Living Alone: Tips for Home Security

March 30, 2022 by Anas Mustafa

Living alone brings many benefits of freedom and autonomy, yet it can also raise concerns around personal safety. Fortunately, there are many simple and straightforward steps that you can take to increase your home security. From involving your friends to investing in smart technology, you can minimize any nervousness you may encounter.

The following tips will help you to feel safe and secure so you can fully enjoy your living alone experience!

Familiarise Yourself With the Neighbourhood

Before you decide on moving to a new neighbourhood, it’s advisable to research the area first. You should learn if it’s truly a safe place to live and be aware of any criminal ongoings. There are online resources available that can give you an indication of local crime—information that can be incredibly valuable, even if you have been living in your neighbourhood for a while.

Befriending your neighbours (or at the very least, knowing who they are) is another way to keep yourself safe. If you ever get into trouble, these neighbourly friendships can be a huge help. Furthermore, if you know your neighbours, their schedules, and their vehicles, then you can more easily recognize a suspicious stranger or unusual activity.

Secure All Points of Entry

Perhaps the most obvious safety tip is simply to lock all doors, windows, and other points of entry (such as a garage). An unlocked door or window provides easy access for an intruder, as does a spare key that has been hidden outside. Criminals know all the usual spots where they’re likely to find an extra key.

However, it’s not enough to just have locks on your doors. All exterior doors and windows should also be strong and made of sturdy materials that will resist a break-in. A door constructed of solid wood or metal is best.

When you move into a new home, change out the exterior locks immediately. You don’t know who could still have a key! Consider replacing your traditional lock with a Smart Lock, which has additional safety features and remote control access. Using the mobile app, you can check if your front door is locked from the security of your own bed.

Is it easy for an intruder to enter your home unobserved?

A dark yard with untrimmed trees and bushes can provide easy access to your home for a criminal. Installing exterior lighting and keeping a well-kept yard can deter intruders by making it much harder for them to approach your home unobserved.

It’s also important to always lock your door whenever you step outside. Even a brief trip to the curb while taking out the garbage can give an intruder enough time to sneak inside.

In case of emergency, you should also have an exit strategy. Knowing exactly how to quickly and easily leave your home can make all the difference in a worst-case scenario. This is important not only in case of an intruder but also in instances of fire or other disasters.

Enlist Your Friends to Keep You Safe

Friends who know your routine, check in regularly, and are available to call if you’re feeling nervous are a huge asset. When you get home from work or running errands, text a friend to let them know that you arrived safely.

If your home appears busy, it’s also less likely to become a target for intruders. Having company over on a consistent basis can actually help keep you safe. It’s also a good idea to have a friend with you whenever a worker is coming over. Don’t let strangers (even if the stranger is your plumber) into your home while you’re alone.

Be Discreet

While you don’t want to be discreet about having an active household with lots of guests, you do want to be discreet about living alone. If you’re a woman living by yourself, do not put your first and last name on your mailbox if you have one. Instead, use your initials or just your last name.

Keep your curtains closed so a passerby isn’t able to glance in and see that you live alone. This also prevents potential thieves from scoping your home for valuables.

Home Security Systems

As we already mentioned, a Smart Lock can increase the security of your front entranceway. A Smart Doorbell will elevate this even further. At Canadian Security Professionals, we offer Smart Doorbells that feature built-in cameras and motion detectors that you can access remotely. You’ll be notified if someone rings your doorbell and be able to see who it is using our mobile app.

Smart Doorbells integrate with the rest of your smart home alarm system. If the Doorbell’s motion sensor detects any activity, it can turn on the outdoor lighting, deterring a potential intruder.

Security cameras are another fantastic security feature that can deter criminals and provide additional safety. Our best-in-class video monitoring services will instantly alert you with the smart clip capture feature if a person or vehicle is detected.

Living Alone Should Be a Safe Experience

While living alone, it’s normal to worry about your personal safety. Fortunately, there are things you can do to minimize this stress so you can fully appreciate your freedom, independence, and autonomy. Living alone should be a safe (and enjoyable) experience.

Maintaining relationships with your friends and neighbours means that there is someone looking out for you, whether by watching for suspicious activity or joining you when maintenance workers are over. You should also ensure that you never publicly advertise your living alone and never hide keys outside.

Finally, staying safe is made easier with home security that uses smart technology. Remote access to your door via a Smart Lock and Smart Doorbell gives you the ability to not only check if you locked your door, but also see who exactly it is that’s ringing your doorbell. With outdoor lights that are integrated with your security system and activated using a motion sensor, intruders will be unable to approach your home in the dark. Smart technology has the power to keep you safe at home like never before.

To learn more about how you can increase your home security, call Canadian Security Professionals today at 1-877-494-9911 or contact us here.

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