SECURING YOUR NEW HOME
Living in an urban environment has many benefits, but it also carries some risks. Therefore, you should think about making sure your new house is secure by putting in some security measures:
We strongly suggest that you must have the following security measures. (We really urge you to do this):
Rekey all of the entrance locks. You never know who could still possess a key to your new home. To be safe, it’s best to have a locksmith rekey the existing locks on all external doors. We highly recommend this. Our preferred locksmith is Locks on Wheels. (503-867-6643 – Tell them Harlan sent you). They can rekey all exterior doors so one key will open them all. We advise having at least one deadbolt on each external door for added protection and suggest having it done either on moving day or the day after just to be cautious.
Install an alarm system. ADT is our preferred provider as they are reliable and reasonably priced. Contact us as we have secured a discount off installation for our clients and can assist you with this.
We highly advise having a security system if your house or condo is situated on the ground floor or has an external staircase that provides access to your unit. It could take some time to book an appointment so we advise calling promptly and arranging it for when you move in or shortly after. Note that burglars are often attracted to new homes as they are perceived as easy targets with minimal safety measures in place. If your front door does not have one already, consider having a peep hole installed – this is relatively simple and can be done by a handyman.
We strongly suggest that you install Door Devils on all of your exterior doors for added security, especially in condo buildings. These are easy to install with a drill and can be purchased online from the Door Devil Company. Additionally, consider adding a jimmy plate and an auxiliary lock to any patio doors. Lastly, we recommend putting metal wrap around knob which reinforces all exterior doors as well.
Adding extra security to doors you don’t use every day is a smart move. Night Locks are an effective way of preventing break-ins and should be installed on back or side doors in single family homes, as well as exterior condo doors and basement doors. To further protect your home, have Shatter Safe film applied to any windows that are at ground level or below; this clear plastic film will stop anyone from entering through the glass. Additionally, if you’re buying a single family home, it’s wise to install a dusk to dawn light over all exterior doors, plus consider adding a motion detector near the gangway or garage area for added protection.
If you are buying a condo, it is beneficial to ask the HOA if security measures such as curtains or frosted windows have already been put in place. Additionally, Shatter Safe should be added to any garage window to prevent break-ins. To ensure safety, these measures should be taken immediately after moving in since criminals often target new residences for robberies. As an example, a couple recently moved into a ground floor unit and were broken into within the first week of living there. After installing additional security devices, they have not experienced any issues since. To avoid potential danger, it is better to take preventive action than regret later on. A simple anti-kick door device was all that kept one woman safe from an intruder trying to break down her door.
The woman’s preparation of her home security may have saved her life. When emergency services were called to the apartment, they found the door had been reinforced with a Door Devil anti-kick device which prevented her ex from breaking in. The police officer was so impressed with the product that he wrote a letter to the manufacturer, Door Devil. When Nick Fairless, owner of Door Devil, heard about this he was extremely pleased and proud that his product had potentially saved someone’s life. This is their first known instance where it has been used in such a way and their whole team was delighted when they received this news.
Many people who prioritize home security are unaware that a mere one inch of soft wood is what keeps their deadbolt in place. A single kick can easily destroy this doorframe, rendering the deadbolt ineffective. This explains why kicking-in doors is such a common method of entry in the 1.4 million residential burglaries reported by the FBI. Nick Fairless stated that reinforcing doorframes is an old concept, but most solutions found at large retail stores would not stop a 250 pound person from kicking the door open and are too complex for DIY homeowners to install themselves. Former Police Officer Doug Byrd remembers witnessing numerous residential burglaries during his career, and how devastating it was for families; he wished there were more options on how to prevent it from happening again. Regrettably, statistics show that homes which have been burglarized before are nearly twice as likely to be targeted again since criminals are familiar with the security measures and realize new items will soon be acquired in lieu of those stolen previously.
Offer homeowners an uncomplicated and reasonable way to reduce this frequent danger to property and lives.
