How to Fortify Your Home

Learning how to fortify your home is one of the most valuable and overlooked survival skills you can have. Most people think of survival skills as something to use in the wilderness, but there are plenty of reasons a threat could come closer to home. Social unrest, long-term power outages, or even war could suddenly turn your home into the safest place you could be. Learning how to make it even safer is a valuable skill that everyone interested in keeping themselves and their families safe should know.

(Isolated homes like this are often targeted on “crime tours” where people go far from where they live to steal from people. Making it more important to take measures if you live out-of-the-way)

Why Fortify Your Home?

Your home is more than a shelter; it’s a place of safety and comfort. In today’s world, homes face a variety of threats, from break-ins to natural disasters. Fortification helps protect you from these risks, providing peace of mind and protecting against unexpected costs and trauma. Some emergencies won’t require you to leave your house, like the risk of utilities being cut off for extended periods, and no-where will be as well stocked and easily fortifiable as your own home.

Strengthening Physical Barriers

The exterior of your home is your first line of defense. Securing doors, windows, and other entry points can make your home far less attractive to potential intruders. One of the most commonly given reasons by criminals for targeting a home is how easy it looks to break into. The lack of defense makes it an easy target for those looking to take from others. Having to go through barbed fences or avoid cameras and spotlights is one of the biggest deterrents to criminals.

(A thick wall of brambles, hawthorn trees, nettles, or anything that would be painful to get through often deters people from trying in the first place)

Key Measures:

Upgrade Doors and Locks

Install solid-core or metal doors.

Use deadbolts with a one-inch throw

Reinforce door frames with strike plates or metal plates

Add a door security bar or brace for extra protection

Secure Windows

Use shatter-resistant glass or security film to make break-ins harder

Install window locks and consider adding security bars

Attach sensors or alarms to windows for added detection

Protect the Garage

Reinforce garage doors with heavy-duty locks or bars

Secure any interior doors leading from the garage into your home

Keep garage door remotes in a secure location

(This is the kind of door that many criminals would look at and think it’s simply not worth it)

Why It Matters:

Doors and windows are the most common points of entry for burglars and the first thing they look for. Strengthening these areas with modern materials and technologies ensures that your home isn’t an easy target. A fortified garage, often overlooked, provides another layer of protection.

Securing the Perimeter

A strong and well-lit perimeter discourages trespassers while providing early warnings of potential threats. Combining natural and technological defenses can make your property far more secure.

Effective Perimeter Measures:

Install a Fence: Use durable materials like wrought iron or steel and ensure the gate has a robust locking mechanism.

Add Motion-Activated Lights: These lights automatically illuminate areas when movement is detected, startling intruders.

Use Landscaping as a Defense: Thorny bushes under windows and trimmed hedges eliminate hiding spots for potential intruders.

Set Up Surveillance Cameras: Place cameras in visible locations around entry points, ensuring they have night vision and motion detection.

By creating a visible and physical barrier, your perimeter becomes an initial deterrent to intruders. Additionally, the combination of cameras and lighting improves security without requiring active intervention.

(Cameras in a place where they can be seen from the road work as another excellent deterrent, and allow you to monitor who’s approaching without going outside)

Enhancing Indoor Security

While the outside of your home protects against external threats, the interior should be fortified to safeguard your family and valuables in worst-case scenarios.

Key Indoor Security Measures:

Create a Safe Room: Designate a room with a reinforced door, locks, and essential supplies such as food, water, and a phone. This is a secure retreat during emergencies.

Install a Security System: Modern systems offer 24/7 monitoring, mobile app integration, and real-time alerts. Some systems also include panic buttons for added safety.

Secure Valuables: Use a fireproof and waterproof safe for storing important items. Bolt the safe to the floor to prevent theft.

Use Backup Power: Install a generator or solar backup system to maintain lighting, security systems, and communication during power outages.

(Keeping Signal-emitting devices, such as certain types of car keys in a safe like this will stop people from being able to tap into the signal from a detector outside)

Why Indoor Security Matters:

While external barriers deter threats, internal fortifications ensure your family remains safe even if someone breaches your outer defenses. Safe rooms and security systems provide the tools to respond effectively to emergencies.

Preparing for Natural Disasters

Natural disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, or floods can cause immense damage. Fortifying your home against these risks not only minimizes damage but also protects lives.

Steps to Disaster-Proof Your Home:

Reinforce the Roof
Use hurricane straps to secure the roof structure.

Replace shingles with impact-resistant materials.

Install Storm Shutters
Cover windows and glass doors with storm shutters to protect against debris.

Elevate Utilities
Raise electrical panels and HVAC systems in flood-prone areas.

Improve Drainage
Install sump pumps and ensure proper grading around your home to divert water away from the foundation.

Prepare an Emergency Kit
Stock food, water, flashlights, batteries, and first-aid supplies for at least three days.

Natural disasters can strike without warning, and these measures ensure your home is ready to weather the storm. Resilient structures and proactive planning reduce the likelihood of catastrophic losses.

Integrating Cybersecurity

With smart devices and home automation becoming increasingly common, securing your digital home is as important as securing physical entry points.

Cybersecurity Best Practices:

Use a strong, unique password for your Wi-Fi and enable encryption (WPA3).

Regularly update all smart devices to patch vulnerabilities.

Avoid using default passwords for devices and instead create strong, unique ones.

Invest in a hardware firewall to protect your network from hacking attempts.

Keep anything with a signal away from doors, such as signal-emitting car keys that could be detected and “hacked” to start a car or open a door.

Why Cybersecurity is Crucial:

A breach in your smart home system could give intruders access to locks, cameras, or other critical systems. Strong cybersecurity ensures your home remains protected against digital threats.

Routine Maintenance and Upgrades

Fortification is not a one-time process—it requires regular upkeep to remain effective. Neglecting maintenance can undo all your efforts, leaving your home vulnerable again.

Regular Tasks:

Inspect Locks and Alarms: Check for wear and tear on physical and digital systems annually.

Trim Vegetation: Overgrown plants can create hiding spots for intruders or obstruct security cameras.

Test Emergency Equipment: Smoke detectors, generators, and backup batteries should be inspected regularly.

Stay Updated on Technology: Emerging security solutions can provide improved protection over time.

Routine maintenance ensures that your home remains a fortress over the years, adapting to evolving threats and conditions. If you use an internal camera system and have a lot of cyber security, it’s very important not to cheap out on equipment or slack off with the updates. Outdated versions of security software can have vulnerabilities, and nothing would be more attractive to a burglar than being able to watch the inside of the house in real time through your own camera system.