It’s alarmingly easy to forget about home security matters. Most people feel safe if they simply lock their doors at night. While that definitely helps, sometimes it’s not enough. Thieves are getting bolder and smarter; if there’s a way in, they’ll be sure to find it. So, it’s time to start reassessing your home and look for weaknesses in terms of home security. Even if you think you’d be hard pressed to find any, there are probably at least a few chinks in your armor.
The first step you should take is to do a simple survey. Walk around your home and imagine being a burglar yourself. Looking at your home from another perspective can be incredibly informative. Think about underhanded ways a thief might get in—that skylight or bathroom window on the second floor may seem difficult to manage, but, an ingenious thief will surely find a way in.
Next, take inventory of your doors and windows. These are most likely your weakest points. According to the statistics two thirds of all burglars gain entry via the front or back door. Sometimes they don’t even use force. If you’ve got old locks on your door, it’s probably a good time to get them replaced with something more modern and harder to force. You may even want to replace your door altogether and get a stronger door that’s been reinforced with added layers or strike plates. All entrance doors should be equipped with peepholes or viewers, preferably those that give you a 360 degree view of whatever is outside. If your door has glass panels, you should add a protective film or replace the glass panels altogether with laminated glass. The door frames should be solid, making it harder for a thief to gain entry by kicking down the door. You can easily reinforce the doors by adding steel strips and plates around the lock and to the frame. Mortise locks and bolts should be added to all exterior doors including French style doors (on both sides).
Never place your keys outside, under a doormat or in a letterbox.
Thieves know where to look for spare keys; you don’t want to make it easier for them to get into your house.
Outdoor lighting is important. A well lit house is much less appealing to a would be thief than a dark house filled with shadows.
Experts suggest that homeowners use low-energy dusk to dawn lights as opposed to energy guzzling flood lights. The latter tends to make more shadows and consumes a lot of energy; dusk to dawn lights however, will keep your property lit throughout the night and they won’t put a dent in your wallet. Motion activated lights are also recommended. Make sure to put these out of reach (place them about 8 feet off the ground) so that these can’t easily disable them.
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