How to Secure Your Home: A Complete Guide to Protecting Your Property in 2026
To secure your home, start by thinking beyond the deadbolt. Don’t just focus on locks and cameras. Build protection across five layers: Physical, Technological, Monitoring, Digital, and Community.
Here’s how to secure your home the best way possible, so you can prevent burglars and other unwanted incidents in your property this 2026.
Key Takeaways
- Homes without a security system are more likely to be burglarized than those with one.
- A Five Layers framework covering Physical, Technological, Monitoring, Digital, and Community security gives you the most complete protection possible.
- Professional installation and 24/7 monitoring give you the strongest layer of protection, with automatic emergency dispatch when it matters most.
Why Does Home Security Matter More Than You Think?
Home security matters a lot because you don’t want anyone to break into your property anytime soon. In 2024, over 1,609,650 households in the United States experienced burglary and trespassing.
When you move to a new home, make home security a higher priority than decorating or unpacking. Homes without a security system are more likely to be broken into and burglarized. A visible deterrent is often enough to make a burglar choose a different target.
To protect your home from harm, follow the Five Layers framework. Each layer, Physical, Technological, Monitoring, Digital, and Community, adds another reason for a would-be burglar to move on.
Let’s walk through all five.
Layer 1: Reinforce Doors, Locks, and Physical Entry Points
Physically harden your entry points. Signs, cameras, and lights all help. Make sure to have a solid door with a proper lock as well.
Upgrade to Deadbolts and Smart Locks
Have a deadbolt lock with at least a Grade 1 or Grade 2 rating and a minimum 1-inch throw bolt. These resist forced entry far better than standard locks.
Another option is to use smart locks. Smart locks give you keypad access, remote locking from your phone, temporary guest codes, and no physical key to lose or copy.
Also, make sure to change locks right away for a new home purchase because previous owners may still have copies floating around.
Reinforce Door Frames and Hinges
A great lock means nothing if the door frame is hollow. Replace hollow-core doors with solid-core or metal exterior doors. Swap out standard strike plates for reinforced ones with 3-inch screws that anchor into the sub-frame.
Secure Sliding Glass Doors
Sliding glass doors have flimsy latches and are easy to lift off their tracks. Place a track bar or dowel in the interior channel, add anti-lift pins, install a secondary lock, and apply security film or laminated glazing to the glass itself.
Replace any glass-paneled doors where a thief could break the glass and reach the interior lock from outside.
Layer 2: Secure Windows and the Garage
Windows and garages are just as vulnerable as doors. Burglars know this.
Window Locks, Sensors, and Security Film
The latches that come standard on most windows are weak. Add aftermarket window locks, pin locks for double-hung windows, or key-operated levers. Also, add window security film to hold the glass together when shattered.
To avoid unwanted entry, lock all windows and doors every time you sleep or leave the house, especially those reachable from a tree, roof, or adjacent structure. Pair locks with window sensors and glass break detectors for an extra alert layer.
For first-floor windows at ground level, plant thorny bushes below them.
Also, use curtains or blinds on windows that face the street to prevent anyone outside from spotting your electronics, jewelry, or other valuables.
Garage Door Security Best Practices
Frost or cover your garage windows so no one can assess what’s inside from the street. Lock the interior door connecting the garage to your house the same way you’d lock a front door. Get a smart garage door opener so you can check whether it’s closed from your phone.
And never leave the garage door remote visible in your car. It’s basically a house key sitting in plain sight.
Tip: Store ladders and stools inside and lock your gates and sheds. A burglar will use whatever tools you leave outside to reach upper floors or less-secured outbuildings.
Layer 3: Install a Home Security System
Many burglars try to determine if an alarm is present before attempting a burglary, and 60% would seek an alternative target if a property has an on-site alarm.
Install a home security system with door and window sensors, motion detectors, surveillance cameras, and a monitored alarm. Modern systems let you monitor your home and get real-time alerts from anywhere through your phone.
How to Choose Between DIY and Professionally Monitored Systems
DIY systems are self-installed and app-controlled, often without a monthly fee. Professionally monitored systems give you 24/7 monitoring centers, automatic dispatch to law enforcement, and cellular backup that keeps the system online even if someone cuts your internet or power.
SafeStreets, an ADT-authorized provider, offers professional installation and 24/7 ADT monitoring with customized systems built around your home’s layout.
Essential Components: Sensors, Cameras, and Alarms
A solid ADT-monitored home security system includes:
- Door and window sensors that trigger an alert the moment an entry point opens
- Motion sensors that detect movement inside the home
- Glass break detectors that pick up the sound frequency of shattering glass
- Indoor and outdoor cameras for visual coverage of all entry zones
- Security panel that manages all alerts and system functions
- Alarm siren loud enough to scare off intruders and alert neighbors
- Power backup that keeps your system running during outages
Read more: How to prevent false alarms in your house
Where to Place Security Cameras for Maximum Coverage
Focus your security camera installation on four zones:
- Front door and entryway
- Back door
- Garage and driveway
- Main living areas
Outdoor cameras should be weatherproof with night vision. Place them high enough to avoid tampering but low enough to capture faces. Cover every angle where a person could enter through a door or window.
With SafeStreets, a Smart Security Pro comes to your home, walks your layout, and customizes a system around your family’s daily routines: front door foot traffic, kids’ bedrooms, and the windows you can’t see from the kitchen.
Layer 4: Use Smart Technology and Automation
Smart tech makes your home look occupied and monitored around the clock, even when it’s empty. It also ties your security tools together so everything works as one system.
Video Doorbells and Motion-Activated Lighting
A video doorbell lets you see, speak to, and record anyone at your front door from your phone, whether you’re home or in another state. It’s a simple piece of tech that makes your home look actively watched at all times.
Lights signal occupancy, eliminate hiding spots around your property, and require no ongoing effort after installation. Place motion-activated security lighting at entrances, dark corners, walkways, and the garage perimeter. Inside, use smart light timers to simulate occupancy while you’re away.
Smart Home Integration and Remote Access
A smart home hub like Google Home or Amazon Alexa ties your locks, cameras, lights, and alarm into one control panel. Set up geofencing so your system arms automatically when you leave and disarms when you return. Also, allow push notifications so you know what’s happening in real time from anywhere.
SafeStreets systems integrate with the ADT Control app, Google Home, and other platforms through their home automation services.
Layer 5: Protect Your Digital Perimeter
Every connected device (your camera, smart lock, and thermostat, etc.) is a potential attack vector if your network is unprotected. A hacker who gets into your home Wi-Fi can control the devices tied to it, including your security cameras and smart locks.
Secure Your Wi-Fi Network and IoT Devices
Do not use the default router password. Always change it. A hacker who gains access to your home network can control everything.
- Enable WPA3 or WPA2 encryption on your router
- Rename your network SSID and hide it from public view
- Create a separate guest network for IoT devices
- Keep all device firmware updated regularly
Avoid personal information in passwords as well. Names, pet names, and birthdays are alarmingly easy to crack through social media profiles and basic social engineering. Use a password management software to store your credentials securely so you never reuse weak passwords out of convenience.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication and Encryption
Turn on two-factor authentication on all security apps and camera accounts. Even if someone gets your password through a phishing attack or data breach, they still can’t get in without that second step. A VPN on your home network adds another layer of encryption on top of that.
Community and Behavioral Strategies That Deter Burglars
The last layer costs nothing. These habits work alongside your technology and physical measures.
Neighborhood Watch and Neighbor Communication
Notify a trusted neighbor whenever you’re away. Ask them to collect your mail, park in your driveway occasionally, and report anything unusual. An occupied-looking home is one of the most effective low-cost deterrents available.
Read more: How to keep your home safe while you work
Vacation and Travel Security Tips
July is the peak month for home invasions, and summer overall sees the highest burglary rates of the year.
Before any trip, work through this checklist:
- Hold your mail and pause newspaper delivery
- Have a neighbor collect packages left on your porch
- Set light timers on multiple rooms to simulate someone being home
- Arrange for lawn care or snow removal to keep the lived-in look
- Delay posting vacation photos on social media until you’re back home. Geotagged photos and real-time travel updates signal an empty house to anyone watching your feed.
Read more: What to do if someone breaks into your house
How Can Home Security Lower Your Insurance Premiums?
A security system can pay for itself through insurance savings. That’s because installing a home security system can qualify you for a homeowners’ insurance discount of 5% to 20%.
Professionally monitored systems from providers like ADT through SafeStreets typically qualify for the highest discount tier because of 24/7 central station monitoring, automatic dispatch, and cellular backup.
Contact your insurance agent with your monitoring certificate to confirm exactly what you qualify for.
Get a Free Home Security Quote from SafeStreets Today
Ready to put all five layers in place? SafeStreets is an ADT-authorized provider, offering professional installation, 24/7 ADT monitoring, and customized systems in 44+ states. A pro will walk your home, identify the gaps a checklist can’t catch, and design a system around your family at no cost and no obligation.
Request your free quote today.