Top 10 Essential Tips To Secure Your Home
Author: Pat Stevens

Knowing how to keep a home secure and safe, and how to do so on
a budget, can be a challenge. By following ten simple
suggestions, homeowners can be well on their way to affordably
protecting their homes.

First, assess the home, its residents, and the possessions and
land to be protected. Look through the eyes of a stranger and
list everything that requires protection. Then look through an
owner's eyes. Sometimes items that don't have monetary worth
are valuable, like that old bench in the front yard that was
handcrafted by your grandfather.

Then inspect all the ways your home can be accessed legally and
illegally — such as windows or transoms. Look for natural access
routes, such as large tree branches that extend near a second
story window. Indicate these on a simple sketch.

Third, check for obstructed access points, such as bushes
blocking windows or dark porches obscuring doorways. Such
obstructions can conceal someone surreptitiously gaining entry.
Include roof or basement access points.

Fourth, know your neighbors and mail and paper carriers. Let
them know your habits and any changes in your routine,
including when you go away. Nothing invites trouble more than
unclaimed newspapers or mail accumulating.

Number five is to review your own finances. Before spending
anything on security, be sure you know how much you want to
spend. Without this step, you could end up with well-secured
front and side doors, but no money to secure the rest of the
home. Additionally, decide if you want to pay a small monthly
fee for alarm monitoring.

Like most homeowners, you want top quality security, but you
probably don't want to spend a fortune on it. This is where a
do-it-yourself approach can help. You can buy quality home
security products from local stores and — even better — online
web sites, such as http://homesecuritystore.com. Online
purchasing generally affords you greater savings, and allows
you to make product and cost comparisons quickly.

Tip seven relates to what type of security you desire. Perhaps
you want an alarm system, with a monitoring feature, as well as
fingerprint locks and outdoor motion sensor lights. This may
require research, talking to neighbors and the local police
department, or searching online for security options.

Consider automatic lighting, such as lights on timers to
simulate people being home when you are absent.

Test your system for at least a week, working out any bugs or
flaws. During this time, check your indoor lighting strategies;
remember to vary your timers, so your automatic lights are not
predictable.

Finally, remember that nothing stays the same. Inspect security
features regularly to ensure they are working. Additionally,
times and products change. What may be secure today may not be
secure in five years. Keep up with technology, and put that
knowledge to work for you.

Making your home safe is something you can do affordably if you
follow a few basic guidelines, and with the many online
resources available, information and products are a mouse click
away.


About The Author: By Pat Stevens sponsored by
http://www.homesecuritystore.com/ . The Home Security Store
sells electronic goods and services specializing in home
security: http://www.homesecuritystore.com/ . Please link to
this site when using this article.