The best protection against a break-in is making your home slower, brighter and more obviously occupied than the one next door. Lock every door and window, light the entry points, and don’t advertise when you’re gone. If someone is already inside while you’re home, get out if you can, hide and call 911 if you can’t, and don’t confront them.
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How do most burglars get into a home?
Mostly through a door or window you left unlocked. A CNET interview with a criminologist cites a survey of 86 inmates convicted of burglary, run by a Portland, Oregon TV station. The most common entry was an unlocked door or window, and burglars tried handles in the middle of the day when few people were around. It is fast, low-risk and takes no tools.
When doors and windows were locked, the burglars surveyed said they preferred kicking in the door to breaking a window. A kick makes less noise than shattering glass, and it doesn’t put the burglar at risk of cutting himself.
The same article lists other weak spots:
- Attached garages. People often leave the door between the house and garage unlocked and neglect the garage windows and walk-in doors.
- Homes with cover. Houses mid-block, and apartment corner units with two exposed sides, were hit more often than more visible ones.
- Homes that look wealthy. Criminologist James Lynch says professional burglars pick targets that are vulnerable and likely to hold things easily turned into cash.
- Homes hit before. Lynch says that if you’ve been burglarized, there is a good chance of a repeat within about 10 days, and a burglary next door raises your risk too.
The same article cites a YouGov survey in which 7% of Americans didn’t lock their doors when they went out and 23% didn’t lock them while home. Lynch’s view: if people simply locked doors and windows, that would prevent a lot of burglaries.
What time of day do most burglaries happen?
The sources here don’t give a time-of-day breakdown, so I won’t guess at one. What the inmate survey does say is that burglars checked doors in the middle of the day when homes were empty. The same article says a well-lit exterior helps keep burglars away at night. Plan for both: lock up before you leave for work, and light the entry points after dark.
What scares burglars the most?
Anything that makes the job slower, noisier or more visible. CNET reports that in the inmate survey, burglars said security cameras made them less likely to target a home, and they would leave right away if an alarm sounded. Other deterrents the sources name:
- Bright lights, especially motion-activated ones that surprise someone at your door (GVTC’s tips list).
- Security signs or window stickers. GVTC says that even without a system, a burglar who thinks you have one may think twice.
- A dog. Ag Workers says a dog doesn’t need burglar training, because barking or roaming the yard is usually enough to scare off a thief.
- Solid locks, deadbolts and doors that are hard to kick in.
How do I burglar-proof my house? Cheap ways to secure it
Start with the free fixes, then spend money where your home is weakest. The tips below come from CNET, SafeStreets, GVTC and Ag Workers.
| Do this | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Lock every door and window, every time, including the garage and the door into it | Unlocked entry was the most common way in among surveyed burglars |
| Add a deadbolt and a strike plate | Basic locks are easy to break; SafeStreets and GVTC both recommend deadbolts |
| Put a dowel or rod in sliding door and window tracks | Keeps sliding doors and windows from being opened easily from outside |
| Rekey or change locks when you move in | You don’t know who the previous owner gave keys to |
| Choose solid exterior doors without breakable glass near the lock | Harder to kick open, and no one can break glass to reach the lock |
| Use interior-side hinges | Ag Workers says exterior hinges let a skilled thief remove the whole door with a screwdriver |
| Use a peephole and check it before opening the door | You see who is outside before you open up |
| Don’t hide a spare key outside; leave one with a neighbor or relative | Burglars know the usual hiding places |
| Trim hedges and trees near windows and doors; lock up ladders and tools | Removes cover and keeps ladders and crowbars from helping a break-in |
| Close curtains and break down TV and computer boxes before putting them out | Keeps your valuables from being advertised |
| Use lights, a radio or TV, or timers when you’re out | Makes the house look occupied |
| Hold the mail and don’t post travel plans online | A pile of mail or a vacation post signals an empty house |
| Get to know your neighbors | They notice who shouldn’t be around your home |
| Add motion lights, cameras or an alarm system | The inmates surveyed said cameras put them off and an alarm sent them away |
Lynch told CNET there is a high positive correlation between having a security system and preventing burglaries. Cameras and alarms cost real money, so lock up and light up first, then add gear. If you’re thinking about a system, our page on the Tactical USA home security offer shows what to check before you buy one.
How do I prevent break-ins at night?
Lock up before bed, as GVTC advises, and light the outside. Motion-activated lights around entry points work well because a sudden light can catch an intruder off guard, and CNET says a well-lit exterior keeps burglars away at night. Solar motion lights are one option SafeStreets mentions. Draw the curtains so nobody sees what you own. Keep your car keys by the bed, too. Ag Workers suggests that if you hear something wrong, the car’s panic button can scare an intruder off.
What should I do if I think someone is in my house and I’m home alone?
SafeStreets lays out these steps, in this order:
- Confirm quickly. Make sure the noise isn’t your house settling. Camera or video doorbell footage can help if you have it.
- Get out if you safely can. Use a back door, window or fire escape. Don’t confront the burglar. Once you’re out, call 911.
- If you can’t get out, hide. Pick a room with a heavy, locking door, such as a bathroom or bedroom. If it doesn’t lock, barricade it as quietly as you can.
- Call for help. Stay quiet. SafeStreets says you can text 911 where text service exists, or use the silent emergency options on an iPhone. If you must speak, talk slowly and quietly and give the dispatcher your location and situation.
If someone knocks first, SafeStreets notes that burglars sometimes knock to see if anyone is home. Answer in a way that suggests a full house, like calling out “Would somebody get the door?”, and call the police if the person worries you. Check the peephole before you open anything.
What should I do if someone is trying to break in right now?
Treat it the same way: get distance, get hidden or get out, and call 911. If you have an alarm, set it off. SafeStreets says the noise alone can scare a burglar away before he gets in. Don’t go looking for the person.
After police clear the scene, take photos of damage and of where items were taken. Try not to touch anything, since police may still be collecting evidence. Give your list of stolen items to the police and your insurer. Our guide on building a home inventory makes that list much easier to produce.
How do I defend myself from an intruder, and what is the best weapon?
The sources here point the other way: avoid the fight. SafeStreets says your first priority is to escape and not to confront the burglar. They don’t recommend any weapon, and I won’t pick one for you. If you’re thinking about keeping a firearm or anything else for home defense, get proper training and learn your state’s rules first.
What states allow you to defend your property?
The laws on self-defense and defense of property differ by state, and the sources here don’t cover them. Check your state’s statutes or ask a local attorney or your local police department before you decide on anything. Don’t assume that what’s legal in one state is legal in yours.
Where does VigorLong fit in?
It doesn’t. VigorLong is a male-enhancement gummy supplement, not a home security product. It comes up on pages like this one only because ads and searches get mixed together. If you landed here from one of those, here is what the seller says and what independent medical sources say about the underlying problem.
What the seller says
VigorLong’s maker (official site: vigorlong.com) markets 30-gummy bottles for “male enhancement,” libido, energy and virility. The seller’s page lists six ingredients: L-arginine, tongkat ali, maca root, horny goat weed, beet root and grape seed. It describes them as supporting blood flow, libido and testosterone, and says the formula is clinically proven. The page also says results come in stages and are best after at least three months of continuous use.
The seller’s own site says its statements haven’t been evaluated by the FDA and that the product isn’t intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. WebMD says L-arginine appeared to work best in one study when taken with prescription ED medication. It also says horny goat weed hasn’t been studied in humans and may cause side effects like heart or breathing problems. The guide to ingredient evidence versus marketing claims explains how to weigh a “clinically proven” label.
Price and refund terms
Prices as of early October 2026; check the checkout for today’s. The seller’s page lists 2 bottles for $178 plus shipping, 3 bottles for $216, and 6 bottles for $294 with free US shipping. It offers a 60-day money-back guarantee. The refund page says to contact support before shipping anything back (support@vigorlong.com), and that you pay return shipping. Orders can be cancelled only within 24 hours of purchase, according to the shipping policy.
The seller’s own pages disagree on what to send back. The refund page says to return unused or empty bottles. The shipping policy says you must return all bottles, empty, full or partial, including free ones, with a tracking number, or you get only a partial refund. Ask support in writing which rule applies before you order.
Erectile dysfunction questions, answered by medical sources
If an ED question brought you here, these answers come from Cleveland Clinic, NIDDK, Harvard Health and Johns Hopkins. None of this replaces a clinician.
- Why see a clinician first. Cleveland Clinic says the first step in treating ED is finding the cause, and ED can be the first sign of another problem, including heart disease. Harvard Health says that in up to 30% of men who see a doctor about ED, it is the first hint of cardiovascular disease.
- What helps over time. Harvard Health and NIDDK point to walking and regular exercise, a healthy diet, a healthy weight, quitting smoking and limiting alcohol. Cleveland Clinic says vigorous cardio for at least 45 minutes three times a week may may help address some mild cases. Harvard Health describes a British trial in which pelvic floor exercises plus lifestyle advice did far better than advice alone.
- What works fastest. Cleveland Clinic says oral prescription medicines start working within an hour, injectable medicines in about 10 minutes, and vacuum pumps almost immediately. These are prescription or device options, so talk to a clinician.
- Duration with medication. Hopkins says sildenafil often produces an erection 30 to 60 minutes after you take it, with sexual stimulation needed. Tadalafil stays in the body longer, and its effects may last 24 to 36 hours. Hopkins says men taking nitrates, such as nitroglycerin, should not use these drugs, so tell your clinician about everything you take.
- Emergency signs. NIDDK says to call right away for an erection lasting longer than 4 hours, or for vision or hearing loss after oral ED medicine. Cleveland Clinic says to go to the ER for a painful erection lasting two to four hours or longer.
- Pleasure and orgasm. Cleveland Clinic lists “Can I still orgasm if I have ED?” as a question to ask your provider. NIDDK says vacuum devices don’t affect the pleasure of climax, and Cleveland Clinic says a penile implant doesn’t affect sensation or orgasm.
- Supplements. NIDDK says to talk with a health care professional before using dietary supplements for ED. Don’t stop any prescription on your own; NIDDK says to talk to your clinician first.
Before you order or buy anything
- Ask VigorLong support by email which bottles must go back for a full refund, and keep their reply.
- If you take prescription medicines, ask your clinician or pharmacist before trying any supplement.
- For home security gear, check the return policy and whether the system works without a subscription. If the power goes out, see our guide on home security during extended outages.
- Check your state’s laws on defending yourself and your property before you make any plans beyond locking up and calling 911.
By ThePreppersBlueprint.com Editorial Team
This article is for general information purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult your doctor or qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your health routine.