Your home is more than your castle; it’s also a source of happiness and safety. This is why having your home burglarized is such a major violation. Even though many items that are stolen can be replaced, having a stranger in the space where you and your loved ones live, eat, and sleep is deeply unsettling. When it comes to protecting that safe space, installing advanced home security is an important step for every residence.
Many homeowners would be surprised to learn that a large number of burglaries can be prevented by simply installing proper locks on their doors and windows – and then making sure to use them. In fact, U.S. Department of Justice statistics have shown that nearly 40% of unlawful entries to unoccupied residences happen through an unlocked door or window. For burglaries that occur when a resident is home, 28% occur through an unlocked door or window and a whopping 27% of thieves gain entry through a door or window that’s simply been left open.
Keeping your doors and windows securely locked is an important first step, but it’s not enough to keep your home completely safe. Advanced home security involves multiple steps that will help protect all potential points of entry, including your swinging doors, sliding doors, windows, and garage.
Door Security — From Front to Back to Side
One of the most basic aspects of advanced home security is good door security for the front, back, and side doors. Choosing incredibly sturdy exterior doors is essential, and so is opting for high-quality, heavy-duty hinges and locks. Consumer Reports recommends either purchasing a box strike made of heavy-duty metal and installing it with the screws provided. Otherwise, you can install 3-inch screws to secure your existing strike plates. Three-inch screws are also essential to install door hinges securely.
Door security also involves being able to monitor anyone who approaches, enters, or exits through your doors. Video doorbells have become an increasingly popular way to see who’s at the door via a live video stream as well as communicate with them through the included microphone and speakers. For side and back doors, cameras provide an extra layer of security and monitoring.
A truly comprehensive advanced home security system will also include door sensors that can be customized to send alerts. The system can be set to alert you when a door opens at any time (helpful if you have small children or aging family members) or only when the security system is armed. As a final layer of security, install motion lighting around all potential entries to your home in order to give thieves no place to hide out and break-in.
Let in Light, Not Burglars, With Sliding Glass Door Security
Sliding glass doors make another enticing target for enterprising thieves. With their glass panels and weak latches, they offer particularly easy access for anyone hoping to gain unlawful entry to your home. Just because you have sliding glass doors doesn’t mean you can’t take steps to protect them, however!
Just like with regular doors, sliding glass door security includes installing exterior lights with motion sensors that will trigger if they detect movement near the door. Should someone attempt entry, a sliding glass door that is integrated into an advanced home security system will immediately alert the homeowner.
Sliding glass door security includes installing glass break and vibration detectors that will set off an alarm if a burglar strikes or succeeds in breaking the glass. Alarms installed on sliding glass doors aren’t all-or-nothing, secure when closed and sounding when opened. They can be customized to allow homeowners to enjoy some of the best features of a sliding glass door: keeping the door cracked for ventilation or partially open to allow a pet to come and go freely. With these settings in place, the alarm will sound if the door is opened beyond a certain width.
Proper Window Security — Without Putting Up Bars
A professionally-installed advanced home security system will also focus on window security. Because windows are such a common home entry point for thieves, it’s essential to make sure yours are covered. This is the case even if a window has a screen on it or is located high above the ground.
Having secure windows doesn’t mean putting up burglar bars, however. Window security works similarly to sliding glass door security in that you can install glass break sensors that will generate an alert if the window is broken. Another important feature of proper window security is customized sensors that still allow you to have a window cracked for air but will sound should someone open the window further to creep through it. This is a great feature not only to keep burglars out but also to keep sneaky teenagers in!
When securing your home’s windows, make sure not to overlook any basement egress windows that may be installed on your bottommost floor. These windows are easy to forget, and installing sensors on them will help protect your home as well as your security panel (which is often located in the basement).
Why Garage Security Goes Far Beyond Keeping Your Car Safe
When it comes to making sure your home is covered top to bottom in terms of security, make sure not to forget your garage — especially if it’s attached. An attached garage offers a tantalizing opportunity for thieves to hide out while they steal tools, bikes, your car, or even gain access to your house.
Because of this, make sure to include garage security in your overall advanced home security plan. This includes fitting your garage doors and windows with secure locks as well as glass break and alarm sensors just like the ones in the rest of your home. Make sure to keep those doors and windows locked at all times, as well. For additional security, keep your garage windows covered to prevent thieves from peeking in to take an inventory or make a plan.
Keep in mind that your garage door remote is more than just a convenience for you; it’s also a potential key for burglars to gain access to all of the items stored in your garage and put them one step closer to entry into your home. Whether your car is parked in your garage or outside at work, always take your garage remote inside with you to ensure that if your car is broken into, your garage will remain secure. In addition to this, always keep the door between your home and garage securely locked.
Doors, Windows, Garage — Do You Have An Advanced Home Security Plan?
Having a successful advanced home security plan means taking the time to look at your home through the eyes of a burglar to ensure that all potential access points are covered. This is why it’s important to have a professional install your home security system, as they’ll know how to include trickier items like sliding glass doors in the plan as well as make sure that little-used windows in the basement or on higher floors aren’t overlooked.
Once you have a home security system in place, the final step is to make sure you’re actually using it. This means keeping doors and windows locked and activating sensors on doors and windows that you leave partially open. Whether you’re away on vacation or working from home during the day, your advanced home security system can only do its job if you make sure to use it — on every door, every window, every time.
At ProTech Security, we have a strong history of experience, innovation, and customer service. The ProTech Security Advantage is more than 35 years of service in Northeast Ohio and a strong commitment to providing quality, cost-effective protection for homes, businesses, educational institutions, and government facilities. To see what ProTech Security can do for you, contact us today.
