10 best ways to protect your home

When someone comes to your door, do you promptly open it, assuming it’s a neighbour or delivery person? if so, stop right now. Those with bad intentions can easily knock you aside and gain entry to your home.

Your best bet to protect your home is adding a video doorbell camera. These easy-to-install devices let you see and talk to whoever’s at your door through an app on your phone. You don’t have to open the door.

A bonus: You can talk to visitors whether you’re home or not. And the camera can catch package thieves, too.

Here are 10 places smart homeowners install security cameras.

Most people know you should halt your mail service and put lights on a timer when you’re away from home for long periods. Well, most thieves know those tricks, too.

Here’s a better way to deter potential break-ins: Hire a home sitter to make your place look lived in by cutting the grass, bringing in packages and parking in the driveway. Plus, the sitter can water your plants and feed the fish. Just make sure you hire someone from a trusted agency or a well-known friend or relative.

Here are 7 sneaky ways burglars can break into your house.

Your landscaping can make your home safer. Overgrown bushes give thieves an ideal place to hide. Keep them trimmed to give those with ill intentions less coverage. Even better, plant spiky bushes and plants like cacti, yucca and roses underneath windows to deter thieves.

How many times have you forgotten to turn on the porch light before you left the house? Darkness is a thief’s best friend because it gives them cover to shimmy through windows undetected.

Protect your home at night by installing motion-sensor lights on each side. Many use batteries or solar power so they don’t need to be hard-wired.

Learn 21 things a robber won’t tell you.

Okay, you know to lock your doors, but chances are someone in your family constantly forgets. No problem. Invest in smart locks.

Smart locks can automatically lock the door behind these forgetful loved ones. You can even lock the door when you’re not home using an app.

Discover 5 easy ways to secure your home.

So you have a safe for your valuables? That’s a great start. Unfortunately, if it isn’t super heavy, thieves will just take it with them and try to figure out how to open it later. Protect your valuables better by mounting the safe in a wall or bolting it to the floor.

A big-screen television or computer box by your kerb is basically advertising you’ve got cool stuff to steal. Hide your new big-ticket items by breaking down the boxes and stuffing them in your rubbish or recycling bin.

No, you don’t have to delete your accounts. Just be smart with some social media best practices.

Don’t post that you’re going out of town for work or holiday. Save those photos until you get home. Then in the post write something like, “I’m back home!” This will let potential thieves know you’re not still on holiday.

Also, make sure teens know they shouldn’t post about holidays, money or expensive items. Don’t unwittingly make yourself a target.

I’m a burglar – here’s how to outsmart me.

Locking windows is one of the best things you can do to protect your home because 23 percent of thieves come in through windows.

If you live in an older home, a few windows probably don’t lock properly. For those, purchase window stops. These devices install quickly and are inexpensive.

Your car could be the key a crook needs to get into your house. If you park in the driveway or on the street, keep your vehicle locked and never leave a garage opener inside. Otherwise, one click is all a thief needs to access your garage.

Sign up here to have Handyman’s favourite stories straight to your inbox.

Source: Family Handyman