Most home security experts agree that homeowners have three major defenses against potential burglars:
Light
Time
Noise
For the handy men and women of the world, ideas are probably already forming in your crafty heads for ways to tackle these areas of home security yourself. Do-it-yourself home security can be a very effective way to protect your family and your property without spending a bundle.
DIY Home Security: Light
Tonight, after dark, go stand in your yard. Look at is as if you are a potential thief. How dark is your yard? Are there shadowy patches near your door or windows? If you were a thief, would you feel relatively "safe" approaching your house?
If you discovered the answer to those questions is "yes," don't worry. As a do-it-yourselfer, there are lots of illuminating ways you can protect your home and family:
Trim hedges and trees - especially those near doors and windows. Don't give potential intruders an easy place to lurk. All the light in the world won't eliminate the shadows cast by out-of-control shrubbery.
Install motion sensor lights in your yard. For under $30, you can install a wireless, outdoor, weatherproof light designed to illuminate your yard anytime it detects motion. Whether it brightens the path between your car and your door, or casts light on a trespasser approaching your home, this do-it-yourself security device is well worth the money.
Put your lights on timers when you go out of town. A house that sits dark day after day is a potential advertisement to thieves. For around $70, you can put your lights on timers and schedule them to turn on at various times of the day or night.
DIY Home Security: Time
Most burglars will only spend about 60 seconds trying to enter a home. Increase the time it takes to break into your home through some simple DIY techniques:
Install dead-bolt locks on all exterior doors. Deadbolts are harder to pick and make it extremely difficult to kick down a door. For around $100, you can take security one step further with digital dead-bolts. These heavy-duty locks eliminate the need for keys - just punch in your access code to open your front door.
Secure the locks on all windows. Most windows are designed to keep out the elements, not burglars. For about $3 a lock, you can replace your standard window locks with stronger sash-locks.
Protect your sliding doors with a doorguard alarm. When wedged under the handle of your sliding door, this steel rod makes it very difficult (if not impossible) to open a sliding door. On top of that, a doorguard alarm emits a 120-decibel alarm if the door or door handle is moved - all for less than $30.
DIY Home Security: Noise
The final element to consider when tackling home security yourself is noise. If a burglar manages to creep through your well-lit yard, bypass your sturdy, time-consuming locks, and make it into your home, noise is your last line of immediate defense:
Purchase a wireless alarm. Typically ranging from $200-300, wireless alarms systems are easy to install and ready to use. They don't require programming and most of them include a piercing 110-decibel siren sure to wake the neighborhood and terrify intruders.
Install an indoor motion detector. These security devices emit an alarm when they detect unauthorized motion inside your home. They're easy to set up and easy on your wallet - a good motion detector costs around $120.
Consider getting a dog. The ultimate in DIY home security noise is a barking dog. Not only is a dog a lovable member of the family, but it is also a great defense against potential intruders. Even a small barking dog is usually enough to deter a thief.
These are just a few of the many ways to secure your home yourself, without hiring professionals or spending a small fortune.
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