Burglars Becoming More Active In Your Neighborhood? Use These Security Tips To Keep Your Home And Family Safer
Crime rates are on the rise in many American neighborhoods, as evidenced by the growing wave of porch pirating attempts and home invasions. In many successful burglaries, the criminals simply took advantage of the existing vulnerabilities or lax implementation in the homeowner's security plan.
If you would like to improve the security of your home, these tips are designed to help you address vulnerable areas in your current home security plan and provide additional helpful security options to bolster your family's safety.
Stop leaving a key for criminals
It is a safe assumption that most families intentionally leave a key to their home where it can be easily accessed. While the goal of doing this is usually to eliminate situations where a family member finds themselves locked out of the house because of a forgotten key or purse, it is important to understand that criminals are often able to easily locate these keys and use them for making entry into the home.
A better option is to invest in a home door locking system that can be securely accessed without the use of a key. Good examples are smart locks that use WiFi or Bluetooth in conjunction with a smartphone to allow entry or simple coded door locks that use a key pad and a numerical code that can be regularly changed.
Go beyond generic window locks
Another security vulnerability found in many homes involves the window locks. Many homeowners trust the generic latches that were installed on their windows at the factory. Unfortunately, these may not be sufficiently secure to prevent them from being breached by someone with nefarious intent.
In fact, a quick online search reveals videos and explicit instructions on how to open locked windows from the outside. Criminals who are planning to break into a home likely already know how to manipulate generic factory window latches or where to find that information.
Homeowners can help to thwart criminals from making entry into their home in this manner by adding additional locks to their existing windows. Good choices include keyed locking systems or those that restrict the window from being opened wide enough to allow a burglar to pass through and get into the home.
In addition, homeowners may want to consider adding security screens or grates to windows that are at ground level or those that would be easily accessible from a porch roof or nearby structure.
To learn more about beefing up your home security with more advanced door and window locks, as well as other home security options, take time to discuss your concerns and situation with a local locksmith.
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