Urban Home Security Tips for Your Downtown Residence | By Jordan Frankel

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Living in a downtown urban neighborhood comes with many perks, including proximity to restaurants, entertainment, and work. But urban living also brings challenges, one of the biggest being higher crime rates. Developing a strong urban home security plan is essential to protect your residence and keep your family safe.

According to residential security expert Jordan Frankel, the best place to start is by securing a home’s most vulnerable points: windows, doors, and alarm systems. Below are some essential urban home security tips based on Frankel’s expertise to help you create a safer environment in your city home.

Urban Home Security Must-Have: A Reliable Home Alarm System

If you don’t yet have a home alarm system, now is the time to get one. While an alarm can’t physically stop an intruder, it acts as a strong deterrent. It can alert you, your neighbors, and law enforcement if someone attempts to break in, ensuring you receive the help you need promptly. In an urban area, a home alarm system isn’t a luxury but a necessity. Fortunately, there are many affordable options to help those on a budget.

When choosing and using an alarm system for urban home security, consider the following tips:

  • Display Alarm Signage: Place alarm company signage in clear view to let would-be intruders know your home is protected. This is an effective way to deter criminals looking for easy targets.
  • Use a Blazing Siren: Make sure your alarm has a loud siren that neighbors can hear. This sudden noise can startle intruders, often causing them to flee to avoid detection.
  • Connect to a Monitoring Station: Ensure your alarm links to a central monitoring station. This way, law enforcement will be notified immediately if the alarm is triggered.
  • Include Cellular Dialing Capabilities: Choose an alarm system with cellular capabilities. This feature ensures that your monitoring station will still receive alerts even if power or phone lines are cut.
  • Add Glass Break and Motion Sensors: Install these sensors as early warning signs of intrusion. They provide immediate alerts if someone tries to break a window or enter undetected.
  • Secure the Control Panel: Place the control panel in a closet, cabinet, or secure room so intruders cannot easily tamper with it.

Keep your home alarm system armed at all times, whether you’re out or at home. Many residents forget to activate their alarms, making them vulnerable to intruders. An active alarm system plays a critical role in any effective home security plan.

Secure Windows to Prevent Break-Ins

For urban home security, properly securing windows is essential. In busy urban areas, windows are often a primary point of entry for intruders.

  • Always Keep Windows Locked: It may sound simple, but many residents leave windows unlocked, creating an easy entry point for burglars. Make sure all windows are locked before you leave or go to bed.
  • Invest in Glass Security Film: Add an extra layer of security to your windows by installing protective glass film, such as BurglarGARD. This film strengthens window panes, making it difficult for an intruder to shatter the glass. Breaking through film-lined windows requires significant noise and force, which helps deter criminals.

Securing your windows is an easy and cost-effective way to protect your home against break-ins. Reinforcing glass with security film also makes your windows safer, creating a less appealing target for criminals in an urban setting.

Essential Door Security Tips

Your doors are the first line of defense against intruders, especially in a high-risk, urban environment. Here’s how to protect your urban residence by strengthening door security:

  • Install Solid Entry Doors: Choose entry doors made of solid wood or metal. Hollow doors can easily be forced open, but solid materials provide a higher level of security.
  • Use Reinforced Hinges: Secure door hinges with 3.5-inch steel screws to withstand brute force. These screws make it much harder for an intruder to kick or push the door open.
  • Add a Security Door Brace: For extra reinforcement, install a security door brace at the base of your entry doors. A sturdy brace, like the OnGARD door brace, can withstand up to 1,800 pounds of force, making it almost impossible for someone to break through. To see for yourself how the OnGARD security door brace can prevent an intruder from busting through your front door, check out this video demonstration.
  • Install a Wide-Angle Peephole: Peepholes allow you to see who’s at the door before opening it. If you have family members of different heights, install additional peepholes so everyone can check the visitor safely.

Effective door security is essential to prevent home invasion and deter burglars from targeting your home. With these urban home security measures, your residence will become a less attractive target for criminals.

Home Security for Your Garage

Garages are common points of entry for burglars, particularly in urban areas where garages may open onto busy streets or alleyways. Securing your garage is an essential part of any urban home security plan.

  • Keep the Garage Door Closed: An open garage door signals that no one is home and invites intruders to explore. Always close and lock your garage door when it’s not in use.
  • Lock Interior Garage Doors: Install a heavy-duty deadbolt and door brace on any door that connects the garage to the main part of your home.
  • Update Garage Door Codes Regularly: Change the code on your garage door opener periodically to prevent unauthorized access.
  • Link the Garage to Your Alarm System: Make sure the garage is included in your alarm system’s coverage. Adding motion detectors and glass break sensors will provide additional protection if someone tries to enter.

Securing your garage is a simple but vital step to protect your urban residence from break-ins.

Make Your Urban Home a Safer Place to Live

Living in an urban neighborhood offers many conveniences, but it also requires extra caution regarding home security. Implementing these downtown security tips will help you safeguard your residence and reduce the risk of break-ins. From installing an alarm system to strengthening your doors and windows, each security measure adds another layer of protection.

Being proactive and vigilant can help prevent home invasions and burglaries, making your downtown residence a safer place to live. These urban home security strategies are a crucial investment in your safety and peace of mind.