Home Security in Houston ... What Features Do You Really Need continued?

Home security can be a difficult topic to be rational about, sometimes. When you are laying in bed at night, wondering what a strange noise outside your window is and deciding on the quickest way to rescue your children should their be a break-in, it can be easy to simply resolve to do everything possible to keep ill-doers away from your family! However, home security systems are just like any other sort of product - emotional purchasing can lead to quite a lot of wasted cash. Today we continue our look at which security features, from Houston burglar alarms to plain old fences, are really necessary for you.

Fences and gates

Fences and gates can be both a blessing and a curse in terms of Houston home security. They do make it more difficult for people to get into your property from certain angles. However, unless you consider every possible point of entry, and have access to your neighbors sides of the fences as well, they may not actually hinder entrance that much, and instead act mostly as a visual cover for burglars. If you choose to use fences and gates as home security items, plant thorny bushes behind them and make sure that there are no weak links in the fence 'chain'.

Houston home alarms

Home alarms are almost always an excellent investment in your home's security. They alert either you, or a qualified security professional as soon as somebody tries to enter your property, are highly tamper-proof and very likely to save your property from damage as well as help catch an intruder, to stop them striking again. The only time we wouldn’t consider one is where you live in an apartment block with inbuilt security, and have excellent perimeter locks and no additional entry points.

Home security cameras

If you have a multitude of very valuable items in your home, that you would definitely want recovered (rather than replaced by insurance) in the event of a burglary, we would recommend home security cameras. They are certainly not a necessity in a standard home, though.

Door and window protection

Items like deadbolts, chains, shatter-proof window films etc can be useful in some circumstances. However, if you already have alarm system monitoring on your home, they really aren’t required.

When do you need any of the below items

Home Security in Houston ... What Features Do You Really Need?

Home security can sometimes be a difficult purchasing decision to judge in a rational and logical way. It certainly falls into the 'need' category of household items ... far more so than new clothes, upgraded curtains, toys or games do! However, just as it is possible to overcapitalize on your home's value, it is also possible to 'over-secure' your home in some situations. Today we look at Houston security systems, techniques and tools, and decide which are useful in which home situations.

Outdoor lighting/sensor lighting

We feel this security item is good for people in many situations. If you’re renting, sensor lights can usually be run on extension cords to the outside and removed when you leave the property. They are cheap reliable, low maintenance and long lasting security items that also double as conveniences for the family. Always recommended!

Community security

This refers to the practice of getting to know your neighbors, and mutually looking out for each other's home security. Considering that it is free, and results in a better community spirit, one would think that it would always be recommended ... however you do need to be careful which of your neighbors you choose to be your security system buddy, and how much you tell them. Never reveal your alarm code or leave them with a spare key for example.

Watchdogs

Watchdogs can be a useful security addition in some situations. However, if you wouldn’t have purchased a dog anyway, we would never recommend getting one just for security purposes. They are certainly not 100% reliable (animals also have 'deep-sleep' periods, like us), and will need far more interaction than just feeding.

Safes for valuables

A fireproof safe is almost always a good addition to home security, unless you maintain a bank safe deposit box which keeps all of your irreplaceable valuables and important documents. Of course, you should still maintain perimeter-type security systems. If an intruder does get into your house while you or your kids are home, there is far more at stake than a few items of jewelry or share papers ... you're taking your life into your hands.