Five Crucial Steps For Better Home Security In Any Washington Household

While home improvements and other elements of having a house are often at the forefront of homeowner's minds, one subject is often overlooked when it comes to a happier and more secure household. Paying attention to the best ways to take care of a property when it comes to keeping robbers out is another crucial element to owning a home in Washington, and with crime rates rising across the state, it's never been a more important time to get serious about improvements. However, the subject of home security sometimes baffles homeowners, especially with a wealth of information out there, some of it contradictory, on how to best care for a property and keep aspiring robbers out.

Fortunately, it doesn't take a world of change to make the kind of improvements that will truly safeguard a property day in and day out. For anyone who wants to do a better job protecting a home but isn't quite sure where to start, here are five crucial steps that will immediately improve home security and make having a house a whole lot more peaceful. Following all five is highly recommended, but even paying attention to one or two on the list can improve protection exponentially.

#1 - Pay special attention to floor-level windows. Whether in a basement or on the ground floor of a home, these are of particular interest to robbers, since they tend to be an easy entry point to any house. Whether it's trimming back any bushes or trees that might provide cover to take time with a break-in or installing bars on basement windows so that prying them open becomes impossible, this is one area of taking care of a house that should never be overlooked.

#2 - Nixing the pet door. Sure, it might seem silly, but those who are professional criminals see a doggie or cat door as an easy way to get a main door unlocked swiftly. For those who need to keep a pet door, or who don't want to invest in a new main door, investing in something to lock or safeguard the pet door for times away from the house is another great step in making sure there is one less entry point for the house.

#3 - Using the deadbolt every single day. It might seem tedious and unimportant to home security, but a robbery is all about time. And if a criminal targets your home, before the home alarm system blares, it's all about making getting in more difficult. If a deadbolt is being used, then breaking down a door becomes a task that requires a lot of time and effort, often far more than a criminal is willing to put in. Remembering to change habits and start using deadbolts is a great and effective way to lessen the chances of a successful break-in.

#4 - Abandon the secret key plan. Flowerpots, doorsteps, windowsills--these are all places that crooks will check for a spare key. And if every other safety measure is considered, leaving something out in the open that can effortlessly open a door without effort will be way more important than remembering to lock windows. If you are going to have a spare key, put it someplace more secure, like inside the glove compartment of a car or at an office. And don't label the key for what it is, lest someone pick it up and use it to get into your home.

#5 - Always set the home alarm system. It's amazing how many people invest in extra safety and then get into the habit of never using it. Whether leaving the house for a couple of hours or an entire weekend, be sure to set the alarm. And make sure all members of a household know how to arm and disarm it, too, so that everyone can do their part in increasing safety.