There is nothing like feeling unsafe to ruin your day, week, month or year. Your home should be the one place that you feel safe, no matter what. Did you know that every 13 seconds there is a home intrusion committed in the United States? That’s over 2 million home burglaries each year! I didn’t bring up that statistic to scare you, or maybe I did, but the real reason is that break-ins can be prevented with a little planning.
Since most thieves look for easy access it’s important that you take a few precautions.
Tip #1: Home security statistics tell us that burglars will bypass a home if it requires too much effort or skills to gain entry. That’s why the front and back doors are favorite targets. First, make sure that you have upgraded your doors and your locks. Since a burglars favorite tools are screwdrivers, pliers, pry bars and small hammers, if you make it difficult they will move on:
- Use a solid core or metal door at all entrance points.
- Lock all outside doors
- Use a heavy duty deadbolt with a one inch throw bolt.
- Use a heavy duty strike plate with 3 inch screws that go right into the door frame.
Tip #2: If you had the unfortunate experience of your house being broken into make sure that you change the locks regardless if they broke the door in or not. If they broke in and your lock still engages make sure that you replace the lock and the door anyway, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. If they got in some other way it’s a good idea to replace the locks anyway because you just never know if they found your spare.
Tip #3: Keep your windows locked! Most break-ins happen during the warmer months because of windows being left unlocked after they were open all day. An open window that is visible from the street is particularly attractive, be diligent in keeping your windows locked.
Tip #4: If you just bought a new home make sure that you replace the locks as soon as possible. Why? Because you never know who the previous owner gave a key to or even if they kept one for themselves. Also, if it’s a new build, a lot of times the builder buys locks in bulk and they aren’t always of the highest quality.
Tip #5: Sliding glass doors usually rely on a simple latch and is easily forced open. Make sure that you use a stick, board or metal bar in the track to prevent movement.
There are a lot of other things you can do, like install an alarm, install motion sensing lights and the use of timers to turn lights on and off when you’re not home, but most of all just use plain ‘ol common sense when it come to protecting your home and keeping your family safe.
Bonus Tip: If your home has been broken into, we encourage you to get support. A break-in can have significant emotional and psychological effects on the parties involved. People tend to report a feeling of fear or anxiety and a sense of violation. That’s why it is important for you and your family to seek help from a therapist or support group in your area.
If you want to have a conversation with a professional security expert, feel free to contact us.
