The old saying that your home is your castle is true, and as the king or queen of the castle, you want to make sure that your family and belongings are well protected. Crime rates go up and down, but there is still plenty to fear when it comes to home invasions and burglaries. As a first-time homeowner, you should do a security audit at your home before you head away with the family for the summer holidays. You certainly have no desire to come home after the break to find your castle ransacked and cherished items missing. There are three security devices for your home that your local locksmith can help you out with, so which of these do you already have installed?

Door Locks And Deadbolts

It does not matter how solid your exterior entry doors are because without the right type of lock, they offer no protection to the family home. All exterior doors should have deadbolts on them to offer double protection. The deadbolts and the entry locks should both be rekeyed now if you did not do so when you purchased the home. This is particularly important if the property was once used as a rental. There is no accurate way of checking how many keys were cut for the door lock, so rekeying the locks removes the chance of any old keys being used to illegally enter your home.

Ask your locksmith to check the door locks to ensure that the latches are sitting well inside the catch plate. Over time door frames can move enough that the two components of the door lock need readjusting. 

Outdoor Lights And Security Cameras

Outdoor lights and security cameras are a visual clue to would-be burglars that you're watching even if you're not home. Thieves are opportunistic creatures who would rather rob your next-door neighbour's dark house than risk being seen in your outdoor light which was triggered by motion detectors. They certainly don't want their face caught on a security camera. A security system can be as simple as one camera over each entry door, or it can be as sophisticated as 10 cameras monitoring your home plus the front and back gardens. Wired or wireless systems and monitored versus unmonitored systems are all things to discuss with your local locksmith. They can give you system recommendations based on the style and location of your home. For example, a home which has few neighbours and is located slightly outside town on rural acreage should have a larger system than a townhouse located in the centre of town. However, just because your home has security cameras does not mean your most cherished valuables are safe.

Safe For Valuables

Sometimes it does not matter how much security you have. If the thief wants to get in, then the thief will get into your home. When this happens, all that stands between you losing your most valuable possessions and the burglar is a strong, hidden safe. Whether your treasured possessions are paper documents such as passports and birth certificates or material possessions like jewellery, a safe is a way to protect your posessions. There are a number of questions to consider before purchasing a safe, such as:

• How big do you need the safe to be?
• Does it need a strong fire rating due to the risk of bushfires in your area?
• Where could you hide it?

Again, your local locksmith can make specific recommendations based on your exact needs. They can then purchase and install the safe for you.

Get your home secure now well before the summer holidays start looming, as this is likely a busy time for your local locksmith. To learn more, contact a company like Cambridge Locksmiths.