Ways To Keep Your Home Protected

This is a safety post by Ellie Jo.

As parents, we want nothing more than to keep everything within our four walls as safe and protected as possible. 

Knowing that your children and partner have a warm, safe space to come home to at the end of every day is something that can’t be taken for granted. 

The obvious choices are making sure you have a home warranty, home insurance, car insurance, and other insurance where applicable. But what comes after? 

Smart Locks

Did you know 83% of US homes are three times more vulnerable to burglaries than the other 17% that do have home security systems?

Smart locks are a revelation for people who have dog walkers, babysitters, or cleaners who often visit the home. You can set a controlled timer to unlock the door for that person to enter. 

There are smart lock options that can have up to 30 codes, so each person will use their own code to get into the home – and everything is tracked. 

It is easy to monitor the activity since it can be reported to your tablet, smartphone, or computer. 

What makes these intelligent locks even more interesting is that they can alert you to different attempts to open the door. The alerts can vary between tampering and a forced entry. 

As runners we also like that we can go for a run and not need to carry a key on our run.  Our favorite smart lock is:

Driveway alarm system

If you have a driveway but no gating system, this can be a great addition to your home security system. If someone walks by or drives past the monitoring system, you will be alerted to it. 

The driveway alarm system isn’t just about being notified of trespassers, though. It can be a valuable tool for those who work from home. 

If you have an office on the top floor or in an outbuilding and don’t often hear the door, if someone knocks, this can resolve that issue. 

Instead, you can work in your regular space and know that you can check it out if someone arrives – either as expected or unexpectedly. 

Doorbell Camera

The doorbell camera has been gaining in popularity, and with good reason. Combined with the driveway alarm system, you will know when and who has arrived within seconds. 

The doorbell camera has been shown to be deterred for would-be burglars too. Since they can see it and know that it is recording them, they are less likely to break in.

Suppose you live in a neighborhood that is a target for door-to-door salespeople or unsolicited visitors. In that case, this gives you the ability to check and ignore rather than be interrupted. 

Perhaps one of the most exciting benefits of the doorbell camera system is that it can help to lower your home insurance bills. 

A safe

Many people don’t think they have anything worth putting in a safe, but would you like your passed-down from your grandparent’s jewelry to go missing if you think about it? 

Most likely not. And think about other valuable documents you might have in the home like birth certificates, passports, and other items. 

It is essential to consider a few things if you opt for the safe. You’ll need to either consider having it built into the wall for extra safety, or have it secured somewhere else. 

Lightweight safes can be picked up and stolen. 

Lighting

A well-lit exterior of the property will give those inside the house a good view of their surroundings and ensure that any of the cameras get a clear view of the area. 

Consider adding motion sensor lights to the trees or area furthest away from home while using under-step lighting or lighting that can be manually controlled closer. 

Interior Camera

While you don’t need to film your family in their day-to-day lives, if you like to travel and go away for a number of weeks or multiple weekends, an internal camera system could be the perfect deterrent – or provide significant evidence should you need it. 

Most in-house camera systems can be connected to your smartphone, and when set up, it is easy to check the status of the house. 

These can also be used to keep an eye on pets when you aren’t in the home to ensure safety and security. 

Most camera systems need minimal setup and can be connected to your mobile device by a mobile application. 

Smart lighting

Smart lighting is a great way to make sure that you have all of the modern safety features in your lighting setup. 

Like many of the items on the list, these lights can work via your mobile phone – or on a timer, and even while you’re not home, your lights can give the appearance that you are. 

Keeping your home safe and secure doesn’t have to cost a lot of money, be obvious or unattractive. Installing cameras and motion sensor lighting can provide the peace of mind you are looking for when you lock your doors at night. 

Looking for more great ways to keep your family safe? Make your child’s first phone experience safe with these 5 tips