Follow these tips and tricks to improve your home’s security.
Step Up Your Home Security
Every year, more than 3.5 million burglaries occur in the United States, with more than one million of those including a household member present at the time. Statistics like these can make homeowners feel vulnerable as if their property will be the next to be targeted. Fortunately, there are easy steps you can do to improve the security of your house and prevent break-ins. Click through for 35 of the simplest methods to keep your property safe from intruders.
Keep Big-Ticket Items a Secret
Have you lately purchased a new flat-screen television or a high-end computer? If you simply leave the empty cartons at the curb, burglars will know that you have valuable devices for sale. Instead, disassemble the boxes and bag them until garbage or recycling pickup, or carry them off to the landfill to keep your more expensive goods hidden from onlookers.
Protect the Windows
Prevent burglars from coming in through the windows by installing window stops on your double-hung windows. These mechanisms prevent intruders from sliding your window open to gain entrance, and they also let you keep the window slightly up for ventilation without fear of break-ins.
Install Security Cameras
Thieves will stop at nothing to nab your valuables—except, perhaps, a security camera that’s staring them in the face. Install outdoor security cameras near entry points to your house. If prowlers approach, you’ll be able to watch them in real-time on your connected monitor, or even review the recorded footage and send it to local law enforcement, if needed.
Get a Fake Dog
Want the security benefits of a guard dog without the barking, walking, training, and cleanup? Display a “Beware of Dog” sign or dog food bowls near your front or back door or along the front fence to signal to passersby that Fido is home and ready to fend off crooks.
Use Multiple Locks
Install many locks on your entry doors to make it more difficult for savvy burglars to break in. At main entryways, you should have a minimum of two locks, which could mean two locks on a single door or a single lock on one entrance coupled with a locking storm door.
Put in Window Air Conditioners
Give intruders the cold shoulder while you maintain comfortably cool indoor temperatures by installing window air-conditioning units in the front or back of your house. The AC units will help block entry into the home through first-floor windows, a popular intruder entry point that accounts for 23 percent of home burglaries, according to the Burglary Prevention Council.
Keep Security Signs Generic
Even fake security system signs and stickers will make the average intruder think twice about trespassing, but canny cat burglars may try to look up the names and service regions of the companies listed on those decoy displays. If you have a fake “Protected by ADT” or other brand-name sign or sticker, replace it with a generic equivalent to keep burglars guessing about who’s protecting your property.
Keep the Wires Covered
If a burglar is undeterred by the security sign on your lawn, he may attempt to disable your home security system by cutting the wires. Concealing exterior wires in electrical conduits can make it harder for prowlers to find and snip them.
Safely Store Your Spare
If you’ve been living under a rock, you may still think it’s safe to stow the spare key to your house under a convenient rock, beneath a flowerpot on the front porch, or inside the mailbox. But thieves have long since caught on to these not-so-hidden hiding spots, so you’re better off leaving your key with a neighbor or stashing it in an outdoor lockbox for safekeeping.
Don’t Leave Tools Out
The same tools you use for DIY projects can also be used to break into your house or, if they wind up in the hands of an intruder, to injure someone. Be sure to keep hammers, axes, pry bars, and ladders locked in the garage or in a shed where criminals can’t access them.
Close Curtains or Blinds
If you regularly leave your curtains and blinds open, burglars are free to window-shop and pick out possessions they would like to pilfer. To keep your belongings safe and temptation at bay, draw curtains and close blinds when you’re away.
Reinforce Sliding Doors
Sliding glass doors are a chink in your home’s armor. They’re often in the back of the house where thieves can break in without being seen, their locks tend to be weak, and the glass can be bashed in. Reinforce your slider by installing a security bar in the tracks or a pin lock through the frame. Also consider installing transparent safety film that makes it almost impossible for a burglar to smash the glass.
Hire with Caution
Busy homeowners let many people into their lives, and their houses. Housekeepers, contractors, and handymen pass through the front door all the time, and while most are trustworthy, it’s vital to do your due diligence before hiring professionals. Also, be aware that burglars can easily play the role of one of these professionals, so when they show up at your door, don’t feel shy about asking for identification. You want to make sure that the person you’re letting into your home is the real deal.
Get a TV Simulator
Trick would-be thieves into thinking you’re home by turning on a TV simulator before you leave the house. These devices produce high-intensity light, color changes, and on-screen motion to make it look like someone’s at home watching TV—and watching out for burglars.
Show Off Your Street Number
Hanging a large, reflective address plaque or house number on your property does more than boost curb appeal. In the wake of a break-in, these easy-to-read signs help law enforcement or EMS personnel spot your home and attend to an emergency.
Keep Car Keys at Your Fingertips
Are you still parking your car keys on a wall-mounted key holder in the foyer? You may want to relocate those keys to your bedroom, preferably within arm’s reach of your bed. This way, if you hear someone in your garage, you can quickly hit the panic button on the key fob to sound the car alarm and scare off the intruder.
