Surprisingly, even though a growing number of Americans take the wise precaution of installing a professional home security system with a direct response team, many allow their systems to fall into disrepair. Without regular maintenance a home security system can easily be rendered inadequate or inoperable, thereby placing you, your family and your possessions at risk. Most home security professionals advise a monthly check of both the exterior and interior of your home to ensure maximum functionality of your home security system. What follows is a checklist you can use to help you maintain the safety of your home.
- Complete a thorough walking inspection of all fences and walls along your property lines to be sure they’re in good repair. Reinforce, repair or replace all weakened spots along the perimeter.
- Trim back shrubs, trees and any plants that may obscure entrances to your home or offer cover to criminals hiding from the street and looking to break into your home.
- Test all light bulbs in exterior lights, especially motion-activated lights, to be sure they’re in good working order. Immediately replace all burnt out bulbs, and add more lighting if you feel a spot is too dark.
- Visually inspect your home security signage, including freestanding signs in the yard as well as window stickers and door decals. Replace any signs that have been broken, vandalized or damaged by weather.
- Make sure all locks on exterior doors are adequate and function properly. Also inspect wooden door and window frames for any sign of rot or decay that could allow them to be easily kicked in or removed by burglars.
- Change your master and all individual passwords on your home security system.
- Use a battery tester to test all auxiliary power sources. Replace any batteries with a low energy level reading.
- Look at all security wiring to ensure that no wires have been worn or damaged by pets or normal wear and tear.
- Update all anti-virus and other software programs used in conjunction with your home security and monitoring systems. Again, remember to change the passwords on your computer and any secure websites you visit.
For those with a monitoring service, schedule an annual test of your security system with the appropriate monitoring center and response team. This way, any weaknesses or failures in your home security system will be exposed before any break-ins actually occur.
Photo via ihwood1
