The nouveau riche of crypto HODLers and home office workers have recently increased needs for home security. This document breaks down a few basic and intermediate areas for securing one's home.
- Each sleeping area of your home has one smoke and carbon monoxide alarm
- You check the functioning of your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms monthly
- You check your electrical outlets monthly for warmth and call an electrician if so
- No extension cords run across door thresholds or under rugs
- You have a fire extinguisher in your kitchen
- You have a fire extinguisher on each floor of your home
- You have at least 2 escape routes in case of fire, including a rope ladder if above-ground level
- Your house number is easily visible from the street for emergency personnel to identify
- Your children have no exposure to window cords they could get strangled by
- Your pool is surrounded by a 4-foot fence
- You have a tourniquet in your home, and each member of the family knows where to find it and how to use it
- Members of your family with significant allergies have access to an epipen or similar device
- Adults in your household are trained in CPR
- Weapons are secured from unsupervised children and guests
- Each exterior door uses a sturdy dead-bolt lock, and is kept locked when not in use
- Each exterior door with a window has a floor lock
- Each side of your house has a motion-activated floodlight, and you verify their function monthly
- Each sliding or track door has a solid bar or dowel in their tracking system
- Spare keys are held by a trusted neighbor or instead a lockbox with a robust combination
- Exterior doors are solid core construction
- Door from house to garage is treated as exterior door and kept locked with sturdy dead-bolt lock and solid core door construction
- Fence gates are locked with combination lock
- Home has professional security system and is registered with local police department
- Each exterior door has a security camera with alerting and recording capabilities
- Cameras are visible from the street
- Security cameras have overlapping fields of view
- Vehicles are parked inside of garage instead of drive-way or street
- Garage emergency release handle is secured e.g. with zip-tie or velcro to prevent exterior activation
- Exterior doors hinges are inside or protected against hinge pin removal
- Exterior door locks are secured with robust strike plates and 3” screws
- Exterior door locks have been changed since previous owner
- Doors and windows are clear of hiding spots such as bushes
- Windows are pinned or locked to prevent opening from the outside