Layered Home Security: Perimeter to Porch Protection

When you think about home security, what comes to mind? For many homeowners, home security typically focuses on traditional measures, like making sure exterior entry points are secure, and a home security system is in place to trigger an alarm in response to an emergency, like a forced entry.

However, the reality is that truly effective home security requires a more comprehensive, layered approach. Post Alarm recommends implementing a multi-layered safety and security strategy to enhance your home’s fortification and deter potential intruders.

What is Layered Home Security?

Layered home security is an approach to protecting your home that begins at the street. It extends beyond the physical structure of your home to encompass your surrounding property. While traditional measures, like door and window sensors and glass break detectors, shore up your warning system, additional security layers provide early detection and deterrence.

Simply put earlier detection = smarter protection.

This approach involves identifying and addressing vulnerabilities around your home with measures that enhance visibility, provide early warning, and enable proactive intervention.

Layered Home Security Begins at the Street

Your first layer of defense begins at the street. A well-maintained and well-lit exterior not only enhances curb appeal but also deters unwanted visitors. Some simple measures to extend your home’s security to the street include:

• Eliminate Hiding Spots: Trim any overgrown trees or bushes to eliminate interior visibility issues or potential hiding spots, especially around doors and windows.
• Motion-Sensor Lighting: Install motion-activated or dusk-to-dawn lights to cover driveways, pathways, and entryways.
• Visible House Numbers: Ensure your house numbers are large, in contrasting colors, or illuminated for easy visibility, especially for emergency responders.

Layered Home Security: Perimeter Protection

Securing your property’s perimeter creates a critical barrier for intruders. This layer not only deters, but homeowners gain a significant advantage — time. Additional time gives you the chance to react and respond effectively to any security breaches, allowing for proactive intervention and time to get your family to safety.

Examples of effective perimeter protection include:

• Fences and Gates: Fences establish a clear barrier, while driveway gates with keypad access control require authorized entry.
• Video Surveillance and CCTV: Installing cameras with advanced analytics allows you to monitor your property in real time and receive instant notifications of unusual activity.
• Live Video Monitoring: Adds another layer of vigilance with security experts ready to review footage, verify threats, and dispatch Patrol Officers and law enforcement.
• Perimeter Alarms: Systems with sirens and lights can alert you to intrusions while signaling to intruders they have been detected.
• Floodlights with Two-Way Talk: Our 4MP Outdoor Floodlight Camera provides a powerful response to unwanted visitors. Combining lights, a siren, high-quality video recording, and two-way audio for intervention.
• Yard Signs: Posting security signs prominently on your property can often act as a deterrent to intruders.

By implementing a comprehensive approach to perimeter security, homeowners can take another step toward effective security through a layered approach.

Layered Home Security: Exterior Entry Points

As most homeowners know, securing entry points is vital to a comprehensive layered home security strategy. These areas are the most vulnerable spots for your home where an intruder can gain entry. Fortifying your exterior entry points can greatly enhance your defense against potential threats.

• Reinforce Exterior Doors using deadbolts to prevent forced entry and consider door reinforcement bars for added strength.
• Install a Smart Lock, which allows you to assign unique codes to family members and temporary guests.
• Establish a Routine for making sure your doors and windows are locked.
• Door and Window Sensors alert you when these entry points are opened unexpectedly.
• Video Doorbells allow you to see and communicate with visitors remotely.
• Glass Break and Motion Detectors should be installed in key areas on all floors.
• Garage Security – lock the door leading from your garage to your home, keep your garage door closed when not in use, and never leave your garage door opener visible in your car.

Layered Home Security: Interior Safety Measures

The final component of our layered security approach focuses on the interior of your home. By implementing safety and security measures within your home, you can create a final line of defense to safeguard your home and family.

• Surveillance Cameras: Monitor interior spaces for added protection
• Secure Valuables: Use a safe to store jewelry, cash, and other items. Your safe should be in a discreet area that is not accessible or noticeable to intruders.
• Identify or Create a Safe Room: In the event of an emergency, if you can’t safely escape/exit your home, identify a space where your family can gather.

Additional Home Security Measures

Small habits and thoughtful precautions can significantly improve your layered home security approach.

Simple & Effective Practices:

• Keep valuables out of sight and dispose of packaging carefully to avoid showcasing what’s inside your home.
• Limit sharing on social media. Avoid posting vacations, extended absences from your home, and interior photos of your home.
• Shred personal documents before disposing of them in the trash.
• Use a USPS-approved mailbox with a lock or mail checks directly from the Post Office.
• Always lock your car and remove valuables from your car, including keys, wallets, and weapons.
• Get involved or start a neighborhood watch program to enhance your community’s safety.

Customize Your Home Security System

Every home is unique, and every family has different needs. The right home security system should be customized to you. A review by a professional security expert can help you to identify vulnerabilities and you specific recommendations to ensure your home and family are fully protected. With a layered home security approach, you can achieve peace of mind.

Shields Up. Since 1956.

A layered security approach is only as effective as the core strength of your home protection: a monitored alarm system. With 24/7 local monitoring, remote access from your phone for real-time notifications, advanced video surveillance technology, and Patrol response working in synchrony, Post Alarm makes full-coverage, layered home security simple.

We’ve always been a local, family-owned company, and we plan on staying that way. As a privately held, third generation family business, Post has provided Alarm and Patrol Services to communities, neighborhoods, and homeowners since 1956.

Our family founded Post Alarm on a passion for protecting people and the neighborhoods we call home. Now, we’re one of the only local, full-service security organizations in the Southern California area providing professionally installed, fully integrated, customized security solutions that result in earlier threat detection and synchronized response, getting you help faster when it matters most.

Ready to start building your custom home security package? Reach out and get a free security quote today!