Home Security | Mommy Ramblings

Tag Archives: Home Security

September 24, 2018 · 1:07 pm

4 Inexpensive Ways To Make Your Home More Secure

Home security is an important consideration for anyone, regardless of age, income or where they live. When you welcome a new addition to your family, those natural, protective instincts kick in, making it more important than ever. Of course, growing your family is also one of the most expensive periods of your life, not to mention one of the most chaotic. So, from a pragmatic perspective, it might not be the most sensible time to call in contractors to tear your home apart installing a state of the art home security system. Fortunately, there are measures you can take to improve home security significantly that are cheap, quick and simple.

Send out the right signs

Home Invaders and burglars are opportunists who look for easy targets. Make it clear that you don’t fall into that category, and they will go somewhere else. If you place signs on your gates telling the uninvited to stay out, it makes it clear that your household is aware of the possibility of intruders. Simply putting a sign up sounds almost too easy, but it is a proven and effective way to stop people trespassing on your property – all for the price of a sandwich and a cup of coffee!

Let there be light

Intruders tend to operate either while everyone is off to work or under the cover of darkness. If you are a new mom, chances are you are around most of the day, so it is the nighttime hours that are the highest risk. A security light is a must-have these days. The technology has become so inexpensive and energy-efficient that there is no reason not to. As well as illuminating anyone who approaches the property and shouldn’t be there, lighting also provides additional comfort and security for you, your family and any genuine visitors who approach the front door after dark.

Gravel and shingle

If you are planning on resurfacing the drive any time soon, give serious thought to gravel or shingle as opposed to concrete or paving. As well as being a cost-effective option, it makes a distinctive, loud noise when anyone walks or drives on it. If your parents had this kind of driveway when you were younger and you ever tried to sneak in quietly after a late night, you will remember exactly what it is like!

Trespassers hate trellis

Trellis, the thin wooden framework that you can put above your fence or wall, looks
innocuous enough, and certainly wouldn’t seem like anything to bother a burglar. However, as well
as providing the perfect environment for vines and creepers to grow on, it has another
interesting feature. Trellis is so fragile that if anyone tries to climb over it, it will immediately start
snapping and quickly collapse – and it will do so very noisily.

Trying to climb over trellis is an even noisier challenge than navigating a gravel driveway.
For a few dollars, it is the perfect way to make your garden look better and at the same time,
add a simple but effective intruder alert system!

This is a collaborative guest post. The ideals and views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of Mommy Ramblings.

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Filed under Family, Home & Garden

Tagged as Family, home, Home Security, Safety

September 28, 2017 · 12:47 am

Is Your Home A Target For Thieves?

The way you keep your home could be making it a target for thieves. While security systems can help, there are a few other ways you can make sure your home is secure against the threat of a burglary.

Thieves like to window-shop

Can your valuables be seen by people walking by if they look in your windows? Placing expensive collectibles on the windowsill or hanging a flat screen TV opposite a window can make your living room a lucrative target.

You could rearrange these items, or you could find a way to obscure the view into your windows. You may want to consider home window tinting to stop thieves from being able to see in. Alternatively, you could install window treatments like curtains or blinds and make sure you close them at night. Thin sheers or drapes can be used to stop people from peering in your windows during the day, while still letting in natural light.

Thieves like to work in the dark

If you are lacking exterior lighting around your home, it will be easier for thieves to try to break in at night undetected. Security lighting that is constantly on can consume a lot of electricity as well as, being a nuisance to your neighbors. Instead, choose motion sensitive lighting fixtures that only turn on when someone approaches them.

Tall front hedges also help to hide thieves in the act

Do you have tall hedges or large bushes in front of your home that act like a wall? While they work well to prevent thieves from peering in your windows, they can also help conceal them when they are in the act of breaking in your home. Beyond that, they will prevent your neighbors from being able to spot a robbery in progress. Consider trimming your hedges and bushes to make it harder for intruders to go undetected.

Open windows and unlocked doors are a thieve’s best friend

This is an obvious one – leaving windows open or doors unlocked when you go out, will make it easy for thieves to rob your home. Loose hinges on doors or windows are another thing thieves look for, because they provide easy access for them to break-in. Make sure that any damaged windows and doors are fixed. You may even consider adding additional locks to windows and doors for extra security.

Thieves will check to see if your home is empty

Leaving noticeable signs that your house is empty makes it a tempting target for thieves. Some intruders are so sly that they may monitor your home for a while to get an idea of your weekly routine. By observing your home they can gather important information including how many people live in your house and when everyone leaves to go to work/school. Throw the thieves off by occasionally leaving a TV or radio on or keeping a light on at night. Thieves don’t like noisy or ferocious dogs. Even if you don’t own a dog, hanging a ‘Beware of the Dog’ sign outside can be an effective deterrent.

When you go on vacation, consider having someone house-sit or simply come by every other day to inspect the property. Try not to advertise the fact you’re on vacation by posting it across social media, as this is how many modern thieves find their targets. Posting ‘Off to sunny spain for 2 weeks’ is the worst thing you can do because it tells thieves exactly where you are and how long your house will be empty.