It’s sad but true: burglaries and home invasions are on the rise nationwide. 1 in every 8 homes will typically experience some kind of break-in, even in “safe” neighborhoods.
TO avoid becoming the next statistic you need to find ways to turn your home into a “hard target.” Criminals usually take the path of least resistance, which means they won’t target your home if a neighbor’s home seems easier to attack.
Pick Up Your Yard
Be careful what you leave in your yard, especially when it comes to hardware. Tools or an extension ladder left in plain view can give criminals new ways to get into your home, from a hammer that smashes your windows to an extension ladder that gives them access to the second floor of your house.
Secure Your Windows
Windows are a weak point in the home, so taking steps to secure them is a must. Start with some good window locks and make sure they are the correct type of lock for your window.
Locks alone aren’t enough, however. It’s important to add a good security film to your glass as well. This will make it much more difficult for thieves to break the glass – difficult enough, perhaps, for them to give up and move on.
Get a Metered Alarm System
Burglar alarms are big deterrents to burglary. However, an unmonitored alarm system is really just a noisemaker. It won’t help when you are away.
You can obtain the help of an alarm monitoring service for the price of a couple restaurant meals per month. Call your homeowner’s insurance agent as soon as the alarm is installed too. The discount that you get on your homeowner’s insurance might just ensure that your service pays for itself.
Don’t rely on your neighbors hearing your alarm system if you don’t get monitoring, however. Just think about what you did the last time you heard a car alarm. If you are like most people, you didn’t do much of anything at all – and neighbors respond the same way to home alarms, if they hear them at all.
Install Motion Lights
Criminals do not like light. Placing motion lights in the front, back, and sides of your home does a lot to encourage them to move on.
Add Shrubs
Placing thorny shrubs under windows can restrict access to these weak points in your home defense even more. They can make it painful for any criminal who is trying to break in.
Pay Attention to Doors
Windows notwithstanding, most criminals break into homes by kicking down the doors. There are two things you can do about this.
First, you can install a steel core door. Most doors have hollow cores, which is why they’re so easy and attractive for criminals to plow through. Reinforce the door frames, too, since those buckle and break easily.
Second, you can make absolutely sure that your door is outfitted with a good deadbolt. Doorknob locks are just too weak.
Install a Privacy Fence
Fences protect your property. For starters, criminals can’t see what might be in your back yard and they don’t like that. After all, you could have an angry dog back there just waiting to tear them to shreds. A member of the family could be back there too. They also make it difficult for burglars to see what’s inside your house to potentially steal.
A solid wood fence, like the stockade style fence, is ideal for securing your property by preventing burglars from even getting to your home. The tops of the boards of this type of fence form spikes to discourage burglars from climbing over them. You don’t have to go to this extreme style of fence, however, as any solid wood privacy fence is going to deter most burglars. They just don’t want to bother with the additional obstacle.
While we can’t help you with everything listed in this post to secure your home, we can help you get your fence built! We’ve helped homeowners in Menomonee Falls, Glendale, Mequon and the rest of the Milwaukee metro area build their fences to secure their homes. We can help you too! Call us today for a free estimate at (262) 251-6766.
