How do most home invasions occur? Securing your points of entry.

Home invasions are a scary proposition. As we have discussed before in our post Home Security Tips Revisited, there are steps that homeowners and renters can take to keep themselves and their property safe, as well as working in tandem with organizations such as Crime Stoppers and neighborhood watches.

While there are more than 2.2 million burglaries in the United States every year, the FBI estimates that up to 90 percent of all home burglaries could be prevented by just making a few adjustments. Here are four high-profile areas to focus your security efforts on:

1. Doors and windows

It’s possible you live in a neighborhood where people leave their doors unlocked, but most of those idyllic settings disappeared sometime in the 1950s. Make sure your door is sturdy. Many burglars don’t use finesse when breaking in, they simply use brute force. A hollow or non-reinforced door will make it easier for someone to gain access. 

Technology has allowed homeowners to become more sophisticated in their protection efforts, including the mass-market availability of keyless locks. One benefit of these locks is the ability to program and delete access codes as needed. This makes it a great option for someone who might need to gain temporary access to a construction worker or cleaning worker. 

2. Front door

Not everyone who approaches your front stoop and rings your doorbell is there for a good reason. In fact, there is a long-standing tactic used by would-be burglars of ringing the doorbell in order to determine if anyone is home, or even just to gain easy access by having the homeowner open the door him or herself. 

There are a few different things you can do to discourage this: put a motion sensor light by your door, use a peephole, ask for identification, install doorbell cameras. These cameras work in two distinct ways:

• They allow you to see exactly who is at your door and make a determination whether to answer or not.
• Record the person at your door on camera so that it can be provided to the authorities in the case that person is there for nefarious purposes. 

3. Backyard

If you’re lucky enough to have a backyard, make sure it is secured via gates that lock or privacy fences that discourage climbing. A backyard is normally a secluded location that gives burglars a way to get into a house without being detected. A motion-activated security light is also a great diversionary tool as it might spook a wannabe burglar when it’s activated.

4. Garage

Garage door openers, like TVs, come with remotes with default pass codes that need to be reprogrammed. Unfortunately, too many homeowners don’t change these default settings making it an easy way for people to gain unauthorized access. This is especially true if you tend to use your garage as a primary entry or access point. Be sure to change the passcode – and not to 123 either.

We carry a variety of options in all of these different categories to make you and your home more secure. Please join in the conversation below and share your tips and tricks for keeping you and your home safe!