How to Keep Your House Safe from Burglars?

Your home is your ultimate place of refuge. Be it a house, an apartment or a condominium unit in the middle of a bustling city, your home is a sacred castle where you and your family can freely dwell. Your home is a witness to all your struggles and triumphs, decorated with prized possessions, often acquired through years of hard work, that are meant to give your loved ones an enjoyable and comfortable living. But all that can be shattered by a single act of burglary.

Sadly, your home is not safe. The FBI says that one home is burglarized in the United States every 15.4 seconds. And most break-ins occur even in broad daylight and are significantly high in the summer months.

So how can you keep your home safe from burglars?

You can do so by making your home a difficult target for burglars. That may not sound an easy task. But try to put yourself in the burglar’s shoes, don’t you find an unoccupied home, with unlocked doors and expensive appliances noticeable from the open windows, a perfect target for a break-in?

Yes, the burglar’s targeting process is not that complicated at all and you can keep them away from your home.

First off, do an assessment of your home’s vulnerability. Know and manage your risks. Look inside and outside your house and identify soft spots that could invite burglars to an effortless break-in. Here are some do-it-yourself ways to fortify the security of your fortress.

Keep your doors and windows tightly locked

Your front and back doors are very important as they could easily provide less suspicious access. Make sure they are made and fitted with heavy-duty locks that can withstand hard kicks and prying bars. Ask home experts at your nearest do-it-yourself shops for good quality locks that can resist twisting and prying.

Burglars peek at your prized possessions through your windows. And open windows at the ground floor are obviously a vulnerable spot. Reinforce window latches with blocking devices, such as iron rod or wooden sticks, to prevent them from being opened from the outside. If you need to keep your windows open, do not put expensive items such as cell phones, wallets and jewelery, in a reachable distance from the window.

When you leave your home unattended, make sure that the doors and windows are tightly locked. Double-check before you go!

Your goal is to deter burglars away from your home even when unoccupied. Proper lighting inside as well as in the front and back yards discourages burglars from attacking your home. They prefer to lurk in the dark for very obvious reasons. If you can afford to be a little sophisticated, try installing light-timers to create an impression of activities inside your house.

Keep good ties with your neighborhood

Neighbors are a much better help than distant relatives. So keep a good relationship with them. Join community works within your village or invite your closest neighbors to family celebrations. These are opportunities to discuss security concerns in the neighborhood and agree amongst you to look out for each other’s homes.

List your valuables

If despite your safety measures you become a victim of burglary, an inventory of your valuables is an important proof when filing for insurance claims. Don’t wait until you are robbed before you start making a list because by that time you will be too engrossed in shock and pain and will not be able to fully account for the stolen properties. So make your inventory now and be sure to include the make, model and serial numbers of your prized belongings. It will also help to keep pictures of your valuables in their locations inside your home.

The old adage “an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure” has been proven to be true in many ways. It is also particularly relevant in securing your home.