3 Mistakes That Could Make Your Home More Vulnerable to Intruders
Posted on: 28 April 2017
When it comes to keeping your home safe from a break-in, installing heavy-duty security doors, an alarm system, and a strong fence can help deter would-be intruders and thieves. However, homeowners often make some common mistakes that can make their home more vulnerable to intruders, and a more enticing target overall. Note a few of those here so you can ensure you're not doing the same thing on your property and that your home is as safe and secure as possible.
Window coverings
A thief usually likes to see if a home has anything inside worth stealing and may also like to get an idea for the floorplan of a house so they can quickly find their way around after breaking in. They may also like to become acquainted with your daily schedule so they can return and break in when the home is vacant. Consider your home's window coverings and if they provide adequate privacy; be sure they're closed at night, even in unoccupied rooms, so thieves cannot look inside. If you like to keep curtains or blinds open during the day, install gauzy curtain panels that obscure the view while still allowing in some light.
Windows can also be weak spots where a burglar may try to enter your house. To prevent against this, you can install security screens that go over your windows. These screens are made of a strong material that is hard to break through, even after breaking through the glass of a window. Contact professionals for more information about these screens.
Hiding spaces
While you want to add privacy to the home's interior area, you don't want to actually provide privacy for would-be intruders outside. Many homeowners choose tall shrubbery for planting next to their home because they like the appearance, or choose an oversized privacy fence for their own comfort, without realizing that they're also providing hiding places for burglars. Stand across the street from your home sometime at night and look at it critically; if you were a thief, would you be able to hide easily behind the shrubbery, or in a darkened corner behind the fence? You don't need to install floodlights outside your home, but it's good to trim down shrubbery and use lights with motion detectors to illuminate those dark corners around a fence where needed.
Advertising your schedule
As said, thieves usually like to break in when a home is vacant; advertising your schedule can tell a thief exactly when to plan their robbery! Invest in a remote garage door opener you can operate from your smart phone so you can ensure it's always closed during the day. Switch to email billing from your utilities and credit card companies so mail doesn't sit in your mailbox all day. Consider reading the newspaper online or picking up a copy on the way home from the office, rather than letting a paper sit on your porch during the day, a sure signal that the home is empty.
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