Simple Home Security Strategies and Devices to Keep the Bad Guys Out of Your Home | By Jordan Frankel

Many of today’s burglaries and home invasions can be prevented with a few simple home security strategies and devices. Yet hundreds of thousands of residents continue to fall victim every year. The two most common reasons for this are (1) many people falsely believe such a crime will never happen to them, and (2) many people think proper home security requires more money than they can afford. Nothing could be further from the truth!

If there is one thing you can learn from Jordan Frankel, home security expert and Vice President of Global Security Experts, Inc., it is that criminals do not discriminate. Everyone, including you and your family, can fall victim to a burglary or home invasion. Every day that you leave your home inadequately protected, the higher your risk becomes. 

Effective home security does not require expensive devices. This common misconception is sometimes the result of speaking to a salesperson of an alarm company or other home security business. Keep in mind that such salespeople are in the business of meeting sales quotas and making money, not ensuring the safety of you and your family. So, of course, they are going to want to sell you the most expensive of products. 

There are a number of effective home security strategies and devices that can keep the bad guys out of your home without breaking the bank. The following are those recommended by Jordan Frankel. 

Simple Home Security Strategies to Deter Criminals

Some of the easiest and cheapest home security strategies and devices to keep the bad guys out of your home involve psychological deterrents. Most burglars and home invasion criminals scope out homes before attempting to break into them. What are they looking for? Easy access and the least amount of risk of being seen or caught. 

The following are a few simple deterrents you can install that can be highly effective at deterring criminals from targeting your residence:

• Signs that serve as warnings to potential intruders:  Whether you have a dog or not, “Beware of Dog” signs can be effective deterrents. The same is true for signs that communicate that your property is being monitored by a home alarm or home surveillance system. The key is to make sure the signs are prominently displayed around your property, including near any potential entry points into your residence. Even if you don’t have a home security system, the signage will give a criminal reason to think twice about attempting to break into your home.

• Dummy security cameras: There are many affordable dummy security cameras that look like the real deal. If you can’t afford a home surveillance system with real security cameras, consider installing a dummy security camera with an LED light at various points around the perimeter of your residence. This combined with some signs that communicate the home is under security surveillance will be highly effective in deterring burglars and other criminals. 

Simple Home Security Devices to Prevent Break-Ins

Keep in mind that the purpose of psychological deterrents is to communicate “high-risk” instead of “easy target.” Though such devices can be highly effective at deterring your average burglar, for the more brazen criminals, you will need a few home security devices that can prevent break-ins through a door or window. 

The following are some highly affordable yet simple home security devices that can keep the bad guys out of your home:

• Heavy-Duty Doors, Deadbolts, and Door Hinges: Your main entry doors should be constructed of solid wood or metal. You should also replace standard deadbolts and door hinges with a heavy-duty deadbolt and door hinges reinforced with 3″ steel screws. Solid doors and heavy-duty deadbolts and door hinges will hold up much better if a criminal attempts to force his way into your home through your front door.

• Security Door Brace: To better secure your home against violent home invasion criminals, install a security door brace at the base of your front door and other entry doors that swing inward. As the OnGARD security door brace demonstrates, such a device reinforces the strength of your door making it extremely difficult to bust open, even against the heftiest of thugs. The device is very simple to install and highly affordable.

• Omnidirectional Sensors for Glass Windows: Because burglars often gain entry into homes by breaking a glass window or door pane, it is important to have glass-breakage sensors installed around your home. With today’s technology, however, you don’t need an individual sensor for every window, which is typically more cost effective. All you need is an omnidirectional sensor on the ceiling of each room that has glass windows or doors. If an intruder strikes or breaks the glass of one of your windows or doors, an alarm will go off and provide you with the alert you need to call for help. If the alarm is loud enough, chances are the intruder will leave the scene to avoid being apprehended. 

• Glass Protection Film: As mentioned, glass windows and door panes are extremely vulnerable when it comes to residential crimes. Glass protection film can be very effective in keeping the bad guys out of your home. Installed on the inside of the glass panes around your home, glass protection film helps strengthen the glass with a durable protective layer, making the glass very difficult to break. BurglarGARD is one such glass protection film that can withstand strong blows from bricks, rocks, and even a baseball bat. The film is so thin you barely even know it’s there, and it does not interfere with your ability to see outside your windows.

Home security doesn’t require a hefty financial investment. All it takes is a few simple home security strategies and devices to keep the bad guys out of your home. By implementing what you learned from this article, you can gain better peace of mind by knowing that your home is no easy target.