5 Ways to Improve Your Home Security

Home security is often a big worry for most Malaysians. Are we doing enough to keep our homes free from break-ins? The crime rate is on the rise and nowhere is truly safe. Although several residential areas now have their own security guards, we can never be too careful. A burglary can be traumatic for the whole family. Check out these 5 ways you can keep your home more secure and protected from break-ins and burglaries.

1. Security Grilles

For landed properties, security grilles help prevent break-ins and burglaries. Homeowners will typically install steel security grilles at every ground-level door entrance and window opening. If your home has a roof opening, air well or skylight, you can consider installing a grille there too.

The security grille serves a different purpose in high-rise buildings. Besides protecting from intruders, it is also used to keep the kids safe and sound, and prevent them from falling out.

READ: How to choose window and door grilles

When choosing a security grille, make sure it has panels that can be opened so you can get out in the case of emergency. Modern security grilles are made from stainless steel, mild steel, wrought iron or aluminium.

2. Surveillance camera (CCTV)

Having a security camera installed at your home is a viable surveillance solution for those who are rarely at home. Should there be the unfortunate case of a house break-in, the recorded video footage will be useful to identify the burglar and when lodging a police report.

Currently, almost all surveillance camera systems come with real-time mobile monitoring. With this function in place, parents can also monitor their children’s activities without interrupting their play and nap time. If there is an accident inside the house, parents would be able to see how it happened and take preventive measures.

WATCH: 2 year old boy saved his twin brother trapped under fallen drawer.

3. Alarm System

An alarm system works as a mechanism that will inform the homeowner of any intrusion attempt as well as deter the intruder’s activities. Install alarms and detectors not only at the entrances but also at windows with wide openings as well.

There are several features that come together in an alarm system such as motion detectors, heat detectors, sirens, speech dialer and many more. Depending on your preference, each feature has its own advantage.

Having an alarm system installed is a good security feature for single ladies and older couples living on their own as well as families with kids. However, there are cases where the house is fully protected by an alarm system, but the homeowner forgot to switch on the alarm. Make it a habit to double-check the setting every time you leave the house.

 4. Use a Security App

For gated and guarded neighbourhoods, standard procedures for daily activities and emergencies must be in place. Incidents such as house break-ins, gas leakage and broken elevator should be informed to the guards, management office and fellow neighbours instantly. However, communication between a community is not always efficient and seamless.

It is important for every member of the community to have an effective solution to disseminate the information so immediate action can be taken. Scrolling the phonebook to find the emergency contact numbers is just too slow and WhatsApp messages have a high tendency to be overlooked by the recipients.

A smart community should consider migrating to a community or neighbourhood app like Jaga. This mobile app enhances the security and communication in your community with features like Emergency Assist, Intercom Call, Real-time Notice Board, Visitor Registration and several more. In the event of a emergency, instantly with the click of a button, it sends alerts to those that matter the most. Your community guards are instantly notified and can be mobilised to offer immediate assistance.

 5. Reinforce doors

Every set of door knobs come with a strike plate and screws to secure the plate onto the door frame. Usually the screws are about a half-inch long. These screws can be easily removed or kicked by an intruder. Replace them with longer screws that can penetrate into the door frame fully, and if possible, into the wall as well, so the door can’t be kicked open so easily.

The standard half-inch screws will loosen up and fall off after a few kicks by the burglars. But with longer screws, kicking the door open is almost impossible. Plus, with all the loud kicking noise, people inside the house and neighbours will be alerted to the intrusion attempt.

Now that is a vital and cheap tip that MUST be done by every homeowner.

READ: Daughter Shares Surprising Burglary Prevention Tip.