There are numerous ways to enhance your home’s security and not techniques require expensive devices or technology. In fact, it is possible to make some minor adjustment to your home and its exterior to improve your home’s security to a certain degree. Within our miscellaneous improvements section, you will be able to discover a handful of ways to easily prevent an intruder from infiltrating your home!
Many homeowners will make the mistake of leaving ladders standing up against their home. This is a huge mistake, because it makes accessing those second and third floor windows a breeze. If you frequently do DIY repairs around your home, you should take the time to remove all ladders and store them inside of garage or exterior storage shed.
When a burglar searches for a home to burglarize, they will do a thorough walk around, before making their final decision of whether or not to make this family their next victim. The first thing that they will look for is exterior security cameras. If you want to scare those burglars away, without having to invest in an expensive home security system, you should invest in dummy cameras. These devices replicate a real camera, but they do not actually record. Their main purpose is to pretend to be genuine and scare away burglars.
Every homeowner wants their front lawn to look eye appealing. It is not unusual for neighbors to compete to see who can achieve the most appealing landscape. Well, what you may not realize is those large bushes, shrubs, and trees make great hiding places for burglars. Many burglars will hide in bushes near the home that they are going to break into until the family exits the home. Always keep your shrubbery and trees trimmed, so that burglars cannot find a hiding place around your home.
Never Leave “Be Back Soon” Notes
If you truly want to let the burglar know that you are away, you should leave a note for the delivery man on your front door. This is a sure sign that the homeowner is away and the burglar will definitely want to play. Avoid leaving notes in your mail box or on the vehicles that are parked in your driveway, because burglars can read, at least I think they can.
Keep Expensive Electronics Away From Open Windows
Most burglars will not waste their time trying to break into a home that does not have a lot of expensive items. You must remember that they steal these items and sell them to pawn shop owners. If the item is not worth a lot of money, they will have wasted their time breaking into your home. If you want to play it safe, you should never place expensive electronics, heirlooms, or art near open windows. You would be surprised how cunning a thief will be and they will wait months for the perfect time to break into your home.
If you are planning on selling your home, you should avoid using “For Sale” signs. Many burglars will target homes that have these signs in front of them, because they think that the homeowner is busy preparing for their relocation. These signs are considered a welcome sign for burglars.
Many individuals will make a huge mistake by posting a timeline of vacations, family trips, and other celebrations that require them to be away from home. If you are planning a vacation, you should not head to social media and post a timeline of this event. You would be surprised with how many people read your Facebook or Twitter postings, without your knowledge. This is a huge mistake that will broadcast to the world that you are going to be away from your home. This puts your home at risk of being broken into and you will clueless, until you return from your trip.
Exterior motion detector lighting will definitely keep burglars at bay. These lights are very energy efficient and will turn on and off automatically. These lights are integrated with a motion sensor, which when triggered will automatically turn the light on. You can preset the light to only operate during the nighttime hours, because they are not needed during the day. You should place these all the way around your home close to the roof and above entrance doors. When the light comes on this will alert the homeowner that an unwanted visitor is in the vicinity.
Change Door Locks If Keys Are Misplaced
If any time, you or one of your family members misplaces the entrance door key, you should immediately replace the deadbolt. You can never be sure whose hands those keys will end up in, so it is best to play it safe, by replacing your front door lock. It is much cheaper to purchase a new door lock than it would be to replace your expensive electronics and art. And remember some items such as heirlooms cannot be replaced.
Dogs are not only a man’s best friend, but they will keep burglars at bay. If a burglar comes around your home, the watch dog will immediately sense their presence and let out a large bark to alert the homeowner. A dog is very reliable and will monitor your property 24-hours a day, so you can have peace of mind that a thief will not break into your home.
Never Place Spare Key Underneath A Mat
Many homeowners will leave a spare key underneath the door mat or above the door for emergencies. You truly never know, whether or not you’re going to lock your keys inside of your vehicle. Still, you should never place a key underneath your mat. Burglars are very familiar with this behavior and will immediately sneak around your home to search for spare keys.
If you want to keep your valuables safe, you should invest in a home safe. This will not only keep burglars from getting your precious valuables, but will protect your important paperwork in case of a fire. Be sure to purchase a safe that will be too heavy for the burglar to pick up. An electronic digital safe will nearly be impossible to crack, so this is exactly what you should purchase.
Say “Yes” To Home Security Surveys
As mentioned above, burglars are very cunning. They will go so far as to make calls to homeowners to ask them about their home security system. Never tell them that you do not own a security system, because this will immediately throw up a red flag. They will take note of the homes that do not have a security system and if your home is on the list, then it may be next in line to be burglarized.
If you are planning on having your entire door locks and deadbolts replace, be sure to hire a reputable locksmith. Avoid hiring a locksmith, just because they are offering you a cheaper service. This company may not be very trustworthy and that may be why they are offering you a fantastic deal.
Of course, no one enjoys mowing the lawn, but you should do it on a routine basis. Many burglars will suspect that you are away on vacation, if your grass is extremely high. This could also be a sign that you have vacated your home for those that are not familiar with your mowing habits. You should mow your lawn weekly or bi-weekly, so thieves will know that you are at home.
If your telephone and security system wires are exposed, this can be very risky on your part. Many burglars will use wire or bolt cutters to snip the wires, before they enter your home. Play it safe and do a thorough search around your home for any visible wiring. Use conduit or other wire guards cover up exposed wiring, so thieves will not be able to disarm your security system or motion detector lights.
If you are going to be away and not return home until after dark or going on vacation, you should consider installing timers on your interior lighting. This will make your home appear as if it is occupied, so burglars will move on to their next prospect. You can find many timers that will plug directly into any electrical outlet. This will allow you to plug your desk lamps into them, without having to do any type of wiring. Just preset the timer for the lights to automatically come on at dusk and remain on until you return home.
If you have sliding or patio doors in your home, you may not realize how vulnerable they are for break ins. Many burglars will go straight for sliding doors and avoid those solid entrance doors, because they are very easy to force open. Place metal bars on all of your sliding door, even if they are located on the second floor, because burglars will definitely find a way to force them open and nothing is out of reach for them.
Always install interior door hinges on your exterior doors. This will prevent burglars from being able to remove the hinge pin and gain entrance into your home. If you do not want to purchase new hinges, you should check to see if your preexisting hinges can be reset, so they are on the interior portion of your home. The interior door hinge only costs a couple of dollars each, but they will definitely help secure your home better.
To keep burglars from being able to break the glass panes in your windows, you should install double-pane glass. These are a little more expensive than the single-pane glass, but they will keep burglars from gaining access to your home. If you have a tight financial budget, you should purchase these glass panes for all of the windows that are located on the main floor of your home.
You never know when you may need to call 911. A burglary can occur at any time during the day or night. If you want the responding police officer to find your home in a timely manner, you should make your house numbers visible. Replace those small numbers with large, reflective numbers, so the police car’s lights will reflect on the numbers. This will ensure quick and speedy service, so the burglar will not have time to break into your home.
Always keep your expensive tools locked up in your shed or garage. Make sure to secure the doors with heavy duty latches and padlocks. You will find a large variety of padlocks that cannot be cut with bolt cutters. This will keep your expensive items safe from burglars. Never leave your tools lying around your home, because this is risky behavior that is begging for a thief to steal you from you.
Never throw your personal data in the trash, because this will be an open door for thieves to steal your identity. You will be much safer, if you purchase a paper shredder. Just shred the documents, before you toss them in the trash.
While everyone wants to store their car in their garage, where it will be safe from the environments, you should consider parking it in your driveway. This will ensure potential thieves that you are at home, so they will move on to their next prospect. If you have a second vehicle, you should keep it parked in the driveway, while you are away at work or on vacation.
Only Hire Reputable Lawn Service Providers
If you tend to hire a lawn service provider every summer to maintenance your lawn, you should do a thorough research of each company. Take the time to ask the neighbors or friends for references. This is the best way to find a reputable lawn service provider, so you will never have to be concerned about your home getting burglarized, while you are away.
Install Peepholes In Your Entrance Doors
Never open your door to uninvited visitors. Instead, you should install peepholes in your entrance door, so that you can see who is standing on the other side. Many homeowners make the mistake of opening their door to see what the visitor wants, but this is very risky behavior. Peepholes are extremely easy to install and they will definitely help heighten the security around your home.
Chain Bikes And Ladders Securely
If you do not have a lot of storage space, you should consider chaining your bikes, ladders, and large equipment or tools to a heavy object. You will find a large variety of chains and locks than cannot be cut with bolt cutters. While you may be forced to spend a little extra cash on a heavy duty chain, it will be worth it, because thieves will not be able to steal your expensive items.
Cut Down Tall Trees Near Second Floor Windows
Not only will tall trees make great hiding places for peeping Tom, but they also make a great access to second floor windows. Many homeowners will take these high windows for granted and leave them unsecured, even while they are away from home. This is a huge mistake that can increase your risk for burglary. If you want to make the interior and exterior of your home safe, then you should call a tree cutting service provider.
Never Put Your Name On Your Mail Box
Another huge mistake that many homeowners will make is putting their name on their mail box. This will only encourage burglars to contact you by snail mail or landline to see if you are at home. Instead of putting your full name on the mail box, you should consider using the first initial of your first and last name.
If you hire a plumber or electrician to do some repair work around your home, you should ask for their credentials, before allowing them to enter your home. You can ask them to slide it underneath the door or stick it up to the peephole. This will ensure you that the individual is exactly who they say they are, so you are not at risk of being robbed, when you open the door.
Never Allow Someone To Use Your Phone
Many burglars will pretend that their vehicle has broken down and they need your assistance. Never open the door, but instead call a mechanic or 911. This will definitely keep you and your family safe from being robbed or burglarized.
Solid Wood Or Metal Entrance Doors
Many homes are secured with plywood or weak entrance doors. Burglars can smash right through these without any effort. If you do not have strong entrance doors, then you should definitely install solid wood or metal doors. Burglars will have a difficult time trying to kick one of these doors in and as a matter of fact, they may end up in the emergency room, if they attempt this ridiculous stunt.
Put Solder On All Screw Heads
If there are any exposed screws around your windows or doors, you should consider putting a drop of solder on the head of the screw. This will prevent the burglar from being able to utilize a screwdriver to remove the screw. Place a large drop on top of the screw, so they will not be able to pry it away to gain access to the embedded slots.
Many homeowners love to let the sun shine in their home, but this can be a huge mistake. While it may be okay to do this for several hours during the day, you should never leave your windows uncovered at night. Many burglars will scout out a particular home for many weeks or even months for that matter, before they actually decide to break into it. If they see your expensive décor and electronics, they will definitely want to take the risk of burglarizing your home. Use shades or thick drapes to prevent others from being able to see into your home at dusk and nighttime.
Join Neighborhood Watch Groups
Many neighborhoods will form watch groups to deter crimes from occurring in their vicinity. The members are supposed to report all suspicious activity within the neighborhood to the local police department. You would be surprised with how effective these groups area in cutting down the crime rate. If you reside in a small or large subdivision or even a gated community, you should join the neighborhood watch group. If there is not one available in your area, you should consider organizing one.
Many homeowners make the mistake of recording a message on their answering machine that apologizes to the caller, because they are away from home. This is a huge mistake that should be avoided at all costs. This is just opening yourself up to a burglar and inviting them into your home. If you do have an answering machine, you should immediately change the greeting.
Whether you’re going to be home alone or your children will be there with you, you should make sure that phone numbers are readily available. Phone numbers for your closest family members and those for the authorities should be written down nearby. This will help to ensure that someone will always be able to alert the authorities and other responsible individuals, in the event of an accident.
