We should always be conscious about locking our house down when we leave, whether it’s for a grocery store run or a weekend away. Burglars are sneaky and can break into your home when you’re least expecting it. The last thing you want is to come home, realize you forgot to lock a door and find your home has been invaded.
According to alarms.org, there are roughly 2.5 million home break ins each year in the United States. Don’t let your home become one of those. Here are some tips to prevent intruders from entering your home and taking away your sense of security.
Think About the Exterior
What many of us forget to take into consideration when planning home security is the exterior of our home. You can walk the perimeter of your home and look for any easy-access points that an intruder may get into. This could be low windows, unlocked doors or tall shrubs to hide behind.
If you take a look into your windows, can you see any valuables? Are there any expensive items such as televisions, stereos or computers in plain sight? Avoid enticing intruders with these and put them in areas of the house that aren’t visible from the outside.
Expensive outdoor items are important to keep secured as well. This includes grills, cars and bikes. Keep them locked up in the garage or shed.
The next thing to think about when surveying the exterior of your home is the shrubbery surrounding your home. If you have a lot of foliage, it is important to keep it trimmed and short. This is going to make it harder for burglars to sneak around your house without being seen.
Second stories are not impossible to break into either. Protect your home from intruders by cutting the limbs to any trees you may have near your second story windows.
Take advantage of outdoor lighting. Burglars are going to be deterred from homes that have a lot of outdoor lighting for the fear of being caught. Lights can be beneficial near entry points and windows. You could install motion sensor lights as well that would be triggered if an intruder were sneaking around your home.
Lastly, keep your exterior secure through the use of security cameras. Many people have front door cameras that capture delivery men, food delivery and can even catch intruders. Not only will a visible camera scare a possible intruder, but you will be able to catch their identity on video. You can even communicate with whoever is at the front door with some security camera brands. This could help stop burglars from stealing items off your front porch.
Cameras are also good for checking who is at the front door. If you are home alone, it is important to check who is outside before answering the door. This could be helpful for children who are left home alone as well.
Secure the Interior
The first step to securing the inside of your home is locking all of your doors and windows. If you don’t have locks on your windows, you should invest in some to keep your home safe. Always keep your doors and windows locked when you’re away from the house, even during the daytime.
Invest in a safe or lock box for extremely valuable items. If a burglar were to break into your home, you want to make sure that important items and documents are locked up safe. If you have a safe, make sure it is either too heavy to move or built into the wall so that the intruder won’t take it with them.
The next best way to secure the interior of your home is through motion and door sensors. Door sensors will give you an alert whenever a door is opened, and they can be added to windows as well. Motion sensors are different because they will sound an alarm when any movement is detected in the home. These are great for when you’re not in the house and want that extra protection.
Here at Twin City Security our number one goal is to provide you and your family top notch service and advice to ensure your home is protected! To learn more about how you can keep your home’s security up to date, contact us through our website form or call (334) 749-8385.