Home Security Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
The privacy and security of your home should be one of your main priorities. Ensuring the safety of everyone inside your home is not anything you can take lightly. Thousands of homes are broken into every day, and even the most sophisticated security systems cannot be a substitute for smart, effective security habits.
You may be making many home security mistakes and not even know it. This article outlines four common ways you may be compromising your own security and the ways you can avoid them.
- Leaving Entrances Unlocked
One of the most common security mistakes that people make is leaving doors and windows unlocked. There is no space for complacency here—all possible entrances should be locked at all times. Burglaries and home invasions can occur even in broad daylight, in houses that are full of people.
How to avoid it: A burglar can take the most expensive appliances out of your house in under five minutes, so all your locks should be in place at all times. If you open your window for a breeze, always remember to lock it back up before you fall asleep or leave the room. If you’re leaving your house for any span of time, double-check all your locks.
- Using Flimsy Locks
If you still have the locks that came with your home, it’s past time to change them. They are surely flimsy and outdated, vulnerable to snapping and breaking. A good bolt cutter can help a burglar gain access to your house.
How to avoid it: Invest in the sturdiest locks you can find. Locks that have been tested against snapping will help prevent forced entry.
- Hiding a Spare Key
Leaving a spare key anywhere outside your home is one of the oldest ways to make sure that you are never locked outside your house. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most dangerous things you can do. Hidden keys have become a cliché, and burglars know the most common places they are hidden. Don’t give them an easy way to invade your property.
How to avoid it: If you are worried about keeping track of your keys and having to call in an emergency locksmith, you can install smart locks with keypads instead. You will be able to control locks from your mobile device, and you won’t ever have to worry about lost keys again.
- Posting on Social Media
Social media platforms are great for keeping in close touch with friends and family, and they are great for sharing the highlights of your travel adventures. However, social media can be dangerous if you share too much information.
Burglars and other malicious third parties can use social media to catalogue your expensive belongings and track your activities. If a burglar knows that you just bought a new 4K TV and that you’re going on a trip out of the country, that gives them the perfect place and time to break in.
How to avoid it: Curb the instinct to post about your expensive purchases and out of town trips. The best practice would be to wait until you get back home before sharing photos of your travels.
Conclusion
The safety and security of your entire household should be one of your foremost priorities. Burglars and other malicious third parties have many resources at their disposal to help them enter your home. Reconsider your daily habits and make sure you aren’t making your property more vulnerable.
Are you looking for locksmith services in London? Locksmith Emergencies has been serving London for over 12 years. Our locksmiths are accredited, fully insured, and highly trained. Our services include lock changes, security upgrades, burglary repair, and door and window repairs. We can be at your door in 15 minutes. Contact us today to find out more!