Your family should be the most cherished part of your life, which means you should be doing everything in your power to keep them safe from any type of harm. If you haven’t put much thought into home safety in the past, here are a few resolutions you might make to improve the safety and security of your home and family in the New Year.
Install Better Cyber Defenses on All Devices
Every single device in your home that is connected to the internet can be attacked, which means every single device in your home that is connected to the internet needs some solution for internet security. Most devices, like desktop and laptop computers, smartphones and tablets, can take advantage of security applications that monitor activity and thwart attacks, but to protect smart home devices, you may need to improve the security of your entire home network through router-based encryption.
Upgrade Your Passwords
You and your family members probably have more passwords than you can count, but that doesn’t give you license to use weak codes. It should go without saying that you should never secure an account with a password like “password” or “123456,” but you should also avoid more easily researched passwords like your children’s or pets’ names or words found in the dictionary. Instead, you want a random collection of letters and numbers. To help you remember your passwords, you can write a memorable sentence, such as “My dog has four feet and loves to eat Scooby Snacks” for “Mdh4f&l2eSS.” You can also use a password manager, though you need to choose a provider that has impeccable security practices.
Develop an Emergency Action Plan
What should every member of your household do if there is a fire in your home? What about a flood or an animal infestation? If you have an emergency action plan in place, every member of your family should know exactly what steps to take to mitigate risk and begin recovering from the event. You should think of a few of the types of emergencies likely to befall your home based on its occupants, your region, the age of the building and more, and you should think about what everyone needs to know to stay safe and reduce harm. You can take the time to explain the emergency action plan to your loved ones, but you should also keep a typed version of the steps in a common and handy location, like the kitchen bulletin board or the laundry room junk drawer.
Check All Fire and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
All residential properties (and most commercial properties) must be equipped with smoke alarms in certain types of rooms, according to national law. However, many landlords and homeowners neglect to make sure that their detectors are in proper working condition. Older detectors may have broken components, and even brand-new detectors may need their batteries replaced. You should be able to test the detectors in your home by pressing the Test button on the front for five seconds; if it sounds, it should be able to keep you safe.
Enhance Your Locks
Not all locks are created equal. Some locks are remarkably easy to pick, and other locks provide essentially no resistance against more forceful types of entry. Worse still, some landlords and homeowners haven’t changed ever rekeyed their locks, and there is no telling how many other people have the keys to your home. As soon as possible, you should install all manner of new locks, to include deadbolts on all doors leading outside and at least one type of window locks. If you live in an area that is particularly impacted by property crimes, you might also install locks that are not visible from outside, like barrel bolts or chain locks.
Avoid Posting to Social Media in Real Time
As much as you might want to share your life with all your loved ones, you should avoid updating your social media profiles in real time. Often, thieves and other types of criminals pay attention to social media sites to find people who have left on an extended vacations, so they can participate in robberies and other crimes unimpeded. If you wait to post about your trip until you return, you are less likely to experience an attack on your home.
These days, home security involves a mixture of cyber hygiene and physical preparation. The more you can do to involve every member of your home in your resolution to improve security, the more secure you will be throughout the New Year.