Simple solutions for home security

In bad economic times, it’s understandable for people to worry more about the security of their homes and families. With police departments across the country being forced to cut their budgets, homeowners may feel anxious about the safety in their community.

“With so many people out of work, many Americans are worrying about a possible increase in burglaries, home invasions and other types of crimes that target the safety of their homes,” says Charles Hemphill, a home security products expert for Montgomery Ward. “People are spending less discretionary income and more time in the home. Yet few families have the budget to install a high-tech security system and pay the monthly subscription fee to protect their peace of mind.”

Improving your home’s security doesn’t have to be an expensive job left to professionals. With a few simple and affordable do-it-yourself improvements, you can improve security and address your anxiety over possible risks to your home and family.

Make your home look unattractive to burglars

Burglars commonly look for homes that appear unoccupied or offer concealment for their crime, such as overgrown bushes or shrubs that block the view of the front door from the road. If you’re going away on vacation for a few days, be sure to suspend mail and newspaper delivery; an overflowing mailbox or multiple papers lying on the driveway alert thieves that you’re not at home.

Ensure the exterior of your home is well lit. Always leave the front porch light on at night–all night–and install time-activated sensors to turn lights on when you’re away. If you prefer not to have lights on outside all night, consider installing motion-activated lights that will switch on when someone approaches your home. Motion-activated LED lights mount easily on steps, porches, balconies, gates and decks. The lights are waterproof and a passive infrared motion sensor detects movement in the dark and shines five bright, white LED lights for 12 seconds–long enough to scare off potential intruders. Or, for battery-free operation, try motion-activated, solar-powered lights.

Don’t make access easy for them

The front door and the garage door are the two most common access points for thieves. Never leave either unlocked, and be sure your front door has a deadbolt lock–the kind that can only be opened with a key from either side. If your garage is attached and offers direct access into your house, never leave the garage door open for an extended period of time and always lock–again, with a deadbolt–the door that leads from the garage into your house.

If you must leave your car sitting on your driveway overnight, always lock it and never leave a spare key or garage door opener inside the car. Thieves know that by breaking into your car they may find a way to access your home.

Beef up security with simple, cost-effective devices

“There are many simple-to-install, economical devices that can help enhance your home’s security,” says Hemphill. Here are a few items, which can improve your home security in just a few minutes:

* Telespy Intrusion Detector: the detector looks and functions like a normal telephone, but when you’re away you can set its special motion detector sensor to alert you when the device detects motion inside your home. The device calls a number you preprogram into it–a cell, office phone or friend’s home phone–and allows you to listen to what’s going on inside your house for up to 30 seconds.

* Replace your garage door opener remotes with a Keyless Entry System on the outside of the garage. The system reads your fingerprint to identify you as someone authorized to enter the garage. You can program the system to recognize up to 10 people’s fingerprints. Don’t want to get out of the car to open the garage door? Mount the system on a post beside the driveway so that you can reach it from the driver’s side window.

* Still want a home security system, but hesitant to take on the costs associated with professional installation? It’s possible to create your own low-cost security system, tailored to your needs, with programmable components that interface with one another. Start with a command center, available for less than $35 and add components to monitor doors, windows and garage entries for around $20 per component.

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