The safety of your family, as well as the safety of your friends, visitors, employees and other people who may be accessing your property, depends on you keeping your house and yard in good condition. You can avoid common mishaps like falls and be safeguarded from emergencies like fires by keeping your home safe and free of hazards. To keep you and those you love safe, adopt some good habits around your home.
Look into your homeowners insurance
Homeowners insurance is a requirement for receiving a mortgage if you own a home. There is no requirement that you have homeowners insurance if you paid cash and won’t be concerned about foreclosure, but after spending that much money, you should still want to protect your investment. Watch out for any exclusions in the policies you are reviewing and be aware of what that might entail if something happens, like a flood.
Renters have access to coverage options as well. There are many insurance providers that offer renters insurance, which will protect you against losing any of your belongings in the event that your rental home or apartment is broken into, a natural disaster occurs or both.
The right to appeal and to file a lawsuit, if necessary, still exists if your claim is rejected.
Make sure all entryways are secure
The areas where people enter your house need the most care. There must be a lock on every window. Consider replacing any flimsy pin locks on your home’s glass doors and old windows with stronger ones, especially on any first-floor windows or doors. Additionally, there are smart locks and window sensors that enable you to keep windows partially open while keeping them locked, preventing unauthorized access.
A strong deadbolt lock should be installed on every door, whether it needs a key or a code, as well. The best course of action would be to lock all doors and any tools used to open them, such as the house keys or the garage door opener. Protecting your valuables can be enhanced by keeping in mind to lock your home at night and when you are gone.
Outdoor lighting
Darkness makes hiding more convenient. Your home will be less appealing as a target if you install lighting that illuminates your yard. Install motion-sensor lighting, which will only turn on when movement is detected, if you are concerned about your electricity bill going up.
Make sure important documents are hidden
Many of the most crucial documents in life can take a long time and money to replace. Your most crucial documents will remain safe from thieves if you store them in a safe deposit box when not in use. These include:
- Passports.
- Marriage licenses.
- Birth certificates.
- Social security cards.
- Financial statements.
Securing these documents will assist in shielding your family from the ongoing financial harm that identity thieves may cause you by using them to commit fraud. Additionally, if you ever need to divide the family home in the event of a separation, it will be simpler to organize important papers.
Install a security system
There are many options for home security systems, so there should be some that are within your price range. These consist of:
- Doorbell, baby monitor and security cameras.
- Alarm systems, including smoke and burglar alarms.
- Mobile phone connectivity so you can monitor your house while you’re away.
- Around-the-clock customer service that will alert the police in the event of a break-in.
Renters should discuss installing a security system with their landlord. Making a DIY project could result in issues with your lease.
Make sure your Internet connection is secure
Remember that burglars don’t necessarily have to enter your home to steal your possessions. Doing your part to keep your Internet-connected devices secure entails this.
You could help by regularly changing your network password and securing your home network at all times. To make it harder for people to guess your passwords, choose complex ones for all of your online accounts. (Hint: A bad password would be “Password.”)
To learn more about how to make your property safe, or for help with your own homeowners insurance, contact Kapnick at [email protected] or 888-263-4656.
