5 Affordable Ways to Improve Your Home’s Security

Making sure your home is safe and secure is one of the top priorities for any homeowner. Not only can a strong security system protect your home against theft and the resulting damage, but it can also protect your family too. However, home security systems can be expensive, especially if you are looking to add on extra measures to protect your property. Yet, if you are willing to get a little creative and proactive, you can increase your home’s security at virtually no cost. These measures are also simple too, but you must remind yourself to keep them in mind – before you turn lights off when you go to bed, when you go to work, and when you leave for a vacation. Here are 5 affordable ways to improve your home’s security.

1. Let there be light. Most thieves won’t go near a home if there is a light on. Even a night light will do. Light signifies that someone is home – an ideal home to break into is dark. If you leave town for a few days, or longer, you might want to think about leaving on a light – even if it’s just an overhead light in a closet. You can also install a motion sensor light that turns on when anyone is near the home.
2. Lock it up. If you want to increase your home’s security system, there is nothing better than increasing the amount of locks. Instead of the simple deadbolt on the front door, you might want to add a combination lock or another deadbolt. If you have any backdoors, make sure that they are locked up as tightly as the front door. Moreover, if you have a special room in your home with valuables in it, make sure to lock that up too. It may also be wise to get a heavy duty safe for your most precious possessions.
3. Get your friends, neighbors, and other emergency numbers on speed dial. If there is a medical emergency in your home, you don’t want to have to clamor for the phone and then frantically search for a list of emergency numbers – you need to get someone on the line right away. Having your emergency contacts on speed dial and your neighbors listed as favorites on your cellphone will allow you to reach out for help as quickly as possible. If you are incapacitated or want to catch a possible intruder, this is the best way to get help.
4. Make sure people can’t see into your home. The more visibility you have into your home, the more a potential burglar can see that you have valuables, like televisions or jewelry. So, if you are going on vacation, make sure to block the view into your home – blinds or drapes usually do the trick. For those who live in the city, you might want to think about fogging the bottom panes of your windows, which is especially important if you live on street level.
5. Watchdog. You don’t need a watchdog to make possible intruders think you do. If you have a dog it’s even better. If you have a dog that barks when you get too close to the house, you have yourself an excellent alarm system. These days you can even install a cheap sensor or laser anywhere in your front yard which can set off the recorded sound of a dog barking.