Buying an Older Home? Look for These Potential Security Issues

You’ve spotted a beautiful old home and it has that perfect older charm that you’ve been looking for. The only downside is that older homes can sometimes have potential security issues if you don’t know what to look for. You can still enjoy the process of getting into an older home while using a few tips to increase your home and family’s security. 

Check out these tips below for better home security, from updating the locks to installing an alarm system. 

It probably doesn’t have an alarm system

The first thing you’ll notice about an older home compared to a newer home is that older homes tend to have no alarm system. This is an easy fix though as you can easily get one installed that will be new and all set up for your family. 

Older homes don’t have these because they didn’t have these back then and the ones that do have them were probably fixed up and modernized. If you see a basic alarm system from when they were first introduced, you’ll want to update it with something new. To ensure you don’t have to deal with a robbery or intruder, having a decent home alarm with sensors on the entryway and your windows is the first step. 

You can get one installed with a security company that will alert you when there is suspicious activity and can call the police if a situation happens. You’ll just have to arm or disarm it with your cell phone each day. 

This is great while you’re away from the home since many systems can live stream from your phone or record pictures. Add a doorbell camera to your home to allow you to see who comes to the door as well. 

The locks are old

With an old home comes old locks. That means they are going to be easier to break into or even break. You’ll likely find that the home has antique locks on the entries and gates that look beautiful but don’t keep the home secure. 

With all of the wear tear from use and the weather, the locks are going to be much easier to attempt to pick and break into. This would be the perfect time to update to all new locks that are difficult to lock-pick and sturdy. Consider a smart lock that will allow you to control it from your smartphone. 

What’s inside the walls are old

Another issue with older homes is that you are looking at older plumbing, older wiring, and older everything. You might be looking at this as a fixer-upper project in which you can replace or repair anything needed to make this your dream home. 

Start with the locks and the security system, and then dive into the rest of the projects with a professional. You may need new pipes, new wiring, and electrical outlets installed. You may also have an old HVAC system with missing air filters, and even a roof that has damage. All of these things will need to be looked at and assessed by plumbers, electricians, and more. 

Old garage and windows

This may be a good time to update your windows and garage door. Sometimes these things don’t get tested for a long time and won’t keep your home protected in their current condition. Talk to a specialist about investigating the condition of these units so that your security is protected. 

Lastly, be sure to update your detectors for smoke, fire, floods, and carbon monoxide. Keep your family safe from these hard-to-detect hazards. 

Use these tips to avoid a potential security issue in your new-to-you, older home

Safes for You to Securely Store Valuables at Home

When it comes to storing your valuables, this is one area that you don’t want to take a shortcut. If a home burglary is going to happen, it’s crucial that you have a secure safe to store your valuables to avoid theft. Some of the most common items taken from homes are jewelry, money, firearms, baseball cards, and family heirlooms.

Not only is it important to protect these things that are worth good money or sentimental to you, but you should have a way to protect important personal documents like birth certificates and passports in the event of a fire or other disaster. Take a look at the best way to securely store your valuables at home from theft or a disaster.

Small safes for your home or office

To get started, you may simply want a small safe to use in your home or office.

You can get a lightweight and inexpensive safes like Amazon Basics Security Safe which features 0.5 cubic feet of steel-enclosed space and a carpeted floor only accessible digitally.

A Combination Fire Safe is great if you need fire and water protection for things like photos and USB drives, such as the SWF123DSB for something heavy duty in the home.

One of the best in fireproof safes for those wanting a small safe is the First Alert 2092DF that can float and handle fires. It has a programmable lock and steel locking bolts and weighs a hefty 100lbs.

For a Biometric safe to hold your valuables or firearms, get the BARSKA biometric safe for an inexpensive, small, and ideal storage solution.

By Tanemori (Hatena Ftolife) [CC BY 2.1 jp (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.1/jp/deed.en)], via Wikimedia Commons

The Varieties in size and features

When you aren’t concerned about size or price and simply want the best for your valuables, your home could use one of the safes mentioned below.

The Safstar Digital Electronic Security Safe Box is a great choice for something compact, affordable, and for the smart accessibility, it allows between the digital PIN and the backup key option. It won’t hold as much as the large SentrySafe SFW205CWB water-resistant combination safe which gives you 60% more storage than a traditional safe, so it’s important to determine what size you need from the start.

If you are concerned about a fireproof option, the SentrySafe can’t offer that, but you can get that feature with the First Alert 2092DF. If you like something compact, the Safstar is one of the best, but the Stack-On PDS-1500 Drawer Safe is another option which allows access electronically and with backup keys. On the larger end of things, the SentrySafe is a top choice, as well as the BARSK Large Biometric Safe that features a huge memory storage for fingerprints and a silent access mode.

Options for the ultimate hiding places

If your goal is to be as discrete a possible, you may like one of these types of safes in your home. Store your valuables in a hollowed-out book, wrapped up in your freezer, or in a VHS tape. There are places in your home that a thief is less likely to look, giving you protection through discretion, but it won’t save you from a fire or flood. For discrete hiding options, hide your valuables in a houseplant or under the plastic liner of your trash can. Try a hollowed-out book or false VHS tape in your living room where a criminal is not likely to spend the time digging.

A false container in your kitchen could be under the sink or disguised as a food box, while an item that isn’t temperature sensitive could be hidden in aluminum foil in the back of your freezer. Try a floor safe in your bedroom or inside a container marked as “Christmas ornaments” in your attic. Just avoid hiding things in your desk drawers, your jewelry box, a DVD case that is worth more than your VHS tapes, or in an area that could get damaged like your jars of food or your toilet’s water tank.

When it comes to protecting your valuables or those hard to replace items, these are some of the most efficient ways to protect them. Be sure to get your home and office equipped with what you need today. Call The Professional Locksmith for more information!

How can you increase the security of a door lock?

Your door locks are in place in your home to protect your home and your family. That is why it’s important to always take the time to perform maintenance and increases to your home’s security system. This all starts by ensuring your locks are as secure as the day you first bought them and utilizing technology to increase your security as new features hit the market. Take a look at the ways you can increase the security of your door lock and keep your home safer.

Upgrade them

Start by upgrading your locks. Since this is a thing you use every single day and it’s a major way that you keep your home secure, you should make sure you are using the right kind for your door and that it’s working properly. Did you choose one that is appropriate for your door? Is it going to be weak against blunt force or the use of a bump key?

It may be time to call a locksmith to replace your old locks and install one of the trusted brands of door locks on the market. It’s also a great time to make sure you have a deadbolt since the handle or keyed knob is less important. Your deadbolt will be much harder to break-in compared to a spring loaded latch because you can’t get the bolt to move without rotating it at its core.

Your front door’s locking system is your entire security system to your home, which is why it’s so important to have the latest technology in door locks and have a professional locksmith install it for you. The wrong locks could mean a break-in and harm to your entrance. Make sure to get a deadbolt that extend one inch beyond the door and choose be a high-quality brand like Medeco that will be resistant to lock-picking or fake keys.

Reinforce your doors and glass surfaces

Next, take the time to have your doors and glass surfaces examined. These are other ways that criminals will try to break in. If you are using an old, light-weight door, it may be time to replace it with a solid door made with hardwood or metal inserts.

Have a professional locksmith come out to reinforce doors that do not need replaced and then have them examine your windows. Since windows are by most front doors, a criminal may try to break-in through this method. Strengthen your windows and glass by replacing them with a stronger material or by adding a security window film for extra protection. You can get a tinted window film or a clear one that will at least discourage most burglars because it’s not easy to shatter.

Add a security screen

Speaking of window films, you can also add a security screen to your front door. This is basically like having two doors in which one door is in front of the other door. This allows you to have a metal barrier with additional locks for your front door. Since they are made to open out, attempting to kick them in will likely be unsuccessful.

If a criminal sees additional deadbolts and keyed knobs to get in a house, they may give up on their plans. You will have the option to see through this door much better than a peephole while still remaining inside the house.

Lengthen set screws

Talk to your locksmith about how they can lengthen set screws. This is another trick to improve home security that is simple but effective. Simply have your strike plate and hinges’s ¾ inch set screws changed to 3-inch screws. If someone tries to kick the door in, you’ll find that the door is more likely to just splinter and fracture but not actually get kicked in.

Typically with the shorter set screws, when the door is kicked in the strike plate will get torn off the door when the trim is breaking. With a longer set screw, the strike plate won’t be as vulnerable since you are likely just attacking the stud of the door jam. You must also secure the door’s strike plate and hinge side in order for this to be effective during an attack.

Maintain and install more hardware

Finally, make sure you take the time to maintain your hardware and add additional features where needed. You can use slipcovers to add more metal content to a door to help strengthen it where it has vulnerabilities. If you have exposed or weakened bolts that you use to secure a door, get a cover that extends over the jam.

Consider installing securing devices from inside the home, such as a lock in the middle of the door or a chain lock. Add front door monitoring through surveillance cameras, smart locks, and smart doorbells to improve your ability to see what’s going on and deter criminals.

Use these tips to increase your front door locks since it is the most important security feature of your home!

How to Integrate Smart Home Accessories with Your Security System

There’s nothing more important than a secure home. That’s why integrating a security system into your home is the first step in bringing a sense of security and deterring crime while living in this home. What’s better is that now you can incorporate smart technology into your security system which will take that security a step further.

Instead of just your basic security system setup, you’ll now have access to more features and all at your fingertips from your smart devices. With features like smart lighting, automation controls, access to your locks, and automated system checks throughout the day, your security system will now be working for you. Take a look at how to integrate smart home accessories with your security system.

What home automation systems can do

Home automation security systems are the future of home security systems and homeowners are already installing these left and right. With most people owning smart devices now and accessing apps for just about every process they do throughout the day, it just makes sense that one of those processes would be keeping an eye on your home’s security to watch out for breaches. Smart homes now have all of their systems automated and give you access through your smart devices so that you can be a part of the process from home or while away.

While you’ll need a professional to install these systems, you’ll gain so many benefits to incorporating it into your home. for starters, you’ll find that home automation systems give you control from one place through the app on your phone or tablet, while before you had to rely on being physically present in front of the system where it was installed in the home.

Next, you’ll be able to be in two places at once because you’ll be able to do things like lock the front door while changing the thermostat and lighting all from the touch of a button. The way things used to work would require you to actually go to the door or the light switch to change these things.

You’ll also have video cameras, a wireless system, a 2-way voice panel, and automation that can be controlled through both the app and by voice. These systems come with customer service, warranties, and system checks throughout the day to ensure everything is working. You’ll have professional monitoring to ensure you can reach someone when needed and all you’ll need is a contract and monthly rate to ensure your house is protected in the most efficient way.

How smart homes increase security and simplify life

With smart accessories, security systems in homes are becoming more efficient and better overall. When you start integrating these accessories into your home’s security system, you’ll find that it’s easier to leave the house to go out of town or simply go to work each day knowing that your home is protected. 

Not only is your home more protected, but you have easier access to the regular functions of your home that you would need to interact with anyway. Entertaining guests now becomes hassle-free when you can change the lighting or turn on the music from your smartphone.

Change the thermostat while you’re at work and shortly before you get home to ensure comfort and savings to your utility bill. Turn the lights on while you’re on vacation to ensure that a possible criminal thinks that you are actually home. These affordable accessories won’t break the bank, while also helping your utility budget and giving you that priceless peace of mind while you’re away.

Recommended systems

You can start integrating smart home accessories right away into your security system. Simply call the professionals at The Professional Locksmith in Chicago and ask about getting your home equipped with smart technology today.

You can also purchase equipment to add to your current setup, such as a smart thermostat, smart lighting, smart locks, and smart speakers. These can be integrated into the home by connecting your switches and plugs to give you the remote control of the unit from your smart device.

If you want to deter criminals and simplify your home’s daily functions, integrate smart home accessories into your security system.

5 Home Security Tips for New Homeowners

As a new homeowner, there are many things you will be learning for the first time. One of those things will be how to keep your home and your family safe on a regular basis without it interfering too much with life. Everybody knows to lock the door when they leave and to keep an eye out for suspicious people in the neighborhood, but what else will it take to keep your home and family secure?

There are some things you may not have thought to do, such as getting to know the neighbors and changing the locks when you move in. Take a look at these five tips to get you started when it comes to new home ownership and keeping things secure.

Replace the locks

The first thing you should do when you move into a new home is to change your locks. Most likely, the previous owners still have a key somewhere as does anyone involved in selling the property to you. That means that your home is not technically secure and available only to your family.

Make sure you change your locks upon arriving at the new home to make sure no one else has access to it, such as the previous family or realtor. Then, make sure you reconfigure your garage door code.

Get a home security system

Next, you’ll want to install a home security system. Make your home less appealing to a criminal that enters the neighborhood, from the trimmed bushes allowing for a great line of sight to the motion-detecting lights, make sure no criminal will want to bother breaking into your home.

Be sure to set up your home with a trustworthy home security system that will notify you in the event that there is a security breach. Make sure to have a professional install it and remember to tell your homeowners insurance since you’ll likely receive a discount for having one installed.

Get to know your neighbors and the area

One of the simplest ways to keep your home and family safe is to get to know your neighbors and your surroundings. When you know who lives near you, it’ll be easier to spot a visitor to the area to watch for suspicious activity. You’ll also have neighbors to watch your home as you do the same for them in the event that suspicious activity is taking place.

You can even join the neighborhood watch program and volunteer to collect mail and newspapers for neighbors that go on vacation, as they can do the same for you. Then, be sure to get to know your surroundings to get familiar with what habits are normal in the neighborhood compared to the times when something new comes up. Do you always see this certain service provider and delivery truck, while that moving van or construction crew has never been here before?

Think about fire safety

In addition to security, you’ll want to think about fire safety. Make sure you’ve made a plan for home fire defense and have a fire monitoring package with your home security system. Smoke detectors throughout the house are vital, as well as fire extinguishers, and carbon monoxide detectors.

Keep up with the maintenance

Having all of these items checked off will be a great feeling, but keeping up with maintaining everything is just as important. You need to be regularly checking your outside lights, your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, your fire extinguishers, and your window locks to ensure everything is in working order.

If something isn’t functioning properly, it can be all it takes to have a breach in your safety. Make sure you are trimming the bushes, verifying your home security system is working, and things on your property meant to deter an intruder are ready to perform.

These are the top five ways that you can make sure your new home is secure and prepared in the event of a fire or home invasion.