You may have never had your home burglarized, but no doubt you know someone who has. People have to be very careful about home burglaries these days because they are increasing in frequency. Home invasions can occur anywhere; no neighborhood is immune. This article discusses strategies for increasing your home’s security.
When you buy a new home, be sure to have the locks changed. It’s important to know everyone who has a key to your home. Changing the locks will give you peace of mind that you and your family are the only ones who have access to your home. Give a key to someone you trust in case you get locked out.
Use a safe to protect your valuables. This is vital, as you want to safeguard your valuable items in case of home burglary. Keep your safe in your basement or attic to make it hard to find.
Don’t let everyone in your social network know that you are leaving the home unprotected for your vacation trip; especially the people who you aren’t familiar with. Though trips are always fun to talk about, you may be doing little more than telling burglars the best times to visit your house.
Don’t make a habit of giving strangers access to your home. Even if this stranger has a believable story or is trying to sell you something, do not let them in. Some people will simply knock on your door to see whether or not there is a security system installed, and if there isn’t, they may target you later when you’re away.
Make sure your attached garage is secure. Intruders can enter your home through an unlocked garage door. If your garage lifts up on a track, try using a C-clamp. This will prevent your door from opening up if the clamp is close to its roller.
Make your home safer by storing your car inside the garage. This will help to keep your vehicle safe. Hiding the car from plain sight can keep possible intruders from figuring out when you’re home and also when you are not.
Put up motion activated lighting. The lights will be triggered when someone gets too close to the house. You will receive advance warning of any potential issues, and a would-be intruder will probably be scared off. Remember to keep working bulbs in them at all times.
Hide your valuables in the walls. Concealing small valuables in your walls is an easy and highly effective way to protect them. Just access unused switch plates, outlets or phone jacks. If you use all of them, you can always have fake ones installed.
Keep your most valuable possessions inside your walls. Don’t make it obvious by cutting out big chunks of drywall. You can find areas in your walls that are pre-cut and use those. An unused outlet can be taken apart, and the space used to create a tiny hidden safe.
You want an alarm system that protects more than your doors. Your windows should also be protected because burglars can also break into them. If you have an alarm attached to each of your windows and doors, you can keep track of all the entry points for your home. This will make your family safer.
Don’t allow the wires of your home security system to be visible to others. A burglar will simply cut the wires if he can see them. Don’t make it easy for an intruder, have the wires buried or hidden within the home’s walls. Your system will be far more effective this way.
Make sure all the wood around your doors is in great shape. An intruder could pry the rotten wood easily to open the door. Replace wood that is starting to rot with fresh new wood to keep your home as safe as possible.
If someone from the security company comes to your home, ask to see their ID before allowing them in. Burglars are creative, and they often pose as a member of the security team to get inside. This is a danger to your belongings and your family. Caution is always advisable if dangers like this are to be avoided.
Don’t fool yourself into thinking that your home is not a target for burglars because it’s not the fanciest house in the neighborhood. Easy access to the home is what most criminals look for. If you follow the tips written in this guide, you will surely be able to protect your house from unwanted intruders.