Living alone can be fun. You have the freedom to do, eat, and wear anything you want. It gives you the peace and personal space you need. Being home alone helps you become your truest self and more independent. Sometimes, it can even help you increase productivity. However, it has its downsides too. Too much silence can be lonely, and having no one around you can also be scary.
When you decide to live on your own, finding a safe space should be the number one rule. Robbers and intruders are still present up to now, and since you have no one else to ask for help, you need to know how to protect yourself.
If you are living alone, here are some tips to help you keep your place safer and more secure:
- Change your locks
Moving into an apartment or an existing home means some previous owners or tenants might have the same keys as yours. Your landlord may also fall in the same category. In fact, your landlord may even tell you that they replaced the locks to your door. It is not that you should not trust your landlord, but it is always better to be safe than sorry.
If changing the locks will give you better peace of mind, then do so. Getting new locks for your door means that it is only you who has access to your place. Make sure to also use strong door locks that cannot be opened by a knife blade or a credit card.
- Always lock your doors
It does not matter if it will only take you seconds to take your garbage out. It will also take a burglar a few seconds to enter your unlocked door. When going outside your home, remember always to lock up. About 56 percent of home intruders enter a house through the front and back door. You should always keep your guards up to protect yourself, especially when living alone.
- Protect your windows
If more than half of burglars enter through the door, around 20 percent enter through the ground floor window. Protect yourself from ill-intending people by making sure your windows are well secured. Keep them locked, install window security cameras, get an alarm, plant thorny bushes by the window, or use bars and grilles. Make the burglar think twice about entering your home.
- Be mindful of your lights
One effective way to deter an intruder from targeting your home at night is to leave some lights on. It is a simple and understandable way of saying that the homeowners are present. However, leaving the lights on can also be an invite to the intruder, especially when you left it on for 24 hours straight. Robbers will immediately have an idea that the lights were left on for a purpose, and the owners are not home.
For alternatives, there are many smart and automated lights you can purchase, which you can schedule or control using a micro-controller or a phone app anywhere you are. Investing in one can help you save your house from trespassers as well as manage your electricity bills.
- Get to know your neighbors
Being friends with your neighbors also has its perks. In case something happens to you or your property, your neighbors are the first people to know about it. They can come to help you, call the police for you, watch your house when you are away, or help you when you are locked out of your home. They are the nearest family for people who are living alone.
Conclusion
Do not wait for the day you become a victim of a robbery or a home intrusion. The best way to protect yourself from all these is to secure your home, especially when you live alone. There are many ways to increase home security, and they do not always have to be expensive. Invest in these security solutions and stay vigilant at all times.
A simple lock change can help secure your home. If you are from Cincinnati, OH, and you need a door lock installation service or a lock changing service, we, at Allied Lock and Door Co., can help you. Contact us today!