A Home Security Checklist | Liliwilkinson Home Improvement

For most of us, when we think about the concept of ?home improvement,? we think of specific repairs and renovations. For example, we may think of painting our porches, or re-shingling our rooftops? or, filling cracks in the driveway and giving the front yard a bit of a makeover may come to mind. Whatever the case, many of us do tend to limit ?home improvement? to fixing problems that have already arisen. However, when you set about making positive changes to your home, you may also want to apply some basic updates for more preventative, and less responsive reasons. For example, when was the last time you looked into updating your home security system? Many people never really think about this once they buy homes, but in fact, it is important to check on your system every now and then to make sure that it is performing up to high standards. Here is a brief checklist of things to consider as you look over your security system.

? Smoke Detectors ? In most cases, smoke detectors are installed as part of your security system. Of course, if you never had these installed, it is absolutely essential that you have them installed now, as they can be instrumental in saving you, your loved ones, and even your property, from serious danger. Even if you do have smoke detectors, you should test them occasionally to make sure that they are in working order.

? House Alarm ? Once again, this is something that you likely had installed when you first purchased your house, but it is also something that you can update. While older systems tend to do the job of sounding alarms in the event of forced entry, newer alarms are also simpler to manage. For example, with a newer house alarm, you can manage your whole security system via your cell phone, which connects wirelessly to your control panel. So, updating your alarm may be worth considering.

? Extra Features ? Particularly if it has been a while since you moved into your home, your system may not have originally come with some of the extra features that are becoming somewhat standard in home security. For example, many homes these days are equipped with motion detectors and/or security cameras inside, which can act as failsafe backups to the alarm, and which can alert you to the presence of intruders if for whatever reason the alarm fails. Some consider these features to be a bit excessive, but you can never overdo it when it comes to the safety of your family, which means that some of these features may be worth considering as you set about working on home improvement.

- Kyle Anderson is a professional freelance writer, blogger, and participant in social media outlets. He has contributed to advertisements and online marketing campaigns for sites such as Home Security System.

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