10 Common (But Dangerous) Home Security Mistakes

10 Common (But Dangerous) Home Security Mistakes. Photo – Adobe Stock (under license)

Securing your home means more than just locking the doors when you leave home. Every day, burglars search for homes that are an easy target and these people wait to take advantage on unsuspecting individuals. Let’s examine the 10 most common home security mistakes committed by homeowners:

1. Hiding a key under a doormat or plant pot by the door – This is probably the most common mistake people everywhere make. These are the first places burglars check for the key because so many people do it!

2. Leaving just one light on while you are away – Most people leave at least one light on when they go on vacation, but that trick is too obvious. Burglars will most likely watch your house all evening and if they don’t see any lights turn on or off, they’ll realize no one is home. There are plenty of programmable devices now that can even add an element of random to lights, making it look like someone is there.

3. Not having enough outdoor lights – breaking in requires picking a lock or using brute force. This can take some minutes and burglars far prefer to operate by cover of darkness. The psychology of having a well-lit place is that it makes it seem more risky to make an attempt at break-in. Having the entire perimeter lit up means exposure and they will often move on to seek a ‘softer’ target instead.

4. Putting your valuables on display, or near a window – Do not give burglars an incentive to break into your house. Place any expensive valuables, such as electronics, in an area that can’t be seen from the outside.

5. Providing hiding places in your yard – Burglars will relish in the privacy afforded by the dense bushes. They will hide among them and quickly climb into the house through a window or force a door open when the opportunity comes. Clear any shrubs around your house so neighbors can clearly see the windows.

6. Relying on a barking dog – Many people think that a big dog is the only security system they will need but this is false. A dog is a good deterrent but you should also lock your doors, set up adequate lighting and turn on your alarm.

7. Leaving windows unlocked – Windows tend to remain open in many homes and this creates an ideal entry point for a burglar. Make sure to install a locking mechanism that you can open from the inside without a key to secure the windows. If you have basement windows, include those as well.

8. Forgetting to lock your garage door – Burglars can use the hooked end of a wire coat hanger to reach the emergency release lever of a garage door so they can open the door manually. This is why installing a key lock on your garage door is ideal.

9. Announcing your travel plans online – The increased use of social media has made people willing to share anything and everything online including some of their personal information. If you are planning to travel, or even a night out – avoid announcing it on your social media account. It is possible for someone to stumble upon your plans (or even be on the lookout for them) and prepare for an unfriendly visit while you are away. On this note – it’s advisable to change your settings to friends only, so that strangers simply cannot look at your activity on Facebook. I would advise also for this reason not to accept random friend requests from strangers.

10. Forgetting to arm the alarm – Many people forget to arm their security systems rendering them completely useless. Place a reminder note near the door to help you remember or install a system that you can monitor through your smartphone. Some security systems today even allow you to arm or disarm them remotely using your phone or tablet.

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10 Common (But Dangerous) Home Security Mistakes. Photo – Adobe Stock (under license)