Your home is your castle, where you should feel safe, secure and free from all danger.
And for the most part, homes are exactly that.
Yet, home invasions happen. In 2011, there were more than 9 million property crimes reported in the United States, according to FBI data. That is a lot of crime.
You can take measures to protect your home, valuables and loved ones from property crime so your home remains the strong fortress you envision it to be. In fact, you don't necessarily even need a fancy security system, either.
You can take three simple steps today to protect your home and help protect what you value most.
Window Safety
Criminals often look for the easiest point of entry.
They want to get in, get your stuff and get out as quickly as possible. Windows generally make for the easiest access point into homes. Most of us already have locks on all our windows, perhaps the most basic safety precaution you can take.
Increase your window safety by also installing window vibration alarms. These alarms, which cost between $10 and $20 at any hardware store or online, sound when the glass is moved or broken. Window alarms work especially well for sliding glass doors or patio doors containing a lot of glass.
With these alarms, you can enjoy the beauty of glass doors but also the security a criminal won't use them to gain access to your home.
Eliminate Hiding Places
Your kids might not like losing their favorite hiding spot, but taking care of your outside spaces can act as an excellent deterrent against crime as well.
Keep shrubs around your home trimmed and trim trees so people can't access your home from the branches.
Also, make sure you home is well lit at night.
If there are no shadows, then criminals can't hide in them. You can find a wide selection of flood lights, motion sensor lights and other outdoor lights at your neighborhood hardware store.
Invest in Locks
You can't say enough good things about a really good lock.
They work to keep out the bad guys and thwart their attempts to get into your home. A simple handle lock isn't enough. Invest in deadbolts for your front and back doors and any other exterior doors like a patio door.
To make the door even stronger, add a reinforcement plate at the site of the lock.
These cost anywhere from $10 to $30 and make the door stronger at the site of the lock.
Making your home more secure doesn't require fancy cameras, indoor motion sensors and laser beams.
A few simply do it yourself projects or a small investment in a locksmith for the afternoon will make your home much more secure and keep you from becoming a crime statistic.
