If you need to lock yourself out of your home, replace a key, or the lock on your front door is broken, you should automatically call a locksmith. But what if you need a security check on your home?
Locksmiths know exactly how burglars would break into a house. They have all the tips and tricks that will help intruders get in quickly and discreetly. So locksmiths are the perfect go-to for the security of your home and help you make sure it is burglar-proof.
When asked, most people would say that taking care of their home and family is their top priority, but very few know how to really protect their home from criminals. Here are some top tips to help you with this.
Make sure you have the correct lock on your doors and windows. It is really common for fake locks to be put on a door which makes it easier to drive in.
If you want things to be extra secure, add a latch to your door. Alarms themselves are not necessarily a deterrent in themselves. Having the right interlocks in place can prevent them from occurring before the alarm actually goes off. For example, when someone actually wants to steal your car and your car keys are right on their doorstep. By the time the alarm goes off and you're downstairs to protect your property, or by the time you've called the police, the thieves in your car will be long gone.
Keep trash cans and ladders for your home. These are perfect tools for intruders to gain access through the first floor window, which are often less secure than the first floor doors and windows. Keep them in a shed or garage, or use a special storage unit that burglars cannot access.
Add a spy hole and door chain so you can screen people when they arrive at your front door and only let in those you know. Do not give access to people you do not know or who cannot provide official accreditation.
If you have dogs and cats make sure you buy one that is only open to your pets.
Do not post vacation plans on social media as this is an advertisement for burglars.
Ask a neighbor to keep an eye on your home when you are away and get them to double-check that everything is safe when you are away.
Don't leave your valuables on display and in view of the window. This is like a shop window for burglars. Put some extra safe place outside the windows to keep valuable items or invest in a safe so you can lock things away safely.
Turning on the lights in the house and making it feel like someone is inside is a huge deterrent. Lights with timers are excellent, especially when the nights get darker earlier. It can also mean that you come home to a lighted home rather than a dark one. You can also buy timer plugs if the lights don't have a timer. If you want to be really clever but want to use a simple kit that you can get online, you can use a TV simulator. These create different colors and light patterns to create the impression that someone is in the house watching TV.
Do you have a local neighborhood watch program? Doing so will allow you to let a trusted neighbor know when you are out of town.
Have a professional locksmith check all of your locks for front doors, back doors, patio doors, windows, garages, and sheds. Replace or update faulty locks.
If you are going to be absent for a long time, arrange for the local postal service to be temporarily suspended. This means that no mail has accumulated in your mailbox or on the front door mat. This is a tell-tale sign of a burglar you are not into. Or, if you have a trusted neighbor who feed the cat or water the plants, ask them to move the mail out of sight of the front door and the house's mailbox.
Install an outdoor light with sensors. If a light comes on when people approach the house, they are less likely to hang around trying to break in.
Have you considered converting your driveway to a gravel road? Gravel driveways are very noisy when people walk towards them as they approach your home. A burglar will not want to be heard when they go to the house to break in.
Finally, make sure that all doors and windows are properly locked and that the alarm systems are on. One of the most common ways for intruders to break into a property is through an unopened door or window.
Make sure you keep house and car keys away from the front door. This is where intruders expect to be kept and have easy access to keys if they are in a pot by the front door. Some experts even recommend wrapping your car key in a piece of aluminum foil to prevent thieves from using special devices to intercept the signal from the key to the car and stealing the car. If the key is on the front door and the car is in the driveway, this is no problem.
Do not leave the keys under a stone or a flower pot. This is the first place thieves try to get into the house as quickly, quietly, and easily as possible.
If you are unlucky enough to experience a break-in, make sure your belongings are marked with a UV pen. This means that they are much easier to restore.
