|There are a lot of home security companies who provide security plans and equipment as well as a sense of security to families and homeowners. However, these companies can charge quite a bit in service fees and monthly charges and families do not necessarily need to go this route to feel secure. Additionally, there are also several companies and strings of scams involving companies who promise such security services but do not deliver quality work and leave consumers disappointed and out of money.
Homeowners may find that they don't have to shell out hundred's and thousand's of bucks in order to have security. There are plenty of things that can be done relatively cheap without involving monthly payments and installation fees. Here are some tips to keep your home and family safe without all of the expense:
Keep in mind that much of the marketing professional security companies use involve instilling fear into the hearts of homeowners, the reality is many families will increase their security just by being proactive and paying attention to their own personal security.
- Secure sliding glass doors and windows with a piece of wood that is long enough to prevent the door or window from being open. Burglars want to make a silent entry and escape. Make it impossible to open any windows and doors that have locked that can be easily broken or that possibly do not lock at all.
- If your home is hidden from view or if a thief can potential be around your house without being spotted by the neighbors, install motion detector lights in the front back and sides of your house where a criminal can hide. Typically, a light will scare off an intruder. Check out your local home improvement store or the internet for the best do-it-yourself deals.
- If you tend to be out of the house for a long period of time throughout the day, you can change up your routine a little bit everyday. One day you can leave the radio on, the next day the television, and purchase a few timers that will turn indoor lights on at different times during the evening to make it appear that someone is home.
- Keep curtains closed to prevent thieves from looking into the windows. Keep valuables out of view of windows. Big ticket items like laptops, video and audio equipment, cash, tools, and firearms out of sight to eliminate enticing a potential thief. Talk a walk around and look through your windows and see what is visible to people on the outside.
- If you are away for business or vacation, make sure you have any automatically deliveries postponed until you return. Piled up mail or newspapers is a sure sign to a thief that no one is at home.
- If you live in a high-crime area, it may be worth the additional expense of installing cameras, closed circuit televisions, and house and window alarms for extra security. Many systems can be done easily by consumers, without professional assistance.
By Matthew Paulson