ADT® Authorized Dealer Serving Pittsburgh & Surrounding Areas

Parents and kids walking together in front of a beautiful home with a white fence
March 30, 2026

What Does Target Hardening Mean For Home Security?

You’ve come across target hardening as a way to prevent break-ins, but you might be thinking about how it applies to your own Pittsburgh home. Read more about this crime-prevention method and find out how the home security innovators at ADT can help you improve your defense. 

Understanding Target Hardening

A well-known theory in criminology dating back to the 1970s, target hardening simply proposes that criminal activity will decrease when opportunities for crime are limited. In other words, if a target appears to be too much work or risk, potential thieves will just pass it by. Target hardening involves making your residence less appealing to criminals by using easy-to-see security components in a layered strategy.

Making Your Pittsburgh Home Less Of A Target

Would-be-offenders, like many people, will choose the road of least resistance. Your job is to give them pause about approaching your property. But what should you do? Follow these suggestions:

Observable Deterrents Are The Initial Layer Of Defense

Home security signs and video cameras let prowlers know you have protection. Surveillance is among the most reliable deterrents, as no thief wants to be recorded in the act. ADT has cutting-edge outdoor and doorbell cameras with night vision, HD imaging, and AI-powered smart detection.

Don’t Leave Any Dark Corners

A well-lit house is much less appealing to burglars. Illuminate dark areas around your house, and add accent lights near your fence, tree lines, hedges, and other areas where intruders might conceal themselves. You can even have inside lights switch on automatically if a video camera finds unusual activity outdoors.

Get A Comprehensive Defense

You need a layered approach, which means reinforcing your surveillance and yard displays with door and window sensors, motion sensors, and a working alarm. ADT can help secure every entry point, including the garage.

Don’t Overlook The Basics

Ensure that all windows secure properly, and always use a deadbolt lock on the primary entrance. Look into reinforcing door frames, and use a metal bar in the lower track of your sliding door to block entry if the lock is circumvented.

Keep An Unobstructed View

Overgrown bushes, trees, and hedges are useful cover for trespassers who want to stay hidden from view. Make sure you can easily see all parts of your property by trimming greenery near windows. A tidy, properly maintained landscape signals to prowlers that they should stay away.

Why Secure Your Pittsburgh Home With ADT?

Shielding American families for more than 150 years, ADT is the top name in home security. Recognized for round-the-clock service and fast response times from trained professionals, ADT boasts the most monitoring centers of any home security provider. You’ll appreciate the reassurance and the state-of-the-art components like Google Nest cameras. 

Secure Your Pittsburgh Home With Secure24 Alarm Systems

Ready to bolster your home’s protection? Upgrade to a comprehensive ADT security system from Secure24 Alarm Systems. As your local, authorized ADT dealer, we install top-notch equipment from the leading name in home security. Learn how we can bolster your security by placing a call to (412) 230-3668 or submitting our form today.

Try the Security System Cost Quiz to See Personalized ADT Equipment Recommendations