10 Home Security Tips Every Dallas Homeowner Needs to Know

Dallas is a great city to live in, but property crime is a reality. The Dallas Police Department reports thousands of residential burglaries each year, with certain neighborhoods seeing significantly higher rates than others. The good news? Most burglaries are preventable with the right precautions.

Here are 10 practical security tips from a locksmith who's been securing Dallas homes for over a decade.

1. Upgrade Your Deadbolts

The single most effective thing you can do is install quality deadbolts on every exterior door. Many Dallas homes — especially in older neighborhoods like Lakewood, East Dallas, and Oak Cliff — still have the original builder-grade locks from the 1950s-70s.

What to look for:

• ANSI Grade 1 or Grade 2 deadbolts (Grade 3 is residential minimum but much weaker)
• At least a 1-inch throw bolt (the part that extends into the frame)
• Hardened steel bolt resistant to sawing
• Brands: Schlage B60N, Kwikset 980, or for maximum security, Medeco Maxum

Cost: $75-$150 per door installed, including the lock.

2. Reinforce Your Door Frames

A strong lock in a weak frame is useless. Most Dallas break-ins involve kicking the door in — and a standard door frame splits in one kick.

Solutions:

• Door reinforcement kit ($30-$80): Steel plates that wrap around the lock area and hinges
• 3-inch screws in strike plate: Replace the short screws in your strike plate with 3-inch screws that anchor into the wall stud
• Security door bar: A horizontal bar that braces against the door from inside

The 3-inch screw upgrade alone takes 5 minutes and costs $2. It's the best $2 you'll ever spend on home security.

3. Secure Your Sliding Doors

Sliding glass doors are a favorite entry point for Dallas burglars because they're often easy to lift off the track or force open.

Solutions:

• Place a wooden dowel or security bar in the track
• Install a secondary lock (Charlie bar or loop lock)
• Apply security film to the glass to prevent shattering
• Add a track lock that prevents the door from being lifted off the track

4. Don't Forget the Garage

In DFW, attached garages are the most common entry point for burglars who target occupied homes. They know the door from the garage to the house is often left unlocked.

Action items:

• Always lock the garage-to-house door with a deadbolt
• Use a garage door opener with rolling code technology (if yours is 15+ years old, it may use fixed codes that can be hacked with a $20 device)
• Don't leave the garage door remote in your car parked outside
• Install a smart garage controller ($30-$60) that alerts you if the door is left open

5. Improve Exterior Lighting

Burglars don't want to be seen. Effective lighting is one of the strongest deterrents.

Dallas-specific tips:

• Focus on side yards and back alleys — many Dallas homes have narrow side yards between houses that create dark hiding spots
• Motion-activated LED floods ($20-$50 each) on every corner of the house
• Solar-powered path lights along driveways and walkways
• Smart bulbs on timers inside the house when you're away

6. Landscape for Security

Your beautiful Texas landscaping might be helping burglars hide.

Do:

• Trim bushes below window height (3 feet max)
• Remove dense shrubs near entry doors
• Use thorny plants (roses, holly, bougainvillea) under windows
• Keep trees trimmed so branches can't reach second-floor windows

Don't:

• Plant tall hedges that block the view from the street
• Allow overgrown vegetation near doors or gates
• Create blind spots with decorative trellises or lattice

7. Get to Know Your Neighbors

Dallas has strong neighborhood watch programs in many areas. Being connected with your neighbors is one of the most effective security measures.

• Join your neighborhood's Nextdoor group
• Attend local HOA or neighborhood association meetings
• Exchange phone numbers with immediate neighbors
• Watch for each other's homes during vacations

8. Smart Home Security (Done Right)

Smart home devices can enhance security, but only if set up properly.

Worth the investment:

• Video doorbell (Ring, Nest) — $100-$250
• Smart deadbolt with auto-lock — $150-$350
• Window/door sensors — $15-$30 each
• Indoor/outdoor cameras — $50-$200 each

Common mistakes:

• Using default passwords on cameras and smart locks
• Not updating firmware regularly
• Relying solely on Wi-Fi (if internet goes down, so does your security)
• Posting camera footage on social media (reveals camera positions)

9. Secure Your Mail and Packages

Package theft is rampant in Dallas, especially in neighborhoods with high foot traffic (Uptown, Deep Ellum, Downtown).

Solutions:

• Install a locking mailbox ($50-$200)
• Use Amazon Locker or package lockers at your apartment
• Set up delivery notifications and retrieve packages immediately
• Install a package lockbox on your porch ($100-$300)
• Have packages delivered to your workplace

10. Have a Security Audit Done

Most homeowners have security blind spots they don't even realize. A professional security audit identifies vulnerabilities specific to your home and neighborhood.

What a locksmith security audit includes:

• Assessment of all exterior locks and door hardware
• Window lock evaluation
• Lighting assessment
• Landscaping review for security implications
• Smart home integration recommendations
• Written report with prioritized improvements

Many Dallas locksmiths (including us) offer free or low-cost security assessments. It's 30-60 minutes that could save you thousands in prevented break-ins.

Bonus: Dallas-Specific Statistics to Motivate You

• The average Dallas burglary results in $2,500+ in losses
• 60% of Dallas burglaries occur through unlocked doors or windows
• Homes without security systems are 300% more likely to be broken into
• Most Dallas burglaries occur between 10 AM and 3 PM on weekdays (when you're at work)

Don't wait until after a break-in to take action. Start with the easiest items on this list (3-inch screws, garage-to-house deadbolt, exterior lighting) and work your way up.