The Best Ways to Secure Your New Home

Congratulations on purchasing your new home! Being a homeowner is a major step in anyone’s life and it comes with many benefits. However, when moving into a new home, it’s important to remember not only the delights of being a new homeowner but also the dangers that accompany it.

The most recent FBI crime data reports more than 1.1 million burglaries in the year 2019. 56% of those burglaries involved forcible entry and 63% were in residential properties. Owning a home is a great achievement — so how can you secure your new home from potential threats? Keep reading to learn about the best ways to secure your new home.

1. Change Your Locks

The first thing you should do to secure your home is to change your locks. At the very least, you know the previous homeowner and realtor have keys to the current locks. However, you may not know how long it’s been since anyone changed the locks or who may have received keys to your locks in the past. Changing your locks is a relatively inexpensive way to ensure better home security.

If you want added security for your doors, switch to mechanical locks or access control solutions, which are both tried and true burglary prevention methods. If you want to pick just one easy security method rather than a combination of ways to secure your new home, choose a door security option.

2. Add Door Security Features

Another idea for how to secure your new home is to add door security features in addition to changing your locks.

Do you have a large mail slot on your door? This feature allows easy access for burglars to unlock and open your door. Either remove the slot or buy a thinner, more secure slot.

• Make sure your door is structurally sound. The majority of burglaries involve forcible entry, such as kicking in doors. A door that has weak hinges or other structural compromises allows burglars to easily enter the home while causing additional damage. Secure your new home with a new, strong door and a sturdy strike plate that will make it much more difficult for intruders to break in.
• If you want an added layer of security for your new home’s doors, add deadbolts to them. The combination of a deadbolt with other door security features will make your house prohibitively difficult to break into.

3. Install Window Security Features

In addition to securing your new home with door security features, adding security to your windows will prevent burglars from using their typical methods of entry. Window security is as simple as closing and locking windows when no one is home and adding curtains so burglars can’t tell when no one is home. You can also add extra security features to secure your new home like window bars or large, prickly bushes outside of windows to make them more difficult to access.

4. Light Your Home

Another simple, budget-friendly idea for how to secure your new home is to add lights and keep them on more frequently. Dark houses with places to hide make it easy for burglars to intrude without being noticed. However, adding lights outside your home can discourage burglars before they even try to intrude. If you’re worried about using extra energy on lights, motion-sensor and solar-power lights save energy while lighting your home when it’s most vulnerable.

5. Add Security Cameras or a Video Doorbell

A great way to secure your new home and give you peace of mind, whether in or away from it, is to install security cameras or a video doorbell. Features like security cameras allow you to check in when you’re away or see who is at the door before you open it. Not to mention, burglars that see cameras will likely be deterred from entering your home. Make sure you understand the differences between security cameras and video doorbells to help you choose the best option for you.

6. Secure Your Garage Door

Burglars often enter through garage doors when breaking into a home. Even if they can’t get into your home, robbers can steal valuables from your garage and do damage. Here’s how to secure your new home’s garage door:

• Lock and cover windows: Like your home’s windows, burglars will be less likely to intrude if they don’t know that no one is home or if there are any valuables inside the garage. A cheap, effective way to secure your new home is to simply lock any windows in your garage and cover them with curtains.
• Add extra locks to your garage doors: Adding a deadbolt to doors will add an extra layer of protection for your garage and its valuables.
• Install a keypad opener for your garage doors: This feature is another great way to secure your new home from break-ins. A keypad opener allows added security for your garage — only people with the code can open the door, and in combination with a home security system, it can alert you if someone is using the keypad or entering the wrong code.

7. Secure Your Home’s Wi-Fi Network

While Wi-Fi may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you’re figuring out how to secure your new home, unprotected networks can leave personal data — such as social security and financial information — available to others. So how can you protect your new home from wireless security breaches?

• Secure your network with a strong password. Make sure not to include any personal information or anything easy to guess!
• Rename your network and hide it from other users. If the name of your home network is currently your last name, you should consider changing it.
• Use Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2) for your home network.
• Install antivirus security software for your wireless network.
• Consider installing a firewall for increased online security.

8. Purchase a Home Security System

Last but not least, the best way to secure your new home is to install a home security system. Around 75% of homeowners don’t have a home security system, and studies show that homes without security systems are three times more likely to become victims of robbery. Investing in a home security system will automatically make your house less appealing to burglars.

There are many different types of systems with various security features, so it’s important to do your research and choose the best security system for your home and family. From intrusion detection technology to smart home security, having a home security system is the best way to protect yourself and your home.

Contact Prestige Security Solutions to Secure Your New Home

The proven way to secure your new home is to install a comprehensive home security system. In addition to helping you install other safety features such as video surveillance systems and secure locks, Prestige Security Solutions is ready to help safeguard your new home with our security systems and unrivaled service. Learn more about how you can save money and protect your home and family by contacting Prestige Security Solutions today for a free estimate.