Americans want to believe home invasions or burglary will not happen to there family.  But as an expert in the security industry and Founder of Global Security Experts, I can tell you firsthand that criminals don’t discriminate.  No matter if you’re white, black, male, female, wealthy, or poor, you and your loved ones could be the next victims of a burglary or violent intrusion.

 Today’s troubling statistics on home invasions and burglaries say it all:

Approximately 1 out of every 5 homes encounters a burglary or violent home intrusion
Up to 79% of home invasions are done forcibly through a “locked” door
Home burglary takes place every 14 seconds in the U.S.

 As you can tell from the troubling stats, burglaries and violent home intrusions occur every 3-4 seconds across our nation.  You never know when you might be next.  So don’t make the awful mistake of depending solely on an alarm system and locked doors as your only barricaonly deterrent for criminals.  Instead, make sure to add varying levels of security such as premium dead bolts, window protection films, and security door stops to make it exceedingly difficult for thieves and possibly violent criminals to enter your home.

 One such affordable and highly effective residential security device is the patented door security brace by OnGARD.  This revolutionary door brace is composed of a space-age polymer, the same substance found in U.S. fighter planes and transportation bridges worldwide.  The OnGARD door stop is remarkably durable and stands firm against:

Thrusts and strikes from a heavy sledgehammer
Vigorous kicks from a 250-lb man
Powerful side, shoulder and full body slams.

 A  non-obtrusive, two-piece mechanism installed at the base of the door, this particular door stop works by combining the strength of the existing door, door frame, and the OnGARD door stop itself.  These combined strengths enable the door to endure the most forceful of blows. Although a criminal may kick and thrust himself against the door multiple times, it usually does not take long before his fear of being seen or heard sets in, causing him to give up on the attempted break-in and the unexpected security measures.

 By no means can you completely eliminate the chance of a home invasion, but you can certainly reduce your chances of becoming a victim by heeding my advice.  Remember—the key to lowering your risk is adding layers of protection to your home so that any attempt to enter it is extremely problematic for the intruder.

OnGARD Security Door Brace – simply said stonger then any other Other similar device. Design by security professionals. See a live demo at http://vimeo.com/8509039

Fiber Cement Siding – Fiber cement siding is becoming one of the most popular alternatives to vinyl siding because it inherits all of the attractive features of wood siding with none of the flaws. For example, fiber cement siding is low maintenance, fire and termite resistant and holds paint color for seven to fifteen years.

Add a Wood or Composite Deck – Wood decks tend to generate a better return on investment than composite decking but you can expect wood to be higher maintenance so it’s worth weighing your options on maintenance versus initial price. Either way, adding a deck to your home will give you additional square footage outside of your home and increase the value of your home among potential home buyers.

New Vinyl Windows – If you have an older home one of the most promising home improvements is in your windows. Replace drafty or aging windows with vinyl windows which are cost effective, look great and are low maintenance.

Minor Kitchen Remodel – Sometimes a home improvement project doesn’t need to be a full scale military project. Updating your kitchen can be as simple as replacing the countertops with a more modern surface like granite, changing cabinets with a moderately priced new set and upgrading your appliances to newer and typically more quiet stainless steel appliances.

Attic to Bedroom Conversion – Wasted space such as an attic can be a great way to expand your home’s livable space without having to build beyond the home’s original footprint. One of the most popular ways to convert an attic to living space is by turning it into a bedroom or master suite with bathroom and walk-in closets.

Finish Your Basement – Similar to an attic project, basements also span the width of most of your home and offer up a tremendous amount of space to use. If you have a basement with at least seven feet of floor to ceiling height you should be able to turn the dusty, underused part of your home into a recreation room or guest suite. Every town varies on how extensive they will allow a basement renovation become so check with your local town officials and get the proper permits before starting.

Add Landscaping – Landscaping is super simple and an inexpensive way to increase your home’s curb appeal dramatically. Although you can go crazy with landscaping your home will benefit most from a walkway to the front door complete with plantings on both sides, fencing in the back yard and plantings that run the length of the driveway.

Home improvement is an exciting journey that will exercise your creative freedom and, with good planning, won’t cost you an arm and a leg to do. Using the list above as a guide you can improve many key parts of your home that will give you a marked increase in your home’s value the day you put your home on the market.