Tips for Home Security
According to the FBI, a home invasion occurs in the US every 15 seconds. If you don’t want to become another statistic, there are several things you can do to discourage burglars and to keep your home and belongings safe.
1. Lock and secure your doors and windows
Part of your daily home security routine should be to always make sure that all doors and windows are locked and that there are no entrances that could offer an intruder the opportunity to get into your home. Insure that each door has a deadbolt lock with a one inch throw and a reinforced strike plate. Windows should be constructed of laminated glass, and ground level windows need strong locks.
2. Secure sliding glass doors
Each sliding glass door in your house should have a wooden dowel or stick in the door’s track to prevent an unauthorized entry. Installing vertical bolts will also prevent a burglar from forcing the door open.
3. Secure your garage
Your garage is just like an external door. Install a dead bolt on your door and keep your car locked and alarmed. If you have a newly constructed home, consider changing your factory-set door opener code. Burglars have access to these codes and will use common brands of remote openers, looking for a garage door that will open.
4. Use outdoor and indoor lighting to your advantage
Timed lighting inside and outside the home is an important security measure. To create an appearance of constant activity, use light-timers inside the home. Motion sensor lighting installed near pathways, doorways and the driveway is also an effective way to scare off an intruder. Always keep the perimeter of your house well lighted with security lights that allow you to see at least 100 feet in front of you.
5. Avoid telltale pileups
If you are going to be away for an extended period of time, arrange to have your newspapers and mail put on hold. If you are expecting one or more packages, have a neighbor hold those packages for you until you return. Nothing shouts “This house is empty” more than having a pile of newspapers and mail stacked in front of your door.
6. Keep house keys in a safe place
Never hide your house key on the ledge of a door in a flowerpot or under the doormat. These are one of the first places a burglar will look. Instead give your house key to a trusted neighbor for an emergency or to check on your house regularly when you are away.
7. Keep shades and blinds in their normal position
Close enough blinds so a burglar can’t see what is inside, while keeping a few blinds open to make it appear as if someone is home. If all the blinds are closed, this is an obvious indication to a burglar of an empty house.
8. Don’t announce you are going to be gone
Social networking sites give a false sense of security, in which people feel free to let the world know their travel plans. This is just an open invitation for a burglar to rob your home. To keep your home secure, don’t tell people on websites such as Facebook or even on voicemail when you will be on vacation.
9. Evaluate your landscaping
Prune back shrubbery and keep it away from entrances and walkways so that a burglar does not have a place to hide. Place a thorny plant, such as a rose bush or cacti under a window to slow down a thief. Also, examine tall trees near second-story windows and make sure intruders can’t use them as ladders.
10. Have a home alarm system installed and monitored
One of the biggest deterrents to a home invasion is having a home alarm system. Whether it’s wired or wireless, a monitored home security system reduces home burglaries by up to 66 percent.
