As important as it is to protect your home, many of the security solutions available today are a significant investment. For example, a monitored home alarm system has installation costs and ongoing service fees. There are other options to safeguard your home for those on a budget. Here are some tips to improve home security that won’t break the bank.
Affordable Smart Tips to Improve Home Security
Simply locking your doors and windows is not always enough to protect your property or to safeguard your loved ones. Even the safest communities are vulnerable to break-ins that put occupants in danger and may result in property loss. These are effective and affordable tips to improve home security.
1. Hide Your Valuables
Most criminals enter homes to steal belongings, so it makes sense to hide your valuables. When they can see a huge TV, valuable artwork, or other expensive jewelry through a window, you are enticing them to break in, grab the loot and run off.
Avoid placing expensive items in an area where they are visible from the front or side windows. Close all blinds at night and when you are away from the house. There is no cost associated with this tip, but it may reduce the chances of your house being robbed.
2. Show That You Are Home
You do not have to be home to give the impression that you are. Leaving a few interior lights on along with a TV or sound system is a great way to indicate to others that someone is inside the home. Some criminals are bold enough to enter a home when they think someone is inside, but most prefer to look for an empty home because it decreases their chance of getting caught.
If you have a few dollars to invest in smart home technology, you can connect your TV and a few lights to a smart home device so you can control them remotely. A more affordable option is setting up simple light timers on a few lamps around the home.
3. Take Care of Your Yard
An unkempt, overgrown yard may indicate that someone has been away from home for a while. Plus when bushes and other types of foliage grow close to the house, they provide criminals with natural cover. Criminals look for homes like this because they can remain hidden from view while they get in and out of the house. Keep your lawn neat and tidy and remove foliage that blocks the view of the front and side windows and doors.
4. Use Solar and Motion-Activated Lights
Just as foliage provides cover, shadows in a dark yard will do the same. A well-illuminated yard can deter criminal activity. Solar and motion-activated lights make sense because they have minimal operational costs and do not require you to physically turn the lights on and off. The cost for these lights is affordable if you make a smart buying decision.
These tips to improve home security will make your home less appealing to criminals. However, each home has unique weaknesses, so spend time analyzing your property from a burglars viewpoint. By doing so, you can see which of these or other home security tips are well-suited for your property.
American Home Inspections Tennessee serves middle Tennessee with home inspection services. Contact us to schedule an inspection.