Expert Home Security Comparison Guide and Reviews

Straightforward Home Security Tips That Anyone Can Use

August 31st, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed

Have you ever come across one of those home security magazines and after reading it felt like you have to work for over a month to turn your home into a a place like Fort Knox like the article suggested?

Unless you’re trying to protect the Hope Diamond, then home security tips pretty much don’t need to be that much of a challenge. Primarily, when a burglar surveys or “cases” your home, that individual is considering a few basic questions. Can I break into this house easily (i.e., quickly)? Will I have privacy? Is there anything in this home worth stealing? If all the answers come up yes, your home may very well be a target. If you can change the answer to even one of those questions into a resounding “NO,” you can increase your home security.

Important Home Security Tips

One of the best and most obvious home security tips is that you should always be sure to lock your house up before you leave. Doors should be metal or have a solid wood core with hinges located on the inside. Don’t count on a typical doorknob lock to deter a burglar. A thick deadbolt lock that extends at least an inch into the door jam, on the other hand, will discourage most burglars who don’t want to take the time to mess with it.

Windows and sliding glass doors should also be locked. Also, you can place a blocking or anti-lift device on windows, and use a blocking device like a sturdy piece of wood or a steel bar to hold your sliding glass door shut.

Shrubbery around the windows and doors can give burglars a place to hide while they work, unless you choose prickly plants like that of rose bushes or a pyracantha, for instance. Crooks want to walk away with a handful of cash, after all, and not a handful of thorns.

Another one of the best home security tips is that no burglar wants to call attention to what he or she is doing. Anything that interrupts privacy, like a loud dog, a bright light, or an alarm system will discourage the average burglar from putting your house on his or her list.

Even if you don’t actually have a dog or an alarm system, put up a sign in your yard that says “Beware of the dog,” and post an alarm decal prominently on your window. When it comes to criminals you don’t have to be honest.

Don’t go boasting about expensive items you may have, and don’t leave your entertainment system, computer system, or other types of valuables where they can be easily noticed through a window. The less the burglars are tempted, the less the odds that they will make you a target for their criminal activity.