For most of us, our home is by far the biggest purchase we will ever make. It’s an amazing feeling the first time you turn the key in the lock of your new front door. If you are smart, though, the first time will also be the last time you turn that particular key in that particular lock. Because before you even think about unpacking any cartons, you should be changing the locks on every exterior door to your home. Here is more on that, as well as other helpful security tips to consider when moving into your new home.

Burglaries are a Serious Problem

Do not underestimate the risk is of a break-in. People tend to rationalize away things they would rather not address. So, if you think you will be spared because you live on a quiet street in a good neighborhood, I urge you to reconsider. You are still at risk. According to a 2016 FBI report, there were an estimated 1,515,096 burglaries committed in the United States, of which 69.5% were residential. Burglars enter homes approximately 4 times a minute. Here are a few simple ways to reduce the chance that your home will be one of them.

Immediately Change Your Door Locks

This is so simple and I cannot overstate it. As I said earlier, you need to change all the locks on all outside entry doors as soon as you close on your new home. Over the years that the previous owner lived at the property, it is likely that many keys were distributed. They may have gone to temporary workers, housekeepers, houseguests, and others. When you take possession of your home, you have absolutely no idea how many keys are out there and who has them. People who wouldn't have considered entering the home uninvited when they knew who was living there may not hesitate to enter it now that there is a new owner.

Don’t Hide Keys Outside Your Home

This should be common sense, but the statistics of how often burglars use keys to enter a targeted property indicates that this needs to be repeated. It costs nothing, but it can save you a bundle. Burglars are professionals at what they do. They have seriously thought through the places people leave keys. Burglars will likely find any location that you may consider suitable for hiding your spare key. Your best bet is to just not leave a key to your home hidden outside.

If available access to your home from the outside is really important to you, then consider one of the many keyless door locks currently available when installing your new locks. From basic mechanical combination locks to the most sophisticated smart locks, these devices can offer high security plus lots of other benefits. A local professional locksmith can help you determine the right security products for your individual situation.

Install a Security System

Security systems are great because they alert police to an intruder. What's even better than that? The mere presence of a security system is likely to prevent that intruder from breaking into your home in the first place. Burglars are opportunists. They will look for easy targets. So, all things being equal, if they know you have a security system, they are likely to move on to a home without one. According to a study out of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte entitled “Understanding Decisions to Burglarize from the Offender’s Perspective,” 60% of burglars indicated that the presence of an alarm system would cause them to pursue another target. You have that directly from the horse’s mouth.

Replace Sliding Glass Doors with French Doors

Sliding glass doors are extremely vulnerable. They have poor locking mechanisms, and operate on tracks. They can easily be pried open or removed from their tracks with simple tools. Hinged French doors that open out are much stronger, especially if they have impact-resistant glass. They cannot easily be kicked in, and they can be fitted with high-quality deadbolt locks. While all doors have some level of vulnerability, sliders are far and away the easiest doors to breach.

Install Motion Sensor Lights

This is another relatively inexpensive deterrent. If you are home, the lights alert you to movement outside. If you are out, they make it impossible for people to try to enter your home under cover of darkness. If you can pair these with motion sensor security cameras, even better. Again, many burglars in the study cited above indicated that the alarms and security cameras would cause them to move on.

There is always more that can be said about home security, and staying one step ahead of the bad guys. Hopefully, this will help you start life in your new home with your best foot forward!

Jeffrey Koppel is a professional writer, specializing in the locksmith and security industries. He is currently a resident writer for Lock N More, a full-service 24-hour locksmith. Lock N More's blog offers insights and advice regarding home, business, auto, and personal security issues.