Stay safe at home in Minneapolis by staying away from these home security blunders

Are you using your birthday or wedding date as your wireless password? Putting a key in a mailbox or under a mat for a neighbor or relative? Unfortunately, residents put their residences and loved ones in harm’s way every day by being slack or negligent about security. Don’t be among them. Alternatively, stay safe at home in Minneapolis by staying away from these frequent home security blunders.

Mistake No. 1: Not securing doors and windows

Isn’t it great when you can open doors and crack windows to let in cool, refreshing air? Just don’t forget to close them when you leave! You might be surprised by the amount of residents who fail to lock these vital entryways, the most frequent locations for burglars to gain admittance.

Do you ever forget to lock the door? What if you could utilize your smart home to lock the doors for you? This functionality is now available. You’ll stay safe at home in Minneapolis when you set your smart locks to automatically secure at specific times of the day or once they’ve been opened. If you prefer not to schedule them, you may still operate your locks no matter where you are with your convenient mobile app.

Mistake No. 2: Electing to self-monitor in Minneapolis

Emergencies often happen at the worst possible times. Imagine you’re on vacation and playing with your kids in the water when an entry point sensor is tripped. Or, maybe there’s a crisis when your cell phone is not accessible during a doctor’s appointment. When it comes to home security, you should have a backup. A reputable monitoring service won’t ever miss an alarm and works rapidly to get help for all sorts of situations. Self-monitoring can be problematic since you can’t be available all the time. Get the support and peace of mind you are entitled to with well-trained monitoring agents.

Mistake No. 3: Letting packages pile up on your Minneapolis front porch

Leaving packages on your front porch is an enticement to prowlers. Don’t make your home a target. Instead, fetch your deliveries as soon as they arrive with the assistance of your smart home. Modern video doorbells will send updates through your smartphone app whenever an item is dropped off and can even differentiate between packages, people, cars, and animals. This feature is helpful in preventing unnecessary notifications.

Mistake No. 4: Insufficient wireless network security

Wireless smart homes have provided a new level of access and control. You can examine video feeds, secure locks, and even manipulate your thermostat from any location. But you need to ensure your Wi-Fi network is protected. Careless network security is one of the most common gaffes people make. You can steer clear of this by practicing the following:

• Choose strong passwords and always change the default password on equipment like routers.
• Utilize current Wi-Fi security practices.
• Place home security components on a separate network, instead of using the guest network that gives internet access to friends and family.
• Be certain you schedule software or firmware updates offered for your router and security components.

Avoid security mistakes that put your Minneapolis home at risk

One of the best ways to stay away from common home security mistakes in Minneapolis is by installing a modern smart home from Vivint. Features like smart locks, remote access, and 24-hour professional monitoring will help shield your property at all times. Didn’t remember to secure your door or fail to see a critical message? No sweat! Your system and its trained monitoring agents will be there to back you up. Call (612) 662-1765 today to learn more.