Everyone knows it’s important to lock your doors and windows, install an alarm system and be aware of who you answer the door to. These are all obvious ways to keep your home safe from break-ins, and just smart things to do in general. But, you don’t have to get a state of the art alarm system to feel safe. There are smaller, easy ways to protect your home, ways you might not have thought of.
Mow Your Lawn-
If you are going on vacation, you leave your home open to break-ins. You need to make sure, if you’re going to be gone for a long period of time, it’s not obvious you are gone. Long grass suggests no one is home and is something that all burglars will look for. It’s a good idea to hire a neighbor to mow your lawn. Keeping your lawn manicured while you are gone is a simple way to keep your home off a burglar’s radar.
Bring in the Mail/Newspapers-
Along the same lines, if your mail is overflowing or your newspapers are piling up it’s going to be pretty obvious you aren’t home. Ask a neighbor to bring it in, or ask the same person you have mowing your lawn to take care of it.
Light Timers/Motion Sensors-
Even when you are home, it’s still a good idea to shine a light on anyone approaching your house. This will be a clue to any burglars “staking out” your home that if they approach, they will be illuminated for the world, or at least the neighbors, to see. It’s also nice to know that when you come home late at night, you will be able to approach a well-lit front walk or doorway.
Don’t Leave Tools Out-
Don’t make the burglar’s job easier by leaving out tools that will help them break into your house. Ladders leaning by a window, hammers, crowbars, screwdrivers…these should all be locked up every night. By securing your tools you can keep a few things from happening. You keep them from getting stolen out of your yard and you aren’t giving the burglars an easy way into your house.
Window Shades-
Like we mentioned in “Is My Home Safe From Intruders: 5 Questions to Ask,” if burglars can see into your home, and see what you have to steal, they are more likely to target your house. Adding curtains, shades, or blinds to your home’s windows is an easy way to add some extra protection to your home.
Don’t Be Betrayed By Your Answering Machine-
No matter what you’ve done to make it look like your home, if your answering machine cheerily answers, “Sorry, we’re not home right now…” the game is up. This is an old piece of advice, and many of us don’t have answering machines anymore, but it’s still something to think about.
Prevent Kick-Ins-
Making sure your locks and deadbolts are up to date is important but sometimes you need a little something extra. Nightlock offers a barricade for main entries and patio and double doors. The Nightlock uses the strength of the floor to prevent kick-ins and keep your home safe. The barricades are an affordable, easy to install, extra step you can take to ensure your home’s safety.