How To Avoid Common Security Mistakes
Whether or not it's intentional, leaving your home vulnerable is a serious risk. Lack of outside security like fences, ring cameras, and other alarm systems may lead to porch pirates or the occasional break-in. With that in mind, let’s talk about the most common security mistakes homeowners make that call for intruders, and how to avoid them.
5 Common Home Security Mistakes:
Not Locking Doors and Windows
Advertising Valuable Objects
Oversharing on Social Media
Making it Obvious You’re Away
Lack of Surveillance
Not Locking Doors and Windows
This might sound obvious, but leaving your doors and windows unlocked is the most common security mistake homeowners make. What is now a hard habit to break, many people will leave their doors unlocked during the day or when they need to run a quick errand.
Daylight cannot justify those actions, because it will not protect your home from security threats. In fact, most burglaries happen during the day. The simplest way to avoid a breach of security is to get into the habit of locking your doors no matter the justification. Quick trip to the store? Lock the door before you leave. Still see daylight? Keep the door locked and windows secured while you’re inside.
Advertising Valuable Objects
Have you made a big purchase recently? Packages left by your front door can lead to porch pirates, so be careful not to leave them outside for too long, and definitely don’t advertise its worth. That includes posting about them online! To avoid porch pirates, consider making a note to your delivery driver to leave your package at a side door or in a separate box so they’re hidden from plain sight.
In addition, don’t display your brand new flat screen TV in a place that’s easy to spot through your windows. By doing this, burglars can plan their theft ahead of time and have motivation for a potential prize. Keep expensive displays in areas that won’t be easy to spot!
Oversharing on Social Media
We love social media and sharing photos of our life adventures, but when those photos reach the wrong eyes, that can lead to a planned theft. Social media is used by burglars to plot their next break-in, so “insta-bragging” about your vacation puts your home at risk. You should be cautious about oversharing plans, especially if those plans involve traveling for a long period of time. Share your vacation experience when you’re back home to minimize your risk of theft.
Making it Obvious You’re Away
Empty driveways, overfilled mailboxes, and untrimmed lawns are obvious signs that a homeowner is away. Vacant homes are an easy target for thieves, so it’s important to protect your property even when you’re away by using adequate security measures. If you’re not ready to invest in alarm security systems, consider hiring a trusted friend or family member to check up on your home every day and collect mail, or even consider a house-sitter to keep an eye on things and maintain your property while you're gone.
Lack of Surveillance
If you’re not using a home security system, or don’t have the time to monitor your home yourself, then you’re at a serious risk of intruders. Not only can surveillance help deter intruders who activate an alarm system, they also add protection by dispatching first responders to pursue an intruder if your home is broken into. Using 24/7 surveillance gives homeowners a peace of mind while they're away by covering your vulnerabilities and notifying you of potential threats.
Learn more about how an alarm service protects your home.
Secure Your Home With NCA Alarms
Vulnerabilities don’t disappear when we leave our home - in fact, they only increase! That’s why NCA Alarms offers professional home security monitoring. Our 24/7 services keep watch over your home at all times of the day. When a message is sent to our call center that your home has been broken into, we validate the alert then call local authorities. We do our best to make sure you’re prepared and safe during a worst-case scenario.