If you want to protect your home and the people and things within it but a monthly security system is financially out of reach. Don't stress, we've got several ideas to make your home less attractive to would be thieves! The Washington Post did a study about where thieves gain entry into homes and how most burglaries happen. Many of the things that you will learn are basic common sense that can be applied immediately. Studies have determined that most burglaries occur between the times of 10:00 am and 3:00 pm.
(Wikipedia also adds weekdays, and August being highest for burglary rates in the U.S.): Burglars look for homes that appear unoccupied, and residential homes, as you know, tend to be empty during those hours because people are at work. If you're out of the house during those hours and are concerned about burglaries in your neighborhood, consider setting a random timer to turn the TV or radio on during those hours. If you have a second car, keep it out in the driveway while you're at work. If you have a gardener or a pool service, schedule them to come to your home during the aforementioned hours. A typical house burglar is a male teen in your neighborhood—not a professional thief. 60 seconds is the most burglars want to spend breaking into your home. This suggests you only need enough security to thwart the regular person. Simple things like regular "beware of dog" signs work, especially if you add some additional supporting evidence of dog ownership, like leaving a dog bowl outside by your side door. The Washington Post suggests deadbolt locks, bars on windows, and pins in sash windows may be effective theft deterrents. It goes without saying to make sure all the entry points are locked (but, still, only 6% of burglaries happen that way). Homes without security systems are about 3 times more likely to be broken into. In lieu of actually signing up for a home security system, you could also just buy the decals and signs off of eBay or elsewhere, writes reddit user rehdit. Place the decals on your front door, where the majority of thieves enter. In a majority of burglaries, thieves come through: The front door, first-floor windows, and back door primarily, followed by the garage, unlocked entrances, and the basement. Look at reinforcing all of these entry points, of course, but if you want to know where the best places are to put your security cameras, the front and back door and first floor windows are your best bets. Fake security cameras placed at those points might also be effective. Outside lighting should be located near their potential entry points and have motion sensing features that will scary away any would be thieves when the light is triggered. Burglaries typically only last between 8 to 12 minutes. So if your home is broken into, you want to make sure that you make it difficult for them to find anything of value. Dresser drawers, bedroom closets and believe it or not, freezers are the first places that thieves look, so don't put your valuables in these places. One of our partners, "The Family Handyman" has put together list of ingenious hiding places for your most valued items. When on vacation. In the age of social media, many of us are so eager to share our family vacation pictures with our family and friends in real time......this is a clear indication to any would be thief that you are not home! Another one of our partners "Lifewire" has prepared a "Do's and Don'ts when on a vacation relative to your home's security. Get to know your neighbors well so that when you are away from home, they'll know and will keep an eye on your place. They may also be able to help you by putting away your garbage cans, picking up your mail and newspapers, etc.. In Summary The facts are, if and when a burglar wants to break into your home, they more than likely can and will. However, if you use some of the tips that we mentioned above, it may give the would be thief second thoughts......the saying goes something like this: "thieves always seek the path of least resistance".
0 Comments
Have you or someone accidentally bumped into one of the walls within your home and made a big dent or hole? It happens to everyone and unfortunately if you hire a handyman to come to your house to fix it, it will cost you a couple of hundred dollars. Today, we'll show you how to quickly fix your damaged drywall quickly and fairly cheaply. These are the tools and materials that you will need to do the work. ToolsMaterials
This video will go over the process step by step. You'll soon have a patched up wall ready for paint! Unplugging toilet is one of the grossest and unwanted household jobs imaginable. What can make this unwanted chore the worst? It's when your toilet is clogged and you don’t have a plunger on hand? It's one of the worst feelings in the world! It’s actually not impossible to fixed your crappy situation without a plunger. If you have a clogged toilet and you don’t have a plunger (or if don’t want to use a plunger because it’s too gross), give this idea a try. It’s not guaranteed to work every time but people have written in saying it’s worked for them on numerous occasions. In this case in particular (although it was staged, technically) this method got rid of a very large wad of paper towels, which gives us hope that this technique can handles some of your worst clogging situations. We used dish soap but others have said liquid laundry detergent works even better. Here’s what you’ll need and what you’ll need to do to get your toilet running smoothly again. Materials
Directions
The entire time for the project takes about a half hour, and that includes the 20 minutes you should wait to let the bowl clear up again. So, for physical work, it should require about 10 minutes of your time. Considering that it takes people often close to a half hour of intense plunging with a more traditional method, this is obviously a pretty simple method. This does not work for all clogs but people have reported success by repeating steps 1-3 again if it doesn’t clear the clog the first time. Some said they did this at night and the clog was gone in the morning. And being able to fix a clog without being elbow-deep in toilet water? That is well worth giving this trick a try. Moving can be tough no matter how far you are going. But moving a long distance can add additional stresses and a sense that you are jumping into the unknown.
To keep the process as easy and manageable as possible, we've put together some great tips for moving long distance. 1) Pack like a pro: There are many clever tricks you can utilize to pack your possessions efficiently. If it makes sense in your situation, wrap up your clothes in dresser drawers. Don't leave any loose space in boxes. Pack items within each other. For example, put your silverware inside your Tupperware. Wrap linens and towels up in black trash bags, and use them to pad boxes. It might not be glamorous, but it is a great way to be efficient, and efficiency is key when preparing for a big move. 2) Downsize: There is no better time than now to purge your belongings for your fresh start. Even if the new house is similar in style, you are not going to want to bring it all with you. If it isn't something you absolutely love, now is the time to sell it or give it away. Often times people move with all their possessions, only to find months later they are still surrounded by boxes they have never unpacked. If it's not something you love or need, you probably aren't going to miss it very much. Also, if furniture costs more to ship than it's worth, you might want to consider leaving it behind. 3) Take heed when hiring movers: Always keep sentimental items and valuables, such as jewelry, with you if possible. For items of value, that you won't be moving on your own, have the items insured in case they become lost or damaged. Make sure to mark boxes with name and address as many big moving companies will move several families items on one big truck. 4) If possible, drive your car: See the country and make it an adventure. Shipping a car can be expensive and can have ambiguous dates of arrival. Many shipping companies wait until they have many cars to move, before getting your car loaded up and on the road. Being in a new city, without transportation will get very frustrating, very fast. Being in a new city, without transportation will get very frustrating, very fast. 5) Be prepared to buy some new things: As with any move, there are always things you will inevitably need when moving into your new home. Think a new dish drainer, silverware organizer, paper towel holder and other similar items. Plan ahead and stash a little cash away for these purchases. You don't want to add any additional stress to the move by worrying about buying the little things you will need to make your house a home. 6) Be patient and give it a week or two: When you find yourself in a new town, it is more than just physically settling into your new house. You must settle in emotionally too. It will take a couple of weeks to really feel comfortable in your new town. Get to know the area, and do some exploring. Be patient and you will feel right at home in no time. Show Your Front Yard Some Love! Curb appeal and first impressions can make or break a potential offer. They say that subconsciously, the feeling a buyer gets in the first few seconds of seeing your home will determine if they will make you an offer or not. A simple way to make a BIG impact is to have a facelift out front.
Kitchen Help! Sellers are often told to focus on updating the kitchen and bathrooms. While this can help add value to your home, it can also be costly once you start knocking out walls and fixtures. There are things you can do that will have a similar effect, without costing a fortune. A coat of paint on the cabinets can change the entire look and feel of the kitchen. Imagine your cabinets going from a drab, dinged up dark wood, to a bright, fresh white! The entire space would change! New drawer pulls, cabinet handles and faucets can also add an updated look to an older space. For a relatively small cost, you can update the area almost instantly. Bathroom Re-Do! You can apply many of the same tricks to the bathrooms. In addition, hardware stores carry many items that can completely renovate and transform your bathtub. There are paints and covers that actually go over your old tub & shower. There are ways to repaint tile which would end up saving a ton of money while creating a similar look. When you have a showing, make sure the bathroom is staged beautifully. Soft hand towels, nice smelling soap. You can make this part of the home feel very expensive and exclusive with only a few small touches. Liven It Up! Don’t forget to pay some attention to the living spaces and bedrooms. Make sure your personal effects are nicely stored away, as to make people feel less like an intruder upon your space. In addition, spend some time fixing up window treatments by adding new drapes or shades. You will want to make sure there is plenty of natural light coming in, but you still can make a big impact by showcasing the windows and doors. Improved lighting and a beautiful fixture can change the look and feel of a room. A statement piece, offering great light will draw attention and make your space truly beautiful. Don’t Forget The Back! Make sure the backyard is inviting and offers plenty of seating. Set up defined seating areas if you don’t have them already. This allows potential buyers to imagine themselves entertaining and relaxing in the yard as if it were their own. Better yet, set up your yard as if you were having a backyard bbq. Serve burgers and dogs at your open house to make people feel right at home from the beginning! If your ultimate goal is to sell your home quickly without having to do any repair or rehab work, "we buy houses Las Vegas" offers many options and creative solutions to buying your Las Vegas, Nevada home. |
AuthorsWe're local handy guys and girls who love to build things, rebuild things and create things! ArchivesCategories |