Home Safety & Security is top of mind for most people but making the right decision on how to secure your home can be a daunting task.

Most burglaries are crimes of opportunity and are not very sophisticated. A home security audit is the best way to identify weak points in your physical security. Take the time to evaluate your home not only from an aesthetic point of view but from that of a criminal.

Here are some pointers to keep your home secure:

• Make it difficult for someone to conceal themselves while breaking in. Avoid tall/thick shrubs around your windows and doors. Avoid privacy fences.
• Having good exterior lighting on a timer helps but the best thing is a motion sensor floodlight. When a motion light kicks on, it says “Hey, something’s going on over here.”
• Install well-mounted security doors and burglar bars on all exterior doors and windows.
• Avoid leaving valuable items in plain sight. If you have an expensive car, keep it in a garage. If you have nice stuff in your house, keep your blinds closed.
• If you’ve just bought a flat screen TV, surround-sound system or a computer, don’t dispose of the packaging on pick-up day. Take it to the dump or store out of sight.
• Burglars case a neighbourhood before they rob it. They know when you leave for work. They know when your neighbours leave for work. Adjust your timings and don’t be predictable.
• If you have a security system, don’t put one of those “Protected by ABC Security” stickers on your door. Knowing which brand of security system can provide enough info on how to disable it. Get a generic sticker.
• Get a dog. The bark is more important than the bite. A little yappy dog can be more of a deterrent than a German Shepard.
• Remember, the goal isn’t to make your house completely break-in proof. It is simply to make your house a less attractive target than the other houses in your neighbourhood.
• House numbers need to be clearly displayed and easily visible from the road to assist emergency response personnel in locating the home in case of an emergency.

Take the time to make your house as secure as possible and avoid becoming a statistic. Contact us today for a no-obligation quote and assessment.