If you’re reading this then there’s a good chance that you’ve put a lot of effort into making your home a welcoming and comfortable place to live. However you don’t want your property to be too welcoming and these simple tips will give you some quick steps to make your property more secure. Everyone has the right to feel safe in their own home and a little prevention can go a long way.

Image via: Alexandre Parent

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Guard Dog or Family Pet

If you’re considering getting a dog as a family pet why not choose a dog that can also sound the alarm if need be. This is probably one of the most enjoyable “security measures” you could take and will also help to keep the kids entertained. Some of the best dog breeds for protection are:

• Bullmastiff
• Doberman Pinscher
• Rottweiler
• Komodor
• Puli
• Giant Schnauzer
• German Shepherd
• Rhodesian Ridgeback
• Kuvasz
• Staffordshire Terrier

Security Cameras

Security cameras are fairly affordable nowadays depending on just how far you want to go in terms of picture quality and night vision. Safe Site Facilities have a nice comparison of the different options available. As a deterrent security cameras are one of the most effective home security solutions available because it makes any would be criminal think twice if they know their every move will be caught on camera. Depending on the number of security cameras you go for you’ll normally be able to install them yourself or with the help of a friend over the course of a sunny afternoon. A few quick tips for installing your own CCTV system:

• Placement is everything. You’ll want to have your security cameras fitted high up on the walls of your house so they can’t be easily reached from the ground. After all what good is a security camera if someone can just reach up and snip the wire.
• If your roof has an overhang then putting your security camera right up to where the roof meets the wall will provide additional protection from the elements for your cameras and thus give them a longer lifespan.
• For most systems it will make sense to drill directly into the loft so that all the wires can meet in the middle and be fed down from the ceiling into a single room where your digital video recorder (DVR) and monitor will be stationed.

Image via: Ehrlich Architects

A Little Bit of Light

Shadowy corners are always a little bit concerning and it’s no surprise that poorly lit properties are more appealing to would be criminals. Something as simple as a porch light providing your property with a warm glow can be enough to do the trick. The other option being a motion activated security light, which with halogen bulbs in the 200W-500W range can really light a place up when required.

Emergency Services can Help

Just in case something does go wrong remember that the emergency services are only a phone call away. Most of us carry around mobile phones nowadays, even at home, so make sure you have your trusty mobile to hand or know where it is at all times.

Knowing the best and quickest way to exit your house will make a stressful situation that much more manageable. Usually being able to exit through the back of the house and garden will be a real plus, just make sure you figure out how that tricky lock on your back gate works before you need to use it. On the flip side have a think about how you would get into your house if you didn’t have your keys, you may be surprised at the number of opportunities there are to break in. Open windows, dodgy door handles or the key under the plant pot should all be looked at as a way to prevent your home being singled out as an easy target.

Finally make friends with your neighbours; I’m sure they’d be more than happy to watch over the house while you’re on holiday. If you get on really well you might want to give them a spare key as an alternative to the riskier under the plant pot tactic.

For more security tips on Stagetecture, click here.