10 Ways To Protect Your Home From Break-ins – MI Security Doors

Every year, there are over 2 million burglaries in the United States. Even in the safest of communities, homes and businesses are at-risk of being broken into. Thankfully, there are some easy steps you can take to safeguard your property and your family at the same time. Here are 10 ways to protect your home from break-ins.

1 – Keep Outdoor Property To A Minimum

Items left outside your home are easy targets for potential thieves. Scooters, bikes, toys and tools will tempt criminals passing by. Keep them off your lawn by storing these items in a garage or behind a fence so they are more likely to go to another home.

2 – Install Security Doors And Windows

Front doors and windows are the most common entry points for break-ins. With the right doors and windows in place, you won’t have to worry about someone busting through to get inside. Iron Clad Security Doors offers solid-steel screen doors and windows that look beautiful and provide superior protection against burglars. Call us at (313) 837-0390 for a free consultation.

3 – Run Your Sprinklers At Night

If you have sprinklers in your yard, set the timer to turn them on at night. This is the most energy efficient way to operate sprinklers because the sun is not out to evaporate the water. It will also deter burglars because they will not have to fight through the water to get to your front door.

4 – Make Your Home Look Active

Many burglars strike during the day when they think people are at work or at school. Others will target homes late at night when they think everyone is asleep. You can trick them into going away by making your home look active even when it is not. Leave a TV running or get a smart home security system that allows you to turn lights off and on at random. If you are going away for vacation, get a house sitter to ensure that someone is on property as often as possible.

5 – Don’t Hide Your Key Under The Mat

Hiding your front door key under the welcome mat may seem like a good idea, but that will instantly put your home at risk. As an alternative, give a nearby neighbor you can trust a spare key to your home. If you do not have any neighbors you can trust, you could keep a spare key in a combination lockbox somewhere on your property, or you could invest in a hide-a-key that blends in with your greenery.

6 – Take Care Of Your Yard

Trees and bushes can act as hiding places for criminals, especially if they are overgrown. By keeping your front yard manicured, you will limit the areas intruders can hide. Pay particularly close attention to trees close to the home that could allow burglars to crawl into a window. Those limbs should be trimmed so that no unwanted guests can get in.

7 – Make Friends With Your Neighbors

Neighbors watch out for one another. If you’re not home when something suspicious happens, one of your neighbors may be able to contact you or the police during the incident. Of course, you should provide the same courtesy for them when they are not around to ensure the entire neighborhood stays safe.

8 – Change Your Door Codes

If you have an electronic keypad for your front door or garage door, change the password once every few months. At the very least, make sure you change the code if you give it out to construction workers, temporary guests, or other people who will not be entering the home anymore. Yes, that is one more thing to memorize, but it could protect you from a break-in later on.

9 – Clean Up

Making your home look well-kept will tell burglars that someone is around and actively caring for the property. Messy gutters, overgrown lawns and massive leaf piles all say “No one lives here!” Send the opposite message by taking some time to tidy up your home’s exterior.

10 – Hang Security Signs

If you have a home security system, great. If you don’t you can still make burglars think you do. There are plenty of home security companies that offer free signs for you to put in your yard and on your windows. This tells people that your home is being monitored, which means they are more likely to get caught in a break-in. The better you advertise, the more intruders will be deterred.