Thrifty Options for More Effective Home Security

| November 29, 2013

ID-100211220It can be difficult to determine the best way of upgrading your home for security. While any measure to help protect our families and property might seem worthwhile, at what point does cost become too much of a factor? While there are certainly plenty of options available in the home security market, many varieties of defense are inflexible when it comes to pricing.

Fortunately, carefully considering your options and alternatives available to you can help prevent wasting too much money on assets whose costs outweigh their benefits. While home security systems such as those provided by ADT Security in Indianapolis, Indiana might include versatile pricing options depending on your individual needs, not all security features are so scalable when it comes to coverage and pricing. Here are a few expensive home modifications that you might avoid in favor of cheaper, more effective options.

Bump-proof Door Locks

One of the most disturbing developments among criminals is the spreading popularity of lock-bumping tools. These are legally available through many online retailers, and are easy enough to use that even novices can use them effectively. Lock bumping happens with a special key which is inserted into a traditional lock and knocked until the lock vibrates to the point of unlocking. It’s quick, subtle, and disquietingly common.

Recognizing the fear that this new method of breaking and entry has brought to the home security market, many security companies offer “bump-proof” door locks. In truth, these locks only require slightly more effort and time to bump open than standard locks. They’re also highly expensive compared to their regular counterpart. Instead of installing these inefficient models, instead invest a non-traditional lock which can’t be bumped open. Simply replacing standard locks with disc tumbler makes your doors immune to bumping at a fraction of the cost.

Impact Resistant Windows

Many burglars target windows as the most vulnerable point of entry to a home. It can be difficult to defend all of your windows in an affordable manner. The first way that homeowners might consider doing this is by replacing all windows with impact resistant models, which becomes extraordinarily costly. Another way that this can be done is by installing noise-detectors on all windows, but this usually involves investing in much more exorbitant security system package than your home might otherwise require.

Instead of immediately thinking of these more expensive options, consider cheaper ways that windows can be defended. Many companies provide shatter-resistant films which can make breaking open your windows significantly more difficult. While not quite as sturdy as tempered impact resistant panes, these films add an extra layer of defense at a cost of pennies to the dollar.

But in truth, the most important part of your windows isn’t whether or not they can be broken – really, the main point of defending your windows is to prevent entry. And there’s a way that this can be done even cheaper. Simply spend a few dollars on a window screw to limit your frame’s entry to a few inches, which will make your windows effectively impossible to enter. While alarms on windows can help detect burglars, these options will perform better at physically resisting home invasion.

These are just a few ways you can consider shaving off some of the costs associated with keeping your house safe. These methods can improve your security as well by making your home more difficult to enter at a significantly reduced cost when compared to the various “resistant” and “theft-proof” models offered. With a home security system and these measures, your home can be a modern fortress without the costs that you might associate with high-grade security.

 

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Category: Home Improvements

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