improve home security

Improving home security may not be the most glamorous part of homeownership, but it is important. Why? Because studies show that burglaries occur every 26 seconds. So how do you make your home less appealing to a burglar? And can it be done affordably? Fortunately, the answer is yes, and we’re going to tell you how.

6 Things to Do to Improve Home Security

Here’s a helpful checklist of six budget-friendly security measures to help you improve home security. You don’t have to do everything at once. Identify which strategies are most important to you and tackle them one at a time.

1 – Secure Doors

This is at the top of the list because it’s so important and so easy to do. In a third of all burglaries, the intruder just walked in through an unlocked door. A locked door itself is a great deterrent to most burglars, so lock your doors!

We also recommend that you reinforce your doors with any or all of these low-cost improvements:

• install a deadbolt
• add a strike plate
• upgrade to smart locks
• install a video doorbell

Furthermore, if your doors have glass inlays, reinforce the glass portions of the door with safety & security window film. This makes it more difficult for the intruder to smash the glass and reach through to unlock the door from the inside. Making your home’s entry points difficult to access will deter the majority of burglars.

2 – Secure Windows

Beyond ensuring that your window locks and latches are strong, there are other measures you can take to ensure that your windows are not an easy entry point for intruders.

Install glass break sensors, plant prickly bushes under first-floor windows, and install window security film. Once the window film is applied to your windows, it adds an extra layer of protection that makes windows much harder to penetrate. Even if a window does break, the broken glass will hold together and is a major deterrent to an intruder’s entry.

Professionally installed high-quality 3M security window film and attachment systems can slow an intruder down for as long as two minutes. Remember, the bad guys want to get in quickly and quietly. Fighting to get through tear-resistant window film may be enough to deter them or alert you to their presence in time to call for help or flee the situation.

3 – Light Up the Outdoors

Criminals prefer to stay out of the spotlight. A low-cost but effective way to deter would-be intruders is by installing outdoor lighting with motion sensors near each point of entry. Make sure to replace any burned-out lightbulbs and put your porch lights on timers. These simple yet effective measures are great ways to improve home security and the safety of your loved ones.

4 – Guard Your Garage

Always keep garage doors closed — even while at home — so thieves are not able to spot items they may want to steal later. You’d be surprised how often thieves decide their targets by cruising through a neighborhood and checking out open garage doors. Lock valuable items, such as expensive bicycles and grills, with a chain and padlock. If your garage is attached to your house, reinforce those entry points as well using the tips listed above.

5 – Set Up Security Cameras

Whether you do it yourself or have them put in professionally, security cameras are an excellent deterrent to crime. They also can alert you of anything out of the ordinary that takes place or any people lurking outside of your home. Cameras with a mobile app feature allow you to see footage in real-time and store it if you need to share it with the police.

Ironically, since a criminal probably won’t know the difference, even a faux camera can be a very powerful deterrent. The same holds true of a dummy alarm or a yard sign that warns that your home is protected by a security system.

6 – Home Automation

A major way to improve home security is through home automation. This can start with an individual programmable device and gradually expand to hooking your whole home up to a smart system. That means you can control lights, appliances, heating and cooling, and security cameras remotely. You can make it look like you’re home when you’re away by opening and closing curtains, controlling lights, and turning on sprinklers from anywhere, all from your mobile phone.

Want to Learn More About How to Improve Home Security with Window Film?

A window film technician at Carolina Solar Security will consult with you and evaluate your security needs. Then they’ll help you choose the right window film as part of your home security plan while working within your budget.

Carolina Solar Security is a premium 3M™ Authorized Window Film Dealer in Wilmington, NC. We have been providing North Carolina homeowners and business owners with window tinting solutions since 1985 and never stop working to bring our customers the best products paired with the most skilled window film technicians. Reach out to us for your free quote today!