How to Fortify Your House Against Burglaries
A typical burglar gets in and out of a home in roughly three minutes. He spends the most time targeting a home that presents the least amount of resistance to his goal. As a homeowner, your job consists of finding the weak spots in your home's security and fortifying them against burglary. Do your homework, and make your home a less-than-appealing target for would-be burglars on the prowl. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Metal-clad, solid wood or steel door
- Heavy-duty dead bolt
- Heavy-duty brass strike plates
- Wooden dowels or other commercial blocking devices for windows and doors
- Sheet metal screws
- Laminate film
- Alarm system
- Motion lights
Instructions
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Replace any existing hollow-core doors with either a metal-clad, solid wood or steel door.
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Install a heavy-duty deadbolt, with at least a 1-inch throw bolt, on all exterior doors.
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Replace all current strike plates with heavy-duty brass strike plates. Secure the plates with four to six 3-inch screws to keep intruders from kicking in the door.
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Block sliding glass door tracks from the inside with a wooden dowel or other commercial blocking device to prevent a burglar from forcing the door open. Install a through-the-door pin or upper-track screw to prevent intruders from lifting the sliding door off its tracks.
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Block all existing windows from opening more than 6 inches. Cut wooden dowels 6 inches shorter than the height of each window's frame and drop them into frame's metal gutter to keep the window from opening more than 6 inches. Or replace existing windows with newer models that provide a built-in blocking feature.
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Screw sheet metal screws halfway into the upper window track of pop-out windows to prevent burglars from the lifting the windows out of their tracks.
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Cover windows with laminate film to make the glass less easy to break and act as a stumbling block to intruders.
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Install a home alarm with a loud, piercing alert that lasts at least 30 seconds. This should effectively scare away anyone who attempts to break into your home.
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Install motion lights around the perimeter of your home, such as on each side of all your windows. The lights should be bright enough for you to see 100 feet outward -- a deterrent against burglars who prefer to keep a low profile.
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Tips & Warnings
Expensive alarm monitoring services aren't necessary. Buy a model from a home improvement store that emits a loud alarm and alerts you by phone or text when you're away from home. Post security stickers or signs in visible places around your home to deter burglars.
Leave a television or radio on inside your home in your absence to create the illusion that someone is inside.
Always lock all of your home's doors and windows. Never leave your house key outside. Leave it with a neighbor you trust.
Even if you live on the top floor of an apartment building, lock your windows and patio doors. Burglars can climb down from the rooftop and gain easy access to your home.
References
Resources
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