The Less Obvious Side of Security
June 18, 2010
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A wallet friendly look at what we can all do to better secure our homes.
When we think of home security we immediately think of locks and keys. Properly installed locks should be the first step in securing most anything, but there is a lot more to security than locks alone. Making something secure can involve anything from lights to trimming your hedges. Here is a list of ideas to make your home more secure when you already have your doors locked.
- Shatter resistant window films. Very cheap and effective.
- Don’t keep ladders outside the home. Ladders can let burglars into less guarded second story windows.
- A barking dog can deter criminals. Noise draws attention and that’s exactly what burglars don’t want.
- Trim back large bushes growing next to your home. This allows criminals to hide for extended periods of time with less chance of being spotted.
- When you park your car in your garage at night, make sure it’s locked and the alarm is set.
- Remove the release cord on your electric garage door opener. By disengaging the opener the door can be lifted by hand, which is what you don’t want them doing.
- Planting thorny shrubs or rosebushes outside of your home can deter criminals.
- Placing alarm-company signs, neighborhood-watch stickers, or ‘beware of dog’ notices can deter crime, but will only really help you if you have the real deal to back it up.
- Keep all points of entry to your home well-lit. Consider installing motion-sensor lights on the rear and sides of your home and position them in out-of-reach places.
- Mark your expensive electronics with an ID code. This can be done with invisible ink or an engraver. If your goods get stolen the police can ID your goods faster.
Anything that makes a criminal think twice about robbing you adds to the overall security of your home and doesn’t have to cost a fortune. These security measures won’t stop all criminals but when combined with your layered security system can severely reduce crime.
