When we install a home burglar alarm on any property, we attempt to “think like a criminal.” This involves assessing the most likely sections of a home that provide the easiest access for burglars. However, providing complete security involves finding ways to secure often-overlooked areas as well. After all, thieves all have their own preferred methods of committing their crimes. Additionally, the layout of a property often changes. This can lead to certain areas turning into likelier targets for a break-in as fences go up or as bushes and trees get thicker. Finally, thieves often break into unorthodox locations to avoid activating an alarm system! Breaking into floors other than a house’s ground floor often accomplishes this goal. In this post, we share some second-story home security tips to help combat this danger.
First, we’ll focus on security system-related tips to secure your second floor. These include ideas for adding alarm contacts as well as creating ways to control your alarm from the second story. Then, we’ll focus on some additional, non alarm-related ideas. Specifically, installing quality lock hardware and taking care to make your second story difficult to access deserve special attention. Now, let’s get started with a look at helping your alarm secure your second story.
Alarm-Related Second-Story Home Security Tips
As a complete security provider, we recognize the importance of installing a wide variety of security equipment. When it comes to creating a security plan for any application, we place designing a burglar alarm at or near the very top of the list. These alarms create a couple layers of security. For starters, they create a blaring siren response upon activation. More often than not, this encourages thieves to vacate the premises ASAP. Additionally, monitored security systems also call our central station to create a police dispatch when needed. Obviously, these reactions to a burglary can turn events around in a hurry! In this section, we share how we can use alarm equipment to better secure your second story. Let’s dive in with a look at some of the contacts we install to make this happen.
Door/window sensors, such as this wireless model by DSC, detect the opening of a door or window and create an alarm response.
Adding Alarm Contacts
When we install an alarm system, we have a huge array of potential system components and security strategies available. Most basic alarm systems rely largely on door/window contacts and motion detectors. Door and window sensors usually have two comonents. We install the sensor itself on a door or window, and then we install a magnet on the frame. When the magnet and the contact separate, it sends a signal to the security system, and when armed, the system will then create a siren response and a police dispatch if necessary. On the other hand, most motion detectors actually detect the change in heat created when someone walks into an area. Therefore, we can secure large areas with these detectors.
For the most part, adding window sensors and a main area motion detector on the second floor can make it just as secure as the ground floor. Additionally, we also have sensors such as glassbreak detectors for picture windows, and even security screens as well! These unique devices allow customers to keep their second-story windows open. The screens will create an alarm if a burglar cuts or removes them from their windows. Adding these devices makes your alarm work that much harder for you. For this reason, we always recommend installing sensors at vulnerable second-story locations. Next, let’s look at a couple ways you can control your alarm without having to go down to the first floor.
Control Your Alarm from the Second Story
Last week we created a post sharing some Keypad Options for Your Alarm. In that post, we shared how controlling your alarm from a home’s second floor can create added security. After all, if you suspect something is wrong, the last thing you want to do is walk around your home to a keypad. For that reason, we recommend creating this security, and we have a few options to do so. For starters, we can install a keypad in any room. The advent of wireless keypads has made it possible for us to add this security relatively easily.
Furthermore, we have a couple options that allow you to control your alarm without using a keypad at all. For example, our wireless keyfob remotes create a couple layers of security. For starters, these fobs allow you to arm and disarm your security system remotely. If you feel you may have forgotten to turn your alarm on before heading to bed, simply use your fob! Moreover, these keyfobs double as a remote panic button for your alarm. This allows you to remotely activate your security system even when it is not armed!
Alarm.com interactive monitoring allows you to control your alarm system remotely using a smartphone app.
Finally, we also offer a solution that allows your cell phone to act as an alarm control and panic activation device. Our cellular dialer, powered by Alarm.com, offers our customers remote alarm access. Therefore, Alarm.com interactive monitoring customers can arm and disarm their security system using their cell phones at any time, from anywhere. Additionally, these customers can also activate a panic response using their phones as well. These features make our interactive monitoring our most popular type of security monitoring for new alarms! Now, let’s look at some non-alarm-related second-story home security options.
Other Security Tips and Tricks
Of course, burglar alarms only represent one piece of the complete security puzzle. In this section, we’ll discuss a couple second-story home security tips that do not involve security system sensors. Specifically, we’ll look at how adding locking hardware to doors and windows can make it harder for a burglar to enter sensitive areas inside your home. From there, we will share some important “housekeeping” tips to ensure that you do not provide thieves with easy access to your home’s second story. Now, let’s take a look at the importance of adding door and window locks!
Second-Story Door and Window Locks
One of the things burglars look for when committing their crimes is easy entry into your home. In many cases, a ground-floor break-in may seem like the most practical approach. However, homeowners generally pay much more attention to first-floor security than to securing other floors. Burglars can often enter a second-story window or door with little to no resistance. For example, doorways that lead out onto porches with no stairway may not have a deabolt. Therefore, criminals can gain easy entry into a property upon accessing these surfaces. For this reason, we recommend installing high-quality deadbolts on all of your exterior doors. Doing so adds valuable security to every area of your home.
Furthermore, a home’s second story often houses its bedrooms. In many cases, this leads to residents installing air conditioning units inside bedrooms during the summer months. Unfortunately, this leads to decreased window security, as burglars can push AC units out of these windows to gain easy access into your home. Installing window locking hardware, such as these window locks by Defender, provides additional security against these attacks. Now that we’ve looked at some security equipment to add second-story security, let’s see how making careful decisions regarding your home’s exterior can also improve your security.
Making your second-story difficult to access can encourage criminals to choose a different target for their crimes.
Controlling Access to Your Second Floor
Not all of our second-story home security tips involve installing or buying additional equipment. In fact, homeowners can create tremendous additional security by taking basic exterior precautions. Unfortunately, residents frequently think of convenience and aesthetics over security when it comes to their yards. However, taking a moment to assess any upper-floor security dangers can go a long way.
For example, when completing work outside, make sure not to leave ladders in your yard between work sessions. Homeowners working on their gutters or roofs will sometimes commit this common security error. Moreover, watch out for sturdy tree limbs or even parked trucks or vans that provide access to second-story windows or balconies. Burglars will take advantage of this opportunity to enter a home’s most vulnerable areas. Taking these steps can deter “window-shopping” thieves from choosing your home as a target.
Putting it All Together
We hope that these second-story home security tips help you create better overall security at your residence. Furthermore, we encourage you to contact us with any questions you may have. We will be happy to point you in the right direction if you wish to add this security. Perhaps you have an alarm in place and wish to increase its effectiveness. Or maybe you want to install an alarm from scratch that incorporates these tips. Either way, we are here to help.
Moreover, we encourage you to take advantage of our free site survey program. We offer free assessments and quotes to both new and existing customers alike. During our visit, we can address any specific security concerns you may have. Additionally, we can make our own suggestions based on our observations of your property. Together, we can create a plan to keep your home, your most valuable possessions, and your loved ones as safe and secure as possible!