Three Ways to Fortify Your Home From Home Invaders

These days, security seems to be less of a right and more of a privilege as the number of home break-ins increase year-by-year. There are nearly 2 million reported burglaries every year in the United States and although our legal system persecutes burglars and other criminals, this is only after the event and does little to protect the assets of homeowners. Victims of home invasions lose much more than material goods during a robbery: they lose their peace-of-mind in the best of cases and their lives in the worst of cases. Here are three steps that homeowners can use to fortify their homes and ensure that their families are safe in the event of a home invasion.

Restrict Access Points

Windows help to bring outdoor elements into homes — it is this same philosophy that has been pervaded by burglars as windows and doors provide opportunities for thieves. A good number of home invasions are non-forced entry in nature due to lackluster locks on windows and doors. Investing in updated locks could be one of the best ways to ensure that your household doesn’t let burglars in without putting up a fight as most deadbolts are improperly installed on today’s houses; over time the deadbolts can loosen and invite criminals into homes with little resistance. There are some thieves with such bravado that they force their way into homes by breaking doors or windows. To remedy this, it is suggested that high-impact windows and steel doors be installed; both are able to stand up to category 5 hurricanes and are impenetrable to all but the most devastating of blows.

Have a Plan

In the event of a break-in, families have little time to react. Like fire drills and tornado drills, every family should have a proper course of action in play to ensure that all members can remain safe while the authorities are alerted. To this end, many families have a safe room with a reinforced door and strong lock to keep burglars out and access to a telephone so that the police can be contacted quickly. Safe rooms are quickly becoming one of the most requested features for new home buyers, with some of the more secure rooms including camera monitoring throughout the house, timed locks, and impenetrable walls. While a plan may not prevent a burglary, it can certainly help to minimize losses and potentially save lives.

Ensure That Someone Is Always Watching

Most burglaries that occur in the United States are done in broad daylight when thieves know that families are not home. This is where remote home monitoring systems come into play. Interactive home security systems directly place homeowners in contact with 24/7 remote home monitoring professionals that can immediately contact the police in the event of a burglary. Some remote home monitoring systems have cameras around the property that can be accessed using a smart phone, to give the homeowner peace of mind. Even more advanced remote home monitoring systems allow homeowners to engage and disengage locks on doors, activate alarms, and even adjust lighting and temperature within homes from their mobile devices. Home security systems act as an effective deterrent for burglars who think twice about invading a home protected by such services; this deterrent is most effective because it works to protect families, negate property losses, and put thieves behind bars where they belong.