Three No-Tech Security Measures You Should Know About
Posted on: 10 January 2018
If you're like most homeowners, you take the safety and security of your family members and personal property very seriously. You've probably already invested in technology-driven security measures, such as a state-of-the-art smart security system that lets you monitor your home from any remote location. Thanks to modern innovations, homeowners have more security options than at any other time in history. However, technology can't take the place of common sense, and unfortunately, some people allow their dependence on high-tech security systems to cause them to forget about taking simple precautions.
Following are three no-tech ways that can supplement your smart security system in ways that really work.
Climbing Deterrents on Fencing
Fencing has long been considered one of the most effective physical deterrents to potential criminals and other unwelcome intruders, but most residential fencing doesn't offer much security at all. If fencing is solid, it might even serve to be a detriment to home security by providing miscreants with the type of concealment that makes a property appealing. For instance, once they get over the fence, it provides a visual barrier between them and any neighbors or passerbys who might otherwise alert the homeowner or law enforcement officials of their presence.
Industrial sites frequently use tall chain link fencing with barbed wire on the top for security purposes, but if you're like most homeowners, you don't find this option aesthetically appealing. Furthermore, you may prefer to have a solid fence for privacy's sake. A good compromise is to have a tall, solid fence installed that has a weak, unstable trellis along the top—this will make it difficult for intruders to pull themselves up and over the fence. Iron fencing with sharp spikes on the top is another fencing style that potential intruders find unappealing.
Outdoor Shutters
At one point in their history, outdoor shutters served several serious purposes. Closing them helped keep homes warm in cold weather and cool in warm weather; protected interior furnishings, artwork, carpeting, and paint from being damaged by too much exposure to UV rays; gave homeowners and their families privacy; and provided some serious home security.
Standard outdoor shutters that with an inner closure can accomplish all of the above, but those who'd prefer an extra layer of protection can opt for shutters specifically designed with security in mind. Security shutters are traditionally used in businesses, particularly those situated in industrial or rural areas that don't have a great deal of after-hours traffic and that may be therefore more tempting to thieves, but they're becoming increasingly popular among homeowners.
Fortunately, modern security shutters exist that also feature aesthetic appeal so that homeowners don't have to settle for an unflattering industrial look if they decide to have shutters installed. Your shutter retailer will be able to provide you with more information on which style of security shutters are available and which ones might work best with the architectural style of your home.
Landscape Design
Although most people don't consider home security when designing their landscaping, doing so can significantly decrease your home's vulnerability to potential thieves and other criminal types. Landscaping that's been designed with visibility in mind is less attractive to those with mischief in mind. Doorways and windows in particular should be free of large, messy shrubs that provide shadowy places to hide, and trees shouldn't be placed near enough to the house that they provide a way to access upstairs windows. You can also reinforce your fencing by planting shrubs with stickers and spines against them. As finishing touch to your landscaping, use gravel instead of standard mulch around your home so that the sound of footsteps will alert you to the presence of intruders.
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