HomeFinder.com Opening Doors Blog

By: SafeMart.com

With school back in session and the colder weather approaching, your winter nesting instincts may have begun to kick in. As you start to tackle the list of home improvement projects you’ve put off all summer, be sure that the necessary home safety updates have made the list. Here are eight easy ways to update your home, while making it a safer place to live.

1. 1. Replace old, rusted locks. About 34 percent of burglars enter through the front door. The more wear a lock has, the easier it is for burglars to break in. Installing new locks will ensure you are the only one with keys to your home. For more up-to-date technology, you can try using electronic locks that take passcodes, or alarm monitoring that allows you to lock and unlock your door whenever you want.

1. 2. Check your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. Having these helpful devices around the home can save your life in an emergency. Most people won’t wake up during a fire until it is too late and carbon monoxide is almost undetectable by humans. When Daylight Savings Time ends (November 4, 2012), this is a great opportunity to replace the batteries.

1. 3. Add lighting around your home. Burglars never want to be seen, so installing lights around your home may stop them from approaching. You will also feel safer walking back home at night or driving up to a well-lit area. Light timers can also come in handy. Consider installing more lighting are along the sidewalks and driveway, on your porch and around potential points of entry, such as doors and windows.

1. 4. Use a home security system. Today’s home security systems are sleek, convenient and affordable. Wireless security systems allow you to place discreet sensors wherever you want and many systems use touchscreens to include extra features such as temperature, weather reports and home automation. Having a security system makes your home easier to control, as well as three times less likely to experience a robbery than homes without a system.

1. 5. Install a mail slot. With a mail slot, you can ensure no one is taking your private mail when you are not around. People can access your checks and your personal information from your mailbox if it is right outside your house. Also, a large pile of uncollected mail is a good indicator of an empty home.

1. 6. Install a peephole in your door. Peepholes will help you avoid answering the door to solicitors or a potentially dangerous or threatening visitor. Drilling and installing a peephole can take less than 15 minutes to finish.

1. 7. Check your windows. Twenty-three percent of burglars enter a home through a first story window and 9 percent through a second story window. Use blocking devices for windows and sliding doors so burglars can’t enter.

1. 8. Buy a safe for your valuables. Burglars know the hiding places people use for their valuables, including the freezer, the bedroom closet, drawers, under the mattress and many more. A safe provides extra protection for the items you want to keep secured, and makes it harder for a burglar to find what he or she is looking for. Make sure the safe is too heavy to be moved, and conceal it in a discreet hiding place.

Taking the time to make the necessary home improvements is a great opportunity to update your home while increasing your sense of security!