The holidays are just around the corner and unfortunately so are the thieves.  This time of year can bring out the Scrooge in some people therefore it is important to protect yourself from the unnecessary aggravation.  A home intrusion occurs every 13 seconds in the United States and contrary to popular belief, most home intrusions don’t occur at night.  The majority happens between the hours of 10 AM and 3 PM.  These facts are unsettling but there is plenty you can do to make your home more secure and increase your peace of mind during the holiday season. 

Enhance your home’s security with these simple ideas:

Pay attention to lighting.  Install motion-controlled or infrared sensor floodlights near all exterior entrances that provide at least 100 feet of visibility at nighttime.  When out of town or just out for the night, set interior lights on a timer to make it look like someone is home. 

Add deadbolts to all entrances. Choose ANSI Grade 1 deadbolt fixtures for maximum security. 

Park in the garage.  Your car may not technically be part of your home, but it is still a valuable target for intruders!  By doing so you also prevent thieves from stealing the garage door opener.

Reverse the hinges.  If your door’s hinges are visible from the outside, an intruder can easily remove the door.

Safeguard the back yard.  Many people neglect rear home entrances and pay the price.  Sliding patio doors are particularly vulnerable to break-ins as their locks are often easy to break and the doors themselves can lift off of old or defective tracks.  Maintain the locking and tracking mechanisms, install anti-lift fixtures and consider reinforcing the existing locks with a security bar like this one.