Most of us make resolutions this time of the year. How about a couple of very simple, easy-to-implement resolutions to keep your home safe in the new year?

1 - Turn On the Alarm

Your alarm system won’t work if you don’t arm it. Case in point: last week, more than $1 million worth of jewelry was stolen from Hollywood star Kyle Richards’s home. The thieves accessed the home by breaking a window, according to an article on from MSN.  Why didn’t the alarm go off? Even though the family was in Aspen on vacation, the alarm was not on at the time of the robbery. So, arm your alarm, and if you forget, use your smartphone to turn it on from the road. 

Get more tips to keeping burglars out by reading our blog post, Reducing A Home Burglary - 9 Tips To Stop Thieves From Entering Your Home

BONUS TIP

Install surveillance cameras in your home. That way, if someone breaks in, police may be able to use the camera footage to identify and arrest the thieves. Give us a call – we offer several video camera solutions, including a system that sends real-time footage to our monitoring center so we can immediately call police while a burglary is in progress.

 2 - Change the Password

If you received new web-connected tech toys or home appliances during the holidays, take a few minutes to change the login information provided by the manufacturer.

If you do not change this basic login information, your device could allow hackers to wreak havoc. In 2016, hackers used basic login data from thousands of web-connected home devices to create a global attack on popular websites, according to the BBC. A similar event happened again in 2017. The events caused millions of dollars in lost business and lengthy interruptions that affected online users.

Use a free password generator to create secure login information. Don’t forget to change the login information on refrigerators, televisions, cameras and smart lamps, too.

Related article: IP Camera Password – How to Change Them (We Make It Easy!)

3 - Look Occupied

Use timers to turn on indoor lights and televisions in various rooms of your home so it looks like someone is home. You can also use your smartphone to turn lamps, stereos and televisions on and off when you’re away. Don’t just turn on lights when it’s dark outside. According to King 5 News, burglars often break into a home from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. when the kids are still in school and people have left after lunch. Stagger the times these devices come on so the pattern changes everyday.