When purchasing your home, you surely considered the safety of the area you would be living in. But burglars often hit where they are least expected. If a burglar cannot breach your home in four or five minutes, So how can you protect yourself and your home against burglars and other intruders? Here are some tips for you.

Know What to Expect

Burglary is one the decline in the United States, which is encouraging but doesn’t mean you can ignore the possibility. From 2008 to 2017, burglaries dropped by 27% and overall property crime has decreased by 69% since 1993.

Further research and statistics show some of the trends in domestic burglaries. Most burglaries happened during the day, in rural areas, and during the summer months. Knowing this, how can you prevent them, or at least make your house a less desirable target.

Check Your Home for Weaknesses

Start by taking inventory of the weakness in your home’s security, and then take the steps to correct them. Trim trees and shrubs near your doors and windows, making it harder for burglars to hide. Consider adding floodlights that are activated by motion detectors, reducing the areas of darkness around the house. Add an intruder alarm, something that also rings at an outside service. Look at the placement of your high-value items. If they can be seen from the street or from front windows, consider moving them so they aren’t such an obvious target.

Simple Security Steps

Some of the security steps you can take are pretty easy to do yourself, while others may need to be contracted out. Take a look at some of these suggestions and see what is appropriate for your home.

If you have sliding glass doors, install a special lock for them, or use a broomstick to make it harder to force them open. Deadbolt locks are the best option, especially a pick-resistant one. An additional chain lock at the top of the door is also an option. Lock any window that can be locked and for windows at street level, metal accordion gates are an option

Establish Good Habits

Just like in any area of life, establishing a routine that makes your house safer is a good bet. Make sure every time you leave the house you lock doors and windows and turn the alarm system on. Keep information about your vacations and work scheduled private. Stay vigilant and let the police know about strangers lurking in your area. Avoid hiding keys in “safe” places outside your home and don’t have a keychain with your address marked on it, as that makes your house a very easy target.

Vacation Tips

When it’s time to go on a vacation, try to make your house look as occupied as possible by leaving blinds in their usual position and using a timer for lights in various places at appropriate times. Keep your regular lawn maintenance schedule by having someone mow in the summer. Have a friend check on your house and collect any mail or packages, or have mail held until your return. Let trusted neighbors know you’ll be away, so they can keep an eye on your house, or even hire a house sitter.

Burglars like an easy target, so if you can implement any of these tips to make their task harder, you’ll discourage them. Many insurance companies also discount policies for homes that have burglar alarms, dead-bolt locks, and/or window grates, these discounts can range from 2 to 15%. Keep in mind that a safe home is a balance of no one getting in who shouldn’t and the ability to get out of your home quickly when needed.

Source: https://www.iii.org/article/securing-your-home-against-burglary