As far as residential security goes, how comfortable do you feel in your own home? Most of the time, people feel comfortable in their dwellings. After all, this is the place where you have everything exactly the way you like it. No shower has the exact water pressure that yours does. No couch is as comfy as yours. No other dwelling has the same wonderful smell. Thus, your home should be the place where you feel the happiest and the most at ease. But unfortunately, not everyone feels safe and secure inside their homes. That leads to decreased satisfaction and less comfort.

Does that sound like you? Do you feel anxious when you go to sleep at night? Do you constantly worry about experiencing a burglary? If so, you need to learn about how to improve residential security. Here are six ways you can increase residential security! 

6 Residential Security Tips 

1. Purchase High-Security Locks 

How long has it been since you changed your locks? If it has been more than ten years, you need to look into purchasing new hardware. Old hardware is easy to tamper with and break, which leaves your locks vulnerable to picking and bumping. Your first step to improving residential security should be to purchase high-security locks, such as deadbolts, for each of the doors in your home. This will make it harder for burglars to easily enter your home. 

2. Improve Your Outdoor Lighting 

A dim light above your front door is not enough to deter burglars. A single light centered in one area still leaves a majority of your property in shadow. That means a burglar can slip into your yard undetected to get through a back door or window. To prevent this problem, it is best to install motion sensor lights or flood lights around your home. The more well-lit your property is, the less appealing it becomes as a target for burglary. 

3. Get a Security System 

You might be wondering if a security system is worth it. We are here to assure you that it is. Alarms and cameras are two of the biggest deterrents for would-be thieves. Burglars want to enter and leave a property without detection. Thus, the prospect of being seen or setting off an alarm is often enough to keep criminals away. 

A tiny plastic home with a key resting beside it, representing residential security

4. Get a Gate 

A yard without a gate is easy to enter. You can simply stroll onto someone’s property without a single obstruction to stop you. That is why it is a good idea to add a gate and fence around your property. The taller the fence and the more durable your gate, the better. While someone could theoretically use a ladder to get over your fence, it is unlikely that a burglar would go through that much effort. Remember, burglars aim to be quick. That’s why they choose easy targets. 

5. Don’t Go Overboard With Landscaping 

If you’re someone who enjoys over-the-top landscaping features like topiaries, magnificent, towering bushes, and rare trees, we have bad news for you. This type of landscaping provides many hiding places for a prospective burglar. It is better to keep plants and landscaping features at a minimum to make your home less attractive to criminals. 

6. Do Not Hide Spare Keys 

We understand that is tempting to hide spare keys around your property. After all, who wants to face the prospect of a home lockout emergency? Lockouts are stressful. However, becoming the victim of burglars is much more stressful. Thus, avoid hiding spare keys around your property. Thieves know all of the common hiding places for spare keys, and they are likely to do a quick search to locate yours rather than go through the effort of breaking your locks. 

We Can Help Improve Residential Security! 

Hopefully, our residential security tips can help you feel safer inside your home. However, we understand that implementing these tips might be difficult. Do you need help improving residential security? Our team at ASAP Locksmiths is here for you. Contact us today for assistance!