Security for Your Residential Property

Everyone wants to keep their home safe from criminals and unwanted intruders. But many people worry that their home is inadequately protected—and they may be right. Criminals have many techniques up their sleeves, especially in this modern age with so much information readily available on the internet. Every homeowner deserves to feel safe and secure in their own home, the way it’s supposed to be. To protect your home, belongings, and family in Green Valley, Arizona, it’s beneficial to have a security evaluation performed on your property in order to identify any problems. A locksmith can perform this evaluation for a low cost and recommend cost-effective, suitable security solutions to reach your goals. 

Every family has a different budget and different concerns. The right locksmith company, such as Green Valley Locksmith, will work with you to ensure that your home has the appropriate level of security that fits your lifestyle, budget, and needs. 

Basic Residential Security Best Practices 

    High-Quality Locks: Your home’s first defense against any kind of criminal intrusion are the locks on your doors and windows. Unfortunately, many homes are vulnerable to criminal tactics such as lockpicking, bumping, and brute force because their locks are worn down or of poor quality. If your locks are ten years or older, or otherwise showing signs of wear, it’s a good idea to evaluate their performance to ensure that they are still doing a good job of holding tight. Locks are only worth their ability to protect your home. Upgrading your locks to newer hardware with additional security features is one of the best investments you can make in your home security. 

    Home Maintenance: An important part of making your home secure has nothing to do with your locks. It involves maintaining the exterior of your home in a way that deters potential intruders. Criminals prefer to operate in secrecy for obvious reasons, and because of this, they look for homes with poor lighting outside that don’t have any visible security measures. Make sure that your exterior lights always have functioning light bulbs and keep them on at night and when you’re away. Keep your greenery clipped and tidy so there’s no overgrowth in front of your windows for someone to hide in. 

    Keep Things Secure: Make sure to always remember to lock all of your doors and windows up tight at night and when you leave the house. Resist the urge to leave a door open if you have someone coming over. It’s better to take the time to make a spare key and hide it in a safe place or give it to them directly. Make sure these keys return to you once they’ve performed their function. 

    Garage Door Locks: One type of lock that bears special mention is that of your garage door. If your garage door is attached to your home, it could be providing an access point for an intruder if there is not a secure lock in place. Garage door locks are available in many different varieties and can be installed easy and inexpensively by a professional locksmith. 

Lock Upgrades

    Keypad Locks: Keypad locks are available as knob locks, handle locks, and even deadbolts. Keypad locks use a physical keypad in place of a lock cylinder. Keypad locks eliminate the need for physical keys because you use a pin number or code to open the lock. This code can be changed at any time to suit your preferences. Some keypad locks have keyed entry as a backup option. While more expensive than traditional locks, many people find this increased cost more than worth it because of the convenience and security keypad locks offer.  

    Digital Locks: Most digital locks operate the same as keypad locks, with the exception of the others listed below. You input a pin number in order to open the door, so there’s no need for keys. Some digital locks can be vulnerable to hacking; however, most criminals won’t put in the effort and newer models are resistant to this problem. 

    Smart Locks: Smart locks are one of the newest innovations in lock security to come on the market. Smart locks operate using an app on your smart phone. Depending on the type of smart lock you have installed, you may also be able to monitor anyone attempting to access your lock from the app as well. 

    Biometric Entry: Despite its higher cost than the other options listed here, biometric entry is gaining increasing popularity for its extremely effective lock security. Biometric entry uses physical data in place of keys or codes to operate the lock, so only the person or people who are specifically programmed to be able to use the lock with their biometric credentials can enter. Because that person has to be present for the lock to open, these locks are extremely secure and difficult to bypass. 

Advanced Security Systems

    Alarm Systems: Simple alarms can be installed on the windows and doors that let off a tone when contact is broken between two set points. Most homeowners, however, who opt for an alarm system choose a monitored, advanced alarm system. Monitoring is usually done by a thirty-party off sight around the clock.  

    Security Cameras: Security cameras are becoming increasingly popular among homeowners. As technology improves and becomes more widespread, more and more people are having cameras installed to monitor any activity at night or when they are away from home. The very sight of a security camera can be an effective deterrent for a potential criminal who doesn’t want their activities on tape.

When it’s time to upgrade your home’s security, a professional locksmith is the best place to turn for the services and products you need. Even if you have a good idea of the kinds of upgrades and additions you want, a good professional locksmith can offer their expertise to assist you in making the best decisions related to your home security. An established locksmith company offers not only simple lock and key assistance, but many additional security services.