The rate at which burglaries happen these days is quite shocking, with the FBI reporting that over 1 million homes were broken into in 2017 alone. As a result, window repair has become a major concern for homeowners, with the most important measures being preventative ones that are meant to stop theft and break-ins.
However, you need to put in place really efficient measures in order to secure your home, and we’ve compiled a list of helpful tips to help you do just that.
Securing Exterior Doors
Surprisingly enough, the main point of entry used by most burglars is the front door. Yep! They typically look for weak points in your front door that they can exploit, such as fragile hinges, a flimsy handle or lockset, as well as the strength of the door’s frame, jamb etc. French doors and sliding patio doors are the worst when it comes to safety. Luckily for you, we’ve got some good tips on how to secure your doors for much better protection.
For one, install a strong deadbolt lock, which is much more reliable than your normal spring-latch lock that’s easy to pick. Then, fit your exterior doors with armor kits to reinforce the weaker parts of your doors. For sliding doors, we recommend installing auxiliary locks like security bars, loop locks or vertical bolt locks, and fit your French doors with a security bar to make them more impenetrable. You should also look into replacing the hinges on your doors for sturdier ones that won’t break easily when the door is kicked down.
Securing Windows
Place security film on your windows and glass doors so that they’re harder to break. If you’re looking to buy new windows altogether in a bid to increase window cleaning, opt for acrylic windows or reinforced (laminated or tempered) glass, as both options are almost impossible to break without applying some serious force.
Multiple glass panes are also a good idea, as is adding window bars and window locks, which are available in a wide variety of options for different types of windows. Plus they’re really inexpensive, which is great if you’re upgrading home security on a budget.
Securing Your Garage
When burglars fail to enter your home the old fashioned way (through doors and windows), they may attempt to break in through your garage, because it’s often the most overlooked area in terms of window installation, and they know it.
To prevent burglars from gaining entry to your home via the garage door, make sure to take the garage openers with you instead of leaving them in the car, as that’s the first place a thief is most likely to look for them.
You should also secure the emergency release in your garage doors by putting up a barrier between the actual release and the top of the door. Invest in garage door sensors if you haven’t already, because not only will they alert you when your garage door is opened by activating your motion sensor lights, but they’ll also close the door automatically if it’s been left open for too long.
Make Your Home Look Occupied
Make sure the lights in your house are on even when you’re not around. You can do this by putting your strategically placed outdoor lamps and indoor lights on a timer so that they go on at different times to make it look as though there are people moving around and using different rooms in the house.
You can also switch your TV or radio on remotely, and make sure that they’re playing at a moderate volume to create the illusion of being at home. Leave your blinds and curtains open so that your neighbors or the police are able to see what’s going on from the outside if they need to.