Property crime rates have declined in recent years, but that doesn’t make it any easier to think about the possibility of home intrusion.

With one burglary every 13 seconds, it’s critical to do everything you can to protect your home. Fortunately, a few crucial tips can help you and your family to be safe at home—not to mention that they’ll give you a little extra peace of mind.

Read on!

1. Think Like a Burglar

Most of the time, someone considering entering your home will be a criminal of opportunity. They’ll be looking for the easiest ways to get in and out, as well as the easiest times to break-in. Don’t make it easy for them!

Inspect your home as if you were considering weak points you could exploit:

• Is your house ill-lit at night?
• Are there motion sensors to detect movement in the dark?
• Are there spare keys under your doormat or in fake rocks?
• Do you or your family leave certain ground-floor doors or windows unlocked?
• Are there no signs of a home security system that might raise an alarm?
• Are there cameras to record a crime?
• Are trees or bushes blocking windows or potential entryways?
• Can outsiders see valuables through the windows?
• Does your family’s routine make it clear when no one is home?

Check out a few helpful resources and relevant articles for insights into thieves’ behavior as you inspect your home.

2. Invest in Home Security

If you haven’t already done so, now is the time to assess your existing home security to help you cover any vulnerabilities you noticed in the step above. These security tips are a good place to start.

At a basic level, a home security system of any kind is a good first line of defense against intruders. You can opt for door and window sensors, cameras, motion-sensing lights, video doorbells, and more. Whatever you decide, make sure to self-monitor if you haven’t selected a company with professional monitoring, or if you live in an area outside professional coverage range.

3. Secure Your Home When You’re Away

Even the best security system falls apart if a would-be thief knows you’re not home.

Whenever you’re on vacation, keep up appearances that someone is at home. You can do this with a few simple tricks.

First, solicit a little help from your neighbors or friends. Having someone pick up your mail and any packages will help make it less obvious that you aren’t around. You might also want to ask them to put out your trash, cut the grass, or park their car in your driveway as well.

Next, use automatic timers so that lights and radios come on every once in a while, creating the appearance that someone is at home.

Last, don’t forget to keep your social media posts and vacation pics to yourself until you’re back home. Otherwise, you’re advertising to potential intruders that you’ll be away for a while.

Be Safe at Home

You can never be too cautious when it comes to home security. Keeping your family safe from unwanted intruders is as easy as it is to follow the tips above. With an investment of time and well-spent money, you’ll feel you can be safe at home and enjoy the comfort of your secure space.

We have plenty of other lifestyle tips to help you make the most of your home on our blog, so check out our other posts!