Your home is your private space over which you hold legal rights that cannot be infringed by a third-party. But we live in a world where man has been over taken by greed and lust, and taking away what isn’t really his has become a common phenomenon. Breaking in to houses and stealing has made its entry into the most common, everyday crime reports making it hard to catch the thieves and get everything back to where they belong. So now the responsibility shifts to the house-owner to secure his home to a large extent, so that there is no way a thief can break in and escape scot free.

So a thief always picks on houses which seem to be easy to break in, or look appealing enough. So the trick is to make your home look less attractive, more secure and give the thief an impression that the owner is more aware than he is about the safety of his house and belongings.

Also remember that your house needs to secured not only from thieves but also from other mishaps like fire, accidents, etc.

10. Be aware and don’t showboat

Awareness is what some of us lack and costs us the loss of certain goods. With thieves lurking in every corner of the city, it is better if you watch your back and keep your home secure by not making it look very inviting for a break-in. Don’t keep expensive things lying around in the house near the windows. Make sure you have drawn your blinds if you live by the road and people can get a good peep into your house. Roll your scooters and cycles inside your house.

9. Use locks

The entry to a house can be through two means, the first one being the door and the second are the windows. As you would have watched in television shows and movies, a hard swift kick on the entrance door is enough to knock it off its frame. Lock your doors with the strong cylindrical locks in case you have latches on your doors, and also install double dead bolt locks for entrance and back doors. When houses have sliding doors and windows, it makes the house an easy target for a break in because of the ease of getting in.

As for the windows, you should always lock them before leaving the house even for a couple of hours. If you cannot latch them up, use simple pins or little nails to hold them up. Just install the pin or nail into the frame and this way your windows won’t raise.

8. Fake your living-in when out of town

Going out of town on a family trip for a week or a month? Live in an independent house in not so friendly-neighborhood? Our advice is fake your living for your period of absence to secure your house from being the next target for a break-in.

Burglars usually target houses that have their owners away for a fairly large period of time. So we can beat them to it by giving them an illusion that someone is still in the house. Here are a few tricks to help you fake it : time your yard lights to be switched on in the evenings, ask your neighbors to collect your mail daily, make sure the lawns are mowed and plants watered, leave the foyer lights on, and draw your blinds before you leave. Apart from these ensure you have the home security equipment in place.

7. Secure your house with a Dog

Dogs are the best security for any house, especially if you own breeds that are ferocious like Doberman,  Mastiffs, German Shepherds, Rottweiler’s or Alsatians. These breeds are groomed in a way that they are friendly with the family and kids, but don’t respond so well to a third party. Their growl and a bark is enough to scare any trespasser from taking a step closer to your house again. These breeds of dogs are always attentive and protective of their owners and their possessions. They also come at a low maintenance cost. Also, if you intend on buying a security-trained dog, make sure you buy one from a reputable trainer.

6. Don’t leave out a spare key

We’ve all been in a place where we have locked ourselves out of the house or have wanted to get back into the house when probably somebody else has been away with the key. These situations have made us think it is better to have a spare key around and ensure access to it at all times.

Now having a spare key around is no issue. But never leave it outside the house in your secret spot, because you never know who are stalking you or keeping a watch on your moves and when your secret spot is no more a secret. So in case you want to keep a spare key, you may want to leave it with a trusted neighbor.

5. Know your neighbors

It is often a good gesture to drop in to your neighbors’ house with some treats when you move into a new neighborhood, and get to know them. Your neighbors are a form of your home-security, at the end of the day. You can always expect them to look out for your property when you are away from home and call the police if they sense or see something fishy. They are the ones who will collect your mail and newspaper when you are away from home, to make it seem like you are still at home.

4. Private security guard for the house

Also, if you wish on investing in a security guard for the house you may wish to do so. This is probably the most you can do to secure your house. The only reason you cannot always expect people to have security guards is, it is not affordable and there are chances of the security guard trying to rob you away.

3. Protect your house from going up in flames

Fire is used for various reasons ranging from cooking, to warming up your house. These fires may sometimes turn hazardous and uncontrollable, and burn down your house, which is why we insist smoke alarms be installed and kept activated in any house at all times. A fire may spark off even due to electric short circuiting or an iron box over heating something. It’s better to be aware and take precautions, rather than being sorry later.

Also practice a fire escape plan once every year with your family, to be precautious and aware in case a fire breaks out.

 2. Install monitored home security

The most basic home security needed to be installed is a burglar alarm. We learn the mechanisms of this device in Grade 7, so it is well established that it is easily available and can raise enough alarm to wake you and your neighbors up. Though some of the home security systems are complex and should be installed by a professional.

The complex home security systems include a combination of motion sensors in contact with the door and windows that are connected to the home alarm device with a keypad control attached to it. When active the sensors trigger an on-site alarm which notifies the monitor center, which will call you as soon as possible and then inform the police.

 1. Buy a home insurance

You can now insure your house against any losses suffered due to a burglary, fire, lightning, storm, flood, landslide , earthquake, vehicle impact, rioting, arson and bursting of pipes and tanks. with monetary compensation. The vital insurance covers your house needs and will cost you less than 2,000 rupees a year in India. The cost of insuring the structure against damage is  low.  Keep in mind that you don’t need to insure the house for the value of the property but only for the cost of reconstructing it.

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