Moving into a new home should be an exciting and happy time - albeit it a little stressful thanks to just how much you’ve got to unpack and put away! However, it should never be a scary time.
And to ensure you’re feeling safe and welcome in your new home from the moment you get the keys, it’s best to undergo a few security steps first. The more proactive you are in the first couple days, the easier your unpacking process will go.
So, from changing the locks to testing all your new alarms, you can relax easy and happy in a new house once everything down below is out of the way!
Change the Locks, if You Haven’t Already
This is usually the first thing any new homeowner will do. However, if you’ve not got round to calling out a locksmith yet, this is your sign! You don’t want to chance the possibility that an old owner still has a copy of the keys, or that they once upon a time lost a set and it can still be used by anyone who finds it.
Don’t live with this possibility for too long. If you’re able to get the locks changed on day one, make an appointment and get a new set of keys cut! If you have to wait a couple of days, don’t panic. Just make sure you have other security methods in place to keep your doors secure and your new home private.
Change Your Wifi Name
You’re likely to set up a new wifi source on your first day in the house, to ensure you can watch TV to relax that evening and check your emails without using up all your phone data. However, you’re going to want to change the ssid for your wifi as soon as you’re able to.
But first, what is ssid for wifi? It’s essentially the name of your wifi, which anyone will be able to see if they’re in close range to it. Of course, you’re the only ones who will be able to actually connect, as you’ll have the password. However, if the ssid is left unchanged, hackers can more easily target your home.
After all, you’ll still be using the standard name for the box, and that can make it simple to tap in and try to crack the password. Remember, securing your home is more than just physical matters, so make sure this job is on the task list as well.
Install Burglar Deterrents
It’s best to get an alarm installed as soon as you can, as this is the best way to secure your home against the outside world. If anyone tries to force the door or a window, an alarm is going to sound and nearby authorities are going to be alerted - that’s super good for your peace of mind!
However, even just putting up a fake alarm sign is a good way to deter a would-be burglar. Placing it in a prominent place on the front of your house will work best, and combining it with noisy gravel that’s hard to creep across will help to wake you up when someone is outside.
You can also do the same with motion activated lights - if it goes off at 3am, you know something is going on out there!
Make Sure You Know Where Important Documents are
Your home deed, insurance policy, credit agreement and other mortgage related documents, all need to be kept in one easy to remember place. For most people this means buying a lockable filing cabinet and filing everything away in there, and then just keeping track of the keys.
You can also store these items digitally, on a hard drive or USB stick, to ensure you’ve got a double copy somewhere. If need be, and if the other copy gets lost, you can simply print it off again!
Test Your Alarms
Not just the burglar alarm we mentioned earlier! If you’ve got a carbon monoxide alarm in the new house, make sure that’s been tested in every room of the home. Similarly, make sure the fire alarm has had its batteries replaced and you’ve pressed the button a couple of times. How loud is the ring? How long does it last? Test these items early on to double check the safety of your home from the inside out!
Securing your new home isn’t just closing and locking the door behind you. You’ve got some work to do!
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