We all want to make our home more secure. But alarm systems can be really expensive. So Contact 13 looks at some affordable ways to keep the crooks out, so you don't waste your money.
"Busted this whole frame off there," says Brandi Boone.
She knows just how easy it is for someone to break-in. Two years ago burglars kicked-in her door.
Locksmith Jim Lang's job is to stop them. He has some simple solutions that won't break the bank.
First, try a flip latch. The cost, only $4. If you're renting and don't have permission to do that, try a Door Angel for $15.
"You put this on once you are inside, and they can't use the key to get in," says Jim.
Be sure to secure your back door too. Jim says it's a weak spot where thieves find their way into a lot of homes.
"They don't want to go through the front door and have everyone in the neighborhood, have everyone see them," says Jim.
So put a $20 deadbolt on every entry door. But keep in mind, if the screws are too short, burglars can still kick the door in. So Jim does a $1 security fix. He puts longer 3 inch screws into the frame.
"It is almost impossible to break in," says Jim.
If you've got a sliding glass door at home, just add a door-pin for $5.
"And what you do is put that pin through your glass door at the back, so the glass door will not slide," says Jim.
Windows are another access point. Jim says a $7 sliding window lock lets fresh air in, but keeps bad guys out.
"So you can't raise it at all," says Jim.
Finally, secure your garage. Thieves have found a way to open it using a coat hanger to pull the emergency cord. But the solution is absolutely free.
"Tie this up here, so you can't grab it and put it up through the garage door," says Jim.
