritage Insurance Holdings, Inc..
Heritage Insurance Holdings, Inc. is a property and casualty insurance holding company headquartered in Tampa, Florida. Its subsidiaries, Heritage Property & Casualty Insurance Company (www.heritagepci.com), Zephyr Insurance Company (https://www.zephyrins.com/), and NBIC Holdings, Inc. (https://www.nbic.com/) write personal and commercial residential premium through a large network of experienced agents in California, Hawaii, Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts (also licensed to write in Pennsylvania). Heritage Insurance Holdings, Inc. is led by a seasoned senior management team with an average of 30 years of insurance industry experience. The Company is growing its footprint in new states and is continuously evaluating new opportunities. The team of over 600 employees at Heritage is dedicated to providing the highest quality property insurance to policyholders as well as exceptional customer and claims services. We help insureds rebuild their life once catastrophe hits.
