Secure Your Home Without Breaking The Bank

According to burglary experts Matt Johnston and Jon Douglas Rainey, hosts of It Takes a Thief, most homes are cased from the outside. Seasoned thieves know what to look for and focus on being able to get in and out of a home quickly, quietly and without being seen. There are a variety of affordable options, all of which help deter thieves and add security and safety to your home.

According to Johnston and Rainey, the most common way for a burglar to enter a home is through an unlocked or unsecured door. Because of this, always lock all doors and windows, including the second floor, even if leaving for only a few minutes. When leaving the house, an inexpensive way to deter a thief is to install a brace bar on the door. These are heavy, adjustable steel bars that wedge against the door at an angle, preventing it from being opened. The Mace Big Jammer, for example, retails at $17.95. However, if your door is wooden, the bar will do little to deter a thief since the door can be kicked in relatively easily.

A good way to prevent a door from being kicked in is to ensure exterior doors are solid-core doors installed in a strong frame with long screws. Adding heavy-duty dead bolts also provides another layer of protection against kick-ins. The best choice is a double-keyed deadbolt that requires a key to get both in and out of the house. If a thief does get into your home (such as through a window) and you have double-keyed locks, only items that will fit through the windows can be taken. A good double-keyed deadbolt can be purchased at your local hardware store for approximately $45.00 and installation is relatively quick and easy.
Another way to deter criminals is to make noise upon entry, which prevents the burglar from entering your home quietly and unnoticed. For approximately $15, you can buy a door stop alarm which is a wedge shaped device that when placed against a door makes a very loud noise once the door is opened. Similar devices can be purchased for windows and sliding doors that will alarm with vibration or movement, such as breakage of glass.

When it comes to securing your windows, a good place to start is with self-tapping screws. When placed into the frame of the window, the screws prevent the window from being opened from the outside by burglars. Another viable option is to apply tinted window film which not only makes your windows shatterproof, but also prevents thieves from window shopping when you're not home. Window tint can be purchased for approximately $2.50 per cubic foot.

Man's best friend is also among the highly recommended home security options according to Wayne Schultz, a security expert with the Harris County, Texas Constable's office. Dogs make noise and are among the best deterrents against a burglar according to Schultz. Not ready to add a furry friend to the household? Then get creative! Having chewed up dog toys laying on the porch or in the yard can deter a thief by suggestion alone. A good idea is to speak to a neighbor or friend that happens to be a dog owner and offer to replace the chewed up toys with a few brand new ones. After making your small investment at the pet store, take the old toys and place them at your home and the implication of a dog is there. Keep in mind that bigger toys imply a bigger dog. Even more creative is the Electronic Watch Dog, which uses microwave technology to sense presence within 20 feet of the device. When someone enters the detection radius, the device starts barking like a man-hungry German Sheppard. The device retails at approximately $85, but offers a creative and effective warning to burglars. To top off the act, add a water bowl inscribed with the name "Killer." The burglar may never know that your only pet is a goldfish!

Finally, if you're going out of town, make sure you stop your mail and newspaper (or have a trusted friend or neighbor pick it up). Also, arrange to have your lawn mowed or sidewalks shoveled if you will be gone for an extended period- nothing says "I'm not home" quite like tall grass or sidewalks free of footprints in the snow. In addition, leave a car in your driveway or ask a trusted neighbor to park there throughout the week. It is also a good time to pull the timer from your Christmas lights out the Tupperware and connect some of your electronic devices or lighting to it. Set the timer to turn on a television or light for a period of time each evening to appear as if you are home.


Ki's website provides a search for Austin homes. He has worked in Austin, Texas for over three years. He created a website to make Austin real estate and Westlake Hills real estate information easily accessible to future buyers.