Homeowners who cannot afford a or the monthly payments that come with monitoring often turn to less expensiveoptions. Over the years, there are a number of tips that have become commonplace, such as always having a light burning or having a security sticker on a window that faces the street. However, recent data reveals that some of these tips are not as effective as they once were because burglars are becoming wise to them the more they are used.
Three of these previous top tips have recently been debunked and homeowners should take action to ensure that they modify or change them in order to make their home less of a target.
Big Dogs
One of the biggest home security tips that have proven to be false is that owning a large dog will keep burglars away. Large dogs are hardly ever kept in the front yard where they are visible.
According to apartmenttherapy.com, “Most big breeds, unless they’re trained as guard dogs, aren’t barkers. What you want are ‘yappers,’ small dogs that make a lot of noise.”
While some homeowners believe that the presence of a large dog will deter a burglary, smaller dogs are much more likely to sound the alarm, which can alert a neighbor or passerby if no one is at home.
Security Company Sticker
Another classic tip suggested putting a sticker in the front window and doors of a home, but thieves have since gotten wise to this trick, and many of them have become adept at bypassing many older standard systems. Instead of buying a company sticker off eBay or another security website, buy a generic sticker that announces the presence of a security system that does not name a specific company. This keeps thieves guessing at whether or not there is truly a system in place or if a high-tech do-it-yourself system is taking his or her photo as they approach the home.
Leave a Light On
One of the most common home security tips that have proven ineffective is leaving a light on when no one is in the home. A light that burns steadily is actually more of a beacon to a thief and lets them know the home is empty. Instead, homeowners should invest in a timer that turns lights off and on at different intervals, making it look as though someone is there to do so. Creating the appearance of a presence in the home will turn away many would-be thieves, especially those who decide to rob a house without forethought.
Modifying these classic tips will make the chance of a burglary much less likely and bring peace of mind to any homeowner.
Tim Eveler
Author & Public Relations – Tim has been working in sales for the home security system industry over twelve years. He’s held positions at large home security companies and in charge of working with the team to create our security system reviews.