Everyone thinks about it, but no one wants to speak up about it. Home invasion is a very real problem that we all face, no matter where we live or how safe our neighborhoods and homes are. If we can identify the problem areas that are attacked most frequently, we can then stand a chance to improve the safety of our lives. Here are some easy ways to improve your home’s security to defend against home invasions.
Keep Your House Tidy
Above all else, if a burglar enters your home, there may be specific things that they are after, but if valuables are lying around, then you can be sure that they will snatch those as well. Keeping your house clean and organized will increase home security by making the burglar’s job that much harder, leaving them unsure of what to do in such a short amount of time. Even if alarms aren’t set up, the burglar will be in a rush to get in and out of the situation as quickly as possible.
Don’t Hide Keys
Among things that burglars know how to do best is search for things. If you are planning on hiding a key under the mat of the front door, then you can be sure that will be the first place they look. Try not to be so obvious about where you are hiding your things, especially if they hold a high significance, like the keys to your house or garage. You might invest in a smart lock that requires a separate key or key code to get into the house with only credentials that you know and have.
Keep Them Guessing
The best way to disguise yourself is to do things in such a way that will be unsuspecting. Having this mentality, you can almost hide in plain sight if you know what to do. If you allow the burglar to assume that you are home, then it will be less likely that anyone will attempt to rob you of your possessions. Keeping lights on and locking your garage door can deter burglars from entering your home. Or having something in place like a guard dog in the house will keep them from breaking in, as the dog will alert the neighborhood of anything going on.
Over Protection Is Targeting
Most people might believe that if they barricade their homes, they will have added protection. While this might hold some truth, it may end up that it provides the burglar some added protection while breaking into your home. Having high fencing and hedges may not be something that you want to add to your home, as people can camouflage into their surroundings much easier. If you keep an open area, then your visibility will be increased, and you can see the assailant coming long before they make it to your door. Instead of having high fencing, you might invest in something like a chain link fence installation for this same reason.
Too Much Glass Leads To Break-Ins
Front door security is essential. It’s often that you will see homes with windows next to doors and openings; this should never happen. If you can avoid it, make sure that there is no glass around your door, and especially not around your door handle. Having glass implemented into your door or near it provides easy access if someone ever breaks into your house. Breaking through the glass, they could easily reach the handle and the locks and be inside your house before you know it. You might opt for a steel entry door, or you could install a security system so that you don’t have to worry about break-ins, but you should always be on guard with these kinds of additions to your home.
Secure Your House With Lighting
Having lighting installed around the perimeter of your house is never a bad idea, even if just to help people around those troubling spots that are dim and hard to navigate. But most importantly, having the proper lighting is one of the best home defense systems you can provide. Having something on hand like floodlights is a great idea because they are motion detected, and you can install them high enough where they won’t be tampered with. These lights are also blinding, so you will never have to worry about it being dark around your home. And once they come on, they stay on for a long time.
Secure All Levels of the House
Keeping your house safe does not mean just locking the front and back doors and turning the alarms on. To be fully protected, you will need to secure all areas and levels of the house, from the garage to the attic. So, especially if you have multiple stories in your home, you will need to make sure to lock the windows. You can even go so far as to install window sensors and glass break detectors to give you that extra security you desire.
Call the Police
When in doubt, call the police. If you have taken all the necessary precautions and invasion happens regardless, this could put your life and the lives of your family members at risk. Never second guess whether you can take things into your own hands or that they might leave and leave you unharmed. It may even be a good idea to call the police as soon as you assume that the invasion is happening, long before they make the break-in.
Be Mindful of Your Environment
Above all else, keep your wits about you and have common sense. Just being aware of your surroundings and the area that you live in will provide you with a level of protection that no security system could ever provide. If you suspect that something suspicious is taking place, then you can immediately act on it and prevent something criminal from happening with the right procedure and protocol.
Make sure that you are protecting yourself and your loved ones. There is no specific time or place that is marked safe from a home invasion or burglary. You should act proactively to prepare for the worst, even if it never happens to you. With these easy ways to improve your home’s security, you can keep things protected and safe at home.
