While burglaries are decreasing in the United States, they still happen on a daily basis. In fact, the FBI reports that home burglaries occur more frequently than every 30 seconds in America.
Make sure that you and your family will be safe after moving into the used home that you’re purchasing. Here are a few things you can do aside from installing a security system to optimize your newly purchased home’s overall security from day one.
Have all the Doors and Windows Inspected
The first thing you should do to optimize your home’s security before moving in is have all of the doors and windows inspected by a professional locksmith. They can check all of the hardware, the screws and nails, the hinges, and even the framing to make sure that everything is strong and working properly.
If any component of a door or window is compromised, your service provider can make repairs or replacements as necessary to revitalize the entryways and make sure they can hold up to possible break-ins as well as serious storms as time goes on.
Have the Door Locks Rekeyed
Once all of your windows and doors have been inspected and expertly secured, have all of the door locks on your home rekeyed. Because you’re buying a used home, you can’t be sure who has had access to the keys and locks before you did.
Former residents, contractors, real estate agents, and even cleaning companies could have copies of the house’s keys. So unless you rekey the locks, anybody who has ever made copies of the home’s keys could gain entry without much effort.
After having the locks rekeyed, you will receive new keys that nobody else has ever had before and can maintain complete control over who gets copies of those keys at any point in the future. Rekeying the locks is one of the last things that should be done before moving in.
This will help ensure that you don’t have to give copies of the new keys out to any service providers who might be working on the home in the days and weeks leading up to your move-in.
Invest in High Security Deadbolts
In addition to rekeying your door locks, you should have all of the deadbolts replaced with high-security options. Believe it or not, most deadbolts on the market can be easily picked open or busted out of the door frame with the use of just a little force.
Thanks to features such as hardened steal inserts, high-security deadbolts are designed to withstand force and resist picking. And the deadbolt keys can’t be copied like regular lock keys can. Only your service provider will replace your high security deadbolt keys — and not without written permission first.
Install a New Home Safe
You will need a safe place to store your most valuable possessions just in case your home does happen to get broken in to. Instead of hiding things under the bed or deep in a closet, you can simply install a safe in any room of your home for added protection.
Whether a wall safe, a floor safe, or a fire safe, most home options will provide you with plenty of space to store important paperwork, precious metals, bonds, bank statements, and even old family photos. And unless a burglar can simply carry your safe out the front door, chances are that they won’t stick around long enough to find out if they can crack the lock.
A reliable home safe can do more than just protect you from burglaries. You can store important belongings in the safe while contractors or cleaners are working in your home. You can protect valuables from theft during parties. And you can keep your firearms and other weapons safely away from kids who live in or visit your home.
Contact DuPage Security Solutions Inc. today to schedule a consultation appointment and to learn more about how we can help secure the used home you’ll soon be moving in to.