I grew up in the home equivalent of Fort Knox. Despite having retired from the military a few years before I was born, my dad still thought of our house as a military base. There were security features hidden everywhere.
While it certainly meant I never attempted to sneak out, it also meant I never felt safer than when I was at home. There was zero chance that anyone who wasn't scared off by the sheer presence of our home security would get in without being spotted. Then they would have my dad to deal with.
This level of protection doesn't have to come at a high cost, however. My dad loves saving money, so he gets savvy shopping for security in sales and Cyber Monday is no exception. Here are the best security measures for a house he would snap up again in a heartbeat during big sale events.
My military dad's top home security picks
In my dad’s opinion, there is no such thing as going too far with home security tips. Securing your home is a must, no matter where you live, whether you are home a lot or not.
Surprisingly, he secures a home without a security system, using the best deterrents and motion technology to keep the house on lock down.
1. Motion sensor security cameras
I vividly remember the first addition to our best home security system being motion sensor security cameras. They started outside our home. Then they made their way inside the house – nowhere that they would be invasive, of course.
This was also the start of my dad setting up a smart home. The reason I remember it so well was because one of the cameras used to live on the stairwell would speak when armed, reading out a clear warning message that you were being recorded.
My dad decided to play the cruel trick of not telling me this, arming it, and calling me out of my bedroom. Of course, as I headed for the stairs and made my way down, the voice scared the life out of me (and I did nearly topple down the stairs, which he felt bad for at least). If it worked on me, it would certainly work on someone hoping for an easy, quiet break-in.
With night vision, two way communication, and HD video quality, this indoor camera is perfect for securing entryways against intruders
The Blink Outdoor 4 is one of the more expensive cameras on this list, but it is full wireless so you can install it anywhere around your home with ease
This home security camera can be controlled by your phone to pan and tilt, helping you get more coverage to secure your property
2. Security lights
Security lights surround the outside of our home, both in the front and back yards. These serve two purposes. They light up the pathway when we get home in the dark so that it is easier to unlock the front door. Secondly, they would alert us to anyone who came through the front gate at night.
We have very tall privacy hedges guarding our front yard, so the lights were never set off by anyone walking past, they would simply alert us to people who approached the house. You best bet that my dad would be at the window (with the classic hands-behind-the-back dad pose) when the lights flooded on alerting us to an unexpected visitor.
Using motion sensor, solar powered security lights will help dissuade unwanted visitors from hanging around at night, while alerting you to their presence, and making it easier for you when you get home in the dark
3. A video doorbell
One of his favorite additions to the house was the best wireless doorbell – a Ring Battery Doorbell, from Amazon, with a built-in camera.
This played two roles – alerting him to visitors and the mailman when he was working down in his shed, and picking up on the movement of people who didn’t ring or knock to burglar-proof a front door. He has, on more than one occasion, decided to talk to me through this as I was unlocking the door after school, or butt in to ask who was at the door when I opened it to receive a package (much to the confusion of many a delivery man).
This is something I want to upgrade in my own home at some point, as it is my favorite security feature of my parent’s home. It gives you peace of mind when you are away from home, and can even help prevent porch pirates.
4. Door sensors
My dad highly rates using door sensors if a home security system isn't possible for your home or simply, you don't want one.
These simple stick-on sensors attach to the door and the door frame (they also work on windows), and will send a notification to his phone whenever the door is opened (and the system is armed). This gives him a heads-up if any door that shouldn’t be moving opens up when he is away from home.
Luckily, this generally only alerts him to my impromptu trips home to raid my parent's pantry, but it is a great way to prevent burglary and keep a home secure.
With no wires or hubs required, this door sensor sticks onto any door frame ready to alert you to movement in your property.
The Ecobee sensors do more than manage your home security. They can also be programmed to control your home heating so heating is not left on when windows or doors are open to make heating more efficient.
The SimpliSafe devices all feed into one central security system, so you can pair your door sensors with alarms, window sensors, and cameras for a system you control from one hub.
All of these measures might seem over the top, and I used to agree. But now, having lived in my house for over two years and been on many long trips, I get why my dad has so many things in place to keep his house safe and give him peace of mind.
Security measures help you rest easy at night, whether you are at home, on vacation, or securing your home for the holidays.
