6 DIY Home Security Tips

home securityAl Feldman
We all want our homes to be secure places where we can be confident that our loved ones and possessions are safe. However, installing a comprehensive, state-of-the-art security system is not practical for everyone. Fortunately, there are simpler steps you can take to make your house a less-appealing target, or to minimize a burglar’s success if they do manage to get inside. Let’s look at some DIY home security tips that you can use to make your home safer right away.

1. Add Motion-Detecting Lights

You can add to your home’s exterior lights with fixtures equipped with motion detectors. This way, if a would-be burglar approaches your home under the cover of darkness, a bright light will suddenly turn on as soon as they get close enough to trigger the motion sensor. These lights also come in handy for a home’s occupants and visitors, as they eliminate frustrating instances of fumbling for keys in a dark driveway or doorway!

2. Use Technology to Make the House Seem Occupied

Automatic timers are inexpensive and can be attached to various appliances throughout your home, including lamps and radios. You can set them to turn off and on whenever you like, creating the illusion of activity in your home even when no one is there. Cutting-edge technology can help you take this idea a step further and put a powerful DIY home security tool in your pocket. Some “smart” appliances and other household items now can be controlled from anywhere with a smartphone app. This way, you can turn on lights and other items remotely at any time.

3. Reinforce Exterior Doors

Most burglars don’t know how to pick a lock. They are much more likely to use a swift kick to the bolted area to break the door or jamb. Therefore, you should replace weaker exterior doors with ones made of solid wood or metal. Deadbolts and door jambs also can be fortified with metal reinforcers, which make them much harder to break through.

4. Create a Video Monitoring System

If you want to monitor your house using video, you have multiple options. One of the simplest involves using an old smartphone or tablet as a camera in the area you want to monitor, then using an app to transmit a video signal to a place where you can view it remotely and securely on the internet. Dedicated home video monitoring systems also are available, though they are more expensive and require a little more effort to install. If you are confident in your DIY abilities, you can build your own camera system. It costs less than an out-of-the-box system, but requires a bit more technical know-how.

5. Use Decoy Items

If burglars get inside your home, they are likely to keep looking for something valuable to take until they find something that seems worthwhile. However, you can distract them from the truly valuable items with decoys. For example, protect your valuable jewelry by keeping it hidden in an unlikely place, while keeping less-valuable jewelry in a nice jewelry box that is placed in an obvious spot. If you have a lot of cash in the house, put a small amount in a place burglars might look, like a sock drawer, while keeping the bulk of it in a less obvious place. When you hide valuables in your home, make sure to put them in places where they will not be affected by moisture or heat.

6. Buy the Right Safe

One of the most effective ways to protect your valuables is to use a trusted safe. Many people only need a small safe that can hold items like cash, jewelry, and important documents, but safes come in various types and sizes, so you can choose the one that best suits your needs. A safe that can be bolted to the floor or embedded securely in a wall or floor prevents the burglar from simply picking up the safe and walking out with it. It can even be installed in an inconspicuous place so the burglar might never notice it. A fire safe adds an extra level of security, protecting your valuables in the event of a house fire. Want to keep your valuables safe? Contact Western Safe today to find the safe that suits your needs.
Tags: Home security