Your home should be one of the safest places you can be in, but if your house lacks any sort of home security system, it can potentially be an easy target for intruders. Home invasions can happen when you least expect them. Even if you live in a relatively safe neighborhood, it is still best to be prepared for anything. Protect your home against intruders with these useful home defense tactics. (h/t to to TheSimplePrepper.com)

Secure your doors

Doors are among the easiest entry points for intruders, especially when they are left unguarded. Leaving your front door unlocked can often be seen as an open invitation by unwanted guests. It might sound basic, but locked doors are actually major deterrents for home intruders. You can also try securing your doors with multiple locking mechanisms. The harder your door is to open, the safer it will be. Potential thieves and burglars wouldn’t think it worth the trouble if they have to pick several locks just to open a single door. Intruders might also try to force their way in, so you might want to consider installing high-quality deadbolts and reinforcing your door frames.

Secure your windows

Next to doors, the easiest points of entry in your house are your windows. Glass windows can easily be broken, even when locked. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t bother locking your windows, but you can add an extra layer of protection by installing security glass film to absorb impacts from break-in attempts. They are so easy to install that they are definitely worth the investment. The best part is that since they are clear and can blend well with glass, you won’t even notice that they are there, and neither will the intruder. (Related: Simple strategies you can implement NOW to significantly improve your home security.)

Install motion-sensing lights

Potential thieves like to work under the cover of darkness. Lights that activate when they detect motion can quickly startle any would-be intruders, stripping them of the element of surprise and foiling their plans in the process. You can install these motion-sensing light anywhere around your perimeter, but ideally you should also install a few at every point of entry in your house. Alternatively, you can install lights that operate on a timer so that they activate during specific times of the day. This can create the illusion that someone is at home, even when no one is.

Have an escape plan

If you or your loved ones happen to be at home when an intruder breaks in, make sure that you are all familiar with your emergency escape plan. Even if you do have the home advantage, the last thing you will want to do is to confront the potentially armed and dangerous intruder. Make sure that you and your family members all know the different escape routes to evacuate safely and contact the authorities. If you each take a different route, make sure that you all know your designated evacuation point where you can safely meet up. This evacuation point can also come in handy in case of fires, earthquakes, or other disasters.

Find potential hiding spots in your home

If you are unable to evacuate, you should try to set up emergency hiding places that you can stay in until it is safe to come out. Some people prepare safe areas or panic rooms for such occasions. You should fight back and use force only when absolutely necessary, but as much as you can help it, try to keep your presence undetected. If possible, contact the authorities from your hiding spot and calmly wait for them to arrive.

Sources include:

TheSimplePrepper.com

BackdoorSurvival.com