Home Security Tips for Your Downtown Urban Residence | By Jordan Frankel

Proximity to various restaurants, entertainment, and even work are just a few of the benefits to living in a downtown urban neighborhood. But life in a busy urban area also has its drawbacks, one of which includes higher rates of crime. 

According to residential security expert, Jordan Frankel, the development of a strong home security plan should begin by assessing what are often a residence’s weakest security points: the windows, doors, and home alarm system. The following are some important home security tips for your downtown urban residence based on Mr. Frankel’s security experience and expertise.

Home Alarm System

If you do not yet have a home alarm system, get one. Although an alarm can’t prevent an intruder from entering your home, it can be an effective deterrent. It can also serve as an alert to you, your family, nearby neighbors, and law enforcement, which can get you the prompt help you need. 

A home alarm system should be considered a necessity for every downtown urban residence, not a luxury. There are many affordable options that can provide residents with limited budgets with a high degree of security. The following are some important tips when it comes to home alarm systems:

• Display the alarm company signage that comes with your home alarm system. This can be an effective deterrent for criminals looking for urban residences to target. 

• Be sure your alarm system has a blaring siren. It should be so loud that even your neighbors can hear it. This will serve as another deterrent by startling the intruder when the alarm is triggered. In many situations, the intruder will flee the scene to avoid being seen or apprehended.

• Ensure your alarm system is connected to a central monitoring station through your alarm company. If your alarm is triggered, this will ensure law enforcement is quickly notified.

• Invest in an alarm system with cellular/mobile dialing capabilities. This will ensure the central monitoring station receives alerts even if an intruder cuts your power or phone line. 

• Invest in an alarm system with glass breakage and motion sensor. This will serve as an early warning for you and your central monitoring station before an intruder actually gains entry into your home.

• Make sure the central control panel/unit of your alarm system is located in a closet or a room inside your residence or within a locked cabinet. This will prevent would-be intruders from tampering with it and finding a way to turn it off. 

Keep in mind that your home alarm system is only effective when it’s activated. Many residents fail to set their alarms when they leave, and even more leave them turned off when they are home. An intruder can gain entry into your home, steal your valuables, and even place you or someone you love in a life-threatening situation in a matter of minutes. To decrease the risk of this happening to you, keep your home alarm system armed at all times.

Windows

The number one rule of thumb when it comes to windows is to keep them locked. It sounds simple enough, but many residents fail to follow this important home security tip and leave their homes vulnerable to burglary. Taking time to ensure the windows around your urban dwelling is the first and most important step to preventing a burglary. 

The second step to preventing an intruder from entering your residence through a window is to invest in protective glass security film. With glass protection film such as BurglarGARD lining the inside of your glass window panes, you will gain an additional layer of security that will make it very difficult for a thief to break the glass, even with repeated attempts. It takes a lot of force and noise-producing effort to bust through a window lines with glass protection film, which is one of the reasons it is such an effective home security device.

Doors

Like windows, your first line of defense against burglars and other home intruders is ensuring your doors are locked when you are both at home and away from home. Other important considerations for protecting your urban residence against intruders are as follows:

• Entry doors should be constructed of solid wood or metal. 
• Door hinges should be reinforced with steel screws 3.5″ in length. This will help keep your door from being ripped from the frame should an intruder attempt to kick or bust through your door.
• Install a security door brace at the base of the inside of your entry doors. To see for yourself how the OnGARD security door brace can prevent an intruder from busting through your front door, check out this video demonstration.
• Your front door should be equipped with a wide-angle peephole that allows you to view who’s on the other side of your door at eye level. If you have children or someone in your home who is a lot shorter or taller, install an additional peephole so that they can also have a safe way to view who’s outside.

Just like properties in suburbia, it’s important to understand how to protect your urban residence against today’s burglars and home invasion criminals. The above home security tips are an excellent place to start.