With 2020 behind us and a fresh new year ahead, many homeowners are creating their New Year’s resolutions to help plan for the future. Whether it’s weight loss, cutting out bad habits, or just tackling projects around the home, there’s one resolution that homeowners should put at the top of their list: Home Security.

 

Let’s face it: 2020 was a hard year for everyone, but there’s still a feeling of uncertainty about the future – especially with the uptick in crimes against homeowners during quarantine. Home security is no longer a given. By taking active steps in preparing your home, your family will be protected should criminals choose to break into your home. For many homeowners that were caught by the inevitabilities of COVID-19 and its repercussions, individuals need to take action to avoid becoming a statistic.

 

Let’s take a look at several ways that you can optimize your home security for 2021.

Create an Emergency Plan with Your Entire Family

Even the best systems for home security if your family is unprepared in how to use them properly. And in the heat of the moment, your family may not know where to go to find safety, how to protect themselves, who to call, and so forth. That’s why an easy-to-execute emergency plan is a wise idea for your New Year’s resolution.

 

Having every person in your home knowing the emergency plan can mean the difference between life and death. Read more about creating an emergency plan for your family’s safety on Nightlock’s blog.

Add Layers of Security

Home security is best thought of in terms of layers. From the gates outside your home, warning signage, lighting, door locks, alarm systems, and other measures, each device further protects your home against unwanted visitors.

 

If one layer should fail or not be enough to deter criminals. For example, security cameras and motion-sensing flood lights may not capture a burglar in the act or not deter motivated criminals. Criminals that resort to brute force can gain access to most unprotected homes in seconds. With emergency responders slow to arrive (the average response time is 4 minutes), your family can be vulnerable without adequate protection.

 

It can be argued that physical security is the most vitally important layer of security, as criminals that are prevented from entering your home is the main focus for home security devices. That’s why installing Nightlock Original on your home’s entrance ways and Nightlock Patio should be a priority this new year. Even without expensive alarm systems and remote surveillance equipment, Nightlock Original can withstand substantial brute force attacks to prevent entry to your home.

 

Consult Nightlock’s blog on this topic for more information about how to add layers to your home.

Clean Up Your Home’s Exterior

Don’t wait for the warmer spring months to clean your home up. The items of value that are left in your yard are often targeted by criminals for low-risk opportunities to steal. Criminals often assess a viable target based on which rewards they can expect; including visible ATVs, tools, unlocked vehicles, pets and so forth.

 

Therefore, you and your family should take measures to lock these items in storage sheds or install fencing that is not only opaque, but also difficult to climb. Furthermore, installing blackout shades on windows that are visible at street level can dissuade criminals that may see valuable assets. Nightlock’s line of blackout shades are the perfect option to keep prying eyes out, particularly when your home is unoccupied or during the night.

Participate in a Neighborhood Watch

Burglaries often occur in concentrated areas, where criminals feel that they are able to target your neighborhood due to economic factors and vulnerabilities to exploit (like dense forest, traffic noise, etc.). Repeat offenders will return to unoccupied homes to steal valuable assets and victimize families, as well as those in surrounding homes.

 

How to prevent this? By participating in a neighborhood watch group. Having a network of concerned and vigilant neighbors is a smart step to combat the welfare of your family and your community.

 

Neighborhood watch groups can be part of an HOA and involve monthly meetings, or they can simply be a phone/text-message group that shares information about local break-ins and suspicious activity. Social media groups (i.e. Facebook groups) are also a powerful tool against criminals, as information can be exchanged in real-time.

 

Working in groups is a powerful deterrent. For example, camera footage can be gathered to pursue criminal charges against individuals that may, for example, have had their license plate/make/model captured while fleeing a scene.

 

 

Reassess Current Security Systems

If your home has a number of security systems, it’s a good idea to start the year off with a stress test. Perform a dry run by testing all locks, monitoring, and lighting issues. With time, weather, low battery power, unfamiliarity with devices, and other factors, your home may be unprotected – even if you believe otherwise. After all, even with high-priced security alarms, would you remember how to arm and disarm it in an emergency?

Conclusion: Home Security for the New Year

As part of your New Year’s resolutions, home security should be a top priority. Taking immediate steps and making it a priority pays dividends when compared to the loss of your family’s peace of mind, the value of stolen items, or – worst case scenario – injury to your loved ones.

 

Take action and start the year off right by installing Nightlock’s line of residential products to protect your home today.