7 Low-Cost Ways to Improve Your Home Security | A Statistical Guide

According to 2018 FBI statistics, at least one home burglary occurs at least every 30 seconds or so in the United States. To prevent this from happening to you, we bring you 7 low-cost ways to improve your security at home.

Maybe that sounds like a lot, but it’s not that much compared to the years’ burglary statistics. According to FBI data shows that burglaries are down more than 40% since 2008. So, they have dropped more than 10% in each of the last two years—all this, based on the bureau’s preliminary 2019 crime statistics. 

But this reduction did not happen by the incident. One cause of the decline in property crime is the growing availability of these devices.

You can find many kinds of home security safety devices, from self-installed video doorbells and phone-activated alarm systems to motion discovery lights and superior privacy fences. The proportion of security configurations for the living place at the moment looks limitless.

There’s no debating the convenience of a professionally installed whole-home security system with 24-hour checking. There’s just one problem: you’re probably not eager to pay the monthly service fee, let alone the up-front cost.

Some of the low cost home security systems are;

• Upgrade your Locks
• Add a storm door, which is an added barrier to entry.
• Lock your doors
• Be smart with your hide-a-key
• Close windows and use curtains
• Add window locks
• Technological living space security measures
• Video doorbells

Physical Security Measures of the Living Place

There is a sequence of simple, low-value changes you can make to your doors and locks to make them more secure:

Know when burglars strike

The stereotype that several of us possess is that burglaries happen in the dark of night. They occur at the time it is dark, while we sleep.

The discreet burglar sneaks into our home and runs off with things from us in the dark of night.

According to the FBI, more than 75% of robberies occur during the day, between 9 am and 2 pm. 

What is the reason? Most of the crowd is at work, school, or out and about throughout the day. Burglars commonly desire a simple score and wish to get in and out of the home in a few minutes, and it makes it much more straightforward if no one is home.

To help you be more relaxed, it can be an acceptable initiative to arrange motion-activated cameras in your living place, both indoors and outdoors, that can offer you signal throughout the day if there is activity inside or outside your home.

Upgrade your Locks

Suppose it’s been a while since you’ve updated your locks. So, take inventory: are any of the waves damaged? Could there be keys plus floating around with oddballs? Are any of the exterior locks simple to open, move or bump?

In this regard, it is time to change the key in your locks or replace them with more tamper-resistant locks.

You are installing solid wood or reinforced wood doors. These are your most commonly used options to prevent a break-in. Make sure to use these higher security doors on all exterior entrances.

Add deadbolt locks. In contrast to deadbolt locks, deadbolt locks cannot be forced open. In most cases, they are accessible and straightforward to arrange, but they are most effective if attached to a strong door.

Use motion-detector lights inside and out: Convert regular lights to motion sensor lights by modifying motion sensor light bulbs or screwing a motion detector adapter between a standard light bulb and a socket.

Use outdoors, they will focus attention on anyone viewing your property, and the visibility alone has the potential to be enough to hold likely intruders off your path. If they venture indoors, indoor editions will make it more complicated for them to move around undetected.

Add a storm door, which is an added barrier to entry.

Adding a door reinforcement plate helps prevent burglars from kicking in the door. They are simple to arrange (you need a drill and some screws) and are inexpensive.

It is installing add-on window gadgets. Adding pin, key, or wedge locks to windows can make it more difficult for burglars to enter through them. You can also add sensors that sound when the windows are opened or insert a bolt or rod that blocks part of the window track, limiting how far it can be opened.

Lock your doors

The main idea of keeping a door locked is to keep out people who think they have no business being there. The bad thing is that sometimes we get carried away with the feeling of security and forget to use them.

Burglars look for simple entry features in homes that are likely to be empty—lock doors and windows when you are not using them, even when you are at home.

The first thing you should do to avoid being a victim of a burglary is to lock every lock on your door.

According to FBI statistics, the back door (23%) and a first-floor window (24%) were chronic entry points. A high percentage of the (35%) came through the front door.

34% of burglars enter the front door; another 23% enter through a first-floor window. 

Don’t forget to lock parking lot doors and sliding doors, which are also common entry points for these miscreants. However, having a security bar for sliding doors is very smart. This can be very useful.

Sliding doors: add an auxiliary foot lock or put a pin in the tracks to physically prevent the door from being forced open.

Be smart with your hide-a-key

Hiding a key in a predictable space, such as under the carpet or in a flower pot near the door, makes things pretty simple for opportunistic thieves.

Instead, give an added key to a security neighbor, find unexpected, rotating hiding places, or, better yet, choose an inexpensive combination lockbox and install it in a hidden space. There’s no value in being a little more careful.

Close windows and use curtains

Another place where many burglars enter the home is through open or unlocked windows. For many people, it is nice to open the windows. This is done to get a nice cross breeze on a hot summer night. However, it would help if you did not forget to close them again, as the open windows on the second floor are used as an entry point 24% of the time. 

Closing the windows is not enough. The ideal is to make sure you complete every single curtain in your home, especially in rooms where there are likely expensive items that would tempt a viable burglar looking through the window.

Add window locks

These highly functional yet affordable locks are ideal for use on basement windows and second-floor windows and will deter burglars from your living space.

Technological living space security measures

A growing number of gadgets were created to guard and monitor entry to your property.

Several can be used remotely using a smartphone or tablet. Technological configurations you might want to consider include:

Video doorbells

These accept you to watch who approaches your property and rings the doorbell. Several even carry individuals to comment using the gadget and record door activity for playback.

Full-Scale Security Systems

Some assist secures all entry points, inside windows, doors, and garages. In most cases, these are managed using a keypad in your living place, although several additionally bring mobile apps. Such systems are maintained by a central monitoring company, which usually charges a monthly fee.

Camera systems

Cameras positioned on the front porch, backyard and driveway can help deter burglars. There are motion discovery setups, live / 24-7-7 systems, and dummy cameras. These can be a video doorbell gadget or your design without dependence.

Smart Door Locks

One product you could consider acquiring if you are predisposed to neglecting to lock your doors is a smart door lock. For the most part, smart locks can be unlocked or denied remotely via a smartphone app. Some can even be modified to work with other smart home gadgets like the Nest thermostat to know if you are away from home. If you are away, it can be changed to lock the doors automatically.

Have a security neighbor protect your home

If you plan to leave the region for an extended period, it may be an acceptable initiative to ask a security neighbor to protect your property. If they see any suspicious actions, they can call the police or inform them of the activity.

They also can make sure that any newspapers that are delivered or packs that show up are taken inside the home or stored until you return.

Finally, if you live in a cold area where it snows, ask if they can shovel snow off your driveway while you are gone so the crowd doesn’t see an empty driveway full of pristine snow.

The Washington Post recommends that deadbolt locks, bars on windows, and pins on sash windows can be effective burglary deterrents. Each entry point is locked (however, 6% of thefts occur under these measures). 

Homes that, for some reason, do not have a security system are three times more likely to be burglarized than other homes.

Instead of creating an account on a security system for the living space, you can also purchase the decals and signatures on eBay or elsewhere.

Place the decals on the front door, where most burglars enter.

Place an alarm check sign as a deterrent. If you can’t make payments on a finished alarm system or a central check, an easy movement can make it look like you have one of all methods. The key is to choose a fake sign from a real company to not evident that it is fake.

From Brick House Security, this edition comes with four vinyl security decals to stick on your door or windows for added peace of mind.

Am I eligible for LIHEAP?

Yes, if you sign up at the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Supplemental Security Income (SSI) also in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF or welfare). Moreover, certain veterans’ entitlement programs may be automatically eligible.

Qualifying for LIHEAP does not guarantee that you will receive assistance. Whether or not you receive aid depends on the proportion of LIHEAP funds available for the year.

On average, about 20% of households that are qualified for LIHEAP receive benefits. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How can home security be improved?

• Don’t keep valuables in plain sight.
• Forget about “hiding a key.”
• Could you not make them understand you’re gone?
• Don’t hide your home too much.
• Avoid doors with glass near the handle.
• Invest in motion-activated lights
• Keep your second floor secure.
• Have the police inspect your home
• Window locks
• Use common sense

How can I secure my home cheaply?

Be sure to lock doors and windows.

Place a warning alarm: Alarm systems cost a lot of money.

In addition to the installation fee, you will also have to make a fee service contract fee. They are thus out of most people’s price range. However, it does not imply that you cannot benefit from home burglar alarms. You just need a sign, that’s all.

Place a different sign there: Even if you are unable to locate a burglar alarm sign, you may still gain by placing one in front of your home. The owner is hilariously informed that he is equipped and ready to protect his residence alongside a series of magnificent symbols. Since he wants to avoid engaging the owner in a shootout, some thieves will prefer to stay away from certain residences. So:

• Get a noisy dog
• Remove shrubbery
• Leave a car parked outside.
• Add security plates
• Secure your patio door

Make friends with the neighborhood busybody. You see that every neighborhood has local gossip and busybody who is always paying more attention to other people’s lives than our own. These people are a considerable crime deterrent, as they are the ones who will be able to detail the criminal to the police.

How can I secure my home without having an alarm?

Install a deadbolt or padlock on your door.

Hide your spare key well. Do not hide it on the door frame or under the doormat, as this is normal, and burglars are likely to be suspicious. Instead, you can purchase magnetized lockboxes that go under your car or key boxes that look like sprinkler heads.

Jam long rods between the doorknob and the floor below. This prevents intruders from opening the door from the outside. These are available for purchase, or you can make them yourself.

• Reinforce your windows.
• Next, precede securing doors and windows.
• Turn on a light when you leave.
• Get a guard dog.

If you know some home security tips and tricks, let them come out!

Store essential items in your home or parking lot. This has inside bicycles, grills, or something else that might tempt someone to break into your home. Don’t leave out ladders or utilities that a busybody might find useful.

Conclusion

We all wish to have a quiet night and be at work free of uneasiness; that is why nowadays, different procedures can help us sustain our place of life safe, at night and in the day. 

Here are several ways to do it that are not so expensive that you must understand to choose the one that better seems to you and take care of your home. These security ideas for your home can save you some money and some bad moments.

Read More: 6 Smart Home Upgrades To Help Sell Your House