Moving into a new home can be both exciting and hectic all at once. Between things like packing, unpacking, and redecorating, there’s a lot to remember. We don’t want you to lose focus of securing your new home though, so we came up with a few ways that you can add security that are easy to remember and easy to do!
Trim Your Hedges
According to Houzz trimming your hedges, trees, and maintaining a well-kept lawn prevents crime! Burglars look for houses with overgrown landscaping for a number of reasons: it indicates a possibility that no one is living there, and it creates a place for them to hide, shielding them from the street while they are trying to break in. You can take extra precautions by planting thorny bushes near low windows and points of entry, as well as placing noisy gravel near the outer edge of your home. Who knew landscaping could be so effective in deterring unwanted guests!
Replace entry door locks
The old owner of the home hands over the keys and you’re now king of the castle! However, you can never be certain the previous homeowner forgot about a key they entrusted to a family member, friend or neighbor. The safest measure is to simply replace your locks and be absolutely sure you’re the only one with access. It’s also a great opportunity to install deadbolt locks to any entry way with standard door locking hardware. Deadbolt locks are much harder to muscle through and make your primary entry doors significantly more secure.
Install exterior lights
Most often burglaries occur during the day between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. However, it is not unheard of for break-ins to happen at night. Trimming shrubs and trees will keep your yard visible during the day, and installing exterior lights will keep it well-lit and visible at night. Placing motion detector lights outdoors will allow you to tell if there is someone, or something, moving around your house late at night that you might want to be aware of. Not to mention they are an environmentally friendly way to save money to light the outside of your home.
The outside area of your home is the first layer of defense when considering home security threats. Check out out “Layer’s of Security” for additional details.
Install a video doorbell
Roughly one third of burglars enter through the front door. In fact they might even ring your doorbell first to see if anyone is home. By installing a video doorbell you can make it seem like you are home even when you aren’t. Video doorbells like the one we install here at EPS Security, the SkyBell WiFi Doorbell, allow you to see, hear, and speak to visitors from anywhere you are in the world. Not only does a video doorbell allow you to trick a burglar into thinking you’re home, it will help you keep track of all the deliveries that are going to happen through the moving process. SkyBell will notify you when someone is at your door even if they don’t ring the bell. So, when a delivery is brought to your door, you can verify that it made it there safely and on time.
Check your smoke detector and CO detectors
This is a small way to add that extra bit of security that you need when moving into a new home. Take down all of your smoke detectors and CO detectors to make sure that they are still in working condition and are not in need of new batteries. While doing this, you are able to become a bit more familiar with your home and where everything is. You may even decide that you need new smoke detectors or would like to add more than what the previous homeowner had installed. New smoke detectors should be installed every ten years! Monitored smoke alarms are becoming more prevalent in homes as well. New wireless technology allows them to be installed easily in any area of the home. 24/7 fire alarm monitoring ensures that, even if you’re away, someone will respond to a smoke detector as soon as possible. Learn more about life safety services.
Install a monitored home security system
One of the best ways to secure your home is to let the professionals keep an eye on it for you. When you are moving there is a lot to keep up on—when you install a monitored home security system, we will watch over your home for you, and that is one thing off your list of things to think about!