It's winter in Las Vegas – a time when many homeowners let their guard down about home security.

In fact, burglars are hoping you will. They may be busier during the summer, but they stay active year-round. The FBI reports that a home burglary occurs in America every 18 seconds. More than 90 percent of the time, the homes are empty, strongly suggesting that burglars “watch” a home before making their move. And they move fast, grabbing what they can and taking off in mere minutes.

Since First Quality Roofing & Insulation works year-round to keep your home safe and secure, we take special pride in helping our customers burglar-proof their homes. These eight simple home security steps should take only minutes to implement:

Start with the right doors

Burglars often break down doors, kicking them in to gain entry to a home. Stop them cold by replacing hollow doors with solid-core (wood or metal) or metal-clad doors. Insert a heavy dowel in the track of sliding doors.

Install heavy-duty, dead-bolt locks on doors

Technically, they're called grade 1 or grade 2 locks, and they're made of solid metal or brass. Finish the job with 3-inch-long screws, which will penetrate the door jamb and door frame. Don't be lax about side and back doors. Burglars actually prefer them. Also, change the screws around the latch on the doorframe to longer, 2” screws. Many builders use 1”, which don’t hold up well against a heavy foot.

Fortify windows

There is more than one way to fortify a window. Locks that allow you to keep a window open several inches are a favorite option among many Las Vegas residents. If you have many windows on your first floor, you may wish to consider installing laminated windows, which are stronger than glass.

Cast light

Illuminate your doors, installing porch lights in front and floodlights with motion-activated sensors in the back. Downlights, uplights and walkway lights have not been shown to actually deter burglars, but there is little doubt that they prefer the darkness. An added bonus: these three types of light will beautify your home, too.

Install timers

Timers on interior lamps aren't just for vacation time. You should use them anytime you're away from home.

Consider a home security system

Burglars are far more likely to make a U-turn at a house outfitted with a home security sign. Just make sure that the sign (or sticker) is prominently displayed near the front and back doors (and not hidden among landscaping).

Keep window treatments closed

A bare window serves as an invitation to look inside. And burglars gladly will, selecting the expensive items they can grab in a hurry, such as TVs, computers and phones.

Eliminate hiding spots

Burglars sometimes hide amid bushes and shrubs to “case” a home before deciding whether to break into it. Without decimating your landscaping, try to create some open spots.

We at First Quality Roofing & Insulation care about the safety of our customers and our community. Read more tips on home security at our blog.