6 clever tips for securing your home

Burglary is a growing issue all over the country, and knowing how to effectively secure your property is a big part of feeling safe in your home – but also when you're away. So how can you be clever about beating burglars at their own game? Here are six tips.

When it comes to securing your home, investing in an alarm system should be your first consideration. It could also mean a reduction in your home insurance rates.

• Aside from the obvious house alarm system, consider looking into the various motion sensor alarm devices that fit onto windows and doors.
• Using infrared technology, these clever little gadgets will sense unexpected movement before the burglar actually enters. This movement can trigger any kind of alert device, ranging from siren-like burglar horns to ultra-powerful lights to notifications on your smartphone.
• Some systems can even be controlled via smartphone apps.

The burglar's fear of being discovered allows you to implement many highly effective deterrents.

• For instance, guard dogs are known among burglars to create a lot of noise. And that noise lets homeowners know someone's snooping around their neighbourhood.

Of course, actually owning a guard dog isn't absolutely necessary. It never hurts to attach a "Beware of Dog" sign to your gate or door, which just might plant second thoughts in a would-be burglar's head.

The majority of burglars gain access to their targets through the front and back doors, so a fundamental step in securing your home is to make sure these doors aren't cheap or flimsy.

• To help reinforce these doors, invest in a deadlock or two, replace the screws in your door jambs with stainless steel, splurge on an expensive handle and try to replace cheap wood with hardwood.

Windows are appealing to burglars for two reasons: the first is the possibility that the homeowner may have left a window open or unlocked. The second is that glass breaks very easily.

• Be sure to always lock your windows when you close them to deal with the first of these reasons.
• To deal with the second reason, it's advisable to invest in some security film to spread out over each pane. This film will work to hold the shards of a smashed window together and prevent from the window from shattering apart– like a type of web.

A parked car outside your house goes a long way.

• While it has been known to occur, burglaries directed at homes occupied with people are considerably rarer than burglaries directed at empty houses.

A car in your driveway gives the burglar a clear indication that somebody is currently in the house, which greatly lessens the likelihood of an attempt to break in.

It's fairly common for homeowners to leave the garage door open. Purchasing a garage timer is a simple way to prevent garage burglaries from taking place.

• A garage timer will allow you to set a specific time for the garage door to close. That way, you can be sure that your garage door will close by itself should you forget.

If you follow at least some of these six clever tips, you'll greatly reduce the risk of a burglary taking place in your home. Burglars look for easy targets, but any of these measures could potentially persuade burglars to move on and leave your home alone.