How Should I Conduct a Complete Home Security Audit?

A survey on home safety from Honeywell found that two-thirds of Americans do not always feel completely safe while in their own homes.

Even if you live in a safe area, there are ways that you can improve your home safety with things like door locks, having an emergency escape plan, and more. 

Do you want to see how you can make your home a more secure place? Keep reading this article to see how you can conduct a home security audit to have the best security system. 

Check Your Door Locks and Keys

One of the first things you should do for your home security audit is starting to check your door locks and keys. If you are a new homeowner, you need to replace the locks immediately, as you do not know who will have access to the keys. 

If your deadbolt does not provide enough security for your home, you can upgrade to a smart lock that you can open with your phone. 

Even if you have lived in your home for years, you should take an account of who all has access to your home and who has a spare key. If you have given a key to someone that you no longer have a relationship, it is vital that you change the locks. 

Identify Access Points 

Next, it is vital that you identify any potential access points to your home. These are the different areas that intruders can enter your home and typically include doors and windows. 

Make sure you always replace old doors, windows with broken latches or weak frames, and more. 

You also need to keep an eye out for less obvious entrance points, like a large dog door, your garage, and more. 

Install Detectors & Safety Devices

It is also important to install any safety devices that will help you prevent any intruders in your home. Even things like smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms are a great way to improve the safety of your home. 

Other great additions to add to your house are the best window sensors and door sensors. These will help you identify any open windows to help prevent people from coming into your house or from leaving your house without you knowing. 

Evaluate Your Own Behavior

While having a security system is a great step to increasing the safety of your home, they will not do anything if you do not create safe habits. To do this, you can start by evaluating your own daily behaviors. 

For example, do you remember to lock the doors whenever you leave your house or even when you get home? Do you leave lights on while you are away or does your home look empty to possible burglars? 

If you forget to make safety part of your daily habits, you will not be able to keep your home as secure. 

You should also make sure your routine is not too easy to follow.

For example, if you leave your home every day at the same time and get back at the same time, people watching your house may be able to take advantage of your routines while you are away. 

Try to find weak spots in your routine so you can create safer habits. 

Identify Blind Spots

Something else you should consider when you are auditing your home safety is what types of blind spots you have in your home or in your yard. For example, do you have an area of your yard that is not lit at night? 

Or, do you have large bushes in front of your home that may make it easy for home invaders to conceal themselves? 

If you have any blind spots in your home or yard, you may want to consider installing lights with a motion sensor. This way it will be easier to identify an intruder in your yard. 

You may also need to find the best camera position for your security cameras so that there are no blind spots. Make sure your cameras can capture every part of your home and house. 

Create an Emergency Escape Plan

Something that many people fail to include in their safety audit is an emergency escape plane for them and their families. This is important for any type of emergency from a home intruder to a fire 

Make sure you have several exits mapped out for each room of your home and inform everyone in your house about your evacuation plan. 

You may need to make contingencies for other emergency situations. For example, make a plan for what you would do if someone were to cut your telephone wires. 

Install Security Cameras & Alarms

Finally, it is important that you install security cameras and alarms. Having a high-quality security system is one of the easiest ways to deter criminal activity and keep an eye on your home. 

Newer systems, like ADT Pulse, are also great options as they connect your security system to an app and to the cloud. This makes it even easier to monitor your home and control your security system. 

Learn More About Creating a Home Security Audit Today

The first step to creating a safer home is to see where you are starting from. By identifying ways that you can improve your home security, you can begin to implement these changes.

Make sure you follow each of these tips as you conduct your complete home security audit. 

Do you want to learn more about creating a safer home for you and your family? We can help! Check out the other real estate and home articles on our website to see what other changes you can make to your house.