Moving into a new home in Vancouver: 7 security steps for the first week
Moving week is busy, and security is easy to push down the list. These seven steps take very little time, and most of them cost nothing.
1. Take control of the keys
Assume someone you don't know has a key. Rekey or replace the exterior locks, including the door from the garage into the house, which is often forgotten. If you rent, arrange this with your landlord first.
2. Reset every code
Garage door openers, keypad locks, alarm panels and smart locks all keep old codes until someone changes them. Reset each one to factory settings, then set new codes. For a garage opener, clear the paired remotes and pair only your own.
3. Check the deadbolts and strike plates
Close each exterior door and throw the deadbolt. It should extend fully without you pushing or lifting the door. If it doesn't, the door or strike needs adjusting. A bolt that only half-extends can be forced far more easily.
4. Look at sliding doors and windows
Sliding patio doors are a common weak point. A simple bar in the track, or a secondary lock, stops the door from being slid open even if the latch is defeated. Check that ground-floor windows latch properly and that the latches aren't broken.
5. Light the entrances
Doors should be lit well enough that you can see who's there and a neighbour can see anyone at your door. Motion-sensor lights are inexpensive and work well in lanes and side yards.
6. Know who else has access
In a condo or townhouse, find out who holds keys to your unit: strata, the property manager, the concierge. Ask how those keys are stored and logged. If you have a cleaner, a dog walker or a contractor, give each person their own code where possible so you can remove it later.
7. Keep important things in the right place
Passports, spare keys, documents and small valuables are better kept in a proper safe that is bolted down. A small safe that isn't anchored can simply be carried away.
Where to start
If you only do one thing this week, make it step one. Knowing that no old key can open your door is the foundation everything else sits on.