Essential Safety Tips for Protecting Your Tiny Home and Property

It’s essential that you take steps to secure your property, regardless of the size. A tiny home may be small enough to watch over most of the time, but you have a life to live and some threats can be easy to miss. To provide the best protection for your property and ensure your family’s safety, you need to be proactive, and these tips can help. 

Steps To Take As Soon As You Move In

If you’ve just recently moved into your tiny home, then like any house, there are steps you should take to ensure safety from day one. The first step, especially when you purchase the house from someone else is to change the locks, make copies of your keys, and put them in a secure place. Next, even if you previously had an inspection, walk around the property and look for things that may need to be replaced so you can fix them before those problems escalate.

Then, walk your family around and show them the best way to escape in case of an emergency. Pay special attention to fire safety in your tiny home because if a fire starts, that small space can quickly be filled with heat and toxic gasses. That’s why safety in your tiny home requires purchasing at least one fire extinguisher and putting it in a place everyone can reach. Also, test the smoke detectors regularly, properly maintain the stove, and ensure that the wiring in your house and your electronics is in good shape.

Smart Security

Your tiny home may have fewer objects inside than a larger property, but what you do have is important. In fact, having less may mean that what you do have is more valuable. There’s also the fact that people with bad intentions may be able to look into your home through the windows and immediately identify the items of value. One way to address these concerns is to keep valuable items out of sight. The next move should be to install a security system. 

There are many security systems available online and in stores, and many of them have everything you need, including cameras, lights, and alarms. It’s a wise idea to get cameras that have motion detection and lights so that when someone comes near, it illuminates and allows you to film who came close while also scaring them away. Also, consider automating your security by setting up automatic alerts and configuring your cameras to your phone so you can see what’s going on from anywhere.

You should also take steps to secure your yard, especially if you live on a larger parcel of land. One of the simplest ways to protect your property is to build a fence around the perimeter. People are less likely to approach your house if they need to first get past a fence. Also, consider installing floodlights and path lights to illuminate the yard and remove clutter and bushes to eliminate hiding places. If you live near other people, get to know the neighbors so you can all watch each other, especially if one of you goes out of town.

Another essential step to take, especially if you live in a rural area, is to obtain a working internet connection. Rural homeowners can get internet with a DSL or fixed wireless connection. When you don’t have the option to walk to a neighbor’s house for help, and your phone goes down, you can use your internet connection to reach out via Skype or Facetime to call emergency services. Home internet also allows you to keep in contact with friends and family so you can keep an eye on each other and know when or if they’re in trouble as well. 

Protecting A Moveable House

Finally, if you live in a tiny house that can be moved, you should take extra precautions, especially if you leave during the day. If someone with bad intentions can back up to your house and tow it away, they’ll likely try, so deter them from doing so. The easiest way to avoid someone hauling your house elsewhere is to attach a lock to the hitch on your home. A hitch lock is generally affordable, and it can be a lifesaver. If, for some reason, you can’t use a lock, then back up your house so that the hitch faces a tree or other obstruction that will make stealing it more difficult.

Another option is to chain the house down to an object that either is difficult to move or would take a long time to remove, like a big tree or even another home. Just seeing a chain may force criminals to rethink messing with your property. 

A final tactic to keep your home in one place and your items secure is to pretend that you’re home when you’re not, which you can do by putting your lights or a radio on a timer. When a criminal sees a light, they are less likely to approach for fear of getting caught. Try to switch up the timing every week or so, and the bad actors will likely never catch on.

Conclusion

These are the tips you should consider to protect your tiny home and the precious items within. Just like with any house, proper security and emergency planning are key for the well-being of your property, and it’s well worth the effort.

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