Ask any expert in the field and they will tell you that 90% of all burglaries are preventable. So if the odds are so good that it will happen to you and it is such a preventable event-what is it you have to do to stop the burglars? I am so glad you asked.
Sometimes the best home security is implemented when you are the one making the assessment and any corrective action- a do it yourself home security plan.

Here are home security tips to think about that will definitely discourage or flat out stop a potential intruder from entering your house. It is not an all inclusive list but one that if followed will certainly go a long way toward making your home more secure.

1. Take a critical look at your house from the outside. Is your house well lit? Are there hiding places near doors and windows? If you can spot a potential weakness in your home’s “look” you can bet a professional burglar can exploit it. Remember that light is a burglars’ enemy-darkness a friend.
2. What could slow down a burglar from entering your home? Simple home security devices such as locks on doors(deadbolts are best) and windows, bars, grates-items that are visible from the exterior of the house will not only act as a deterrent but slow down an intruder should he decide to try to enter. The more time it takes to break into a home, the more discouraged a burglar will become. Time is the enemy of the burglar.
3. How noisy can you make it if someone gains entry? Noise is also the enemy of the burglar. There are many home security alarms activated by doors or windows opening or by motion. The sound of a barking dog, real or recorded, are very effective and will scare most burglars away.

Lights, noise and time-they are the three biggest enemies of an intruder. If you implement these home security tips to fortify your house you may well avoid a lot of potential break-ins. But there are some other things that will help as well.
–Move valuables away from outside view. Don’t risk tempting someone. Consider putting small valuables in Diversion Safes.
–Start or join a neighborhood watch. Strangers usually stick out in a neighborhood and should be reported immediately to police.
–Make your house look occupied when you are gone. Burglars are much less likely to consider a house they feel is occupied.
–Lock your doors and windows Even when you are gone for a short period of time. Summertime presents a huge temptation to leave doors or windows open. Don’t give in to the temptation. I have seen so many garage doors open only one or two feet to let the heat out-just enough to let a burglar in.

Many police departments as a public service will offer advice on how to make your home more secure. Call for availability in your area.

There are several simple things you can do to make your home less prone to intrusion by a burglar. Start with an assessment on how to make your home well lit, more secure, and in the event of an entry-how to make it very noisy. Light, time, and noise are the enemies of the professional burglar.

What are some things you should be aware of when it comes to you doors?  Your main concern should be the lock on your door.  In future posts I’ll get into more detail on locks, but for the sake of this post, I’ll say that a dead-bolt is a must.  Don’t think that by adding something like a chain lock to another flimsy lock is going to help you in any way.  Once a thief easily gets past that flimsy lock, all s/he has to do is give the door a good kick and that chain lock will rip right out of the frame.  So again, invest in a good dead-bolt.  This can be a keyed or combination lock, both are available, but some feel that the combo isn’t a good idea.

As for the door itself, it should be solid wood or metal.   These are considered burglar resistant.   Instead of plain old glass in the sidelights or door inserts, use wired glass or acrylic.  And make sure the door fits properly into the door frame.  If the door isn’t snug, it will be easier for someone to break in.

What about your patio doors?  How secure are they?  Some of the best on the market have not only a lock at the handle, but a lock at the floor.  The concept is the same as the dead-bolt on your front door expect the bolt goes into a metal slot on the bottom track of the door and prevents the door from sliding.   And of course, there is the old standby of putting an old broom handle along the track to prevent the door from sliding open.

And make sure you have proper lighting at all entrance areas.  Thieves aren’t interested in getting caught in what equates to a spot light!

Windows, for whatever reason, are often overlooked when it comes to home security, and this boggles my mind.  I mean really, a big plate glass picture window at ground level makes the whole smash and grab process pretty easy.  Especially if that window is in an out of the way spot or isn’t well lit.

So, short of putting bars across your view to the outside world—which by the way is definitely an option that doesn’t have to be butt ugly—what can you do?

Make access to any window that is at ground floor level, or within about six feet from the ground, tricky to negotiate.  Remember, burglars and vandals want to be in and out as soon as possible, and the less they have to impede them, the better for them.  And nobody likes to hurt themselves.  So how about some cactus?  Prefer something prettier?  Most people know at a glance what a rose bush is and they know about the thorns that adorn them as well.  So even from a distance, someone scoping out an area for a possible break-in may discount that as an access point right away.  Want to be a little more deceptive?  I wouldn’t know a Hawthorn if I saw one, but apparently, from a home security standpoint, they are a great idea.  This bush or hedge grows to about twenty five feet high.  But those pretty pink and white flowers could blind a burglar to the danger that lies within, because the come with thorns that are one to five inches in length.  Anyone with half a brain would back away from that after getting too close and getting stabbed.

This gives you an idea of some things you can do from a landscaping perspective for home window security.  In later posts we’ll discuss some aspects of the window itself that should offer a little more protection against attempted break-ins.

Be well.  Make your home a safer place