Are you, like many other Australians, looking for ways to increase your home’s level of security? Whether you’re considering prickly plant planting, entryway reinforcement or CCTV installation Melbourne is full of security options that can turn your home into something Fort Knox’s planning team would be envious of.
The crime rate is at an all-time low in Australia. Let’s all do our part to make sure it stays that way! Because did you know security features help to deter criminals?
Here are five ways to beef up your home security to ensure that you, your family and your belongings stay safe.
1. Reinforce Points of Entry
Just like eyes act as windows to the soul, windows act as windows to your belongings. Doors and windows are vital home security components as these are the entryways that criminals will often use to gain entry to your home.
Because of this undeniable truth, it’s important to ensure that these vulnerable areas are reinforced. Think about how often these entryways are opened and closed & imagine how much wear & tear they experience. Be sure to properly maintain your doors and windows & replace them when the need arises.
Options like burglar bars, grilles and shatterproof glass are available to help you up your window security while doors can be reinforced with the likes of slam-lock gates, deadbolts & smart locks.
2. Install CCTV Cameras
It has been proven time and time again that CCTV cameras are effective crime preventors. So effective that even dummy CCTV cameras are often enough to deter would-be criminals although this is most definitely not recommended as a long-term security solution.
This is because criminals don’t like an audience. A visible CCTV camera works wonders for keeping criminals away for two reasons:
- The criminals are aware that they’re being watched and are therefore discouraged from attempting to gain entry to the property.
- The criminals are aware that they’re being watched and know that should they successfully conduct their crime the footage will be handed over to authorities.
It’s important to remember that CCTV cameras are only effective when used effectively. In short: don’t hide your CCTV cameras where criminals aren’t aware of their presence but rather flaunt them proudly to deter crime.
3. Garden Warfare
If you have a green thumb, you’ll love this next home security system: using plants as security measures! That’s right, certain plants are as off-putting to intruders as they are beautiful for you to look at.
It’s best to use plants as security measures at the entry points to your property as well as your home itself. Pay careful attention to where you locate your plants and put yourself in the shoes of a criminal to determine where certain plants must be planted. For example, don’t plant a big tree near your windows as criminals could easy climb up it to gain access to your home.
Australia is home to some of the meanest looking plants. Here are some of the best plants to keep your property criminal-free:
- Agaves
- Bougainvillea
- Cycads
- Stiff-leafed yuccas or yucca elephantipes
4. Shine a Light on Crime
Most of us are familiar with the old crime deterrent of leaving a lamp on while away from our homes in order to make it appear as though someone was home. As it turns out, we were right to believe this as light can deter criminals from trying their luck on our homes.
This is primarily because criminals prefer to work at nighttime to avoid being spotted by passersby and diligent neighbours. Ensure that criminals don’t have the upper hand of operating under the cover of darkness when trying to gain access to your home.
Consider installing a motion-activated flood light or security lights that automatically switch on once the sun starts going down.
5. Invest in an Alarm System
Sure, this last one may seem a little obvious, but it’s effective. When it comes to selecting a home alarm system, you’re spoilt for choice. You can opt for a wired burglar alarm system, a wireless alarm system, an unmonitored alarm system or a monitored alarm system.
Each of those options come with different notification systems. Some are silent alarms that immediately alert the connected armed response team while others begin blaring an incredibly loud siren that will alert everyone in the area as to what is going on. Others can even emit flashing lights!
Final Thoughts
As you can see, there are many different ways to go about securing your home. None of the methods we listed will cost you too much in time, effort or money and will pay for itself in peace of mind & confidence.
Feeling safe in your home is not a privilege, it’s a right. It’s not a nice-to-have but rather a must-have. Do all that you can to ensure that your home remains a safe space for you, your family and the possessions you’ve worked extremely hard to get.
Which of these five easy home security solutions will you be turning to? Let us know in the comments section down below.