mortice lock

6 Effective Ways of Burglar-Proofing Your Home

  1. Lock The Doors And Windows

Good safety habits are vital for homeowners. Statistics on burglary show that many burglars have an eye for easy targets. Most of these incidents occur during daylight hours, between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., and are executed in about 10 minutes. 34% of burglars use the front door to access your home, and another 23% gain access through first-floor windows. Important to note is that burglars often target easy-access belongings in houses that seem empty. Even when you are at home, it is important to keep your doors and windows locked if they’re not in use.

  1. Change Your Locks Regularly

It is vital to carry out a regular inventory of the locks in your home. It helps you identify any damaged locks, keys that could have fallen into the hands of strangers, or any of your exterior locks that could be easy to pick, bump open, jimmy. In such cases, it would be advisable to rekey or switch to new tamper-proof locks. To do this, ensure that all exterior doors are equipped with ANSI Grade 1 or Grade 2 deadbolts. Go through our guide to exterior door locks for detailed information.

  1. Fortify Doors, Windows, Locks, And Other Hardware

Your locks could be high-security, but doors, windows, or other hardware could be weak and possible targets for burglars. A well-timed, heavy kick could be all that it takes to allow burglars in. Proper inspection of entry points, particularly on the first floor, is essential as it helps you repair, reinforce, and replace where necessary.

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Some useful ideas could be:

Replacing your broken, thin, or hollow-core exterior doors. Adding extra support, such as a security bar or door barricade, would be a good idea.

Door hardware – make sure the strike plate, which is the metal piece on the door jamb where the lock’s bolt fits, is well fitted using at least ¾ inches-long screws. Such screws can hardly be forced out of the door jamb. You can also consider alternative door reinforcement kits, including strike plates, a mortice lock or any other hardware that could reinforce your doors.

Sliding doors – install a secondary foot lock or add a dowel along the tracks to prevent the door from being open forcibly.

Windows – install window locks and bars or go through this checklist for other burglar-proofing ideas.

  1. Install Motion-Sensing Lights In And Out Of Your House

Ditch regular lights for their motion-sensing counterparts by using motion-sensing light bulbs, or introducing motion detectors between sockets and regular bulbs. When placed outdoors, these lights will spotlight any intruders, and such visibility alone may be enough to keep them off your property. If they manage to sneak into your house, the indoor lighting will make it difficult for them to move undetected. Get more insights about keeping burglars away using light.

  1. Choose A Smart Spot To Hide Your Key

Hiding your spare key in a conspicuous spot like a flowerpot or under a doormat makes it easy for burglars to access it. A good idea would be handing your spare key to a trusted neighbor or finding several smart hiding spots. If you are looking for safer options, getting an inexpensive combination lock-box and securing it in a hidden spot would also help. After all, it doesn’t hurt to be a little more cautious.

  1. Secure Your Valuables

Don’t let your valuables be on display. Outdoors, keep items such as bikes and tools in the garage when they are not in use. Indoors, use blinds, curtains, and window tint to prevent passers-by from seeing what’s inside. Jewelry, electronics and other high-value items shouldn’t be left in plain sight. Vital documents and valuables should be locked in a home safe.