A Home Security Checklist for Peace of Mind

Whether you’ve just moved into a new neighborhood or you keep hearing about break-ins near your home, you might want to assess the security level of your home right away.

Think about the valued items in your home; you may have bought a new TV, sound system or computer in the last year or so, and the cost of a potential robbery may have gone up. And that’s not to mention the most valued thing of all – the safety of your family. Here are some security tips and suggestions that may help you along:

• Check all of your locks, particularly for exterior doors. Make sure the keys work properly and there are no loose knobs. Any dead-bolt lock is better than the key-in-knob variety, so if you don’t have one, get one.
• Make sure your doors are safe; replace hollow-core wood exterior doors with solid wood or steel doors Also, chain latches are ineffective. Make sure your exterior door has a peep-hole.
• If you are buying a dead-bolt lock, use a quality, heavy-duty one with a one-inch throw bolt.
• Most dead-bolt locks come with a strike plate built in to the door frame. Make sure yours are secure; they should be made of heavy-duty metal, and secured them with 3-inch screws.
• Your knob-in-lock set should have with a dead-latch mechanism, which helps prevent jimmying with a tool.
• Have your locks re-keyed, particularly if you are moving into a new home. Re-keying is a simple process done without changing the lock entirely.

Windows and Door Strength are Just as Important

• Strengthening fragile door jambs with added plates of steel will make the door stronger and less likely to be kicked in.
• If you have a sliding window or door, make sure it has special anti-lift and anti-slide features built into the framing.
• Consider your lighting, both interior and exterior. Good lighting deters burglars and helps police and neighbors. You may also consider installing security cameras.
• In addition to the physical security, always keep your doors and windows sealed when you go out, even for a few minutes. 

The best thing to think about is a good, reliable and trustworthy residential locksmith service, such as the ones provided by 24/7 Locksmiths Near Me. Give us a call, and we’ll come out and help you assess your security situation. We’ll give you estimates on what you may need, and we'll go to work on making you and your family more secure and at ease. Our number is a good one to have in case of emergencies, too. But you need not wait for that emergency; call us now and just that precaution will give you peace of mind.