Your home is your haven. It’s where you create memories, spend time with family, and retreat to after spending the better part of your day dealing with the hustle and bustle of the world outside. As such, it should be a safe place, which is why many homeowners adopt security measures to make sure their homes – and everyone in them – are safe at all times.
As a homeowner, there are plenty of things you should know about how to ensure your house is always safe and secure, including the following.
1. Solid Doors Are Most Secure
Intruders can make their way into your home from various points of entry, including your front door. Short of picking the lock, intruders can go so far as to attempt to break the door down in an effort to make their way into your home.
The safest and strongest doors are solid doors. Whether they’re all wood or are covered in a steel shell with a solid wood core, solid doors are much tougher to break down than other types.
2. Exterior Doors Should Have Deadbolts
If your home’s exterior doors don’t already have deadbolts on them, now is the time to have them installed. Deadbolts add another level of security to exterior doors and make breaking into your home much more difficult.
While you’re at it, consider having the locks on all your windows updated as well to make sure they’re not easy to break into, either. This is especially true if your home’s windows are older.
3. Sliding Doors Should Be Secured
Sliding doors present an easy way for intruders to break into homes. If your home has sliding doors, be sure to secure them with a strong metal bar that extends across the doorway from one side of the frame to the other. This will make it much harder for the doors to slide back and be opened.
Take things one step further and install shatter-resistant films over top of the glass to deter burglars from trying to break the glass door to gain entry.
4. Cameras Can Serve as a Deterrent
Security cameras are useful for catching burglars. The footage recorded can be viewed through your computer or smartphone to see who is trying to make their way into your home. But just the presence of cameras around the perimeter of your home can act as a deterrent to intruders who might not want to bother with a home that can potentially catch them in the act.
Not only can real security cameras deter burglars, but so can fake ones. “Dummy” security cameras can trick intruders into believing that your home is armed with cameras, and may be enough of a deterrent to convince them to look elsewhere.
5. Motion Lights and Sensors Can Detect Potential Intruders
Lights that are equipped with motion sensors will automatically turn on when they detect the presence of someone or something moving. These can be especially useful outdoors around your home.
If someone approaches your home, the lights will turn on and illuminate whoever is near. Shining a light on potential intruders can deter them from continuing on with any nefarious plans to invade your home.
6. Security Alarms Can Alert Neighbors and Authorities
Home security alarm systems provide a great way to alert neighbors and authorities if your home has been invaded, either while you’re home or when you’re away. If your system is monitored, the police will be notified.
7. Trees and Bushes Near Homes Can Serve as Hiding Spots and Points of Entry
Burglars often look for places to conceal themselves while they’re trying to break into homes so they’re not detected. Many times, they use bushes and trees that are very close to the exterior walls of homes as hiding places.
Some may even climb tall trees to help them make their way to second-level windows as their point of entry. As such, be sure to keep your trees and bushes trimmed back so they have no room to hide or gain entry into your home.
8. Security Can Be Monitored Remotely
These days, we have smart technology at our fingertips to help make our homes “smart.” Using your mobile device, you can arm your home remotely with the touch of a button.
Alarm systems can be armed or disarmed, video cameras can be viewed in real time, and doors can be locked, all without having to be physically present. Consider having your home installed with smart security that will help you keep your home safe from afar.
9. Don’t Post Your Vacation on Social Media Until You’re Back Home
You might be excited to share your vacation with the world through social media, but try to resist the urge to post pictures until you return.
Anyone can see these photos and will know that your home is vacant and vulnerable to a break-in with no one there to do anything about it. To keep things safe, wait until you get back to fill your social media pages with your vacation pictures.
10. Have Your Mail and Newspapers Picked Up While You’re Away
Piles of newspapers and an overflowing mailbox are obvious signs that nobody’s home. When you go on vacation, be sure to have a neighbor or family member pick up your mail and newspapers. Or, call your newspaper delivery service or postal service to have all mail held for however long you’ll be gone.
The Bottom Line
Home security cannot be understated, for obvious reasons. Nothing is more important than your safety and that of your family members. As such, it’s recommended that you take measures to secure your home to minimize the odds of your home and your family being burglarized.
