If you have valuable possessions in your house, including original art, jewelry or large sums of money, do not assume no one knows about it. A good home security system is the best way to protect yourself from thefts. Learn how to make a safer home by reading these tips.
Trim back the brush aside your home. It may look pretty, but you are giving criminals a hiding place right near your house. Instead, keep an open grassy area between your home and your landscaping. This will help keep unwanted people from getting a close eye view through your windows.
Do not leave your garage doors open, even if you are currently home. Burglars will try to get in through the garage, and if it is open, they can easily break through the door to your home. Use a keypad that requires a combination to allow access into your house.
Don’t open your door when strangers are knocking. You have no way of knowing if the stranger on the other side of the door wishes to do you harm. Make it mandatory that doors in your home are only opened for expected visitors.
Be sure you have secured your attached garage. Intruders could easily break into your garage and access your home. You can use a C-clamp to secure the door and prevent it from being opened by strangers.
Your risks of being the target of home intruders really doesn’t depend on the area in which you live. Others think that living in the country is more risky than other areas because houses are so far apart. Some people think burglaries are less prevalent in rural parts.
Walls are great for hiding things. If you need to protect expensive items in your home, put them inside the walls. Any phone jack or electrical outlet that isn’t being used is a great place to hide valuables. You can also just put in a false plate to cover a hiding place.
Pretend you are a burglar and go at your house. Can you find ways to get in without breaking a window or kicking down a door? How strong are your doors? What if the burglar did kick in a window? How can you, as a thief, be thwarted from even trying to burgle your home?
Always lock your home up tight. Even if you are just popping over to a neighbors house, you need to ensure your house is secure. Most break ins happen with no damage at all – the thief just walks through an open door or slips through an open window somewhere.
Never rely on a spring-latch lock, instead have a deadbolt installed. Spring-latch locks are easy to get through with a simple credit card. Deadbolts can’t be opened so simply and will thwart any burglar who attempts to get in. The cost of installing a deadbolt will be worth it in such a situation.
If you see anyone in your neighborhood you don’t know who seems to continually pop up, including a questionable car, ask your neighbors if they know them. If not, a call to the police will only protect your home, even if it is at the expense of someone who happens to be loitering in a peaceful manner.
When it comes to love, there is nothing like the adoration a dog can provide. That said, they also make a wickedly effective security system. If anyone tries to enter your home unannounced, Rover will be on guard, barking at them until they take off fleeing and your home is safe again.
If you have installed a wireless DIY home security system, you can set it to call you or up to 10 other people in case of a break-in. However, you cannot set 911 as one of the numbers to call, and there is no police backup. The system is purchased more by apartment dwellers than home owners.
Many people have spare keys in case they get locked out, but they often leave them in places where intruders can easily find them. An optional place to hide a spare key is with your outdoor dog. Attaching the key to their collar will allow you to hide a spare and keep it safe, as the dog will scare off intruders.
Don’t use your birthday as the passcode for a keypad lock. A thief can easily find this information out. Instead, make the number something that is hard to figure out.
Children’s rooms and basements make good hiding places for valuables. When a burglar enters a home, they usually target the living areas for electronics and the master bedroom for jewelry and other valuables. Children’s rooms filled with toys and basements used to store ‘junk’ are of little use to intruders and are usually passed over completely.
Don’t assume you’ll never be the victim of a crime; be proactive about securing your home. Avoid becoming paralyzed by fear, but don’t hesitate to make the prudent preparations. Remember the guidelines in this guide in order to improve your home’s security, so you can protect both you and your family.
Looking For Tips About Home Security? You’ve Come To The Right Place! was originally published on Spring