1. Inspect Your Doors
Your front and back doors are one of the most common access points for criminals. In cases where there is no ally in the back of a home, the front door is a surprisingly common entry point that even more shocking is accessed without any forced entry. It’s important to take a moment to inspect your front door, back door and especially sliding glass doors. Ensure locking mechanisms are working properly, and confirm with those living in the home that locking the door is standard procedure. Many burglars simply check to see if a door is open because they know that many simply are left unlocked.
In the case of sliding glass doors, these can be incredibly easy to access with very easily accessible tools. If your door does not have a locking mechanism that literally stops the door from moving, such as a bar, consider going to your local hardware store and purchase one. They are easy to install and successfully deny access to the entry unless the entire pane of glass is broken.
3. Post Security Signs
Most home security systems come with signs and window decals. Make sure that you put these up around your home apply stickers to windows and sliding glass doors. Criminals are opportunistic in nature. A simple sticker to show that a potential target home is protected is enough to deter most criminals. Studies have shown that even posting stickers without any home security system at all in place results in less criminal activity.
4. Exterior Lighting
Many more burglaries occur in broad daylight than you might imagine. However criminals do like to act under the cover of darkness if they can. It is specifically important for a would-be-burglar to identify homes that also have thick foliage surrounding their property so that either day or night maintains an obstructed view from the street.
Adding strategically placed exterior lights that can remove shadows near doors and windows can be a proven barrier to deter burglars. Additionally you can set up lights to engage motion sensors at night which adds a much better level of protection because it instantly draws attention to what is happening near the exterior of the house, altering the homeowner and neighbors.
4. Test Your Security System
If you currently have a security system, make sure you test it regularly. A Central Alarm Inc customer will have regular testing done automatically because we provide local monitoring for Tucson residents that is built in. Many other alarm systems, specifically DIY products that you set up yourself, may go years without complete component testing. The last thing you want is a system failure during a home break-in or invasion, which is the crucial time you absolutely need that system to function properly.
Making annual and semi-annual testing of your system should be a top priority.
5. Add a Security System to Your Home
It goes without saying that we would be in favor or getting a security system. But the research is indisputable – homes with alarm systems provide by far the best deterrent to avoid break ins. Or in the case of an actual breakin, thieves quickly flee a scene as to not draw attention to themselves.
What might surprise you is how affordable a feature rich home security system costs that includes 24/7 monitoring by local professionals right here in Tucson. We’d love to talk to you about adding a security system to your home today and get that peace of mind!
