The Stronghold 73-Point Home Security Checklist

Print it. Walk your house. Score it. Seventy-three things a well-protected house gets right, written by the law-enforcement-founded team at Stronghold Protective Systems.

Every line is something you can check yourself in an afternoon. A checked box is a point earned. An unchecked box is a finding. Forty-nine of the points are scored by our team at a free assessment; twenty-four are habits and routines only you can answer.

Get the checklist

What is on it

• Section 1: your front door (7 points)
• Section 2: the frame, strikes, and hinges, where doors actually fail (8 points)
• Section 3: locks and keys (9 points)
• Section 4: back, side, and garage-to-house doors (6 points)
• Section 5: the garage (6 points)
• Section 6: sliding patio doors (6 points)
• Section 7: windows (7 points)
• Section 8: exterior, lighting, and visibility (8 points)
• Section 9: cameras, alarms, and detection (6 points)
• Section 10: the household plan (10 points)

How to score it

Strong is 62 to 73: keep doing what you are doing and re-check once a year. Improve is 44 to 61: a few openings need attention, and Sections 2 and 6 are where to start. Prioritize is 43 or fewer: book the assessment, and the three fixes that matter most come first.

Fire and life safety come first on every line where they conflict with security. Never install a lock, bar, or barrier that prevents escape.