Common Home Security Mistakes Made by Homeowners

mans hand hiding house keys under front door mat

No matter where your home is located, you should always address home security now rather than later. Will you address your home security concerns before or after a break-in occurs? As a homeowner, it is important to take responsibility for what goes inside and outside your home. There is a long list that comes with being a homeowner.

While you are focusing on all the duties in front of you, it is important that keeping your home secure is at the top of the list. Burglars love to take advantage of mistakes made by homeowners. Burglars are aware of what type of homes to target, and many of them will watch homes over a period of time to learn the habits of your family. Even if you always lock your doors, one little mistake can make your home an easy target.

We do not want your home to become an easy target, so here are some common home security mistakes that can put you at risk:

Leaving Spare Keys Outside

Many people hide a spare house key somewhere outside. This will be great if you have asked someone to watch your home while you are away or if you have a habit of accidentally locking yourself out. However, this is not great if you hide your key in a spot that makes it easy to find.

There are spots burglars will look for spare keys, especially your welcome mat. Please do not make it easy for a burglar to find your spare key. If you want to hide your key under a fake rock, make sure the fake rock is hidden among real rocks, so it will be difficult for a burglar to find it.

Failing To Trim Trees and Bushes

Your landscaping choices can have a positive or negative impact on securing your home. It is important to make sure your home is less friendly to criminals. If your bushes or trees land against the side of your home or are obstructing your window view, you can correct this by ensuring your trees or shrubs are at a low height. You do not have to completely change your landscape or get rid of your plants, but it is important to pay attention to where you place them.

Not Leaving the Porch Light On

Many burglars would prefer not to break into a home in broad daylight because they do not want to be seen. One of the mistakes that many homeowners make is turning their porch light off during the nighttime. While many people may believe that having a porch light on will not make much of a difference, you may be surprised at how many burglars will turn away from a home that uses a porch light.

If you were a burglar, would you choose to break into a home where you could potentially be seen because the porch light is on? It would be easier to choose a home where there are no lights on internally or externally. You can consider using a timer or remotely controlling your lights.

Another common home security mistake that people make is not having a home security system. With the right home security system, your odds of a break-in can be greatly reduced. For more information about how you can keep your home safe, contact the home security professionals at ProTec Security Systems.