How To Secure Your Home Without An Alarm

Heather Robbins
by Heather Robbins

Home security, even though extremely important, is often overlooked. “That can’t happen to me.” “I won’t end up on the news.” “I live in a safe neighborhood.” Whatever it is you tell yourself, you need to ask yourself this: Would I rather be safe than sorry? You don’t have to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on a home alarm system. There are several things you can do instead!

Always check to make sure your windows, doors, garage door, and shed is all locked up. Additionally, make it impossible to hide in your yard. Make sure you can see who is outside, even with a security camera or a ring doorbell.

Below, we will tell you several different ways you can ensure the security of your home, even if you don’t have an alarm system. Let’s get to it!

How Do You Secure Your Home Without An Alarm?

Without an alarm, is your home secure? Yes! Without an alarm, there are many other ways to make your house secure, such as installing smart lighting, adopting a dog, utilizing latches and bolts, and hiding valuable items.

To protect you and your loved ones, ensuring your house is secure is your primary concern. We have put together a crucial guide to assist you in securing your house without the need for an alarm.

1. Make Sure Your Windows Are Locked

Windows are one of the most common ways that burglars get into your home. Yes, even your attic window!

Always make sure your windows are locked if you are not actively using them. Check to ensure your windows also have fasteners on them for additional security.

If you dislike the way your window fasteners look, improve security by installing key-operated switches or replacement window closures.

If you want to take it a step further, you can always add some window sensors to your windows or even window bars. While window bars seem a little too far, you could always add them to your attic and basement windows, the windows that aren’t always within monitoring distance.

Try these window fasteners!

2. Ensure The Security Of Your Doors

It’s wise to verify the strength of the door frames and the safety of the hinges. While locks are essential, people can still get through your door if the structure is not optimal.

Replace the locks on the doors when you are transitioning into a place that was formerly somebody else’s residence. In this manner, you can ensure that the bolts are the best available and prevent outsiders from having a key to your home.

You can also add a strike plate or even upgrade to smart locks that are only unlockable via your phone or some sort of security device. And if you have a mail slot, always make sure that it is secured when you are away.

Keyless entry locks are always great for keeping burglars at bay!

3. Secure Your Garage Like It Is Your Door: Cause It Is!

Criminals frequently choose to enter your home using this particular doorway. Even if they cannot enter your home, there is a significant probability that you have many valuable items in the garage. Make it a routine to lock the garage’s inner and external doors.

You might also think about storing your opener for the garage inside the building. This prevents a thief from taking it from your car. In addition, if the garage has a security code, be sure to keep it a secret and never use it in front of visitors, neighbors, or anyone else.

Something that works great is installing a driveway alarm. You can have a camera so that it automatically records if anyone happens upon your driveway when you are not expecting it.

4. Be Careful What You Post On Social Media

Keep in mind that social networks are designed to be public, so using them is similar to shouting at a crowd from a megaphone. If you’re not happy with the complete social media audience knowing about your travel arrangements, don’t disclose them.

Due to social media accounts’ default mode of “public,” thieves can quickly uncover details of the times and dates that individuals will be leaving their residences by searching for keywords like “trip,” “travel,” “vacation,” or “out of town.”

Simply postpone sharing details about your vacation until after it has been completed to avoid this! Take a moment to check that your post is marked as private on that social media platform if you do feel the need to let others know you’ll be away in advance.

5. Don’t Forget To Secure Your Shed

Your shed may appear secure, but a seasoned thief can get past the lock by removing doors and other components that have uncovered screws with a screwdriver.

Use Allen head, Torx head, or hex-head cover screws in place of typical Phillips head screws to fool anyone who wants to try to break into your property.

Additionally, you can order security screws that cannot be removed without sophisticated tools, which an enthusiastic thief is doubtful to possess. However, you will need to purchase the specialized tool or bit.

6. Install Smart Lighting On Your Property

Make it appear as though you are at home, even if you are not. Smart lights, which can be accessed remotely from just a laptop or tablet, are available at stores such as Lowes, Best Buy, and more.

You could use these when you’re traveling, at work, or delayed in traffic. You can set your lights in your living room on a schedule where they turn on at a specific time. Any lights in the home that have a smart controller installed, you can turn on and off anytime, whether you’re home or not.

You could also opt to buy motion-activated floodlights for the outside of your home, which you could use either alone or in conjunction with the first. This will draw attention to anyone looking around your property, which by itself might deter burglars.

Smart lighting doesn’t have to be expensive: Check these out!

7. Adopt A Puppy

While the majority of people picture German Shepherds or Rottweilers as watchdogs, many other dog breeds are just as good at keeping intruders away.

Because they make a lot of noise and bark nonstop when they notice a stranger, even breeds like Chihuahuas, Shih Tzus, and Dachshunds might be helpful.

8. Keep The Garage Opener Out Of Your Car

If someone steals your car, they can easily take the remote and gain entry to your garage and house. Since your car’s registration can reveal your address to a thief, this is an issue regardless of where your automobile is kept, even if it is in your driveway.

Store the remote somewhere other than your car and think about buying a keychain remote in its place. By doing this, you may carry it with you wherever you go without running the danger of forgetting it in your car.

9. Install Jam Rods For Your Doorknobs

Fill the space beneath your handle and the ground below with long rods. By doing this, burglars are unable to enter the doorway from the outside. You can buy these or make them from scratch.

If you have windows or sliding glass doors, place long pieces of wood or broom handles all along the groove at the bottom of each one. They won’t be able to be opened as a result.

The doorway that you choose to access your home shouldn’t be subjected to this. Don’t let yourself get locked out!

10. Do Not Open Unless You Know Who Is Knocking At Your Door

Never unlock a door unless you’re sure of the individual on the other side. Make sure you look out the peephole. However, not all doors have peepholes, so you can peek out a side window to get a glimpse of the person.

Strangers may try to blend into the background or appear different, making it difficult to recognize them. By placing a wide-angle door viewer, ambiguity can be avoided.

11. Put Up Security Signs

The burglar need not be aware that you don’t have a security system. Plaques, stickers, and yard signs can be used to warn criminals of their presence. However, this inexpensive DIY home security tip isn’t 100% reliable.

Most burglars probably wouldn’t bother if they believe that your home is protected by a security system, but certain career criminals who take the time to scope out your property may call your bluff.

You can buy these signs anywhere!

12. Install Security Cameras Around The Property

There are many different security cameras that have two or three cameras and run on Wi-Fi and batteries. With built-in detectors that are activated by motion in each gadget, it can cover a massive area of your home.

When an intruder gets into the home, the alarm sounds, a notification is sent to your cellphone, and a brief video of the incident is sent to the cloud storage. However, you need to ensure that the cameras you get also record videos in a cloud.

Check out these security cameras!

13. Hide All Of Your Valuables

Keep your possessions out of sight and out of reach of intruders if at all possible. Outdoor items like bicycles and tools should be kept locked up or out of view in a barn or shed.

Use shades or curtains indoors to conceal valuables. Never leave valuables like computers, gold, money, or personal files out in the open. You can hide your most priceless possessions in a safe.

Another piece of advice is to exercise discretion whenever you buy a precious object. Don’t flaunt your new TV boxes or be cocky.

Avoid keeping the boxes outside or close to your house’s windows. It’s like telling the thieves that there is still a ton of fresh inventory for them to look at. Boxes should be disposed of quickly and discretely.

14. Store Your Spare Keys In A Lockbox

Some people conceal their spare keys in places where a thief could quickly locate them, such as beneath ceramics, behind doormats or planters, or in these and similar places.

If there are no indications of forced entry, certain home insurance providers may decline to provide coverage. A combination lockbox is an excellent answer to this.

You can retain a key there and place it in a discreet location on your property. To prevent a burglar from prying the box off and taking the entire box with them, secure it with screws.

You can still hide your key outside in this lockbox!

15. Ask Someone To Get Your Mail While You Are On Vacation

A stuffed mailbox is an obvious indication that you’re not at home. So that you never give off the impression that you are away, have a buddy start picking up your mail while you are gone.

While you are away, make sure your mailbox doesn’t overflow because that will increase the likelihood that a thief will notice and attempt to break in.

16. Make It Impossible For Someone To Hide In Your Yard

Having a lot of trees and bushes around your home may make it appear nice, but they often give criminals a convenient hiding place.

Cut back nearby trees and vegetation that could be utilized as cover. Instead, choose more compact plants and blooms. If there are trees close to your windows, cut them down or provide more security to those windows.

Don’t forget to take care of the exterior of your home as well; follow these recommended practices to keep everything securely locked up. Always store ladders and stools. Lock up all exterior structures, including gates and sheds.

17. Get A Bolt-Down Safe

Most people don’t require a large, expensive, heavy safe to protect their belongings. The cost of safes increases with additional options like fire prevention and digital or biometric (fingerprint-reading) unlocking mechanisms.

By fastening it to the floor with bolts, install the wall safe or cylinder floor safe (most safes have holes inside for just that purpose). Place the wall safe in a closet corner or another discreet location, or place it within a wall and conceal it with a painting.

Heather Robbins
Heather Robbins

Heather is a passionate writer who loves anything DIY. Growing up, she learned everything from home repairs to design, and wants to share her tips with you. When she's not writing, she's usually hiking or searching for her next DIY project.

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