Articles
Every piece below is meant to be useful first, search-optimized second. Reviews are honest about products that aren't worth the money.
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Reviews
My Home Security Stack: What I Actually Use (And What I Returned)
What I run at the house in Tarzana, in 2026. The cameras, locks, sensors, and plants that earned their spot — plus the gear that didn't.
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Home Hardening
Why Burglars Avoid Some Homes (And Walk Right Past Yours): A 12-Factor Tour
What convicted burglars say about how they pick targets, what stops them from picking yours, and the 12 factors — drawn from criminology research and offender interviews — that actually move the needle.
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Garage
Garage Security: The Most-Forgotten Door in Your House
The garage is one of the most common entry points in residential burglaries — and the least-hardened part of most homes. The five fixes that close the gap, in priority order.
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Vacation Prep
Vacation-Proofing Your Home: The 7-Day Pre-Departure Checklist
What to do in the seven days before a trip to make your house stop looking empty. Lighting, mail, deliveries, neighbors, automation — the practical pre-departure checklist.
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Locks & Doors
Smart Locks vs. Deadbolts: Which Actually Makes Your Home Safer?
August Wi-Fi, Schlage Encode, Yale Assure, and the traditional deadbolt — compared on actual security, not features. The honest answer changes how most homeowners shop.
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Windows
Window Security: Film, Locks, and the Tradeoff Most Homeowners Get Wrong
Security film vs. impact glass, secondary window locks, and the layered approach that actually keeps a window from being a 30-second entry. The honest tradeoffs in 1,200 words.
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Locks & Doors
Door Reinforcement: The 4 Cheap Upgrades That Stop 90% of Kick-In Burglaries
The four door upgrades that turn an average exterior door into something that resists a kick: high-security strike plate, 3-inch screws, door wrap, secondary lock. Total cost under $150.
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Cameras
Best Outdoor Security Cameras Under $200 (2026 Buyer's Guide)
An honest comparison of the four outdoor security cameras worth buying under $200: Wyze Cam v4, Ring Spotlight Cam Plus, Eufy SoloCam S40, Reolink Argus 4 Pro. Subscriptions, resolution, FOV, and what they don't tell you in the box.
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Tactical Foliage
Tactical Foliage 101: Defensive Plants That Actually Stop Burglars
Barberry, holly, hawthorn, pyracantha, climbing roses. The thorny plants worth installing under windows and along fences — and where to put them so they actually work.
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Home Hardening
The 30-Minute Home Security Audit: Do This Tonight
A pragmatic, walk-around home security audit you can finish before dinner. Strike plates, sightlines, lighting, locks — what to check, what to fix, what to ignore.