Whether living on your own, having the house to yourself for a couple of days, or having an elderly relative living on their own, you need to know how to be safe while home alone. Below we discuss some home alone safety tips both children and adults can follow.
Home Safety Tips for Adults Who Live Alone
There are a lot of factors that go into a burglar’s decision when targeting a home. These include everything from the neighborhood, valuables on display, types of cars in the driveway or garage, etc. Whether you live alone is another significant factor as well.
Fortunately, there are ways individuals who live alone can protect themselves. For example:Maintain a Clean Lawn: An overgrown lawn could be a clear sign that a house is vacant or has infrequent visitors.
– Don’t Let Mail Pile Up: The same reasoning as above, overflowing mail could be a sign that nobody is home.
– Befriend Neighbors: A close-knit community is a better-protected community. By befriending neighbors, they can keep a lookout for any suspicious activity around your home, and you could do the same for them.
– Keep Windows and Doors Locked at All Times: Even if home alone for a few hours, the best way to keep burglars is to lock down your house. There are even smart locks you can track and lock remotely from your smartphone or IoT device.
– Install a Security Fence: A security fence around your property can go a long way towards deterring criminals and protecting your home.
Home Alone Safety Tips for Children
While Kevin McCallister was accidentally left “Home Alone” in the hit movie, there comes a time and place when parents feel comfortable enough to leave their children home alone – on purpose — at least for a few hours for some dinner or a movie. However, before leaving, parents should make sure to go over these safety tips so their children know how to be safe while home alone:
- Never Open the Door for Strangers: These include delivery drivers, door-to-door salesmen, service representatives, etc. If they don’t know the person, don’t answer. A smart home doorbell is a great asset to have for both parents and children, as they can see who is at the door if someone arrives.
- Don’t Tell Strangers on the Phone that You’re Home Alone: If a child receives a phone call from a name or number they don’t recognize, they should ignore it. However, emphasize that under no circumstance they should tell someone that they’re home alone over the phone, for it could signal to criminals to come to your home.
- Don’t Mention Being Home Alone on Social Media: Children are more tech-savvy than ever before. It is essential to warn them about the dangers of posting sensitive information on social media, as anybody could see it and use it to target the home.
- Have an Emergency Plan in Place: An emergency can happen at any time. If something happens when you’re not home, such as a fire, break-in, etc., they should know to call 9/11 and evacuate immediately.
How a Smart Home Security System Can Help
A smart home security system is one of the best investments you can make for protecting your home, yourself and your loved ones. It is a fantastic deterrent for criminals. And if you have an older family member that lives alone, or children that come and go to school alone, you can check on them at any time through the smart home app.
Get around-the-clock security coverage and monitoring with ADS Security. Feel free to contact us to learn more today.
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