Home security is a mammoth issue, but this is nothing new – it always has been an issue for parents and home owners. The problem is that family structure has altered. Not so long ago, people had much bigger families and mothers or grandmothers stayed at home to look after the children. With six, eight or even ten kids in a family, the house was never empty so burglars did not have a lot of opportunity. There was more social solidarity too, so criminals were loath to steal from their neighbours. So they set upon shops instead.
However, shops and other businesses started using electronic burglar alarms as the prices fell. These security units were so effective that burglars turned to stealing from people’s homes, which is made easier by the fact that the kids are in school and the parents are at work all day. American federal statistics indicate that domestic burglaries are up nearly ten percent since 2004. So, what can you do to put off a burglar?
If your residence is left unoccupied for a large part of the day because your children are at school, nursery or a baby-sitters’ and you are at work, consider getting some home help or joining a neighbourhood watch scheme. If you had a cleaner coming and going, it would afford some activity to discourage thieves.
Joining a neighbourhood watch would communicate to your neighbours that you are concerned about security and they will keep an eye on your home while you are out. Get your self a dog too, although be conscious that they can be easily poisoned, if the robber has access to them..
Install an electronic surveillance system. This could be a monitored or tape system. Monitored is the best. An added bonus to a surveillance system is that you can be sure what your baby sitter gets up to while you are out too. You can turn it off when you yourself are at home or just leave the external cameras on.
Another additional benefit with a home security system is that you can get a panic button connected to the system’s main external siren and strobe light. If you are set upon or worried, you can activate the alarm by pushing a button on a device that you can wear around your neck. They can also be built into watches and brooches. These personal panic buttons are useful for the elderly and single women providing peace of mind to those living alone.
A monitored surveillance system will also warn you if your house catches fire while you are asleep or out or if someone is mooching around your garden. Often the operator of the system will phone the emergency services too after they have alerted you.
A good surveillance system can be used as a bargaining chip with your insurance broker to obtain some hefty discounts on your premium. If you have a small business that you operate from home, you may be able to off-set some or all of the overheads against your business too and a good home surveillance system can increase the selling price of your house, because it makes it that one step more complete, like having uPVC doors and windows and a wooden deck.
Owen Jones, the writer of this article, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with home security systems comparison. If you are interested in Security Systems For Home Use, please click through to our site.
