Moving into a new neighborhood is a great experience. However, you must never rule out the possibility of outsiders with the intention of stealing your possessions or causing harm to your loved ones. Even in a secure area, there are those from the outside who patiently wait for an opportunity to strike the easiest targets — new residents.

So, be vigilant. It’s safe to assume that somebody has already studied your household before you moved in. Increase your home security and keep everyone safe by following these ten tips.

1. Use deadbolt door knobs

Deadbolt door knobs provide reasonable security. They are sturdy against most forced entries such as kicks and are best installed on doors leading to the outside.

2. Reinforce door hinges and sliding doors

A deadbolt lock would be useless if your door frame and hinges are weak to begin with. One strong kick would cause the door to fall down without anyone noticing something is going on. Which is why you should pair a sturdy door and lock with strong jambs, hinges, and sliders.

3. Install glass break detectors, door, and window alarm sensors

Thieves are skilled. Most of them know how to pick locks or punch through glass without causing a disturbance. However, if they see a burglar alarm in place, they’ll take more time to break in, and their chance of being caught by people passing by increases.

4. Light up the landscape with motion detectors

In the dark, nothing spooks a thief than being flashed by motion-detecting light. Homeowners consider this the second layer of defense against burglars. Landscape motion detectors also add beauty to your home’s night aesthetic.

5. Add signage

Speaking of home security layers, security signages are your primary line of defense. They come in different styles such as stickers and yard signs. Although signages don’t guarantee thief deterrence, they can make a criminal think twice before making any serious attempts.

6. Install CCTV cameras

There are three ways CCTV cameras become useful: You can use them to monitor your home when you’re out on a vacation via the internet, confirm break-ins or false alarms before calling the police while you’re out, and record evidence in case of a successful theft.

7. Hide your WiFi network

Most home security systems now rely on the internet and thieves have learned how to disarm them. If you won’t hide your WiFi network, criminals will join the connection and shut everything down. All the devices you installed would be useless. If you don’t know how to hide your home network, you can ask for instructions from your internet service provider.

8. Buy a smart safe

As a worst-case scenario, an experienced and skillful thief would choose to break into your house while you’re out of town. But there’s still a way to reduce their success. Better be safe than sorry by having a vault that can store all the valuables you can think of. This safe should also be heavy with an integrated GPS and has the feature to alarm you during a burglary attempt.

9. Use home automation systems

In addition to CCTV cameras, you can also integrate a home automation system that would send you real-time alerts for suspicious activities inside your property. This gives you the ability to make a quick decisive response, dial 911, and request police intervention while you’re away.

10. Legally own a weapon

The second amendment doesn’t only help us defend from foreign threats. It also helps us deal with life-threatening dangers from inside the country. This can be a sensitive topic but there are a thousand ways you can make gun ownership a safe, good, and justified thing.

All you need to do is take the right training and you’ll be able to protect yourself, your family, and your possessions effectively and legally. Remember that using firearms should only be considered in the direst situations. Exercise good judgment before you lock and load.

Times are hard and people are desperate. According to a statistic, it is predicted that 75% of homes in the US will be broken into for the next 20 years. The best way to keep your home secure is to think like a burglar. Know your home’s blind spots and places where a thief would likely enter. Illuminate that spot and put a hidden camera there. Better yet, own a dog to help guard your home while you’re asleep.

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