8 Home Security Measures

If you are a burglar, you are going to look for the easiest path to success. It only makes sense to want to get in and out quickly to avoid being caught. Professional thieves know what to look for—both for what makes a home an easy target, and what makes a home an undesirable one. Here are some of the home security measures you need to take right now to help prevent your home from being robbed or vandalized.

Lock Your Doors

This may be an obvious home security measure, but you’d be surprised how many times doors are left unlocked. Homeowners may go out the front door and leave a side or back door unlocked. Or they may go out through the garage and forget to close the garage door. If your home is on the market for sale, Realtors and their clients unlock doors, and may forget to re-lock them in their excitement. For good measure, lock exterior doors even when you are at home.

According to a survey by Eyewitness Surveillance:

In 30% of all burglaries, the intruder entered through an unlocked door
About 1 in 5 people don’t lock their doors when they are at home
63% of Americans know someone who doesn’t lock their doors regularly

Lock Your Windows

Here’s another often-overlooked entry point. We get busy and can forget to check all the rooms when leaving the house, but an open window is an invitation to enter. One measure to help prevent window entry is to install window stoppers that prevent being able to raise the window past a certain point, yet are easily opened with a key from the inside.

Remove Temptations

Burglars know the usual hiding places for extra keys, so don’t leave one under the flowerpot. Put away tools and ladders, lock the shed, and don’t leave expensive items on the porch or in the yard. Think about the view through your windows to the inside of your home and don’t leave valuables or computers within sight. Pull shades at night.

Add Lighting

Criminals like to work where they won’t be seen, so light up your doorways and pathways with LED or solar-powered lights. Install motion detector lights to illuminate the yard—these will also help you navigate in the dark. Use a timer to ensure the lights go on and off on a schedule.

Install Security Cameras

Go simple with a doorbell camera, or equip your home’s interior and exterior with smart motion-sensitive surveillance cameras with night vision and Wi-Fi capability that can capture and help identify suspicious behavior. A good home security measure is to place signs and notifications that your property is monitored.

Incorporate Home Automation

A home automation system can program interior and exterior lights, turn off the TV, check on alarms, notify first responders, and provide video feeds, with access from your computer or any mobile device.

Keep Shrubbery Trimmed

Home security measures include trimming shrubbery and trees low and away from the house to avoid offering hiding places for criminals.

Use a Home Watch Service When You’re Away

If you plan to travel away from home for an extended period, don’t leave your home unattended. Hire a professional Home Watch service to monitor your home.

Rely on Golden Rule Home Watch & Concierge for Home Security Measures

Northern Virginia homeowners trust Golden Rule Home Watch & Concierge to watch over their homes when they’re not there. We’ll schedule visits to your home and, using our multi-point checklist, monitor your home and its systems. We’ll check doors, windows, lighting, alarms, and home systems to ensure everything is in perfect order and provide you with a complete and detailed report following each visit.

Engage us for concierge services too, like picking up packages, forwarding mail, watering plants, or arranging for repairs and maintenance. We’re glad to act on your behalf for whatever you need. Don’t worry while you’re away—Golden Rule Home Watch is your eyes, ears and feet on the ground. Contact us to learn more about our Home Watch, Car Watch and Key Watch services and pricing.