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Call Today: (317) 863-2982
We all want our home to be our sanctuary, a safe place, where we can relax. In order to keep your peace of mind, it’s important to keep an eye on your locks, points of entry, and the surrounding premises of your property.
You can do a lot yourself to make your home more secure. No one’s property is impervious, but there are numerous ways you can effectively protect your home and family from criminal trespass. If you don’t pay attention to potential vulnerabilities in your security, your house will be more attractive to a burglar. Let’s look at what you might be overlooking.
Upgrade weak or worn-out locks. Any knowledgeable locksmith will tell you that deadbolts always give you better security. Get a grade-2 deadbolt lock, which penetrates the doorframe. Heavy-duty is superior. Smart or digital locks will provide an additional security layer. With some, you can synchronize your smart lock with your smart device, so you won’t have to carry a key at all.
Secure windows and glass doors. An open window is obviously attractive to an intruder. Ground floor windows are more susceptible to break-ins, but upper-floor windows can also be attractive if a robber can get in by stairway, fence, ladder, balcony, or tree. Use a secondary blocking device, such as a wooden dowel, on each window to keep someone from sliding it open from the outside. To comply with the fire code, be sure these window blocking devices can be easily removed from the inside.
Anti-lift devices are needed for ground-level sliding-glass doors, and for aluminum windows that slide horizontally. Install screws half-way into the upper track of the movable glass panel, to prevent it from being lifted out in the closed position. Stick a decal on the glass door or window, near the latch mechanism, indicating that a neighborhood watch system or an alarm system is in place.
Fortify your doors. Check the quality of your outside entries. A hollow door is easier to penetrate, so replace it with a solid-core metal or wooden door. An outside door with a weak lock is vulnerable. Strengthen all your doors’ locks by replacing the strike plate (the stationary piece where the bolt enters), and mounting a solid metal plate on the doorjamb for the sliding bolt. Replace short mounting screws with longer screws, which reach the door’s studs, adding additional strength to the doorframe.
Be a good neighbor. Get to know your neighbors, at least on each side of your home, and also two or three across the street. Good neighbors look out for each other. Communicate often and establish trust. You don’t have to be friends; simply be civil. A good neighbor watches out for your home while you’re gone. Some may even mow or water your lawn, pick up mail, or do other little things to make it look like you’re home. Return the favor.
Don’t keep a “hidden” key outside. Please don’t put your house key under the flower pot, over the door, or under the mat. That’s exactly where a robber will look. If you have a keyholder inside a fake rock, a professional criminal will already know what it looks like. Instead, it’s better to give your spare key to a trusted neighbor or friend.
Sensibly store your keys and garage-door remote. It’s a rotten idea to keep your keys and remotes near a door with a window, or otherwise visible. Hide them inside a drawer or cupboard instead.
Secure your garage. Every prowler knows how to get into your home through the garage or the back door without being seen. When you’re not around, keep the garage door closed and locked.
Store your ladder. Don’t keep a ladder outside, because a crook can pretend to be a handyman or contractor, and use the ladder to enter through a window or balcony.
Keep your yard orderly. Get rid of possible hiding spots by keeping your plants, hedges, shrubs, and trees trimmed. If they’re not well spaced, too tall, or ungainly, a trespasser can hide.
Secure your air-conditioner. Use an air-conditioner bracket, corner braces, or a sliding window lock so no one can get in through the unsecured opening.
Keep your lights in working order. Install outdoor lights near each door, with infrared motion detectors to discourage trespassers. Some lights respond to changes in sound, temperature, or daylight. You can even connect light to a smart device, to detect possible undesirable activity and respond instantly, even while you’re away.
Install timers. Put your porch lights on timers. When you’re out, you can make it look like people are home, using timers on your lights, radios, and televisions. If you’re gone for a long time, you can get a smart light timer installed, so you can monitor and control everything with a mobile app.
Install an alarm system. If an alarm system is in your budget, learn to use it correctly! Teach every family member to use it daily and properly. Clearly, if you don’t arm your alarm system, it’s useless.