Our homes are where we can feel the safest – at least we should. However, according to the FBI, there were over a million break-ins across the country just in 2019. And despite what we might think, bad things don’t only happen to other people.
Without proper protection, your home can easily become the next burglar’s target. But the appropriate security measures will make them think twice before they attempt anything illegal. Here’s how to secure your home, whether you’ve just moved into a brand-new property or your house needs a security upgrade.
How to Secure Your Home
Update Your Locks
Home security starts at your main entrance. As the primary point of entry, this is the first place a burglar will target – and over a third of them succeed in simply walking through this door.
Inspect your door and current locks to ensure they don’t make a burglar’s job easier. Always keep your door locked, even when you’re at home. If you’re moving into a new or pre-owned property, you should first change all the locks.
Additionally, you shouldn’t simply rely on a single traditional lock to keep out uninvited guests. Smart locks that use passcodes are more challenging to crack and can provide an additional layer of security to your home.
In addition, they can be tracked and controlled via smartphone applications, so you will never have to rack your brain trying to remember whether you locked the door on your way out.
Reinforce Your Door
Locks will only keep out those burglars who try them once, get discouraged, and leave. According to statistics, over half of burglaries involve forcible entry. This means you also need to reinforce your door against brute force.
Install a door reinforcement plate to ensure the lock won’t give in easily. A deadbolt is also an additional solid layer of physical security. You can make it pick-proof with a small lock that will keep the handle in place.
Finally, ensure your door hinges’ screws are inaccessible from the outside and that no one can reach inside your mail slot and unlock the door.
A strong, solid door is much harder to kick in than a cheaper, hollow alternative, so investing in a sturdy main entrance door can pay off.
Lock Your Windows
Windows are another popular entry point for burglars for a simple reason: They are often not appropriately secured. You don’t have to leave your window open for it to provide easy entry; often, window latches are not nearly secure enough, to begin with.
Pin locks are easy to install and provide an excellent solution for those who like to keep their windows partially open. In addition, window security film can reinforce your windows so burglars can’t easily break their way in.
Finally, you can install glass sensors on first-story windows, so you’re notified instantly in case of an attempted intrusion.
Secure Your Garage
With your main entrance and windows secured, you might think your home is an impenetrable fort. However, don’t forget about other potential entry points. Your garage is of particular concern.
First, ensure you don’t leave your garage door opener lying around. Instead of leaving it in your car, consider putting it on your keychain and keeping it on your person if someone breaks into your vehicle.
Another option is switching to a smart garage door opener. These work through smartphone applications and will let you monitor your garage door’s status and even control it remotely.
Next, keep every regular door and window to your garage closed and locked. Don’t forget the door that connects your garage to your home. Check whether your garage door can be raised manually and if it can install an additional lock. Finally, ensure valuable tools and equipment aren’t displayed in plain sight when your garage door is open, which can give criminals a sneak peek.
Check Patio Doors
Securing doors and windows won’t mean much if your patio door can simply slide open. Fortunately, all you need is a rod to make sure the door can’t be opened from the outside. You can place a dowel rod horizontally along the track to secure the door, but this isn’t the most convenient solution. So instead, a security bar provides slightly better protection.
Consider installing a latch or pin lock for a properly secured patio door. You can also equip your glass patio door with the same security film and glass sensors you used for your windows.
Install a Home Security System
There are few burglar deterrents as effective as an electronic home security system. No criminal wants to trigger an alarm or get caught on camera, so installing an up-to-date system is crucial in securing your home.
Security systems are widely available today, so there is something for every budget. You can choose between a DIY approach or a professional installation, depending on your needs. Wireless systems are exceptionally easy to install, so you can set them up yourself.
Professional installation costs more, but it has a higher level of protection. In addition, you can decide whether you want to include security cameras as part of the system.
Buy a Smart Doorbell
Whether you invest in a full-fledged security system, a smart doorbell can be a valuable security asset for any property.
An intelligent doorbell that connects to your mobile phone through an app has numerous benefits. First, it is an advanced peephole, allowing you to see who’s at your door in real-time – wherever you are.
More importantly, it lets you communicate with the person at the door using the app. So when a stranger rings your doorbell while you’re out, you can create the impression that you’re home, reducing the possibility they’ll try to rob your property.
You can also check on your front door whenever you want and maintain peace of mind knowing everything’s all right at home.
Light Up Your Property
Dark corners provide the perfect hiding place for criminals. Therefore, ensuring your property and its surroundings are brightly lit is yet another practical step toward a safe and secure home no burglar will target.
First, keep your entry points well-lit. Then, use smart light bulbs and schedule them to turn on when the sun sets. You can also install motion sensor lights that provide bright light in critical spots when necessary.
For the rest of your landscaping, you can consider solar-powered lights to save energy while keeping the area amply illuminated.
Mind Your Landscaping
Keeping your property well-lit will be much easier if your landscaping works. Burglars can use overgrown shrubbery and similar features as hiding spots, so ensure your yard is neat, clean, and not overgrown.
Trim shrubs and trees near your property and under your windows. Lock sheds and don’t leave equipment lying around. If you want to keep shrubs under your windows, choose thorny plants that will make every criminal think twice about whether they want to get tangled up in them.
Protect Your Mail
Have you considered you can get robbed without a burglar ever setting foot inside your property? Unfortunately, parcel theft is increasingly common, so it’s worth implementing a few safety measures to keep your packages safe.
First, ensure your post box can be locked, and passers-by can’t simply snatch your sensitive mail. There are special security mailboxes on the market that can put an end to this issue.
Secondly, if you receive parcels often, you can consider installing a porch lock box that will keep your packages safe until you get them. If you order something valuable, a delivery that requires your signature before the package can be left is still the safest way.
Keep Spare Keys Safe
We all know that tucking away a spare key outside our home isn’t safe, but we still do it anyway. So don’t press your luck—give up this practice in favor of a safer way of storing your spare key.
Even if you have a smarter hiding place than the doormat or a flower pot, all it takes for an intruder to find your key is seeing you put it away once. If you must store a spare key outside, placing it in a discreet lockbox is a much better solution. Nevertheless, switching to a keyless lock would eliminate the risk of someone finding your key.
Invest in a Safe
Although most of your efforts will go toward preventing an intruder from stepping inside your home, you should also be prepared for the worst-case scenario.
You shouldn’t keep your valuables in easy-to-find locations. Putting your jewelry, cash, and important documents in a lockable safe is a good idea. This safe doesn’t need to be huge or expensive to do its job.
Installing a small safe in a discreet location will be more than enough for most people, and it’ll provide a safety net to fall back on in case of a break-in.
Get to Know Your Neighbors
No matter how well-secured your property is, it’s always worth keeping an eye on your surroundings—and it’s even better if your neighbors do the same.
Knowing the people in your neighborhood will make it easier for people to work together to spot suspicious activity. A network of eyes is enough to notice an unfamiliar car, a loitering stranger, or odd markings that may be criminals’ way of tagging their target.
In addition, maintaining good relationships with your neighbors will come in handy when you’re on vacation and need someone to collect your mail.
Conclusion
If you were wondering how to secure your home, the above tips are a great starting point. Start with the basics, like secure locks on the doors and windows, ample lighting, and trim landscaping.
But don’t hesitate to install smart devices that take home security to the next level. If someone breaks into your home, you risk more than losing just a few valuables, so these upgrades are well worth the investment.