Here is a list of security tips you can do yourself to make your home safer and more secure for you, your family and your valuables.
Leave an easily accessible box of baking soda near your oven in case of a grease fire.
Don’t hang a calendar in your kitchen that is visible through the window from outside the house that shows vacation dates or when you’ll otherwise be away from home.
Shut off the main water line when on vacation. It takes seconds to do and can save you thousands of dollars in damage from a basement flood.
Turn your water heater to Vacation or Holiday mode or just shut it off completely when away. It’ll save on electricity and in the off chance it leaks while you’re away it may decrease the chance it burns out if empty.
Putting longer screws of at least 3″ in length in your deadbolt strike plate and door locks strengthens them against a door being kicked in.
Get a professionally monitored security system that safeguards each entrance into your home.
Check with your local police department to see if they offer a free service where an officer will visit your house and provide advice on how you can improve the security of your home.
Learn about your local area’s squatter’s rights. You might be surprised to know how these situations can turn out.
Get title insurance for your home especially if you have a small mortgage or no mortgage on it as free and clear homes are the best targets for fraudsters.
Ensure your gutters are clear and that storm drains lead water away from the foundation of the home.
When having your roof reshingled, avoid using a cheap roofer that doesn’t use proper underlayment and simply put new shingles over bare wood as this immediately voids your warranty.
Don’t leave tools or objects lying around your property that could be stolen or used to break a window or otherwise force entry into your home.
Keep your ears and eyes open. Look for cars circling the neighborhood or cars parked near your home that don’t belong there. Look for strangers who appear to be checking out houses or odd solicitation requests at your door. People often case houses before robbing them.
Consider adding other sensors such as water leak detection and temperature detectors. This can alert you to extreme heat which can indicate a fire or extreme cold which can indicate a furnace breakdown.
If you live in an area with tornadoes, earthquakes and other violent weather keep bike or hockey helmets handy and within easy reach to wear to protect against items falling on your head.
Be careful when throwing out boxes and evidence of big ticket items like wide screen TVs and electronics. When people see evidence of a recent large purchase, they might assume your house is worth robbing. Break up boxes and hide them in the recycling bin or dispose of them some other way.
Have a plan to escape the house in case of a fire and especially in the instance where you have young children.
Unplug non essential appliances when you’re on holiday in case of a power surge which can lead to an electrical fire.
Ensure your home is equipped with a proper number of smoke detectors and CO2 detectors to protect again fire and carbon monoxide.
Use motion detection-activated lights outside your home. It deters thieves who are surprised by the light and are suddenly visible to passersby.
When you go on vacation ensure someone is emptying your mailbox and making it look like your home is lived in. Close your blinds so people can’t peer inside your house to see that nothing is being moved, indicating you’re away.
Ensure your lawn is mowed and that recycling and garbage is put out as usual when you’re away from home.
Before hanging up Christmas or other lights in or outside the house, carefully inspect the strands for frayed or pinched wires and don’t use them if the damaged wires are visible.
If you have a water well – or are concerned with your water supply in general – pay to get a water test done. Don’t rely on a free water test at the local water supply store as the results are often a tactic to get you to buy things from them.
Get a quality shredder for important documents rather than simply recycling them in the paper bin each week.
Understand that most break-ins take place during the day when people tend to be at work or school and not at night when people tend to be at home. Act accordingly when securing your home and don’t let your guard down.
Lock doors at night inside the house from room to room if you have them. It’s just another level of security.
Hide valuables and don’t leave them out where they can quickly be snatched by a thief.
Ensure your windows properly close and lock tightly.
Ensure your street address number is easy to see from the road and isn’t covered or hidden. It’s normally required by law that you have your house number visible but make sure it isn’t shrouded so it can be seen by emergency vehicles.
Switch from a hard-wired phone line security system to a wireless one that operates using your cellphone. A phone line can be cut whereas cellphone service is generally more available and reliable.
Don’t store car key FOBs near your front door or on the key rack by the garage door if you keep your car outside at night.
Close your bedroom door at night. In case of a fire the smoke won’t get into the room as quickly as if the door was open and your smoke detectors (you have them, right?) should alert you to the fire.
Keep a freshly charged fire extinguisher in your kitchen in case of a fire.
Be very careful when doing DIY projects involving electricity, plumbing, insulation and things of that nature. Not only do some projects need to be done by a professional who is authorized to do so, if you do it wrong and an accident occurs, your insurance company may not cover the damage.
Look for hints from your appliances that something is wrong. Sparking from appliances. Getting a small shock from them. Unusual noises or sounds emanating from them. Frayed electrical cords.
If you’re going to leave a spare key somewhere, leave it with a trusted neighbor not under the doormat or a rock. That only works in the movies.
Never leave your garage door open. It lets passersby know what you have to steal and may give them a hint as to how lax you are with security in general.
Keep your garage door opener in your house particularly if you leave your car outside. If someone breaks into your car, they can then enter your garage with the opener.
Use your window shades and tilt them in a way so that people walking past your house can’t peer inside. This is particularly true when you are away from home.
Use the correct wattage light bulbs in lamps and lights. Don’t use bulbs that are higher wattage than what is allowed.
Ensure you have a proper level of home and contents insurance to protect in the instance where you are robbed so that you are least covered to replace what was stolen.
Consider rekeying your locks when you move into a new home so you know you’re the only person that has access to the home. You don’t know how many other people have keys to get in.
If you have a dog, confirm your level of liability insurance and get insurance if you have none to protect yourself if your dog bites someone.
If you find your home is colder than it should be in winter, check the attic for insulation. In an older home you may be surprised to know that you have little or no insulation or old insulation that needs replacement.
If you live in an area with very hard water – water that naturally has higher than average magnesium and calcium content – consider a water softener. It’ll be easier on your pipes, appliances, faucets, clothes and your hair and skin when you bathe.
Don’t put a photo of your car or home keys online. Click here to learn why.
Secure your sliding doors with a bar in the bottom track and use the vertical bar that most quality patio doors come with.
Strengthen each door and locking mechanism leading in and out of your home.
Shut your window blinds at night to avoid peering eyes into the home to look inside and see if your house is worth robbing. Side note: Keeping your blinds shut during the hot sunny summer days also helps to keep the temperature down and air conditioning costs down.
Consider a smart doorbell with video camera and two way voice communication that not only keeps an eye on your front door and yard but can also be used to communicate with someone who comes to your front door whether you’re home at the time or not.
Learn CPR. It can save a life. As can learning the Heimlich maneuver for choking.
Get some of your trusted neighbors together in a Whats App or other group to get to know one another, to trade information on what’s going on in the neighborhood and to keep an eye on each other’s property.
Don’t overshare on social media especially when you’re going on vacation or are otherwise away from your home. It’s an invitation that your home is empty.
Lock your back gate. Sure thieves can jump the fence but even doing small things like this makes it harder for potential criminals to get in and it’s likely they’ll go somewhere else that is not as secure.
Add water sensors in the basement and near other water-using appliances that can cause a costly leak or flood in the house.
Adjust the temperature on your water heater no higher than 120° degrees. This not only reduces the chance you burn yourself but will lower your water heating costs.
Get an etching pen to add a unique identifying mark on valuables so that if they are stolen, you can prove that it belongs to you.
Be smart about your smart home features. Hackers are increasingly breaking into smart home systems with weak passwords and exploiting them to their benefit and to the detriment of the home owner.
Do your best to avoid being a victim of porch piracy. It’s increasingly common for people to have packages stolen from their front door.
Store certain valuables that don’t need to be accessed regularly either in a bank safety deposit box or in a high quality home safe that is bolted to the ground so it can’t be carried away.