It’s a sound that everyone dreads: that unexplained bump in the night that sends you running for the bat you keep behind the door. Was it the wind? A raccoon? Your imagination? Unfortunately, most people don’t think about home security until they’ve already suffered a break in, but there are many easy and inexpensive ways to deter thieves and make your home a safer place.

The Mind of a Criminal

To really burglar proof your home you need to be able to see you home as a potential thief sees it. Walk or drive slowly by your house and look at the exterior. Ask yourself, “If I were going to break into this house what features would I take advantage of?” Do you leave your garage door open while doing yard work or working in the house? Do you store ladders alongside the house where they could provide access to a criminal? Look at every aspect of your home from an outsider’s point of view and look for weaknesses that might tempt a criminal.

Work from the Outside In

Some of the best deterrents for thieves are found on the exterior of your home. Start by evaluating your landscaping. Arrange easy lines of sight into your yard for neighbors and consider a chain link fence instead of a solid wood one, which can provide the perfect cover for a thief to work undetected. Overgrown landscaping is an invitation to criminals and provides them with the perfect place to hide. Utilize the 3ft./6ft. rule when planting trees and shrubs. Trim tree branches up to six feet off the ground and shrubs down to three feet. This creates a “window effect” in your yard and minimizes hiding places for burglars. You might also consider planting thorny shrubs or bushes beneath windows.

Another easy way to keep criminals at bay is to install security lighting around the exterior of your home. Make sure all possible entry points on the outside of your home are well lit, including doors and windows on the main floor and basement windows. High-pressure sodium lights and mercury vapor lights are economical and illuminate a larger area than regular incandescent lights. You might also consider motion trigger lights that turn on when they sense movement.

It’s also important to check your exterior doors. Those made of solid metal or wood offer the most security. Not sure what kind of door you have? If you can push a straight pin into the door without too much effort, the core is hollow. A skilled burglar could easily kick in a hollow-core door. Replace it with a solid door, if possible. Also, consider replacing any door with a lot of glass on it. While you’re looking at your doors, evaluate your locks. Deadbolts offer the greatest measure of protection and come in two types: single cylinder and double cylinder. A single cylinder lock operates with a key on the outside and a thumb-turn on the inside, while a double cylinder lock uses a key on both sides of the door. If your door contains glass that can be broken a double cylinder is the best choice. If a thief were to break the glass he couldn’t reach in and unlock the door. Also consider installing a deadbolt on any door leading from the basement into the house. If a thief manages to break into your basement he won’t get very far when faced with a deadbolted door leading into the rest of the house.

Window locks are also vital to the security of your home. While it may sound obvious to lock your windows and doors, only one in four home break-ins involves forced entry, according to FBI statistics. The majority of would-be thieves enter through open windows and doors. If your home has double-hung windows (those that slide up and down) window locks will only work when the window is completely closed. With other types of windows, you can add locks that work when the window is partially open to the corners or sides. Window pinning (inserting a nail above the window) and window tracking (placing a dowel or piece of wood in the track of a window so it won’t open) are two inexpensive ways to secure double-hung windows.

Practice good Habits

Simple ways to make your life and your home more secure include:

• Asking for identification before talking to a stranger at your door.
• Locking windows and doors every night.
• Supervising construction or repair people who come to your home.
• When purchasing expensive items such as stereo equipment or TVs, break the boxes down and store them in your garage until trash day instead of leaving them on the curb.
• Closing your blinds at night or when you’re not home. This minimizes a burglar’s opportunity to “shop around.”
• Making your home look occupied whenever you’re away. Install lights on timers to turn on and off at night. Ask your neighbors to collect your mail and papers in your absence. Keep a car parked in the driveway, if possible, and arrange for someone to mow your yard or shovel snow from your walkways.
• Never put your home address on luggage when you’re traveling, as this alerts criminals that you’re not home. Put a business address on luggage instead.

Get Organized

One of the best ways to keep your home (and your entire neighborhood) safe is to organize a block club of neighbors who will agree to keep an eye on each other’s property and call 911 if they see suspicious activity. Having other people who can serve as your eyes and ears when you’re not around is one of the most effective ways to keep criminals away.

Simple changes in your home and your lifestyle can ensure that you never have to deal with the danger and headache of a break in and bring you a tremendous peace of mind. Don’t wait until you’ve already lost your valuables and sense of security to implement these easy ideas. Burglar proof your home today!