Three Simple Ways To Protect Your Home From Would-Be Thieves

While signing up with a home security service is an effective way you protect your home and its contents from burglars with the help of alarms on your doors and windows and even regular vehicular patrols throughout the neighborhood, it's important to be proactive and do more. You owe it to yourself and your family to take a series of other steps that will help to keep your home safe whether you're at home, away at work or off on vacation. Sure, you already know the importance of keeping your doors locked and not opening your home to strangers, but some other simple changes can help you breathe easy.

Landscaping Changes

Many would-be burglars spend time watching a home before striking, and you can make a series of changes to your property to protect yourself. It's a smart decision to install motion-activated flood lights around the perimeter of your home. Additionally, you can place light posts at the end of your driveway. Grab some garden tools and keep your yard well maintained. Overgrown bushes can be a hiding place for prowlers, but keeping your hedges, trees and gardens tidy is enough to send a clear message that you won't be a victim. Concerned about someone peeking in your windows? Plant prickly rose bushes in the gardens against your home.

Social Media Vigilance

Twenty-first century thieves scour the Internet to look for their next victims. By being careful about what information you and your family share online, you can reduce your risk of being targeted. Teach your family to avoid posting about high-priced purchases on social media; your child might be excited about getting a new video game system and wide-screen television, but sharing this information on social media might be enticing to someone browsing the child's page. Likewise, resist the temptation to talk about an upcoming holiday. Telling the world that you'll be out of the state and that your home will be empty on a specific date can be detrimental.

When You're Away

Keeping your home safe while your family is out of town is about more than just asking a neighbor to pick up your mail. Arrange to have someone perform seasonal maintenance, such as mowing the lawn and shoveling the snow, and install timers so lights inside your home turn on and off throughout the day. If you've left your family vehicles at home because you're flying, ask a neighbor to move your vehicles' order in the driveway every day or two; if the driveway is empty, request that a trusted neighbor park his or her vehicle there.

For more tips on how to supplement your home security system, contact a company like Maffey's Security Group.