A home security system is a lot like real estate. It’s all about location, location, location. Sure, everyone agrees that a security system is a critical element of home protection. But where should the devices that make up a system go? Few people would disagree that the front and back doors are prime candidates. However, in what other spots should you install security equipment to ensure that your family and home are well protected?
Obviously, a fully featured security system from a reputable manufacturer is a great place to start. The system will serve as the “heart” of your overall security scheme. With that system firmly in place, here are the areas that you should seriously consider giving individualized attention:
FRONT DOOR
Why: A no-brainer. Here’s why: An estimated 34% of all burglars enter homes through the front door. Given the visibility of the front door to the street as well as to neighbors, it may be a hard statistic to believe, but it’s irrefutable.
Recommended Equipment: An electronic door lock is a necessity. In addition to the enhanced level of security it provides, most electronic door locks will supply a trail of who entered your house and when. Wireless surveillance cameras are important as well; there are many kinds, but night vision and weatherproof capability are critical by the front door. Surveillance cameras are designed either for interior or exterior installation; you can put one outside and inside the door, if you want. IP versions are handy if you’d like to be able to view and control (maybe zoom in for a closer look) the camera from any web-enabled device. Cameras should be placed where they have an unobstructed view of the front door, up high (second floor, preferably) where burglars can’t interfere with their operation. For a single-level home, place the camera on the roof or enclose it in mesh wiring to discourage tampering. Contact sensors on front and back doors (as well as windows) can’t hurt, and an intercom system is a nice plus.
BACK DOOR
Why: Not as much of a no-brainer, but very close: 22% of home burglars enter through the back door, so it also begs for a high level of protection. (Since the back door is generally well out of street view, especially when it’s dark, it’s a particularly inviting target.)
Recommended Equipment: A surveillance camera here is a great idea, as is a smart lock. Again, place your camera out of the reach, or at least protect it from anything someone might throw at it. Photoelectric floodlights are a sound investment, as a brightly lit yard is a burglar’s worst enemy. You have a choice: either motion detector lighting that is activated by varying degrees of movement, or the light-sensitive variety that turn on automatically at dusk.
BACKYARD
Why: The backyard offers a potential entry into the home, especially at night. What’s more, many backyards offer a treasure trove of goodies for burglars, whether it’s lawn equipment, expensive children’s toys, or furniture.
Recommended Equipment: Motion-sensor floodlights are an easy call here, as is an IP-based surveillance camera equipped with night vision capability. For large, open yards, a camera placed high up on the house should provide a wide-angle view of the area. For fenced-in yards, ensure that the camera offers a view of the entrance gate or, even better, dedicate a second camera solely for that purpose. Place a camera in plain sight, too; often, just seeing a security camera is enough to derail a burglar’s plans.
GARAGE
Why: It’s where you keep your car, as well sports equipment, yard tools, and off-road vehicles, to name a few.
Recommended Equipment: A security camera aimed at your garage door provides excellent security. You should also consider installing an electronic lock on any doors that lead from the garage to the outside. Also helpful is a garage door opener that can be controlled from an app on your smartphone. If you forget to close the garage door—whether you’re in bed or on the road—you can close it right from your phone.
DRIVEWAY
Why: The driveway is the road to your home. Certainly, not every potential ne’er-do-well will saunter leisurely up the driveway, but even if it’s just for detecting cars whose occupants you may not recognize, securing this area is a sound strategy.
Recommended Equipment: By installing a wireless security camera at the end of your driveway, anyone approaching your home—on foot or in a vehicle—will be captured on video. You will have the ability to keep tabs on all of your visitors, both those you know as well as those you don’t, such as delivery/service people. What’s more, if you have no garage and park your car in the driveway, this is a good way to protect it from theft or vandalism. There are also driveway sensors made specifically to guard this area. As a car pulls into the driveway, the sensors trip, which signals a chime in your house. It’s a good heads-up when you have visitors. Whether or not you greet them is up to you.
WINDOWS
Why: If “the eyes are the window to the soul,” then the windows are the eyes to your house. They can be easy entryways, especially in summer when many people leave them unlocked or open. And since 23% of burglars break in through a first-floor window, these are the ones that require the most attention, especially rear windows not in direct view of the street.
Recommended Equipment: The camera that protects the front of your house can be positioned so that it captures the front windows, as well. Another camera should be focused on windows that are out of view from the street. You might consider a separate camera on any windows that are particularly accessible and out of view, like basement windows. For extra protection, place a camera inside the house trained on particularly vulnerable windows; in doing so, you can capture so-called “window peepers”—burglars scouting your house for a future break-in. Contact sensors on windows, especially rear windows, are also beneficial, as are “alarm screens” that sound an alarm when they are cut, tampered with, or removed. Motorized shading is also helpful; when you’re not home, they can raise and lower automatically to provide a “lived-in” look.
NURSERY
Why: Your child is in there. Enough said.
Recommended Equipment: A surveillance camera inside the nursery will allow you to monitor any activity and movement in the room, including any movement from your little bundle of joy. Many of the newer versions have audio (listen-in) capability. If you already have a camera in there that doesn’t have audio, just add one of those tried-and-true baby monitors.
HALLWAY
Why: Your hallway is inside your house. If someone is there who shouldn’t be, you need to know immediately. Aside from the criminal possibilities, there are issues of resident safety that will be addressed.
Recommended Equipment: Certainly, a night vision surveillance camera makes sense. Motion sensors are also a good bet to make sure movement during any time of the day is detected. Available are sensors that activate a 100-db alarm when motion is detected— sure to be a heart-stopper for any would-be thief. Less extreme are sensors that will activate a light, which is a terrific safety feature for family members who need a pathway to the bathroom in the middle of the night. The lights can be programmed to shut off after a pre-determined amount of time.
SPECIALTY ROOMS
Why: Because there may be places in your home where you store extremely valuable items. Or there may be things that you really don’t want anyone—including your own family members—to get their hands on. In terms of valuables, think media room (e.g., man cave with lots of pricey A/V equipment). For the latter, think firearms.
Recommended Equipment: A smart lock with customized passcodes gets the nod here. In the man cave, motion sensors aimed at the most valuable equipment, or wireless theft prevention sensors that attached right to the items of value (the back of a prized painting or inside an expensive vase, for example) can go a long way. Cameras might be overkill but, as in the case of firearms, you can’t be too careful.
BASEMENT/BASEMENT STAIRS
Why: In many homes, basements have access doors and/or windows that are large enough for thieves to enter.
Recommended Equipment: A well-placed interior camera (with infrared night vision) on the stairs leading up to your home from the basement is a sound investment. A motion-detecting alarm placed near the bottom of the stairwell will alert residents if someone has already entered the area.
Every home is different, so while these suggestions will apply to the vast majority of homes, it’s important to survey your individual residence to identify potentially vulnerable areas, especially blind spots not visible from the street or your neighbors’ view. By doing so, you’ve got a great chance at making your house the most undesirable one (to burglars) on your block. EH
Art Sesnovich is the co-founder and principal of Bulldog Communications, a full-service public relations and advertising firm located in North Andover, Mass. His firm has represents numerous companies in the smart home and connected device markets.
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