If you’re looking for cost-effective ways to add more protection to your home then we’ve got you covered. In this article, we’ll share a few budget-friendly tips to keep your family and valuables safe.
Check the integrity of your door locks
It goes without saying that locking your doors is the most basic way of securing your home. One way to test the integrity of your locks is through lock picking. While you can always use your credit card or a kitchen knife, more professional tools do the job better, like master keys and lock picking files. Lock picking will also help you check which locking mechanism works best with your home. Knowing that your home is secure will give you the peace of mind to sleep soundly at night.
One of the best ways to help keep your family safe at home is to make sure that the locking mechanisms on the doors are strong and can do the job they’re designed to do. This is especially important if you live in an older home where the locks might be a bit outdated. Take a walk around the house and check all door locks to make sure that they are sturdy and secure. If they seem a bit shaky or questionable, then it might be time to get them replaced.
Also, if you have standard-issue locks on your doors then consider replacing them with deadbolts, which are much stronger. Typically, regular locks will only go a half-inch into the doorframe. Deadbolts, on the other hand, extend a full inch into the doorframe which provides much more protection from intruders.
Secure all windows
Along with checking to make sure the locks are working properly on all the doors, you’ll also want to ensure that the locks on your windows are secure. It’s important to remember that the windows are a point of entry and ambitious thieves will be more than happy to come in through this alternate route if it means scoring a few prized possessions.
Once again, if your windows are older and the locks are worn then get them replaced. It may be possible to just swap out the locks which will save you money in the long run. If not, then you might have to replace the entire window. Also, sliding doors are known to have notoriously poor-quality locks. A cost-effective and quick fix here would be to simply place a wooden dowel or broomstick handle on the inside track of the sliding door.
Make it look like someone is home
This tip is obviously focused on keeping your valuables safe. We’re including it here because sometimes those precious family heirlooms can have lots of sentimental value and would cause a great deal of heartache if stolen. So while it might not be physical safety, in this case, we’re simply referring to emotional well-being.
That being said, if you know that you’re going to be away from home for an extended period of time then one thing you can do to prevent a break-in would be to give the impression that someone is home. For example, if you’re going to be out late at night then you could leave a light on in the home to make it look like someone is there. If you’re going to be away for a weekend, then you might want to set a few timers for the lights to go on at nighttime. Also, ask a friend or family member to retrieve the mail and newspaper each day so that they don’t pile up. Letting these things overflow can be a clear sign that nobody is home and could be an open invitation to thieves.
Invest in a home security system
Of course, it’s always a good idea to invest in a basic house alarm system to protect your family and valuables inside. There are plenty of options you can find on the market from professionally installed and monitored systems that have all the bells and whistles, down to those you can install in about an hour and monitor yourself.
