Home Security

Windows and sliding glass doors are the easiest entry points to overlook. The Seattle Police Department's crime prevention bulletin calls windows a primary point of entry for burglars and says window security is a must. The good news is that most fixes are cheap and need no tools beyond a screwdriver. This guide covers locks, bars, film and sensors, and it keeps one safety rule in mind: any window that is your fire escape must still open fast from the inside. It is part of our room-by-room home security tips . Why unlocked windows matter most The National Crime Prevention Council reports that in almost half of completed residential burglaries, thieves simply walked in through unlocked doors or crawled through unlocked windows, according to a Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office handout. Before you buy anything, make a habit of closing and latching every ground-floor window whenever you leave or go to bed. Match the fix to the window Window type Weak point Low-cost fix Doubl...

Garages, basements and converted home gyms are secondary doors, and secondary doors are where homes get hurt. Bob Vila reports that about 9 percent of burglars get in through the garage, citing an industry association, while owners spend their effort on the front door. This guide covers the garage door, the door into the house, basement entries and a gym or workshop outbuilding. It is part of our room-by-room home security tips . Garage door: four fixes Risk Fix A thief hooks the red emergency release cord with a wire through the gap at the top of the door Secure the cord. Bob Vila suggests a zip tie through the release lever and trolley, which you can cut in a power outage; others cut the loop or fit a shield An old opener with a fixed code can be copied Upgrade to rolling-code technology, which changes the code each time. The Electronic Security Association calls them code rotating systems The remote is left in a car in the driveway Take it with you or keep it out of sight Yo...

When children live in the house, the biggest risks are rarely burglars. They are open windows, doors that lead outside and systems that are too hard for the whole family to use. This guide covers what the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends for windows and how to set up doors, alarms and cameras so they protect children without creating new hazards. It is part of our room-by-room home security tips . Windows are the biggest household risk In April 2026 the CPSC reported an estimated 5,600 children aged 12 and under treated in emergency departments in 2024 after falling out of a window, and about one in three of those cases needed hospitalization. It knew of at least 25 deaths among children 12 and under from window falls between 2021 and 2023, and eighty percent of those deaths happened between May and October. What the CPSC recommends Install window stops so windows open no more than four inches. Use window guards with bars no more than four inches apart. On lo...

An empty house looks empty in small ways: mail piling up, dark windows every night, a car that has not moved. A burglar who notices will move to an easy target. This checklist shows what police departments and consumer groups recommend before you travel, ordered by when to do each step. It is part of our room-by-room home security tips . A week before Ask for a vacation watch. Many police departments will check your home while you are away. The Itasca, Illinois, police and the City of Westfield, Indiana, publish requests and ask for your contact details. Call yours to see if they offer it. Line up a neighbour. Someone who can collect mail and packages and vary which lights are on. The Kansas Attorney General's office advises asking a trusted neighbour to collect mail and papers if you do not hold them. Test your system. Piedmont police remind residents to check that the security system is working before leaving. See alarm systems and professional monitoring . Remove hidd...

Some of the most useful security measures are almost invisible: a clear film on a window, a thorny shrub, a screw that is three inches longer than the one that came in the box. They do not look like security, which is the point. This guide collects low-profile ideas backed by police guidance. It is part of our room-by-room home security tips . Eight low-profile ideas Idea Why it helps Read more Clear security film on glass Holds glass together when struck, which slows entry Windows and sliding doors Thorny shrubs below windows The Palm Beach County Sheriff's handout recommends prickly shrubs where a burglar might hide Gate and perimeter security 3-inch strike plate and hinge screws Anchors the door into the framing, not the soft jamb Front door security Zip-tied garage release cord Stops a thief hooking it with a wire; you can break it in an emergency Garage and gym doors Light timers and a TV on a smart plug Makes the house look occupied, as Piedmont police suggest Vacati...

Home security is mostly about burglars, but the same planning covers fires, storms and power cuts. A house that is secure but dark, cut off and unprepared is not safe. This guide follows the three-step approach promoted by the Ready campaign: make a kit, make a plan and stay informed. It then shows how your security equipment fits in. It is part of our room-by-room home security tips . Step 1: Build a basic kit State and city emergency offices summarising Ready.gov advice recommend enough supplies to last at least three days. Typical items: Item Guidance Water One gallon per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation Food At least a three-day supply of non-perishable food, plus a manual can opener if it includes cans Light and radio Flashlight, extra batteries, and a battery-powered or hand-crank radio, ideally a NOAA weather radio Health First aid kit, medicines, and supplies for pets and infants Power Phone chargers and a backup battery Water that...

Outdoor lighting is one of the cheapest ways to make a home harder to approach unseen. A well-lit entry gives an intruder fewer places to hide, helps your neighbors notice unusual activity, and gives your cameras a clearer picture at night. This guide explains which lights to use, how motion sensors work, where to put them and how to keep the energy bill low. Why lighting belongs in every security plan Lighting works with the rest of your security, not instead of it. Cameras record better when the scene is lit, and a light that snaps on when someone steps onto the driveway tells a visitor they have been noticed. If you are building a layered setup, start with lighting and door hardware, then add cameras and sensors. Our home security camera guide and night vision camera guide explain how light affects footage. Types of security lights Motion-activated floodlights. Bright lights that switch on when movement is detected. Best for driveways, garages and side yards. Porch and ent...

New to home security? Start with The Ultimate Guide to Home Security , which maps all our guides. Most burglaries are crimes of opportunity, and opportunity is mostly physical: an unlocked door, a weak latch, a dark side yard, a house that looks empty. This is our room-by-room checklist, ordered so the cheapest, highest-value steps come first. Each section links to a detailed guide. Why the basics come first The National Crime Prevention Council reports that in almost half of completed residential burglaries, thieves walked in through unlocked doors or windows, according to a Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office handout. No alarm, camera or smart lock makes up for a door left unlocked. Fix habits first, then hardware, then electronics. Do these first, in this order Priority Step Guide 1 Lock every door and window, every time Front door security 2 Replace short strike plate and hinge screws with 3-inch screws Front door security 3 Secure sliding doors and ground-floor window...

A fence and gate are your first layer. They rarely stop a determined burglar, but they take time, remove easy shortcuts and tell opportunists to go elsewhere. Police crime-prevention guidance agrees on a few principles: control access, avoid giving burglars cover and light the approach. This guide turns them into choices for fences, gates, shrubs and lighting. It is part of our room-by-room home security tips . Choose a fence that does not hide a burglar The Seattle Police Department's bulletin on exterior security warns that a solid privacy fence can give a burglar cover to work on a door or window. It suggests an iron railing, or chain-link, instead. Niagara Regional Police recommend fencing the perimeter with secure, lockable gates, and a UK police crime-prevention message suggests taller fencing at the rear and sides, with trellis, thorny plants or an anti-climb topping to make climbing harder. Check local rules and any homeowners' association limits on fence height befo...

Your front door is the first thing a burglar tests, and most doors fail in the same place: the strike plate and the door frame, not the lock itself. This guide covers the upgrades that matter most, in order of value per dollar. It is part of our room-by-room home security tips . Start with the habit, then the hardware The National Crime Prevention Council reports that in almost half of completed residential burglaries, thieves walked in through unlocked doors or windows, according to a Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office handout. So lock the door whenever you are out of sight of it, including when you are in the backyard. Also avoid hiding a spare key outside; the Metro Police Authority of Genesee County lists a key under a mat, fake rock or flower pot as something never to do. Fix the weakest link: the strike plate Most deadbolt and latch kits ship with short screws, often three-quarter inch, that bite only into the soft door jamb. In a WPTV test, a door held by three-quarter-...