Securing the Entry Points to Your Home and Property

Instead of leaving your home open to an invasion, it is important to take steps to protect your vulnerable entry points with the latest security technologies and hardware. 

 

Securing Your Doors 

Doors are the most popular point of access for forced and unforced entry. In over 30% of home invasion cases, burglars just use the front door. Home alarm systems weren't activated, and door security didn't trigger the police all because the doors were left unlocked. 

 

What Are the Best Door Security Options?

Door security is your biggest concern. You should install home alarm systems to prevent invasion at the most vulnerable home access points. These will work when all your doors are locked, and if someone attempts a forced entry. When you are at home, keep your doors locked unless they are actively in use. Door security and home alarm systems are not effective if the door is left unlocked. 

 

There are plenty of other situations where a back door or sliding glass door can be re-enforced to make if more efficient if the door is left open when the screen is locked. In these situations, Crimsafe sliding glass doors with screen door material can withstand 369-foot pounds of force so someone won't be able to just push in the screen door at the sliding door entrance. You might want to let in a breeze, let a pet out, or be through the sliding door yourself. 

 

Securing Window Entry Points

The windows to your property are the second most popular point for an unforced entry. Many people forget to lock their windows, especially when they are home. Windows might be kept open to allow in a nice breeze or to vent while cooking, but it's too easy to overlook closing and locking them once you are done. And that's just on the first floor. Anyone with windows on the second floor is much less likely to consider locking them because it's assumed thieves won't manage to get to the second story. This is simply untrue.

 

What Are the Best Window Security Solutions?

Firstly, always lock your windows. If your windows don't shut perfectly or you have locks that temperature fluctuations have damaged, replace them with something sturdier. Steel reinforcements for the locks can prove very valuable. If you have basement windows, it's very easy to break these and kick them out, so you are much better off replacing a single pane with block glass windows. The block glass windows are much thicker, and a would-be burglar wouldn't be able to make a single hammer strike and break all of them at once.  

 

Home alarm systems can be applied to all of the windows in your home. These can prevent a home invasion through an unforced or forced entry by notifying you:

• Each time a window is open,
• Each time a window stays open too long,
• Each time a window is opened beyond a specific marker.

Each of these points serves an important purpose. Notifications every time a window is opened will help you determine whether access has been gained without your approval. Notifications for windows staying open too long will remind you to regularly close and lock your windows after you are about your house. Opening a window beyond a specific marker will allow you to open your windows for a fresh breeze but not allow someone unforced entry by opening it the rest of the way while climbing in unnoticed.

Unforced entry and home invasion are much easier if potential burglars can access your windows directly. The best way to prevent this is to cut any large tree branches that might make it easy to climb up to a second story and trim bushes on the ground level. Bushes and small plants can act as a natural deterrent and an effective part of your window security by making it impossible for someone to physically reach your windows. You don't want plants that are so large that someone can easily hide behind or under them and avoid being caught on camera. 

Secure Garage Access Points

Vulnerable home entry points aren't just the doors and windows. If you have an attached or separate garage, tool shed, storage shed, or carport, you have more vulnerable access points than you might think. The main door is a big concern as many would-be thieves will happily start with unforced access through any available door or window as opposed to forced entry. But you also have to worry about window security. While upwards of 30% of home invasions do use a front or back door, windows are the access point in 20% of home invasions.

 

Top Answers for Garage Security?

Start with door security. If you have an attached garage, your door security should be given the same level of concern as your front or back door. This means you should have:

• Steel reinforcements, 
• Crimsafe screens, 
• Motion-detecting flood lights around all doors and windows, 
• Security cameras,
• Deadbolt locks, and/or Smart Locks.

 

For the windows, don't overlook some of the same things:

• Home alarm systems that notify you when a window has been opened or is left open too long, 
• Extra door locks like smart locks or deadbolt locks, 
• Crimsafe screens can withstand hundreds of pounds of applied pressure and won't tear, rip, or break. 

 

Securing Your Property

Long driveways might seem ideal for keeping would-be thieves away from your front (or back) door, but the length of the driveway isn't nearly as important as you might think. Burglars will make it a point to walk right up to the front door (as mentioned) or go in through a back door if they find one unlocked.  

 

What Are the Top Precautions for Property Security?

Install a home security system complete with motion detection lights and cameras. These should cover all vulnerable home entry points like doors and windows as well as approach locations on your property away from your residence building. Make sure the lights and cameras face the same direction, too, so that you can see someone approaching or breaking in at night.  You can easily find home security systems that also link to your phone.

With these types of systems, you have control over window security, door security, garage security, cameras, and lights. You can do things like:

• Open a door remotely
• Get a real-time update if your motion detection system is activated
• Open or close garage doors (in case you forgot on your way out the door)
• Motion sensor activated lights (and alerts) along the approach paths or road to your home