Easy Ways Secure Your New Home

Moving into and furnishing a new home can be all fun and games but with that, you’re also responsible for a highly important job: securing your house. Keeping your home safe from burglars should become your priority irrespective of where you live or the low crime rates in your neighborhood.

However, the idea of intruders and setting up security systems can seem scary and daunting for some. It can also seem expensive, and not something you want to invest in right now.

But, apart from high-tech security systems, there are also other things you can do to ensure your house stays secure even when you’re not around. Below we give you tips on easy ways to secure your new home.

1. Secure Entry Points

The first step to securing your home is making sure that all points of entry are secure. You must do this especially at night time because thieves can find various methods to break into your house, and a door or window that’s not fastened is like an invitation for them to break in.

Securing The Doors

Data by Safety.com shows that 34% of all burglars enter through doors that have been left open. It’s a frightening percentage, but it’s also a reminder for you to make securing and checking the doors a part of your daily routine.

If you have a slot for mail in your front door, make sure that no one can put their hand through it in order to unfasten your front door lock. You can also install a peephole which is a good way for you or children in your house to check if they know who rings the doorbell.

If you’ve moved to a house that had tenants before, it’s always advisable that you change the locks of all the doors that lead to the outside. If you’re the only one who's been living in the house since it was built, you can go around the house and check if all the locks are in good condition. This is because oftentimes burglars use brute force to break in, and if your locks are old and rusty, they might give in easily.

Another thing that most homeowners resort to is installing deadbolts, strike plates, or video security systems. These can help amplify your security system.

See also: First Apartment Checklist

What about sliding doors?

If you have sliding doors that lead to the outside of your home, you can just place a dowel on the track so that the doors cannot be forced open. If you are ready to spend a little, then we recommend you get a foot lock or floor bolt for the bottom of your sliding doors. Glass break sensors and door sensors also do the trick of altering you if a burglar attempts to break in.

Fastening The Windows

Windows are another entry point for burglars and the sad part here is that window locks are pretty flimsy and can give in easily if forced open. While it’s important that you go around the house and fasten windows, there are other methods you can use to ensure that no one tries to break in through the window.

For example, you can use natural defenses like prickly plants or bushes. You can also install window or glass sensors where some send notifications to your phone if you’re not at home and someone's trying to force the windows open. Pin locks are also available that keep the windows open partially but help with security.

Home Safety Tip: Install a tall fence around your house if there isn’t one already. You should also go around your house and check if the existing fence has any breakage or has rotten in places if made of wood.

2. Keep Valuables Out Of Sight

The worst thing you can do which can become an open invitation for burglars is to keep your valuables out and about in plain sight. Even if you think people can’t look inside your house, they most certainly can, especially if you have clear glass windows and sliding doors.

We highly recommend that you install curtains or blinds in front of windows and glass doors if your house is closer to a street or another house to block the view that outsiders might have. Never leave valuable items like cash, jewelry, expensive watches, and gadgets lying around for everyone to see.

When it comes to items like bicycles, expensive gym tools and other outdoor gadgets, put them in the garage or shed after use, because you can never know what burglars are looking to steal!

3. Light Up Your Yard

Lighting up your yard is one of the best ways to deter burglars from entering your home because they wouldn’t want to be caught in the spotlight! Don’t just light up the landscape in the front of the house, but do so in every corner around the house. This includes your backyard, any paths that run along the house, and near your garage, and bike shed too.

If you’re worried about the electricity bills that will pile up with all the lights burning all through the night, you can always install motion sensors around your house to activate your lights when there’s motion around. You can also use solar-powered lights which are cost-efficient and a greener option.

Home Safety Tip: Dimly-lit streets around your house aren’t the best idea. Call your local associations and persuade them to install bright street lights to the street which will add visibility.

4. Secure Your Garage

Garages are another avenue for burglars to make their way into your home because jimmying the garage door latch is easier than you think. For this reason, you should keep the garage door locked at all times and keep your interior door secured. Also, never make the mistake of leaving your garage door opener outside your garage, take it inside and store it somewhere safe.

You should also consider investing in a home automation system where your garage door closes once you park your car inside or take it out. You can also install motion sensors within your garage which can do the work of deterring intruders. Whenever you go on vacation, don’t forget to lock your garage door, and try unplugging your garage opener if possible.

5. Install A Security System

While this is the most obvious of all steps, we highly recommend you do so if you can afford it. Security systems make it harder for intruders to break into your home and they’re a way to make you feel relaxed even when you’re on vacation.

You will be able to find a security system that suits your budget, and if you can get cameras installed with it, that’ll make the perfect security duo! A number of security cameras come with mobile apps that allow you to see footage of your house in real time. In an unlikely scenario that there was to be a burglary, security cameras help catch culprits.

When you’re looking to buy a security system, see if it has features like night vision, waterproof casing, cloud storage, and Wi-Fi capabilities. These features will enhance your user experience greatly.

6. Secure Your Wi-Fi Network

Surprised to see this point here? If your home security system is connected to your Wi-Fi network, burglars will have a gala time because they can directly enter your house if your Wi-Fi network isn’t secure.

You can do a few things to ensure that this never happens and the first thing is to give your Wi-Fi network a complex name and password. Don’t give your password to multiple people and instead enter it yourself if fields and family ask for it. We also suggest that you use anti-malware protection and enable WPA2 encryption for additional protection.

7. Keep A Check On Your Keys

As we mentioned before, don’t leave your things lying around, especially your house keys. This also applies to placing them under plant pots in the yard or under the doormat, because however clever you think your hiding spot might be, burglars know the ins and outs of likey hiding spots.

It’s always best to leave a key with your neighbor, but if that’s not an option, you can always buy a lockbox that’s affordable and install it somewhere that’s hard to find. We also suggest that you keep your keys concealed even when they’re in the house instead of throwing them at random places.

8. Keep A Safe

Another obvious but important step to making sure your valuables are safe is to invest in a safe. While these can seem unnecessary, they are the best place to store all your valuables from cash and jewelry to important documents.

We suggest you buy safes that have two locks (called redundant locks) and can be anchored to a wall of the floor since portable ones can be lifted and taken by intruders. Another good thing about most safes is that they are fireproof, so in the unfortunate event that a fire breaks out, your valuables would all be safe.

Conclusion

Securing your house doesn’t have to be a scary and stressful task. By taking simple steps like locking all doors and having good lighting in the yard, you can still deter burglars. Even so, we still recommend you invest in a home security system because in addition to obvious added security, it can give you the peace of mind you need.

Also Read: Best Home Security Systems

FAQs

How Do You Scare Burglars Away?

Aside from the methods we’ve mentioned to secure our home and keep burglars away, one thing that works best is to have a dog. Burglars hardly break into houses that have dogs, and if you can’t have one, you can simply put up a “Beware of Dog” sign on your front door or gate!

Where Do Burglars Look First?

Burglars always look at the master bedroom and home office first, it’s because these are rooms where the possibility of finding valuables is the most likely.

What Time Of The Day Do Most Burglaries Occur?

Surprisingly, most burglaries occur between 10 am and 3 pm because most homeowners are out of the house during this time period for either work or school.

See also: How Safe is My New Neighborhood | Setting up Home Services and Utilities in New Home [Guide]