Decorating your new home is unquestionably more enjoyable than installing security measures. However, because a burglary occurs every 30 seconds, home security should be a top priority. Home security measures do not have to be expensive to implement, as there are ways to protect your home without spending a dime.
Burglaries, home break-ins, and vandalism are known to increase when people are away at work, dealing with personal issues, or sleeping. Burglars continue to carry out their malicious activities, to the detriment of unsuspecting individuals who must bear the financial consequences of these thefts. We also believe that protecting your home from destruction and theft should be your top priority as a homeowner.
We’ve compiled a list of six essential tips for improving home security for these reasons without spending any money.
1. Lock all entrances
The simplest and most obvious way to improve home security is to ensure that all entry points, such as front doors, windows, garage doors, and attics, are properly locked. While locking your doors and windows will not prevent a break-in, it will make it more difficult for intruders to gain access to your property.
Make it a point to close all doors and windows, no matter how brief your exit from your home. The more difficult it is for a stranger to gain entry to your home, the less likely you are to become a victim of a burglary. Locking all doors is a proactive step toward protecting yourself, your family, and your belongings from malicious individuals.
2. Hide spare keys
When it comes to your daily keys, you should keep them in the same place every day. That way, you’ll always know where they are, which is convenient. If small children are a problem in your home, you should hang these keys on hooks where they cannot be reached. Most people put their keys in the same place as soon as they walk in the door, and they stay there until they’re needed. This keeps them from getting lost in a cluttered house, but it may make it easier for thieves to find them.
To avoid unwanted guests, you must be a little creative with your key placement. Here are some good places to hide:
- In the form of a hollow, fake rock that blends in with its surroundings
- In the case of a key hider/magnetic key holder
- In the garden, at the foot of a chair
- In the driveway, beneath a loose brick
- Inside or beneath a front-yard children’s toy
- In the doghouse
- Using a nail to secure a key to a nearby tree
3. Prioritize landscaping
While walls, fences, or chain link fencing can be an effective deterrent if they are tall enough, they can be breached if they are not topped with barbed wire, spikes, glass, or other deterrents. A burglar can climb a low wall if he is given a “leg up” by his accomplice, and a chain link fence can be cut with snips or a pocket bolt cutter. Landscaping is perhaps the most unconventional method of improving home security, but it is very effective in deterring intruders. For example, maintain your lawn regularly to demonstrate to potential thieves that the owners are present.
Various shrubs and trees are adorned with venomous thorns, and a burglar would be too tired to cut their way through such a barrier. Holly, whitethorn (hawthorn), flowering quince (japonica), gorse, and berberis are a few examples (some varieties of which have particularly nasty thorns). The disadvantage of prickly hedges is that they are difficult to cut and the thorns easily pierce heavy gloves. You can also train thorny climbing roses or briars across walls and gates.
4. Join a neighbourhood watch group
One of the most effective ways for neighbourhoods to reduce crime in their surrounding areas is through neighbourhood watch. It will also help to protect property by reducing car break-ins and house burglaries. An effective neighbourhood watch programme will aid in the retaking of areas from criminals.
Working with local police and armed response organisations can form a formidable team against criminals and their illegal activities. Individuals must commit to keeping the streets clean and be willing to participate. Most people would agree that prevention is preferable to treatment. It’s a small price to pay to see loved ones suffer the often long-term consequences of being a victim of crime.
A neighbourhood watch group will also raise awareness among residents about criminal activity and what to look out for, as well as show them how to monitor suspicious behaviour and who to report issues to. This will immediately begin to produce results, while also increasing the level of safety for all members of the community, from children to the elderly. This will significantly improve your way of life and reduce the fear of crime in your daily life.
5. Don’t share important information on social media
This point cannot be overstated. Notifying strangers of your whereabouts online and in real time not only puts your home at risk of theft but also puts your life in danger. You may want to share your experiences with your friends via various social media platforms, but you should avoid doing so in real-time. It is risky to reveal your location to people you know little about.
Aside from sharing your location, providing critical information (such as when you leave for work and return home) may put you at risk of robbery. In addition, you should never reveal your home address on social media platforms.
6. Hide valuables
Jewellery, laptops, smartphones, and cameras are the types of small and expensive items that burglars seek and can easily steal, so don’t tempt them and keep them out of sight of windows when you leave your home. It is also recommended that you avoid leaving large sums of money in the house.
Keep keys secure and avoid leaving them on furniture near a mailbox where they can be fished out through the opening.
Conclusion
It doesn’t have to be difficult to figure out how to secure your home. Start with these suggestions. Determine which strategies are most important to you and plan to incorporate the rest later. The best way to keep your home and loved ones safe is to be aware of potential security risks and to take action as soon as possible.