7 Tips to Protect Your Home From Robbery and Crime
Keep intruders at bay with these home security tips
It’s unnerving to imagine a burglar in your home, and the idea of crime prevention can feel overwhelming. But there are several methods for securing your home both inside and out that will help deter potential thieves and avoid robbery. Let’s take a look at the best tips to protect your home from burglary and crime.
1. Secure Doors and Locks
Your home’s first line of defense is also the simplest: secure all of the doors. Inspect your exterior doors and make sure that they fully close, are sturdy, and that there are no gaps along the frame. You should also examine each door's strike plate, hinges, and handles for loose parts. If you find any damaged door hardware, repair or replace it immediately. Installing a security door can also be a wise investment, along with deadbolt locks on each exterior door. If your doors and locks are secure, then it will be difficult for robbers to enter your home.
2. Maintain Windows
To ensure that burglars can’t enter your home through a faulty window, regularly inspect window frames, glass panes, screens, and latches. Ensure that you make any necessary repairs as quickly as possible.
Make sure all windows, including sliding doors, are securely attached to their frames and keep them locked when they're closed. You should also consider adding window security film to any potential entry points, such as garages or back porches.
3. Light It Up
Lights are a major deterrent to would-be thieves, so focus on adding outdoor lights around your home’s entry points. Installing motion detector lights near the garage, doors, and windows will also provide additional security outside. To keep the inside of your home well lit, consider incorporating light timers throughout your home, putting them in several different rooms.
4. Be Mindful of Giving Out Spare Keys and Codes
It’s convenient to have a neighbor keep a spare key to your home in case of an emergency, but be mindful of who has access to them. Keep in mind that whoever keeps a spare key has the ability to make and distribute copies, so they should be reserved for a limited number of people.
You should also avoid hiding extra keys outside your home because they can get lost or discovered easily. When you share the garage code with a babysitter or the dog walker, make sure to change it after their shift is over.
5. View From the Outside
Look at your home (and its contents) from the outside. When unoccupied, can burglars see in easily? Are there high-quality or luxury items visible through the doors or windows? To protect your family and possessions from burglary, pay attention to the small details that thieves might view as motivation to enter your home.
6. Consider Installing a Security System
If you are away from home often, work odd hours, or want some extra peace of mind, a home security system might be a good option for your home. There are many local home security pros who can install a security system, as well as a variety of DIY solutions available. Many modern home security systems allow you to monitor the entrances of your home and alert you of any suspicious activity.
7. Create a Smart Home
Thanks to smart home technology, homeowners can now monitor and control nearly every security feature from their smartphone or tablet. Some of the options in smart home safety include:
Security Cameras: Watching the outside of your home via security cameras means being able to keep an eye on package deliveries and any suspicious activity when you’re not home.
Lights: Thanks to various apps, homeowners can control outdoor and indoor lights from a smartphone app or voice-activated assistant.
Locks: Remote access devices allow homeowners to control when exterior doors are locked and unlocked. So while the pet sitter can get in, thieves can’t.
Garage Door: Avoid the dreaded feeling of not knowing if your garage door was left open by installing a smart opener for complete control.