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Home Security Guides
Plain-English, low-cost ways to make your home harder to break into. Start with the audit, then work through the guides by topic.
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Doors
Reinforce, lock and brace the openings burglars use most.
How to Reinforce a Front Door: A DIY Guide for Under $50Most kick-ins split the door frame, not the door. Here is how to fix the weak points with long screws, a reinforcement plate and a security bar.11 min readRead the guide →How to Secure a Sliding Glass Door: 6 DIY FixesSliding doors are among the easiest openings to defeat. Six low-cost fixes close the common gaps: the latch, the track, the lift-out and the glass.10 min readRead the guide →How to Choose a Deadbolt: Grade 1 vs Grade 2 vs Grade 3What the ANSI grades mean, which features matter, and how a basic, Grade 1, pick-resistant and smart deadbolt compare.11 min readRead the guide →
Windows and garage
The openings people forget: windows, basements and the garage.
How to Secure Windows: 6 Low-Cost Fixes That WorkMost window locks are weak latches. Six low-cost fixes, from better sash locks and pins to security film, that keep every bedroom window a safe exit.10 min readRead the guide →How to Secure Your Garage Door and OpenerThe garage is a second front door. Close it, protect the remote and keypad code, check the release cord, and consider a smart control that alerts you.9 min readRead the guide →How to Secure the Door Between Your Garage and HouseIt is often a weak, unlocked interior door. Treat it like a front door with long screws, a Grade 1 deadbolt and a reinforcement plate, without breaking code.9 min readRead the guide →How to Secure Basement Windows and Window WellsLow, hidden and often neglected, basement windows are a favorite way in. How to secure them and the wells, while keeping every escape window usable.9 min readRead the guide →
Buying guides
Compare alarms, cameras and lighting before you spend.
Home Alarm Systems With No Monthly Fee: What You Really GetWhat monthly fees actually pay for, and three ways to protect your home without them, from $15 chimes to a DIY alarm kit run without a plan.9 min readRead the guide →Video Doorbell vs. Security Camera: Which Do You Need?A doorbell shows who is at the door, a camera shows what is happening around the house. How to choose, what storage really costs, and three doorbell picks.9 min readRead the guide →Motion vs. Dusk-to-Dawn Security Lighting: Which Is Better?Steady light or a sudden flood of it? Where each type of outdoor security light belongs, how to combine them, and picks from $8 bulbs to floodlights.8 min readRead the guide →Timers vs. Smart Plugs: How to Make an Empty House Look Lived InFour ways to automate your lights while you are away, from a $10 dial timer to smart bulbs, plus the other signs of an empty house to fix before you leave.9 min readRead the guide →
Seasonal and renter
Holiday travel, package theft and fixes that work in a rental.
How to Stop Package Theft: Practical Fixes Before the HolidaysChange where packages go, shorten how long they wait, hide the signs and add a camera. Plus what to do if a package is stolen.8 min readRead the guide →Holiday Travel Home Security Checklist: Before You LeaveA week-before and day-of plan for keeping your home safe while you travel: lights, mail, gifts out of sight, a house watcher, and what not to post.7 min readRead the guide →Renter Home Security: Protect Your Home Without DrillingWhat to ask your landlord for, plus removable door, window and detection devices you can take with you when you move.7 min readRead the guide →Apartment and Dorm Security Checklist: What to Do on Move-In DayA move-in checklist for your unit, plus habits for shared entrances, packages, parking, roommates and neighbors.8 min readRead the guide →
Safe room and family plan
Plan for the worst day: where to retreat, how to get out and who does what.
How to Set Up a Safe Room in Your HomeChoose a room, strengthen the door and frame, stock it, keep a way out, and practice. A practical plan for sheltering until help arrives.9 min readRead the guide →How to Make a Family Emergency Plan in One EveningFive decisions, one page and a simple practice routine: where to shelter, how to get out, where to meet, who calls whom and a code word.9 min readRead the guide →Home Fire Escape Plan: Two Ways Out of Every RoomWorking alarms, two exits per bedroom, a ladder for upper floors, a meeting place and a practice drill, without letting security block your way out.9 min readRead the guide →What to Do If Someone Breaks Into Your HomeRetreat, call, communicate and wait. A calm sequence for a noise at night, someone at the door, or coming home to a break-in, and what to do after.9 min readRead the guide →
Communication and neighbors
Know the people around you, signal for help and get the right help to your door.
How to Build a Neighbor Network (No Meetings Needed)Meet the people around you, set up a group text and make a few simple agreements for packages, travel and emergencies, at almost no cost.11 min readRead the guide →How to Signal for Help From Inside Your Home: Horns, Bullhorns and SpotlightsCompare a safety horn, a bullhorn and a spotlight, agree on signals with neighbors, and learn when to make noise and when to stay quiet.9 min readRead the guide →When to Call 911 vs. the Non-Emergency Number, and How to Help Responders Find YouHow to decide whom to call, what counts as suspicious, what to say, and how to make your house number easy to find at night.9 min readRead the guide →
Smart home and cameras
Place cameras well, choose a smart lock wisely and lock down your Wi-Fi.
Where to Place Security Cameras: Height, Angles and Blind SpotsWhich spots to cover first, how high to mount, how to handle glare and Wi-Fi, and how to respect your neighbors’ privacy.10 min readRead the guide →Are Smart Locks Secure? Keypad, Wi-Fi and Hub Locks ComparedWhat smart locks change and what they do not, the real risks, failure modes, features worth having and four picks at different budgets.10 min readRead the guide →How to Secure Your Home Wi-Fi and Smart Devices: A 30-Minute ChecklistRouter settings, a separate network for smart devices, unique passwords and two-factor authentication, in plain language.9 min readRead the guide →
Scams and digital safety
Keep your address private, spot door-to-door scams and handle visitors with confidence.
How to Protect Your Address and Personal Info OnlineStop posting while away, tighten social media, check what photos reveal, opt out of people-search sites and control the paper trail.9 min readRead the guide →Door-to-Door Scams and Fake Workers: How to Spot and Stop ThemCommon tactics, red flags, how to verify a visitor without opening the door, the distraction pattern and what to do if you were taken in.10 min readRead the guide →How to Handle Doorstep Visitors and Solicitors SafelyScripts for salespeople and canvassers, when to escalate, what signs can and cannot do, and how to prepare children and guests.9 min readRead the guide →
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