7 DIY Home Security Tips

WINDOW LOCKS

Windows, especially those on the back side of a home, are one of the most common entry points for burglars. Securing the windows in your home with durable locks, including backup stops, can help prevent burglars who are looking for a quick entry. Here are a few things you can do to help make your windows more secure.

• If you have a wooden window frame, replace the window putty every few years and secure the wood molding with finishing nails (a slender nail that has a small head) at least 3 inches long.
• If your home has double-hung windows, you can keep them open and minimize your risk of break-ins by creating a security pin to help prevent the window from being opened wide enough for an intruder to enter. To do this, drill two small holes through the top corners of the lower sash and into the bottom corners of the upper sash. Then insert a strong nail through the holes to prevent the window from being opened further. Figure A
• If your home has horizontal sliding windows, restrict outside access by placing a thick wooden dowel or metal pipe between the sash and the window frame. Figure B

SLIDING GLASS DOORS

Sliding glass doors are notoriously easy for burglars to break into, even when they’re locked. In fact, some burglars target homes with sliding glass doors because they’re easy to open. Use the following questions to help check the safety of your sliding glass doors.

• Do you have a secondary blocking device? Thick wooden dowels, 2x4’s, and metal pipes are all good options. Figure A
• Does the door’s latch mechanism effectively secure the door to the frame or can it be easily lifted out of place? Prevent lifting by installing security devices like through-the-door pins. Figure B
• Are the door’s sliding rollers working properly or can the door be "jiggled" out of place?

GARAGE DOOR EMERGENCY RELEASE LEVERS

Electric garage door openers are usually equipped with an emergency release lever. This lever typically has a cord hanging down that allows you to open the door manually in case of an emergency or power outage. While these emergency release levers are convenient, a savvy intruder can slide a coat-hanger or other sturdy wire between the door and the frame, hook the emergency release lever and easily open the garage door.

Here are a couple of things you can do to help prevent burglars from getting into your garage using the lever.

• Disable your emergency release lever and remove the emergency cord. They may be convenient, but can be pulled from the outside with a hanger or other device. Figure A
• Always lock the release lever. Some garage door openers have this as an option, but if your lever doesn’t have a keyed lock, use a plastic zip tie to secure the lever to the carriage assembly. Figure B

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

Burglars are much more likely to target homes with poor lighting because it lowers their risk of being seen. Good indoor lighting can help, but the most important thing is proper exterior lighting. Follow these tips when upgrading your outdoor lighting:

• Ensure areas around windows, doors, and blind spots are properly lit, especially in the back of the home.
• Outdoor lights with motion sensors save energy and are fantastic deterrents for would-be intruders. Figure A
• When installing outdoor lights, make sure they are placed high enough that they can’t easily be disabled by an intruder.
• Compact fluorescent light bulbs are good options for outdoor lighting. They outlast other light bulbs and save energy.