Home Improvement

Upgrade Your Home’s Safety Features

It’s a good idea to assess your home’s safety features once a year to see if it’s time to upgrade any equipment. Various factors influence how much security you need, and these factors change depending on several issues. For example, has there been a spike in crime in your area? Have you recently had a baby? Does your home contain expensive electronic equipment? Start with the easiest ways into your house and expand from there.

Doors

Doors are obviously the easiest point of entry, so they should be made of a solid material. (Save hollow wood doors for inside the house.) The front and back door should be made of a strong wood, like mahogany or of steel. Door locks Minneapolis MN or your town should be durable deadbolts with a reinforcer plate. Add a kickplate to the bottom of the door and a wide-angle peephole. If you have given out too many extra keys, it may be time to rekey the locks.

Windows

Casement windows that only crank open a few inches are the safest. However, if you don’t already have these, they could get expensive to install. Adding a single security bar that pivots out of the way is an easy after-market fix to the standard sash window. A burglar won’t be able to lift the window more than the height of the bar if it is secured in place, but it’s very easy to move out of the way from the inside. Burglar bars are a great deterrent, and experts recommend the quick release type that attaches inside the house rather than outside. With a quick push of a button, the bars are released in case of a fire.

Lighting

Installing motion detector lights or floodlights can also help keep you safe because they will encourage would-be thieves to look for darker places to break in. Just make sure there aren’t any around your house.

Safety needs change and home safety features should be evaluated and updated regularly. Once you honestly assess your needs for protection, you can determine where to start.

Show More
Back to top button
Close