Maintaining a Level of Security

Maybe you already have a video surveillance system, or perhaps you are just starting to think about making your home more secure. Regardless, you have taken initiative and are being proactive about your safety. Keeping your home secure from various threats is an ongoing task, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. There are many simple ways to improve what you already have, or begin adding security features around your property.

Things You Can Do Now

Simple tips that will only cost you a bit of time and maybe a few bucks at your local hardware store:

• Tell a neighbor or relative that you trust when you are going away for an extended period of time. Ask them to pick up your mail or park in your driveway to make it look like someone is home
• Buy appliance timers ($12 at most hardware stores) and plug them into lamps and radios. Set them for daytime when you are at work and evening when you go out. Vary the times so they are not always turning on at 6pm and off at midnight
• Lock your doors and windows, even when you are at home
• Keep your curtains closed. Burglars may not approach your property if they are uncertain about what valuables you have inside
• Do not hide spare keys under the doormat, in the mail box, or in a planter. Give an extra key to a neighbor that you trust
• Check your outdoor light bulbs regularly and replace when necessary. Consider buying motion sensor lights (about $200) to deter suspicious people and avoid darkness in your yard
• Hang warning signs in highly visible areas, such as at the front door, on your fence, and in your windows
• Join or start a crime prevention group in your neighborhood

If You Have a System

There are still things you can do to protect yourself, even if you already use some type of security system:

• Set passwords on your recording unit(s) so that unauthorized people cannot access, manipulate, or delete your video footage
• Mount your cameras high enough so that people cannot tamper with them (8 to 13ft above the area to be monitored)
• Keep your DVR and viewing monitor in a locked room that is not obvious
• If possible, set up your DVR so that it sends you an email when specific activity, such as motion, is detected
• If possible, set up your DVR so that you can access live and recorded footage through the Internet from any computer in the world. This allows you to monitor your home at work or on vacation
• If you have an alarm, make sure you set it. 40% of alarm-protected homes that are burglarized do not have the alarm system turned on