It is prudent to introduce measures to protect your home in the current world where crime is on the rise. Thus burglars tend to operate on homes that seem vulnerable and which they can easily access. The traditional approach of having an expensive Home Security System was once the only conceivable prevention. However, you can achieve the goal of making your house unappetizing to burglars without having to spend a lot of money.
Assess Your Home's Vulnerabilities
Walk around both inside and around the house to identify areas that a would-be burglar may exploit to gain access. Insert your fingers between all doors and windows and try to move them to see how tightly they are set into their apertures. Check that all the locks are in good working condition and cannot be opened using a key knocking or pushing. Look for places such as bushes, fences, and sheds where an intruder could be hiding while looking for an entry point without being noticed. These are areas that must be addressed immediately.
Improve Outdoor Lighting
Another very effective and cost-effective method that can be used in ensuring that your home looks occupied during the night is through outdoor security lighting. Make sure all entrance doors are lighted with new bulbs. Install motion sensor lights in side and back yards to illuminate anyone who may attempt to loiter and sneak around the property. Leave lamps with timers inside on the ground and first floor to create an impression that the house is occupied even when it is deserted. Switch on some lights at night. These tell a would-be thief that there is someone in the house, and they cannot plan an attack when they are least expected.
Secure Doors and Windows by Putting Locks
All exterior doors should have a solid deadbolt lock installed into the frame and not just the door. It is also important to get locks for your Sliding doors and Windows as well. Replace strike plates with heavy-duty ones that are screwed in with 3 inches screws so that criminals cannot kick the door in. Older options include metal security screen doors that act as an extra layer of protection for burglars to get over before getting to the main door. Secure windows that are accessible, those located downstairs, and those you cannot easily see from outside. Window pins prevent windows from being opened to a few inches beyond.
Keep Entry Points Clear
Cut grass short and ensure that bushes and trees do not hinder one from seeing doors and windows from the road. Do not make an intruder’s work easier by offering them places where to hide or where they can try to gain entry discreetly. They usually want to break into a house and steal whatever they want without being caught. Take out equipment where they might scurry up and use different windows to breach through the upper floors. It is important not to leave a spare key where a criminal can easily locate it, such as under the doormat.
Invest In A Safe
One should purchase a quality home safe that has to be fixed on the ground to store valuables. Avoid storing money, jewelry, small appliances, and anything very expensive or dear to you where everyone can get it. Safes serve as yet another layer that delays the burglars who are interested in taking valuables that they can easily sell. One must recall that even relatively cheap and small safes are beyond the capacity of casual burglars to crack open. The wall and floor mounted hidden away are the best.
Display Alarm System Signage
Install fear alarm company lawn signs even if you don’t have to subscribe to the monitoring services. Houses or apartments that have stickers on doors and windows indicating that the house is alarmed also discourage criminals. The fact that an alarm may go off keeps them alert and wary of focusing on a particular property such as yours. Lacking a security camera is also deceiving, which strengthens the understanding that the home is alarmed and monitored. Ironically, this is a fairly effective and relatively inexpensive measure.
Watch For Suspicious Activity
This involves observing individuals or cars that appear suspicious, or those that seem to show a lot of interest in your home. Write down license plate numbers and descriptions to provide the police. Let the kingdom know of any suspicious activity that occurs at odd hours of the night possibly indicating a group of burglars scouting the area. Crime in homes is expected during the holidays especially after people have gone home to spend time with their families. They should be encouraged to share the responsibilities of patrolling your compound or be offered the same opportunity to do the same to their compounds.
Utilize Noisemaking Devices
Batteries or solar power alarms fastened to doors and windows produce undesirable loud alarms which will always warrant the frightening of the intruder once activated. Some even can make strobe light flashes as well I have noticed. Driveway alarms notify of any movement of cars at any time of the day or night. If not at home turn on a radio or television and set it on a talk show so it sounds like people are talking inside. Criminal deterrent recordings of barking dogs make the criminal believe that someone is awake and monitoring the house.
Secure Garages And Sheds
Ensure that all garage doors and windows are closed and locked to minimize the risks of theft of property in the garage. Would-be burglars can sometimes ‘press the button’ on openers to unlock the doors of garages. Close these doors for the off-site areas after every usage. Secure handles, hooks, and bolts on doors and other exits of sheds used for storing garden equipment, and other structures that might be accessed by burglars to get tools to break into the house. Ensure that the property perimeter is fenced and side gates are locked to minimize access from nearby lots to these areas.
Document Valuables
Keep photographic and written records of items especially those that you want to insure in a situation where one has been burgled later on he or she needs to claim from an insurance company. Write down brand, model, and serial numbers as evidence of ownership. Use electronics with manufacturers submitting online records containing purchase dates and prices to support value assertions. Make an online or offsite copy of this documentation.
Practice Sensible Precautions
Be on the lookout when guarding your home at all times. It is not advised to post-holiday plans that state no one will be home for a long time. It is advisable not to share alarm codes or hide keys with neighbors, friends, or relatives even if it is planned to leave them in the house to babysit. Ensure that all doors and windows are closed and locked before leaving the house even if it is for a short time. Approach your home carefully – hold the keys in hand and look for signs of burglary or people breaking into the house or already inside it. Do not approach the criminals but instead escape and call the police.
Adding more lights, locks, sensors, and barricades together with vigilance in identifying any signs of break-ins offer inexpensive security measures against burglaries. Pledge to take ordinary preventive measures every day as if they are very effective in preventing infection. Check the home security system requirements often and replace its components whenever needed. Do not get laid back after some time. The effort needed is insignificant compared to the potential cost of losing, damaging, and having your property invaded in your haven. Anytime there is a rise in crime within your area, it is important to support measures that prevent criminal activities more emphatically. If you apply enough effort you can protect your house from burglars almost as well as using pricey security devices.
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