DIY Home Security - Affordable Ways to Fortify Your Home Against Intruders

Your home is your haven, a place where you should feel safe and secure. Unfortunately, the reality is that break-ins and burglaries happen every day. While installing a professional security system can be an effective way to deter criminals, it can also be expensive. If you're looking for more affordable ways to improve your home security, there are a number of DIY projects you can do.

Secure Your Entry Points

Your doors are the most likely point of entry for a burglar. Make sure your doors are made of solid wood or metal and have deadbolts installed. You can also reinforce your door jambs with screws or metal plates. First-floor windows are particularly vulnerable to break-ins. Install security bars or window locks and consider using shatterproof glass.

Don't forget about your garage! Make sure your garage door is secure and that there are no easy ways for someone to get in through the side or back door.

Add Layers of Security

Motion sensor lights can be a great way to deter burglars. They will light up if someone approaches your home, making them feel uncomfortable and more likely to move on. Security cameras can also be a valuable tool for deterring crime and catching criminals. You can install wired or wireless cameras, and you can even get cameras that can be monitored remotely from your smartphone. A simple alarm system can be enough to scare off a burglar, especially when tied into the previous items. You can install a wired or wireless alarm system, and you can even get systems that can be monitored by a professional security company.

Make Your Home Look Occupied

Leave lights on inside your home when you're away, especially at night. This will make it look like someone is home. Turn on the radio, smart speaker, or TV when you're away to create the illusion that someone is home. Park your car in the driveway when you're away. This will make it look like someone is home and deter burglars who are looking for easy targets, but if possible set the vehicle up where there is camera coverage or increased visibility from the neighbors.

Be Mindful of Your Surroundings

Get to know your neighbors. This is a great way to keep an eye on each other's homes and property. Trim your bushes, as overgrown bushes can provide cover for burglars. Keep your bushes trimmed back so that they don't provide a hiding place. A fence can be a great way to deter burglars and make your home feel more secure.

Additional Procedures to Consider

Keep your valuables out of sight. There’s not really a reasonable way to hide your TV or your computers, but anything pricy you can put in a safe or a locked closet should go there. This goes triple for any firearms or weapons in the house that you aren’t actively using.

Don't let strangers into your home. If you don't know someone, don't let them into your home for what can be for all intents and purposes a recon of your valuables and floorplan.

Be careful what you share on social media. Don't share information on social media that could make you a target for burglars, such as your vacation plans or when you'll be out of town.

DIY Home Security

Reinforce your front door. This is one of the most important things you can do to improve your home security. You can reinforce your front door by adding a deadbolt, installing a security bar, or replacing the screws in your door hinges with longer screws. This has the advantage of being fast and reasonable inexpensive.

Install motion-sensor lights. Motion-sensor lights are fairly easy to order and install on your own, and a lot of companies like Nest come with videos on home installations to help you get it right. They will light up if someone approaches your home, making them feel uncomfortable and more likely to move on.

Take a page out of Kevin McAllister’s book. Gravel in the driveway, gardens, or entryways make quiet approaches difficult. Sprinklers can be used as a piece of mind if they can be activated from inside the house. Know the layout of your home from the intruder perspective, where all the blind corners, dark spots, and hidey holes are.

By taking some simple steps, you can make your home more secure and deter burglars. Remember, the best way to prevent a break-in is to make your home a difficult target, in the same way that being aware of potential dangers and surroundings can keep you safe on the streets.

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