No matter where you live, home burglaries can happen so it’s important to take steps to better protect your home. Some homeowners who want to keep their homes safe invest in a high-end and expensive home security system. While this is a great option, there are a few other ways to improve home security that are more affordable if you are on a budget.
Improve Home Security on a Budget
In order to effectively improve home security, it is important to think like a criminal. Criminals often target homes that are easier to break into and with low-risk for getting caught. They want to get in and out of the house as quickly and easily as possible. With this in mind, read on for these effective five tips to bolster security at home.
1. Improve Exterior Lighting
Criminals often look for homes with unlit yards and patios because the shadows help conceal their presence and actions. Investing in affordable exterior lighting is an effective way to combat this problem. Consider positioning lights along walkways for safety and focus lights around the perimeter of the home where criminals could hide as they try to open a window or climb into the backyard. The goal is to eliminate shadows in the front and rear of your home.
2. Trim the Hedges
Thick, tall hedges and shrubs also serve as great hiding places for criminals. This is especially true when the vegetation is located close to windows or when it blocks the line of sight to the patio. Reconfiguring your landscaping to remove these features entirely may be beneficial. Otherwise, consider hiring a landscaping professional who can regularly prune the bushes as part of a yard maintenance service.
3. Leave a Light On
Some break-ins occur when homeowners are present, however, many criminals look for unoccupied homes to decrease their chances of getting caught. An easy and effective way to create uncertainty about whether your home is occupied or not is to leave a light or two on in the house while you are gone. You can also invest in timers so that your lights turn on and off at various times, or you can use smart home technology to control the lights and television remotely.
4. Give the Appearance That the Home Has a Security System
Another affordable idea is to give the appearance of a home security system. You can order security system window stickers and yard signs online regardless of whether you actually have an installed system. Likewise, you can order “Beware of Dog” signs to place on your fence or in your front yard. Most potential burglars will not risk breaking into a home with a dog or one with a security system.
These five affordable ways to improve home security can reduce your chances of a home break-in without breaking the bank. Remember that they can also be used in conjunction with a monitored home alarm system to take your home security to a new level.
360 Inspections provides home inspection services for the Central Valley and the Bay Area of California. Contact us to schedule an appointment.