Home Security Hacks: Inexpensive Solutions For Your Security Concerns
Posted on: 26 March 2015
The average home security system does a lot to discourage intruders, and alert authorities if your home is breached. However, there are simple solutions you can use to improve your home's security without spending extra money on an upgrade to your existing system. While not a substitute for a professionally-installed home security service, these low-cost and no-cost measures can be applied in an afternoon or just a few minutes.
Low-cost Upgrades
Prevention is worth investing time and money in, so consider adding extra deterrents around your home, starting with exterior lighting. Replace your exterior light fixtures, both front and back, with motion activated devices. In all, you can expect to spend less than $100 if you do it yourself. The additional light will draw unwanted attention to people who might otherwise like to go unnoticed, especially in a backyard.
In addition to drawing unwanted attention, you can also deter attempts at gaining access to your home with strategically placed shrubbery. Use hearty, thorny shrubs around ground level windows to make gaining access uncomfortable. Better still, anyone who does gain access will be much more likely to leave behind cloth fibers or DNA evidence that can be used during an investigation. Needless to say, it's a risk most thieves won't want to take.
Completely Free Upgrades
One of the most vulnerable parts of your home is your garage, especially if you're on a long trip or simply use it for storage. However, your garage door is mounted on rails, and if it has an exterior handle it has a locking mechanism on those rails. If you expect to be away from your home for a long time, or have no plans on parking a car in there, disengage the tension wire that runs horizontally across the interior of the door. This wire holds the locking mechanism open, and by disconnecting it the locking clips will snap into place on the rails. Once you've made sure both sides are secure, your garage door will only open from the inside.
The next best thing for prevention is early notification of law enforcement. Since you can't be home all the time, it's a good idea to enlist additional people to watch over your home. Rather than hiring a professional security company, simply get to know your neighbors. Make sure they're aware of who you are, who lives with you, and your general routine. This will help make your neighborhood feel more like a community, and if a strange vehicle or person is seen outside your home, there will be someone nearby who questions it, or investigates further.
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