Boost Your Home’s Defense: A Guide to Strengthening Your Security System

When it comes to home security, it can be easy to assume that your locks or a camera system are enough to protect your personal and private property from unauthorized access. While it’s uncomfortable to imagine an intruder invading what is supposed to be your safe space (especially if you feel your neighborhood isn’t prone to or doesn’t have a history of this kind of activity) it’s essential to be prepared for the possibility. By creating multiple layers of security, you can avoid being an easy target. Here are a few safety measures to help you evaluate and enhance the current state of your home’s security.

Advertising

1. Don’t broadcast vacations: With the Holidays coming up, avoid posting about your travels on social media until after you return. It’s better not to advertise your home as empty and more vulnerable due to your absence.
2. Take the picket sign and window stickers down: While these may seem like deterrents at first, signs that advertise you have a security system, and specifically what brand, might actually give intruders pieces of information they need to work around it.
3. Keep your curtains and blinds closed: Don’t put your home’s interior on display, especially at night when it’s easier to see in. Keeping your windows covered removes the opportunity to get familiar with the layout of your home from the street.

Secure entry points

1. Lock the garage doors: This is a door that is often forgotten. Intruders can still access a closed garage if they want to, so it’s important to lock the garage door itself. You can also invest in smart garage door systems that allow you to monitor its open/close status and control access remotely. While you’re at it, make sure to lock the door that leads from the house to the garage.
2. Add reinforcements: Deadbolts and strike plates are typically screwed into door jambs using screws shorter than an inch in length. Make it harder for intruders to kick in the door by replacing these with 2.5”-3” screws that drill into the actual stud. If you have children who’ve learned to unlock doors or would like an extra layer of security while you’re at home, you can buy an additional reinforcement lock to install at a higher spot.
3. Know your home’s weak spots: All homes have them! Are there places with shrubbery or fences someone could hide behind? Are there dark areas? How strong is the window glass? Find those weak spots and reinforce them with a layer of security.

Location of valuables

1. Garage door openers: If your garage door opener is clipped onto the sun visor in your vehicle and you park that vehicle in your driveway overnight, consider switching to a keychain remote. If your car is broken into overnight, your garage door opener in the hands of a thief could leave your home vulnerable to attack.
2. Avoid leaving items in the car: A simple and well-known rule, but a good reminder nonetheless… Don’t leave anything of value in your car. Even small, visible items can attract thieves, so take everything inside. If you’re especially concerned about your vehicle being stolen, consider getting familiar with its built-in anti-theft systems or looking into the different car alarm systems and immobilizers that are on the market.
3. Hidden safes: Invest in a quality safe for important documents, jewelry, and other valuables. Choose a location that’s not obvious and ensure the safe is large and heavy or bolted down.

Visibility

1. Install new or additional smart lighting: Equip your exterior lighting with sensors or bulbs that automatically turn on at dusk and off at dawn. This ensures your home is always lit during the night, making it less appealing to thieves.
2. Monitor activity with security cameras: While you shouldn’t rely solely on cameras, they have become an important player in today’s home security. Invest in quality night vision cameras and place them strategically throughout your property. Good places include the front porch, backyard, garage, corners, gates and trees.
3. Timed lights: Use timers to turn interior lights on and off when you’re not home, simulating an occupied house. Smart home systems and plugs can also help with this, allowing you to control lights remotely and create a lived-in look, even when you’re not home.

Elements of surprise

1. Utilize motion-activated floodlights: These bright lights are a great security measure as they’re especially effective in illuminating dark corners and driveways and only turn on in response to motion. Some security systems make motion-activated floodlights with a built-in camera.
2. Activate the alarms: Make use of your security system’s alarm features (motion, entry, glass break, etc.) by arming the system when you’re leaving the house or going to bed for the night.

Neighborhood watch and community engagement

1. Form or join a neighborhood watch: Engaging with your community and next-door neighbors creates a network of vigilance. Don’t underestimate the power of good neighbors looking out for each other. They can be good eyewitnesses and alert systems in the event your cameras miss something. Be conscientious of who lives around you and what’s going on in your neighborhood so you know when something looks suspicious.
2. Social media awareness: Use community social media groups on Facebook or Nextdoor to stay informed about unusual activities or thefts in your area. Sharing information quickly can prevent others from becoming victims. Our Central Texas cities and communities have multiple active groups you can join to stay informed and help others.

Proactivity is key

You can strengthen your home’s defense by taking a layered approach to security, using a mix of traditional practices and technological measures to reinforce all areas. If you don’t already have some of these security measures in place, consider adding them as part of your system. Proactivity is key to keeping your property safe and sound!