DIY Home Security Audit
Perform Your Own Home Security
Audit
Introduction:
With the current state of the
national economy home break-ins have been on a
sharp increase over the past three years. Never
before has your property been in such a high risk
of being stolen. You can minimize the risk of a
home break-in by becoming more aware of your own
home security needs.
Conducting a DIY home security audit simply
by walking around your house to assess what needs
to be done to reduce the risk of a break-in.
Here are some tips on what to
look for to improve your home security:
-
Keep your home well-maintained on the outside.
Burglars look for easy targets.
Stand on the street outside your house and ask
yourself if your property looks neglected, hidden
by shrubs, or uninhabited? A front door or walkway
that’s obscured by shrubbery offers house breakers
the perfect cover they need while they break in
through a door or window. To improve security, trim
shrubs away from windows and widen front walkways.
-
Install motion detector lights.
The sides of your house should
be well-lit with motion-activated lighting, not
just the front.
-
Store valuables.
Thieves want easy to grab items
such as electronics, cash, jewelry, and other
valuables. Most make a beeline for the master
bedroom because that’s where they think you’re
likely to hide spare cash, jewelry or even a gun.
Tour each room of your house and ask yourself if
there is anything here that I can move elsewhere
for safe keeping such as a safe deposit box. If you
have a lot of high cost valuables, installing a
home safe that is firmly secured to the floor may
be as good option.
-
Secure your electronic data.
Take steps to back up the
personal information stored on your computer.
Password protect your computer login screen and
always shut off your computer when not in use.
-
Prepare for a break-in.
Take photos or video inventory
the items of value in your home and store the file
online or in your home safe.
Insure that all your property
is properly insured for theft. High cost items in
your home, such as computers, professional photo
equipment and other personal and business
essentials may require an additional insurance
rider.
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