The Top Five Home Security Mistakes That People Make: From Unarmed Alarms to Obvious Tells
The point of figuring out ways of securing your home is definitely to keep your belongings in and the bad guys out. But what if you were told that some of the things that you do thinking that they are a deterrent are actually giving away your level of security? While there are plenty of great articles with valid advice out there that lead to a safer house, there are just as many recommending things that burglars won't just find unintimidating, but will cement the fact that your house is actually easier to rob. Here are the biggest mistakes that homeowners make when they're going for protection, and the ways that you can avoid being a victim.
1. A house lit up like a Christmas tree. That advice to keep some lights on? That says some for a reason. When people overcompensate their absence by leaving every single light in the house on, it sends a clear message to burglars: no one is home, and no one is going to be home for awhile. Definitely don't fall victim to overcompensating like this, because you'll be significantly more likely to get robbed as a result.
2. The same lights every time. Just like leaving every single light on signals that you're out of the house, always leaving the same lights on is a clue that you aren't going to be home. When criminals are casing your home, they look for clues about your routine. Don't let which lights are left on be a way for them to figure it out. Try to mix things up, or pay to have a timer installed. This can do wonders for your home security.
3. Multiple stickers and signs for a nonexistent home security system. If you've actually invested in some sort of alarm system, then by all means, put up stickers and signs and everything else. But if you haven't, an expert criminal is going to be able to figure out that you're bluffing--and might be more likely to hit up your house, considering you thought that it was a measure of protection to have a sticker up but not a dead bolted front door.
4. An unarmed alarm. Even if there is an alarm in place, some robbers are still going to try their luck based on the fact that a staggering amount of the population actually forgets to arm an alarm system. This is a double-whammy, since you are already paying for a fully-operable home alarm system, and will be paying dearly if your home is robbed. Always remember to set the alarm, and make sure that all members of the household who leave on their own know how to set it, too.
5. Unlocked doors and windows. This is the most unfortunate way to get robbed. Always lock every single window and door. While some argue that it's an obvious tell that you aren't home, the truth is that an unlocked window or door makes robbing a house about a thousand times easier. Don't assume that just because something is one the second floor, it can be left unlocked, either.
1. A house lit up like a Christmas tree. That advice to keep some lights on? That says some for a reason. When people overcompensate their absence by leaving every single light in the house on, it sends a clear message to burglars: no one is home, and no one is going to be home for awhile. Definitely don't fall victim to overcompensating like this, because you'll be significantly more likely to get robbed as a result.
2. The same lights every time. Just like leaving every single light on signals that you're out of the house, always leaving the same lights on is a clue that you aren't going to be home. When criminals are casing your home, they look for clues about your routine. Don't let which lights are left on be a way for them to figure it out. Try to mix things up, or pay to have a timer installed. This can do wonders for your home security.
3. Multiple stickers and signs for a nonexistent home security system. If you've actually invested in some sort of alarm system, then by all means, put up stickers and signs and everything else. But if you haven't, an expert criminal is going to be able to figure out that you're bluffing--and might be more likely to hit up your house, considering you thought that it was a measure of protection to have a sticker up but not a dead bolted front door.
4. An unarmed alarm. Even if there is an alarm in place, some robbers are still going to try their luck based on the fact that a staggering amount of the population actually forgets to arm an alarm system. This is a double-whammy, since you are already paying for a fully-operable home alarm system, and will be paying dearly if your home is robbed. Always remember to set the alarm, and make sure that all members of the household who leave on their own know how to set it, too.
5. Unlocked doors and windows. This is the most unfortunate way to get robbed. Always lock every single window and door. While some argue that it's an obvious tell that you aren't home, the truth is that an unlocked window or door makes robbing a house about a thousand times easier. Don't assume that just because something is one the second floor, it can be left unlocked, either.
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