As if the real-estate market wasn’t complicated enough these days, on top of all the concerns, there is the one of home safety. Trailing behind price, location, and quality of the building, we usually ask about safety after the purchase. By then, it could be too late, because we have inadvertently created a dangerous surrounding for our family. Now we have to do our best to ensure our home is safe against a whole gamut of threats. We have singled out for you the most common ones and the solutions to them.
Burglary
Home invasion is a problem nowadays, but it doesn’t mean that you cannot do anything about it. The best precaution is to simply walk around the house or building and inspect any possible weak spots. This includes easily-accessible windows or doors that might lure the burglar in. Additionally, make sure that the most valuable items in your house are not in plain sight from the street. Keep in mind that once the person breaks in, your family is in danger and not just the material possessions.
Introduce yourself to the neighborhood
It might seem like a scene from a bad movie, but a basket of cookies as a gift to your first door neighbor is very practical. If you establish a good rapport from day one, you have made a giant step to home safety. Personally getting to know the people who live close to you is important since they will be the first to reach in case of emergency. If they see smoke coming from your house or a water leakage, they will call emergency services if you are away. Depending on the level of safety in your area, it would be possible for all the neighbors who know each other to form a neighborhood watch. They would work together with the local police force to ensure law and order is upheld in the place where you live. Your own home would benefit from this as potential burglars would be deterred from even attempting to invade your home.
Fire alarm
Most houses are equipped with a home security system, including a fire alarm. Most, but not all. This is why you should check before buying the estate if this feature is functional. If not, it has to be fixed immediately, since the list of fire hazards in a home is endless.
Building a fence
It might seem like a radical solution, but fencing off your house is more of a necessity than a luxury. It is sure to keep the unwanted guest out. This is not restricted to people alone, as animals, such as street dogs, can be dangerous if they enter your property. If you put up a fence, a pack of stray dogs won’t be able to harm your children playing in the garden. Not only does fencing protect you from outside dangers, but it acts as an inverted fortress of sorts. Kids won’t be able to simply run onto the street while playing. As far as the type of the fence is concerned, it can be made of metal and it doesn’t have to be expensive, but those with a deeper pocket might opt for one made out of stone.
Locking the gate
In order for the fences to have the desired effect, the gates should be kept locked. This does not apply only to nighttime, but to the whole day. Not only the front door, but all points of entry should be kept locked, such as windows, the back door and especially the garage door. This is by no means rude to your family’s visitors. People who come to visit can always say they are coming in advance, use the buzzer, or call you to let them in. The most convenient solution is to use automated gates. These swing gates in Australia, for example, have become a hit. Homeowners prefer them to traditional ones since you do not have to leave your vehicle to open them. This is especially useful if you’re hauling something.
Change the lock
An obvious course of action when moving into a new home, but one that many people tend to oversee. This should be done immediately upon arrival before the furniture is moved in. Even if the previous tenants return the whole set of keys, new ones have to be installed. No one knows how many copies were made, perhaps unaware to them. Failure to perform this simple task can jeopardize the safety of the entire family. Just imagine a stranger gaining access to your private quarters by a simple turn of a key.
All in all, safety does fall on the shoulders of the family provider, but he doesn’t have to do all the work himself. Precaution is the key word when it comes to home safety in a new home. Making sure that there is a working alarm system, a fence around the house, and that the gates are locked in the most important action you can take to ensure the lives of your loved ones are safe.
