Image creditEvery year, the US sees approximately 1.65 million home invasions across the country. This translates to roughly one burglary every 25.7 seconds. This is a shocking number of people having their homes violated by others who have no business being there, causing untold worry and distress, not to mention the cost to replace anything damaged or stolen.
If you want to reduce the risk of your home being broken into or you need extra protection, here are a few home security upgrades worth making this year.
Motion Activated Outdoor Lighting
A dark driveway or side entrance gives anyone approaching the property cover, especially in the evening when most break-ins happen. Motion-activated lights remove that cover instantly, and the sudden brightness alone is often enough to make someone reconsider.
Placement matters just as much, if not more than the number of lights installed. You need to cover entry points like side doors, back gates, and garage access, as these are more vulnerable points in the dark.
A Gate to Control Property Access
A gate at the driveway or main access point changes how a property functions since it controls who can approach the house at all rather than just reacting once someone is already close. This can be extremely beneficial for larger properties or homes set back from the road where there’s more distance for someone to move around unnoticed before reaching a door or a window.
Residential security gates can be paired with intercoms or keypads so you can control access without needing to physically meet every visitor at the property line. Beyond the security benefit, a gate limits how easily a vehicle can pull straight up to the house, which removes one of the most common ways property is targeted.
Upgraded Exterior Door Locks
Standard door locks fitted during original construction are often the minimum required rather than the most secure option available. And on top of this, older mechanisms can be picked or forced with basic tools; a deadbolt with a longer throw and reinforced strike plate holds up to far more force than a standard spring latch.
Smart locks add another layer by removing the risk of a stolen or duplicated physical key altogether, and many smart locks allow you to check who entered and when, often in real time so you can get help from law enforcement if anyone does gain access who shouldn’t be on the property.
A Video Doorbell
A video doorbell records activity at the front door around the clock, which covers one of the most common points people approach before deciding whether to attempt entry or not. Many models send alerts the moment someone steps on the porch or breaches a set boundary line in real time. This visibility allows you to respond as appropriate to the visitor.
You also get recorded footage too which is important if there is an incident, as you have a clear video of what happened, and it can help you identify who was involved rather than relying on others to fill in the gaps.
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