According to the security industry experts, here’s a list of all the ways you should be keeping your home—and family—safe. You’ll want to implement these home security tips when you get home today!
Change all the locks when you move into a new house.
Even if your home’s previous owners insist that they’ve handed over every set of keys they have, it’s still important to change those locks before you move in. Security expert Louis Wood, owner of Defend It Yourself and vice president of LAW Security Corp., says this is one of the easiest ways to keep your home protected. After all, you never know if the previous owner’s family members, dog walker, or babysitter has a spare that they can use to let themselves in.
Keep your doors locked during the day.
Sure, your town may seem like Mayberry to you, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t criminals waiting to prey as soon as you leave for work in the morning. According to a 2010 report from the U.S. Department of Justice, burglaries that took place when no one was home were 17 percent more likely to take place between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. than they were from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., giving you plenty of incentive to keep those doors locked during the day—frankly, whether you’re home or not.
Install motion lighting.
Even though most burglaries do take place during the day, a little motion lighting can fend off any criminals who prefer the cover of darkness.
Wood’s suggestion? Stick to the perimeter of your property. Seeing those lights flash on when they walk by “could prevent impulsive intruders from breaking in at night,” Wood explains.
Invest in a smart home system.
If you want to keep your home from becoming a target for burglars, “your house should appear occupied at all times,” says Wood. Short of using a house sitter every time you leave for work or vacation, a smart home system can help you turn lights on and off while you’re away to make it look as though you’re there. Wood also suggests using the same technology to turn your TV and stereos on and off periodically to make the house seem lived in, too.
Ask for IDs from anyone who tries to come into your house.
That landscaper who says the tree in your front yard is dangerous, the person from the gas company who says they need to inspect your house for a leak, or even police officers who say they need to come inside should always show you proof of ID before you open the door.
“Burglars will often knock on doors before breaking in to see if anyone is home,” explains Wood. If you have any doubts that someone is who they say they are, “check with the person’s office before letting him or her in,” he suggests.
Add some security system signs to your yard
Something as simple as a home security sign in your front yard could keep your house safer—even if you don’t actually have the security system to back it up.
According to a 2012 report from the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, 60 percent of burglars studied said that an indication that there was an alarm present would cause them to choose another property.
Make it look like you have a dog.
According to UNC’s burglary survey, most criminals did indicate that dogs were deterrents—and you don’t even need a real pet to get the job done.
“Drape a large leash over your outdoor furniture, place a large food bowl with water outside, and even throw some dog toys in the yard” to give the impression you have a protective pet, suggests security expert Robert Siciliano, private investigator for Porch.com and CEO of personal security company Safr.me.
Trim your greenery.
Since burglars want to do their dirty work away from prying eyes, Wood says it’s imperative that homeowners “cut back trees and bushes located near windows or doors that might shield a burglar from view.”
And have your landscaping maintained when you’re gone.
You’ve got your suitcases packed, your passports ready, and some beach reads in your bag. The only thing left to do before leaving on that two-week vacation? Call your landscaper.
Whenever you’re away from your house for a prolonged period of time, “arrange to have your lawn mowed so your yard doesn’t look like a vacant lot,” says security specialist Rick Musson, an 18-year law enforcement veteran and law enforcement consultant for Car Insurance Comparison. Letting those plants get overgrown is a surefire sign that nobody’s home.
Turn off your home phone’s ringer.
If you still have a landline at home, turn off the ringer before you leave the house. Siciliano says that if a burglar passing by can hear a phone ringing inside your home with no answer, that’s a pretty clear sign your house is unoccupied and an easy target. Similarly, “don’t say, ‘We aren’t home right now'” on your voicemail, or leave any outgoing email messages that indicate you’re on vacation.
