Home Security Solution- Window Security
Even though a thief would probably prefer to gain access through a door as apposed to having to climb through a window, that doesn’t mean that they won’t use a window to gain access to your home. The most common place for a break in to occur at a residence is through a unsecured door but an open window is the next best thing.
Did you know that the incidences of home burglaries goes up during the summer months? Do you know why?
Home burglaries go up during July and August because that is when many people are away on vacations and it’s also the time of the year when people leave their windows open for ventilation. An open unlocked window is almost as good as an open door to a burglar. But you shouldn’t just stop at locking your windows, you should also install an additional window lock to each of your windows. The lock doesn’t have to be anything fancy or expensive, in fact, you can probably get a simple window lock made from aluminum with a thumb screw that doesn’t require any tools or drilling to install for less than a dollar at your local hardware store. Here is a picture of a simple window lock that you can install yourself:
Simple Window Lock
When you install these types of locks, you have a couple of options available to you, you can install it so that your window can’t be opened at all without breaking the glass or you can install it so that you can open your window 4-8 inches but no further. Putting the lock on your window so that you can open your window is great for those that want the added security but also want some air circulation. Of course there are a variety of window locks to choose from this just happened to be the cheapest one that I found.
For added window security, you may want to consider making your windows shatterproof. The reason you may want to consider this option is because if a burglar can gain access into your home in just a few seconds by breaking your glass and hurrying through the window before he gets noticed, they just might take the chance of making the loud noise of breaking the window to gain entry into a home. This scenario may not happen very often but it isn’t unheard of. A window that has security film or shatterproof glass would be an unexpected delay for a thief.
The majority of residential home burglaries occur at the front door but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t protect your windows from a break in because the next best thing to an open door, is a window to a burglar that wants to get into your home. I think that it is important to note that there is no such thing as a burglar proof home because there isn’t a security system that can’t be gotten around . If a burglar wants in bad enough and they are skilled enough, they will bet in, no matter what you do but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take any kind of security measures to ensure your safety and security. You don’t have to turn your home into Fort Knox or anything like that but you can take some easy security measures to make it hard enough so that most burglars will choose someone else’s home rather than yours.
Home Alone Pets Stop Robbers
I came across this video yesterday and I thought that it was the cutest thing. Since I was talking about using your dog as a home security system (you can read that article here), I thought this was an appropriate video to share.
Scout and Paws save the day. It’s actually a commercial for pet food and I don’t for a second think that a dog and a cat would ever team up to foil some would be burglars but it is a cute video and I hope that you enjoy it.
Home Security Solution – Using Man’s Best Friend
I’m not really a dog person. I’ve had dogs and I like them but when it comes to having pets, I am a cat person. I seriously doubt that either of my cats would do anything to protect the house from a burglar. In fact, Happy Cat would be the first to run and hide from an intruder during a home invasion.
My neighbor, however, has a couple of dogs and I have to tell you that there isn’t anyway that you are getting near that place without getting those dogs to bark. It just isn’t going to happen. They aren’t large dogs. In fact I doubt very much that they would even bite you but they are very loud when they get to barking and I don’t know of too many burglars that want the attention that a barking dog can bring to them.
Giving what I just described, it would look like man’s best friend would be a good home security system. But as with any security system, there are to be pros and cons and you should know what they are. Can a watchdog be used as a home security system?
The Pros of using a dog as a home security system
- Dogs are very quick to let you know that something isn’t right outside. Of course, that isn’t always a good thing. The dog that I had would bark at his own shadow. It’s kind of like the boy that cried wolf.
- Dogs are a great show of force. Most dogs will naturally do anything to protect their humans.
- A barking dog can alert others in the area that there is a problem. Dogs are excellent at alerting others with their vigorous barking.
The Cons of using a dog as a home security system
- Dogs have to sleep too. My neighbor’s dog is a serious napper. Nothing seems to bother him when he is taking his afternoon nap. The point is that they can’t be on duty all day everyday.
- Dogs can be bribed into staying quiet. There are some dogs that will be the burglars best friend after getting a treat.
- Dogs can be overcome physically or even killed by a burglar that doesn’t want to be found out.
- Dogs make great companions and can make you feel more secure in your home.
There you have it those are the pros and cons of using a watchdog as a home security system. As with any security system, you have to know it’s limitations and decide if you can live with them. In my opinion, dogs are great companions and can be a great addition to your home security solutions but they should not be used alone.
When it comes to home security, you should never rely solely on one security method. For other DIY home security solutions, you may want to check out these other articles:
Home Security Solutions – Door Security
Home Security Solution – Remove the “Break In Here” Sign Painted on YOUR Home
Home Security Solutions – Make Your Windows More Secure
