Your home is your castle, and your family your greatest asset, so you want to keep everything safe. But if you’ve priced home security systems lately, you might have felt your bank book cringe. I’m not going to tell you not to buy an alarm system, but if you’re not at a point where you can invest thousands of dollars, and you just want to do a few things to make your home safer, this article is for you. I’m going to give you a list of tips you can use to make your home safer without spending any money. The most important thing to keep in mind is that burglars are lazy. Like most people, they want the highest reward with the least possible risk and effort. The more challenging you can make your house appear, the more likely the burglar is to pass on by and pick on somebody else.
Here are your tips:
Trim shrubs back from doors and walkways. Lock your storage shed and don’t leave tools out in the yard. Keep the lawn mowed and the exterior of the house maintained. Plant thorny shrubs beneath first-story windows. If an outdoor light burns out, change it right away. Don’t display your valuables conspicuously, as this only tempts thieves. When you make new purchases (such as said plasma TV), don’t leave the boxes by the curb to announce your valuable acquisitions–break boxes down and stuff them in your recycling bin. Don’t store house keys under the doormat, a rock, etc. (thieves are wise to all the tricks–if you always lose your keys, consider a fingerprint activated lock instead). Keep tree branches trimmed back from windows and your roof. Make sure the garage doors are sturdy (no loose panels or damaged corners), especially if the garage is attached to the house.
Always shut and lock your doors when you leave the house.Hopefully these tips will help you make your home less of a target. Remember, home security is as much a matter of employing common sense as it is a bunch of expensive gadgets and gizmos, said a building inspector who was once an employment lawyer.
Tags: home security, Keep home secure
