We all want to feel safe and secure in our own homes. Unfortunately, break-ins and burglaries do happen, even in the nicest of neighbourhoods. The good news is there are many simple steps you can take to deter intruders and make your home a harder target. As a homeowner on the Central Coast, I’ve picked up quite a few tips over the years from our great local locksmiths at AllCoast Locksmiths. Here are 11 of the best ways to burglar-proof your house.
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11 Tips to Better Protect Your Home from Intruders
1. Double Check Locks on All Doors and Windows
This one is Locksmithing 101, but you’d be surprised how many people have outdated or faulty locks. Inspect all exterior doors and windows to ensure the locks are high-quality and functioning properly. Consider upgrading to pick-resistant locks or get a professional evaluation from a domestic locksmith services company.
2. Light it Up
Burglars loathe brightness. Install motion sensor lights around the perimeter of your home, especially illuminating side gates, backyards, and entrances. Keep the front of your home well-lit at night by leaving outdoor lampposts or porch lights on.
3. Cut Hiding Spots
While hedges and tall shrubbery can be lovely landscape features, they also create perfect hiding spots for intruders. Keep bushes and trees trimmed away from windows, doors, and fence lines. This eliminates shadowy areas and takes away natural cover.
4. Get a Security System
Even something basic like door/window sensors and a loud alarm can be a powerful deterrent against burglars. More sophisticated systems with security cameras, monitoring services, etc., are ideal if they fit your budget. But at minimum, post-alarm signage at your home’s entry points.
5. Lock Up When You Leave
Always lock all windows and doors when you leave home, even for short outings. Many burglars are opportunistic “smash and grab” criminals just looking for an easy open door or window to slip through unnoticed. Create a habit of securing your home before you go.
6. Hide Valuables From View
While you hopefully have most precious possessions like jewellery and cash stored securely, avoid leaving other valuables, like laptops, tablets, gaming consoles, etc., visible from the outdoors. Leaving blinds/curtains open with such items in plain sight creates a temptation for would-be thieves.
7. Reinforce Entry Points
Your home’s exterior doors should be solid wood or metal, not hollow. Also, consider reinforcing them with strike plates and longer screws. And don’t forget about the door between an attached garage and your living space — that’s a common access point for intruders.
8. Get a Dog
Canine companions don’t just make great pets; their very presence and loud barking can scare off burglars. Even the suggestion of a dog being in the home by leaving out a bowl, toys, etc., could make a criminal think twice about breaking in.
9. Don’t Leave Spare Keys Out
Many of us are guilty of this one — leaving a spare key under a mat, in a planter, on a ledge, etc. But these are the first places thieves look. It’s better to give a spare to a very trusted friend or neighbour, hide one somewhere truly obscure on your property, or re-key your locks if strangers have ever had access.
10. Join (or start) a Neighborhood Watch
Neighbours looking out for one another is a fantastic deterrent for criminals, who obviously want to avoid getting caught in the act. Get to know the folks on your street, trade phone numbers, and agree to keep an eye out during each other’s travels.
11. Ask for ID From Workers
Finally, be wary of service workers showing up unannounced, claiming to be with utility companies, tree trimmers, driveway resurfaces and the like. Burglars have been known to use this ruse to get a good look at a homeowner’s property and security setup. Always ask for proper identification.
I hope these tips from a Central Coast local give you plenty of good ideas for ways to burglar-proof your home through better locking systems, strategic prevention methods, and forming a united front with your neighborhood.
Don’t Let Burglars Even Think About Targeting Your Home
Implementing even just a few of the deterrent tips above can go a long way towards making your house a far less attractive target for intruders. From getting new locks and better lighting to cutting shrubbery and being savvier about hiding valuables, there are so many easy steps to take.
The smartest move of all may be enlisting professional domestic locksmith services to thoroughly assess your home’s security vulnerabilities and make expert recommendations. The team at AllCoast Locksmiths on the Central Coast has been helping homeowners just like you beef up protection for decades.
Don’t wait until you get hit by burglars to truly secure your castle. Contact AllCoast Locksmiths today to enjoy complete peace of mind that your home and loved ones are as safe as possible from intruders.
