Home Defense: 5 Ways to Keep Intruders Out

As a homeowner, your worst fear is someone breaking in. So, you should do everything you can to prevent that. Home defense is something that everyone should take more seriously. Areas to focus on are your yard, exterior doors, garage, and windows, but you also need to get used to certain habits that will keep your home safe. Here’s the best five ways that you can keep an intruder out.

The First Line of Home Defense

The best pistol red dot is good for close-range, but the yard is your first priority to make sure you won’t need it. Little details like keeping your yard mowed and your bushes trimmed can deter an intruder by letting them know you’re home.

Likewise, you should trim back any branches or trees that provide access to a second story. Whether or not you have multiple floors, though, you should install security cameras with lighting equipment.

Not only will these things catch a potential intruder on tape, but seeing them and a sign for that security system in your yard usually makes intruders think twice before pushing forward. The exterior of your house is the first place to keep intruders out. It is the true starting point for home defense.

Hold the Door.

You might be surprised how easy it can be to break into a home simply by kicking in the front door. If you have multiple entries and don’t have a gate or a lock on that gate, make sure to apply these rules to any external door.

Always install a deadbolt, because that will lock your door into the frame for stronger reinforcement. Pick a solid door that ideally has no windows to break. If your door is installed with hinges on the outside, unscrew them and drill them on the inside so they can’t be taken off.

The last key point to pay attention to with your door is to replace the door jam if it’s getting weak or old. Do the same with your door’s strike plate, because these can make picking the lock easier. Of course, always make sure to lock everything.

Don’t Forget the Garage.

With doors and windows, it’s easy to overlook the garage as a potential spot to break in. A lot of garage doors have a line of windows along the top or windows on the actual door, but these allow intruders to see what’s inside.

One preventative measure is to remove the appeal of breaking in, so black any windows out or just get a garage door without glass. It’s also a good idea to get a lock for your garage.

Develop Home Defense Habits.

Get in the habit of checking your mail often and never use identifying titles beyond first names in public view. Park your car in the garage and pay attention to your neighbors and common activity. Pay special attention to anyone you don’t recognize or anything out of the ordinary.

When you’re home, make sure to lock up any firearms you own in the best gun safe you can find. If someone does break in, the last thing you want is to have your own weapon used against you.

If you go out of town, don’t tell anyone that doesn’t need to know and install timers on your house lights. The illusion of being home can be a powerful deterrent to criminals, as can a trained guard dog.

Another important habit to get into if you move a lot is to change the locks first-thing. While many offices collect keys, you never know if the previous tenant or owner has a key that would bypass most of the measures on this list.

Lastly, sleep with a knife or flashlight close by. If you don’t have time to unlock your safe, the light can blind an intruder or the knife can be used for defensive purposes. It might also help to have your car keys to trigger the car alarm and alert the neighbors.

Check Your Windows for a Safer Home.

Many break-ins don’t need much effort because so many people forget to lock their windows. It’s also advisable to put in security glass, which is shatter-resistant. If your windows have any external screws, strip or solder the heads so they can’t be taken out.

One last measure that applies to windows and doors is that anything sliding should be reinforced with a rod or wedge that will hold it closed. Mostly, stay alert and proactive to avoid intruders in your home.

Final Shots on Home Defense from the Full30 Editor.

This article was a guest post from writer Richard Douglas. Richard writes on firearms, defense, and security issues, and is the founder and editor at Scopes Field. He is also a columnist at The National Interest, Daily Caller, and other publications.

If you are interested in doing a guest post on Full30.com’s blog, feel free to reach out to me via e-mail at [email protected]. If your work is up to snuff, we may publish it in our blog for you.

From Our Editor.

Home defense is no laughing matter, and it’s definitely not something you want to put off until later. If you’re a homeowner, and this isn’t something that you’ve already thought about, then we hope this article opened your eyes. Let’s do a little thought experiment to close out this article. Without standing up and maneuvering through your home, I want you to think of a few things. First, how many ways can someone get into your home right now? Second, where is your nearest self-defense tool? Last, are there any security measures that will keep a record of an attempted break-in?

If you couldn’t answer all of those questions from where you are sitting right now. you might not be prepared enough. It’s a proven fact, 100% of home invasions, happen inside of the home. It is your duty as a home owner to be prepared for a home invasion. Have you thought of a plan? Are you ready for a possible home invasion right now? If not, we strongly urge you to consider thinking about improving your home defense plan.

Let us know down in the comments how much work and thought you’ve put into home defense. We are incredibly proud of our audience, and their ability to prepare for calamity. It’s one of the things we pride ourselves on. Now, we’re not suggesting you walk us through your home defense plan, we just want to take a simple poll. How much thought and preparation have you as an individual placed into home defense?