Protecting your home and everything in it will help you avoid falling victim to burglaries, common scams, and property theft. Burglary is on the rise in Canada, with nearly 7,000 more reported incidents in 2023 than the previous year.
These tips can help you to keep your home safe and reduce the likelihood of people trying to enter your property unlawfully and help themselves out of what you own.
Get Insurance
While prevention is undoubtedly better than the cure in this case, insurance can be a lifesaver if anything does happen. Look for an insurance policy that covers the approximate value of everything you own; always consider how much it would cost to replace everything if you had to start from scratch. If you have high-end pieces or luxury items, it can be worth taking pictures of each one for proof, keeping the receipts in a safe place, and getting valuations. Having expensive jewelry valued with a certificate can be helpful in the event of theft, as can art appraisals to determine the value of any artwork you own and attest to its authenticity.
Upgrade Locks
A pretty simple but often overlooked aspect is the benefits of regularly upgrading your locks for windows and doors. You should always ensure that all locks are working and keeping your property secure; however, being on the lookout for new locks that can benefit your property or provide extra city can be extremely helpful.
Whether you opt for keyless locks, biometric locks, mortice or deadbolts for your home, always reviewing how suitable your existing locks are and what your options are to be upgraded will serve you well.
Cameras
Having cameras at your entrances and external areas can be an added form of protection that allows you to monitor your home in real-time. The smart doorbell market is growing in popularity, and more and more Canadians are installing these smart devices to help them boost home security and get peace of mind when they’re not at home.
Alternatively, you can use a video monitoring system that is hooked up to a centralized platform and monitored by a third party. This way, if a break-in occurs, the alarm will be sounded, and the monitoring company will alert the authorities on your behalf.
Motion Sensor Lighting
Installing motion sensor lighting outside your home can allow you to illuminate areas of the property that burglars would otherwise use to protect their anonymity. Motion sensor lights come on when they detect movement, so being strategic with where you place them and the type of lighting you use can give you added security options and ensure anyone coming to your home with the intent to break in will be lit up when they approach. Paired with external security or video doorbells, this can be an extremely effective deterrent for many people.
Know Your Neighbours
Not as many people these days know all of their neighbours or what’s going on in their street. But knowing and being on good terms with at least one neighbour can be extremely beneficial. Those who like you and know you will automatically be aware of anything happening in the area and of anyone new or acting strange within the vicinity of your home. This awareness means they can be a great help in letting you get potential criminal activity or providing eyewitness accounts should you fall victim to this invasive crime.
