Getting Back To Basics With Home Security By Kieran Adams The words “home security” can conjure up many different mental images…we might envision an electronic system that ensures a home is safe and secure twenty-four hours a day. We might also think about deadbolt locks and heavy duty doors, or we might imagine all kinds of automatically triggered lights or audible alarms. Pretty soon most people would also think “it’s too much for me to manage!”
The fact of the matter is that it is really not that difficult to create a thorough and comprehensive plan for home security. The way to go about it is to think of it in several stages. One cannot install lighting, doors, deadbolts and an electronic system in a single day and some planning is really called for.
To begin with, any home security system must first address the very “basics”, which are the ways in and out of the building. The homeowner must take the time to perform a very thorough examination of all doors, windows and access ways into the building. Start with the doors; what types of locks are installed? Are they heavy-duty deadbolts? Are the jambs sturdy and unbreakable? What about the doors themselves? Are they flimsy or hollow? Are they easily replaced? Is there a garage attached to the home? What kind of door connects the home to this garage? Clearly, just the doors alone will take some time to consider and upgrade. The first step is to ensure that the physical doors are not easily eliminated – this means investing in solid doors of either wood or steel reinforced materials. The next consideration is the locks and jambs; the best locks will mean very little if a strong burglar can simply
kick in the jamb.
Not all doors are of the traditional hinged variety, and a good basic plan for home security will also address the need to reinforce all sliding glass doors and also any basement hatchways. There are many security devices for sliding doors, and all will basically serve as a wedge against any movement of the doors. This means the glass would actually have to be shattered in order to gain entry to the building – which would set off any electronic home security system. Basement hatchways must be included in any assessment and these can be easily secured through the use of steel, sliding latches or even a simple padlock. If there is electronic security, this access must be included with the active sensors.
Now that the major access areas have been reinforced, the homeowner should move on to the next strong deterrent against crime: lighting. Most burglars do not want to be seen by the home’s inhabitants, neighbors or even passers-by. This means that a home surrounded by motion sensor lights, path and walk lighting, and flood lights on all of the hidden areas of the yard is far less likely to become the target of would-be criminals. The advent of easy to install solar lighting fixtures keeps the cost of a comprehensive lighting system quite low and allows the homeowner to do it all on their own. Additionally, most solar fixtures use LED bulbs, which don’t burn out often and can last many years.
The final step is to consult with a professional security system that can install and monitor all kinds of events, including flood, fire and carbon monoxide issues as well as burglary.
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