MDI Launching $35 Million Expansion In Hickory, Adding 125 New Jobs

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A major grocery distributor just announced plans to invest $35 million in a Hickory, NC expansion.

Merchants Distributors (MDI) will be building a new 250,000 complex in Hickory, adding 125 new jobs to the region.

“Businesses that call North Carolina home continue to thrive here,” said Governor Cooper in a press release. “MDI knows firsthand the workforce, business and quality of life advantages North Carolina offers and it is great to see them grow once again in our state.”

The company was originally founded in Hickory in 1931 and now distribute both food and non-food grocery items to more than 600 retail stores across the US. The company also provides additional retail support to its customers, including marketing and other services. Their new expansion will add considerable perishable capacity to their facilities.

“Hickory, North Carolina has been our home for over ninety years, and we are excited to support our continued growth with another expansion at our Caldwell County facilities in the city of Hickory,” said MDI CEO Brian George. “As our business continues to grow, demand for perishable products has increased the need for chilled warehouse space to service our customers and communities. North Carolina continues to support business growth and invest in workforce development which makes expanding at this location possible.”

The average salary of the 125 new jobs will be $59,092, which is above the current average wage in Caldwell County of $43,905. It’s estimated that state and local area will see an additional impact of over $7 million each year from the new payrolls.

You can find out more information about MDI or apply to one of their new jobs here.

Duke Energy Programs Offer Relief From High Cooling Costs This Summer

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The warm days of summer are here, which means it is a prime time for a combination of outdoor activities and the cool comfort of indoors. Duke Energy is offering a wide array of programs and plans to help customers reduce energy usage and manage their bills.

Since mid-2021, costs for fuels used to produce energy have more than tripled. Duke Energy does not profit from these increased costs, and the company proactively takes measures to insulate customers from these spikes. These steps include negotiating long-term fuel contracts and maintaining a diverse fuel mix, including nuclear, solar and hydro, for power generation.

“With the price of everything going up right now, we want to relieve the impact on our customers as much as possible,” said Larry Hatcher, senior vice president of customer experience and services. “We offer a variety of programs ranging from payment flexibility to financial assistance that will help our customers who may be grappling with higher bills.”

Payment Options

Two payment options include Flexible Payment Plans and the Budget Billing Plan.  Payment plans allow residential customers to pay their balance over a more protracted period. Options are available for customers who either need a few extra days or require a more extended installment plan to catch up.

The Budget Billing Plan is a free and popular option for customers who like to know what to expect each month. It provides predictable monthly energy bills to help customers with their household budgeting.

Energy Efficiency

There are several programs to improve a home’s energy efficiency for customers hoping to take proactive measures to keep their energy bills manageable.

Customers who have an email on file and a smart meter receive a mid-cycle Usage Alert to provide a mid-month view of their current usage to date and a projection of their monthly bill at their current rate of usage. They can also access daily usage through their online account profile. These tools are intended to give customers insight and control over their energy use.

The Home Energy House Call is a free program for eligible Duke Energy homeowners (In Florida, the program is called a Home Energy Check). Customers receive a free assessment detailing steps they can take to increase efficiency and lower their energy bill and a free kit with energy-saving products valued at over $180.

In most Duke Energy territories, customers can find savings at the company’s online store at duke-energy.com. It offers energy-efficient fixtures such as thermostats, lighting and faucets. Also on the website, customers can discover rebate offers for making energy-saving home improvements.

Income-Qualified Programs

To help connect our customers in need of assistance, Duke Energy partners with community and state agencies to help those who qualify access Duke Energy and federally funded assistance programs. Programs and eligibility vary by service territory, so customers can find more information by visiting duke-energy.com or calling our customer care center.

  • The Crisis Intervention Program (CIP) covers heating- and cooling-related crises and is available throughout the year.
  • The Weatherization Program helps income-qualified customers save energy and reduce expenses through energy conservation measures like weatherstripping and HVAC repairs or replacements.
  • The Helping Home Fund is offered to income-qualified applicants in several Duke Energy operations territories. It provides in-home energy assessments and improvements such as replacing appliances and HVAC repairs up to $800.
  • The Neighborhood Energy Saver Program is also available to income-qualified customers to help them lower their energy bills through in-home energy assessments.
  • The Duke Energy Share the Light Fund also assists qualifying customers struggling to pay their energy bills. Employees, customers and Duke Energy shareholders contribute to these funds, which the Duke Energy Foundation matches.

How To Make Beautiful Women Laugh

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You’ve likely dreamed of sitting down and chatting with a beautiful woman. You imagine that a sexy girl is going to change your life and make you happier. Ultimately, this is understandable because relationships are a major part of life. With this in mind, you should go above and beyond to make beautiful women like you. You’ll find that a lot of women enjoy laughing. They want to laugh and have a good time. Although it seems easy, it can be scary to talk to sexy girls and make them grin. Can you make sexy women laugh? Within this guide, you’ll find out how to make beautiful women laugh.

Work On Your Delivery

Do you enjoy watching comedians? If you watch several comedy shows, you’ll know a lot about these professionals and how they deliver their jokes. In many cases, the delivery is more dramatic than the joke. The way the comedian delivers the joke can make a big difference. For instance, you can say something with a goofy look on your face. When you do that, the line will be funnier. She’ll enjoy it a lot more. If you want to make her laugh, you need to learn how to deliver the มุขจีบสาว.

It is a good idea to experiment with other women in your life. Try delivering the line to your female friends, mother, and sister. Once you’ve perfected your line and delivery, you’ll have no trouble making girls laugh. Doing so is paramount because girls love guys who can make them laugh.

Be Cautious

While you want to make her laugh, you don’t want to do anything that could upset her. In recent years, more people have become politically correct. They’re worried about upsetting people. You have to worry about this too. You don’t want to upset anyone because it could destroy your chances. You must be careful about saying something incorrect or upsetting. If you’re going to use jokes, be sure to use PC jokes that won’t hurt anyone. Don’t say anything that could be mistaken as sexiest or racist. Instead, you should use your creativity.

Think outside of the box to come up with funny jokes that will work with everyone regardless of race and heritage.

Know What She Likes

You must figure out what she likes. Remember that each woman is different. Some like darker jokes while others do not. Some may be okay with non-PC jokes. Before you can make her laugh, you need to find out what is going to work well for her. You must deliver jokes that she is going to enjoy. It is a good idea to get to know her a lot more before trying to make her laugh. 

Find out what she likes before doing anything. Once you’ve done that, you’ll have no problem making her laugh time and time again.

Don’t Overdo It

Another thing to remember is that you shouldn’t overdo it. Unfortunately, some people try to turn everything into a joke. Even when they’re discussing something serious, they’ll joke about something. You have to know when to joke and when to be serious. Otherwise, there is a risk that she is going to think you’re a goofball. If that happens, it is going to be difficult to score any points with her. While you’ll want her to laugh, you need to know when to make her laugh.

If you’re talking about a serious subject, don’t try to change the subject by joking about something. Wait until the subject changes.

Be Ready To Adjust

Finally, you have to be ready to adjust your strategy on the fly. At some point, your jokes are going to get stale. She’ll get tired of hearing these jokes over and over. You should be ready to drop another joke in a second. If your first joke doesn’t work, use another. Furthermore, you should try to use jokes that match the subject you’re talking about. If you’re discussing politics, be sure to use political jokes that she’ll like. If you’re talking about sports, use sports jokes. When you notice that your jokes aren’t working, switch to a serious topic to give yourself a chance to adjust.

Ways to make the best out of your free time on the internet

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Everyone is looking for an escape, so it’s crucial to avoid wasting time and be productive. There are countless entertaining things to do online if you know where to look, but most individuals limit their online time to social media sites. Since everyone has their own reasons for using the internet, you can look at what best interests you and use it to pass time whenever you are bored or idle on the internet. Here are some interesting things you can do on the internet.

Play Games

You are able to play a huge variety of games online, including first-person shooters, puzzle games, strategy and war games, city-building games, board games, and even casino games. Casinos zonder vergunning offer a variety of games that may interest you. You can check out some of those casino games there. 

Stream podcasts

The entertainment value of podcasts is tremendous. As some of the most well-liked and numerous categories, you should start by checking out mystery, true-crime, and true tale podcasts. Podcasts are excellent for promoting personal development as well. Personal finance podcasts can teach you a lot about budgeting and debt relief. Additionally, time management podcasts from productivity

View videos

Videos are a terrific way to pass the time because you don’t need to do much other than just sit back and take in what you’re seeing. Numerous channels on YouTube offer both entertainment and education. Such videos are fantastic to watch when you’re online idle since they’re not just entertaining to watch; they can also broaden your horizons, educate you on new things, and even improve your perception and empathy.

Take up a hobby

Taking up a new pastime is one of the most inventive things you can do when you’re bored. Recent internet trends make it simple to pick up various interests and integrate them into a source of extra income, or you can concentrate on trying out new things. The pursuit of writing, art, gardening, and photography are all worthwhile pastimes. Instead, think of some activities that are more specialized, like those that are tech-related.

Watch movies or TV shows. 

Binge-watching movies or television shows is one of the simplest ways to amuse oneself online. Everyone is aware of how beneficial it can be to simply decompress and zone out when you’re bored, so it’s best not to make it a regular habit. There are numerous streaming services accessible, but most of them require a monthly subscription fee.

Get a journal or blog going

It has been demonstrated that keeping a journal has numerous psychological and mental advantages. Nowadays, we use apps or even store our entries online in the form of blogs instead of keeping a physical notebook. As long as you take it seriously and genuinely record your honest ideas, you can write about any subject you like.

Conclusion

When you have a lot of spare time, there is no need to become less productive or bored; rather, you can use your boredom as an opportunity to discover new things and engage in new activities.

 

South Carolina Ranked 7th Among 2022’s States with The Most At-Risk Youth

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With 12.6% of young Americans neither working nor in school, exposing them to greater risk of poverty and violence, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2022’s States with the Most At-Risk Youth.

To determine where young Americans are not faring as well as others in their age group, especially in a year made extremely stressful by inflation and the continued presence of the COVID-19 pandemic, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 16 key indicators of youth risk. The data set ranges from the share of disconnected youth to the labor force participation rate among youth to the youth poverty rate.

States with the Most Idle Youth

Overall Rank*  State Total Score  Education & Employment  Health 
1 Louisiana 76.21 1 1
2 Mississippi 71.97 2 5
3 Alabama 66.29 6 4
4 West Virginia 65.57 5 12
5 Wyoming 63.60 13 2
6 Arkansas 63.54 7 10
7 South Carolina 62.81 9 11
8 Oklahoma 60.20 11 16
9 Kentucky 58.60 15 9
10 District of Columbia 58.21 3 34
11 Alaska 56.41 8 32
12 Nevada 56.13 10 24
13 Tennessee 55.32 24 3
14 Montana 54.36 19 6
15 Idaho 54.20 18 8
16 South Dakota 53.90 12 31
17 Georgia 53.80 14 22
18 New Mexico 53.30 4 45
19 Indiana 51.98 23 13
20 Missouri 51.75 22 14
21 Texas 50.29 16 26
22 Oregon 49.37 17 29
23 Ohio 48.89 31 15
24 Michigan 48.64 27 19
25 Arizona 47.41 20 28
26 North Carolina 46.94 26 21
27 Kansas 44.80 37 18
28 North Dakota 44.61 42 7
29 Wisconsin 44.19 39 17
30 Florida 43.39 21 37
31 Colorado 42.33 29 33
32 Illinois 42.20 35 23
33 Iowa 41.71 40 20
34 Nebraska 41.48 34 30
35 California 40.01 25 43
36 Delaware 39.45 30 41
37 Washington 38.74 33 39
38 Pennsylvania 37.33 36 38
39 New York 37.32 28 48
40 Utah 36.42 38 36
41 Maine 33.36 43 40
42 Minnesota 32.08 46 35
43 Hawaii 31.52 32 51
44 Virginia 31.29 45 42
45 Vermont 31.18 48 25
46 Rhode Island 30.25 44 44
47 Maryland 29.11 41 50
48 New Jersey 25.98 47 49
49 New Hampshire 25.50 51 27
50 Connecticut 22.81 49 46
51 Massachusetts 20.76 50 47

Note: *1 = Most at Risk

To view the full report and your state or the District’s rank, please visit:
https://wallethub.com/edu/states-with-the-most-at-risk-youth/37280

New 24-Story, 415,000-Square-Foot High Rise Announced For Uptown Charlotte

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Lincoln Harris, in partnership with the Real Estate business within Goldman Sachs Asset Management, unveiled plans today for 600 South Tryon, the fourth office building at the 10-acre Legacy Union mixed-use development in the heart of Uptown Charlotte.

Construction is underway on the 24-story, 415,000-square-foot building, with completion expected in the fourth quarter of 2024. In addition to the Class-A office space, 600 South Tryon will feature approximately 20,000 square feet of ground-floor retail and podium parking, along with conference, co-working and fitness spaces all offering terraces with outdoor access.

Law firm Robinson Bradshaw has signed a lease for approximately 102,000 square feet of space on the top four floors of the building.

“In just a few short years, Legacy Union has helped create a dynamic gateway for Uptown Charlotte,” said Johno Harris, president of Charlotte-based Lincoln Harris. “The building and the overall vision of Legacy Union is a tribute to the city of Charlotte – combining a great location and incredible partnerships in a thriving region.”

Lincoln Harris is partnering again with Goldman Sachs Asset Management in developing the tower, just as it did with the previous three office buildings at Legacy Union which now total more than 1.5 million square feet of space. LS3P will again provide architectural services, and Gilbane will reprise its role overseeing construction of the building at the northeast corner of the property bounded by Brooklyn Village Avenue and South Tryon Street.

Design is a distinctive feature of the Legacy Union development, and 600 South Tryon will be no exception. The building is envisioned as the “Big Sister” of the existing 650 South Tryon tower, with a contemporary architecture that serves as a visual counterpoint to the more traditional design of the 33-story Bank of America Tower.

Above its two-story base, 600 South Tryon will rise as an all-glass tower, its south façade arching away from Bank of America Tower just as the 650 façade does on the opposite side. The building’s façade gives a nod to Tryon Street with its cantilevered design, creating a dynamic entrance to the Plaza.

To create more visual interest, the 600 tower will step back from its parking podium at the ninth floor, providing terraces overlooking the Plaza and Brooklyn Village Avenue . The building’s arching and sloping penthouse screen caps the tower above 650, completing the overall composition of the Tryon Street block that is Legacy Union.

The building design will include ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance)  elements that are an ever-growing focus for investors, tenants and developers. From LEED Certification, water and energy efficiencies, air filtration, and touchless building entry to integrated public spaces and a comprehensive amenity center with co-working, meeting and fitness components.

Leasing of the new building is being handled by Ridr Knowlton and Campbell Walker of Lincoln Harris.

These North Carolina Places Have the Lowest Tax Burden

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Tax season is quickly approaching once again.

For the sixth consecutive year SmartAsset has released its study on the Places With the Lowest Tax Burden. The study analyzed data on income, sales, property and fuel taxes in each county to find the places with the lowest overall tax burden.

Check out the table below to see how the top counties in North Carolina stacked up:

Rank County Income Tax Sales Tax Property Tax Fuel Tax Tax Burden Index
1 Graham, NC $10,560 $1,175 $649 $125 73.84
2 Swain, NC $10,560 $1,175 $583 $322 72.88
3 Avery, NC $10,560 $1,175 $674 $307 72.33
4 Bertie, NC $10,560 $1,175 $675 $313 72.28
5 McDowell, NC $10,560 $1,175 $651 $381 71.95
6 Clay, NC $10,560 $1,175 $773 $291 71.72
7 Alleghany, NC $10,560 $1,175 $757 $314 71.67
8 Jones, NC $10,560 $1,218 $724 $322 71.53
9 Macon, NC $10,560 $1,175 $768 $335 71.44
10 Robeson, NC $10,560 $1,218 $748 $313 71.43

 

For more information on the study, including the methodology and interactive map, check here: https://smartasset.com/taxes/north-carolina-tax-calculator#map

Hiring the best talent in our digital world

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These days, the digital journey has taken over many aspects of business, but one area that has needed to rapidly adapt – probably more than others – is recruitment. The process of finding and recruiting the best talent has become a largely digital one, bringing both advantages and challenges to the human resources department. Staying abreast of digital technologies and knowing how to leverage them to maximum effect is an important skill.

The best talent can be hard to find, and even harder to keep. Startups, in particular, face a significant challenge in attracting top talent, as they may not have the same level of brand recognition or financial resources as larger companies do. This is where a recruitment agency for startups serves as an incredibly valuable investment for businesses. Many businesses with no HR departments seek the professional help of recruiting agencies that have the expertise, resources, and networks needed to identify and attract top talent, even in competitive industries. A big advantage of our digital world is that it makes it possible to find talented people from a global pool of candidates. The tricky part is to give them a clear idea of what you offer as an employer and to transpose as many of the ‘in-person’ hiring processes as possible into their digital equivalents.

Digital storytelling can bridge the imagination gap

Online interviews can make it harder for both parties to navigate, as time-lags and body language can be harder to read. Also, you want to give your candidates a realistic expectation of what you offer and what you expect.

Digital storytelling can be very useful for this, as it can help to establish a context using a relatable narrative. You can give candidates a walk-through of your office, and they can get an idea of what you’re like as an employer, by watching colleagues talk about defining experiences they have had while working there. All these can help you strengthen your employer brand too.

Hybrid events and modern working methods

Being able to accommodate your talented workers preferences can be an important consideration for a candidate who is considering you as an employer. Depending on how flexible you can be around hybrid working and time spent in office, a candidate may choose to work with you or somewhere else. If you have already mastered hybrid events for sales and marketing purposes, then you can leverage the same technologies and principles to offer hybrid working.

You may find that some candidates prefer to come into the office for an interview, while others prefer to do this online. It’s important that you treat both venues with equal weight to avoid inadvertently giving one group an advantage. If you are able to offer seamless hybrid events for customers and leads, then you can do the same for job candidates too.

6 ways to attract the best talent digitally

Leverage your employer brand – Use digital storytelling to put forward a strong employer brand message. This gives candidates a clear expectation of what you’re like to work with.

Target vacancies with digital precision – Use the same principles as you would for lead generation as for attracting candidates. Spend time to research what personality types are the best fit, and resonate with them using crafted messaging and specific word choices.

Up the interview game – Your online interview can become a showcase of your best bits as an employer when you use digital stories to add depth to an interview. You can give them a virtual walk-through and show them where they would be working when they come to the office.

Check-in and Review – A quick (video) call to follow-up can help candidates feel valued and give an opportunity to raise any queries. It shows that, as an employer, you care about the well-being of your office drones. Doing a regular check-in with all staff is also a good idea, as this helps to keep people connected and feel valued.  

Clarify expectations – This works in both directions. It’s harder to pick up on social mores when you’re not in the office so these must be made explicit. Creating a culture of frank communication ensures that expectations are clear.

Make the office nice – It’s about more than having a few ferns and pool-table. Your office needs to be a relaxing and invigorating place to work, with a positive vibe. This can be supported by organizing social activities, and prioritizing well-being in your company culture. To reinforce this, use digital storytelling techniques that use digital media to communicate your ‘health is wealth’ culture to everyone – even when they’re not in the office.

Digital tools for every stage of the employee journey

When you embrace the digital recruitment landscape, you gain a lot. It gives you access to a huge pool of global talent, but it also helps keep your company on-track with using digital tools. For instance, platforms like Recruiting CRM for agencies or Clovers.ai offer comprehensive solutions tailored to the specific needs of recruitment firms, providing features for candidate management, client relationship management, and performance analytics. The more you use them, the more capable you will become, and this gives increasingly better results.

These tools have an enduring role after the recruitment process is over too. They are essential for managing workflows, keeping people connected, and collaborating on work across distances. Digital storytelling tools can also help with onboarding and training processes, especially when used in immersive experiences.

As more workers start their journey in the digital workplace, hybrid experiences of working will become the norm, so our digital tools will only become more important in the coming years. For more information, go to https://www.purplestorytelling.com/.

What Is the Difference Between Email Hosting and Web Hosting?

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In today’s digital world, it is essential to have the right web hosting services to run a business. They act as a framework and guide for how you interact with your customers and employees online. Web hosting and business email hosting are, at first glance, very similar, but they actually perform very different functions. The increasing number of cyber-attacks on both public and private data means that both must maintain strict and ongoing security measures to guard against these threats.

In this article, we will discuss in-depth web and email hosting, why you’ll need it, and the difference between hosting and server.

It is important to first understand that a host is a computer or other device that connects to a network, whereas a server is a piece of software or a hardware device that delivers services to other programs in the network.

Overview of Email Hosting

Let’s answer the question, “What is email hosting?” Email hosting is renting out a server to host your business correspondences online. This enables a company to register a domain name and associated addresses. If you’re using it directly rather than via a free provider like Yahoo or Google, this approach stands out from the crowd. Clients will need to connect their server to the domain name registered.

Afterward, they can use this collection to create unique usernames for each of the users who need to access it. YourName@DomainName.com is an example of how it filters all emails sent and received by company employees. There is typically one dedicated server for emails, unlike free services, which serve a variety of customers simultaneously.

Features:

  • Includes buying storage space so that web pages can be stored there and the website can be accessed online;
  • Offers all the services an ISP offers;
  • Assists in building a web presence;
  • Follows strict security protocols.

Overview of Web Hosting

Web hosting utilizes a server to create an online presence. This means that anyone can see and use the domain, not just the owners or employees. Depending on the type, capabilities can vary, but most of them can handle a large number of requests at once.

A single server can host a large number of websites. Customers want their websites to be visited more frequently, so they need more bandwidth to handle the increased traffic. A dedicated server is useful when a client’s site needs to store more and more data.

Features:

  • Comes with a lot of accounts, customised settings, and the advantage of a personal domain name;
  • Services can include message boards, an integrated search engine for their client’s websites, and scalable, premium email services;
  • Virus and spam protection;
  • Shared address books;
  • Space for storage.

Is it better to use them together or apart?

There has been an increase in the number of companies that offer both as part of the same package. The pros and cons of a package, as well as a few key considerations, must be taken into account when making this decision.

  • You save money by purchasing both types in one bundle because you’re only paying for one company’s overhead. That’s a big deal for a small business or start-up. Having a smaller number of suppliers may also be easier. In addition, it can speed up the process of receiving technical support because there is only one company to deal with. Updating both (for example, if a security update is required) can be made simpler in this manner. Last but not least, you only have one contract to deal with if you decide to switch service providers;
  • You won’t complain about how much multimedia content you have on your website or how often your employees need to archive or delete an email if you have separate instead of shared servers. If your website is hacked, you can still access your email, and vice versa, thanks to the fact you use different platforms;
  • Cost is by far the biggest issue. Purchasing and maintaining two separate services is more expensive than purchasing and maintaining one single service. You’re paying for an overhead twice because each supplier has its own costs. If your company is large or expanding rapidly, it may be worth investing more money in a larger space.

Conclusion

In the modern world, companies and subscribers communicate via email. Meanwhile, web hosting allows for more content to be shown on a website. In the end, both function on a server, and the type is determined by the provider.

Advances in technology have led to package offerings that include features from both types of hosting. As a result of this, businesses may get the best of both worlds in one. Separating them, on the other hand, results in more work being split between the two and more data being stored in total.

5 Important Home Security Advice for New Homeowners

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Moving into your first home is a major life moment, but it’s also a process which involves a lot of work if you want to sidestep the pitfalls that come with owning property.

Security is an area which you have to take seriously, so if you’re just settling into your new home, here are the main things to think about.

Alarms are a worthwhile investment

Having an alarm to detect intruders is a good move, even if you feel like your neighborhood is safe. You can take your pick of all sorts of modern systems, from simple setups to full-blown solutions that integrate with smart technologies to allow for remote monitoring and more besides.

A smoke alarm is also a must-have, as there’s no point leaving anything to chance when it comes to ensuring the integrity of your property.

Don’t neglect the garage

It’s easy to get caught up in considering home security from the perspective of protecting the main body of your house, and overlook your garage in the process.

Shielding this from interlopers is doubly important if there’s also a connecting door to the rest of your house hidden in this space.

That’s where having modern residential door operators designed for use with roller-style garage entryways is advisable. They give you the robustness you need, as well as the convenience of being electronically operated, allowing them to be opened and closed remotely without you needing to exert yourself, or leave your vehicle.

Cameras give you peace of mind

Another area that’s come on in leaps and bounds in the last few years is that of home security cameras. You don’t need a complex, costly wired solution, but can instead rely on impressive and affordable setups from brands like Arlo and Nest.

Being able to install these with ease, and access the footage from your smartphone in real time regardless of where you are, means you can leave for a day, a week or a month and know that you’ve always got a link to your new home.

Social media creates security risks

We’re all used to oversharing on social media, but what you might not realize is that this can even lead to your property being targeted by thieves.

For example, if you’ve got a publically viewable profile on platforms like Facebook and Instagram, and you share posts which showcase aspects of your property, such as its location and the points of entry, then this lets crooks case it without needing to visit in person.

Furthermore if you reveal that you’re going to be away for a protracted period with a social post, this lets burglars know that your home will be unoccupied, and thus a soft target.

Even something as innocuous as posting a picture of your house keys, which is what a lot of new homeowners do to announce their purchase, is dangerous, since clever criminals can copy a key just by using a picture, allowing them to break in unobstructed.

Even your Wi-Fi is at risk

Digital home security is just as important as physical home security. The reason for this is that if a hacker gets within range of an unsecured wireless hotspot, they could hop on it and steal your sensitive data without you even realizing it.

Having a password on your Wi-Fi is a no-brainer for this reason, and you should also be careful about who you share this with. Also, remember to change your password every few weeks or months, just to make sure it can’t be compromised.

Now that you have the inspiration to begin your own home security improvements, you can get started right away!