Your home is a safe haven. It should be a place where you and your family can go to feel safe and relax. Unfortunately, dangers can threaten that sense of safety. Most burglaries and thefts occur either while the family is on vacation, at work or in the dark of night. It can help to reinforce your home with certain safety measures to increase the safety of your home and family.
Lights
Having proper lighting in and around the home can make you and your family feel safer by being able to see everything even when it’s dark out. Having a well-lit driveway, garage and yard can help get rid of any pools of darkness where a potential burglar could hide. You may purchase motion sensor lights for your garage and other areas outside of the home to turn on whenever there is movement. This can both let the people at home know there is movement outside and scare away anyone attempting to sneak through the dark.
Landscaping 
Even adjusting landscaping can help prevent burglars and thieves. Trim back bushes and trees, especially near windows or roofs. This will make it harder for people to hide or use tree limbs to reach the home.
Security System
A home security system is crucial. Having a quality security system can alert you the moment someone crosses the property or attempts to break into the home. Be sure to check reviews and maintain proper equipment for any security system on the house.
Smoke Alarms and Fire Extinguishers
Not all dangers are from other people. Sometimes, accidents can occur within the home itself. Electrical issues, burning candles and even forgotten cigarettes can quickly turn into a raging fire that can both devour the home and threaten the safety of its occupants.
Make sure your home as working smoke alarms and change batteries immediately when prompted. This way, if a fire starts in the night, a smoke alarm can alert everyone in the home hopefully before the fire spreads. Having a fire extinguisher on hand for smaller fires is also important to prevent a large fire.
Reinforce Doors and Windows
Doors and locks aren’t always as secure as they appear. Frequently check the door and window frames of your home to look for any damage or weakness. You may want to reinforce both in order to strengthen them.
Deterrents
One of the best ways to safeguard your home is to add deterrents to drive away possible thieves and burglars. Deterrents include alarm systems, the sense that someone is always home, and dogs. Having a “Beware Dog” sign on your fence can deter those who don’t want to get bit, and even having a sign that says you have an alarm system can drive off would-be thieves. The same goes for your vehicles. Car thieves try to avoid vehicles that have alarm systems, and even placing a small light on the dashboard can make it seem like the vehicle as an alarm system.
Thieves typically strike homes that appear empty, so it’s useful to make the home appear as if someone is always home, whether this is leaving a bedroom light on, leaving a television on, etc.
Lastly, try not to advertise on social media or elsewhere if the family is away from home, especially on vacation. Most people don’t realize that the majority of thefts actually occur by people who know the victims personally. Advertising that the home is empty may invite someone to take advantage of the belongings inside a home while the family is away.
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