If you have a home, you should be worried about burglars. Here are 44 home security tips that you can use to keep the burglars away:
- Keep your doors locked all of the time.
- Use a deadbolt on every door.
- Don’t leave ladders outside.
- Teach young kids NOT to answer the door.
- Make sure there are no valuables sitting out that someone could see from the window.
- Keep curtains and shades drawn tight at night.
- Install a peephole.
- Don’t answer the door unless you expect someone.
- Cover all windows with an anti-penetration film known as shatter proof window film.
- Put a “beware of dog” sign in the front and back of your property.
- If you don’t have a dog, make it look like you do. Drape a large leash over your outdoor furniture, place a large food bowl with water outside, and even throw some dog toys in the yard.
- Don’t leave the garage door open or unlocked, ever.
- Put your valuables in a sock and hide them under your bathroom vanity. Burglars don’t often check bathrooms.
- Even better, put it in a fireproof safe.
- Make sure all of your window locks work, and make sure to lock all windows at night.
- Don’t allow bushes to grow too high near the home. These offer hiding places for burglars.
- Plant thorny bushes around the windows and doors.
- Teach your family about fire escape, and then conduct “home invasion drills”
- If there are no men in the house, create the illusion of one. Place old, worn men’s work boots by the door along with a tool box.
- Make sure all of your window screens are in excellent condition, not torn.
- Use stoppers or Charlie bars in all window tracks.
- Get a new security system, and make sure it includes motion sensors and cameras.
- Place a video surveillance camera, or even a fake one, above the front and back door where it is always visible.
- If you are planning a vacation, talk to a neighbor about parking their car in your driveway. Also, ask someone to mow your lawn.
- When away, put a hold on your newspaper and mail delivery.
- Set up a system that turns on lights inside and out when you are home or away. This way, it looks like you are home.
- Don’t post about your vacation on social media until you get home. Burglars look for those posts.
- Put decals from a security company on your windows and front door.
- Put a security system sign in both the front and the back yard.
- Don’t talk about your travel plans with preachers, service people, survey takers, or salespeople. They may not have bad intentions, but people talk too much.
- Install a lockbox for spare keys.
- Consider building a “safe room.”
- Make sure your home’s address is large and very visible from the street.
- Put your name inside opposed to outside the mailbox. No need to broadcast it to buglers
- Don’t say “We aren’t home right now” on your voice mail recording.
- Check all windows after you have a service person in your home. Sometimes, they leave windows open so that they can get in later.
- Consider keyless smart locks.
- Get a protection dog.
- Take a self defense course.
- Don’t leave any packages sitting outside of your house. Instead, schedule packages when you can sign for them or use a sign-for service.
- Have a phone on your night stand.
- Install a good door reinforcement system. Door Devil is a good one.
- If you leave the house, turn off the ringer of your home phone. This way, burglars won’t hear it ring without anyone picking it up.
- Give a key to your home to a trusted neighbor. Don’t ever leave it under a plastic rock, welcome mat, or a flower pot.
- Assume that the guy who knocks at the door representing your alarm company who just shows up wants to rob you.