Tiny house living is becoming the go-to lifestyle for many newcomers to the world of homeownership. It offers a simpler lifestyle with a chance to travel to different places with your humble abode in tow. 

As easy as it is for homeowners to move the whole house around, it’s also easy for burglars to do the same.

So how can you tighten the home security for your tiny house? Aside from protecting it as you would with a regular home (using traditional fittings like door and window locks, home security system, CCTV cameras, and more), you’d have to think about securing the trailer too. Install hitch locks and wheel locks so it won’t be taken easily. Integrating additional tech like GPS trackers would also help locate any missing tiny house faster and more reliably. 

Tiny House Security: The Dangers of Living in a Tiny Home

Burglary is something that homeowners worry about constantly. For tiny home owners, it’s just one of the many things that can go wrong. But instead of getting their valuables stolen, robbers might end up running off with the whole house.

Getting entire tiny houses stolen sounds ridiculous but it’s not exactly impossible. There have been cases where entire homes were whisked away by robbers. And while the majority of these homes were found sooner than later, being dragged and tucked away for days on end can leave your tiny house with expensive structural damage. That’s why it’s important to follow extra protection measures to prevent your safe space from being taken away.

Keeping Your Tiny Home Safe

Aside from the usual protective measures in a regular home, here are a few more things you could do to improve your tiny home protection:

1. Secure the House – The first step to securing the safety of tiny homes is to protect it from unauthorized entry. This kind of theft is more common since it requires a lot less planning or complicated equipment compared to stealing a whole trailer. Home security systems are useful in this case, as well as motion-detecting lights and door locks. Just simple security measures like these would deter unwanted intruders from acting further.
2. Secure the Trailer and its Wheels – In planning a home safety system for a tiny home, it’s also important to consider the possibility of losing the whole trailer and everything inside it. Having a secure door lock won’t be of much help if the burglar decides to take the whole trailer with them. You can make the trailer practically immovable by using the wheel and hitch locks.
3. Secure the Land – Limiting the access near the tiny homes can lower the risk of it being stolen. Installing a locked gate can keep burglars out of the property. Even if they climb over the borders, it would be hard to tow the tiny house on wheels away. Placing large boulders and other heavy structures around the tiny home garden (if there is one) can prevent the robbers from taking the whole house with them.

How To Protect Your Tiny House: What To Buy

Looking to take your tiny house security to the next level? Invest in the following devices to prevent any theft on your dream home:

Door Locks

The doors and windows of a tiny home are usually designed to be tougher than those found in an RV. This way, breaking in would be difficult for robbers. Added protection using deadbolt and bump-proof locks would make your home extra safe. We also recommend using double locks to keep uninvited parties out.

For tiny houses on wheels, keyless locks might also be a good option. Keys easily get lost and the keyholes can accumulate dirt over numerous travels. It’s also convenient at night since most keypads light up when you input the code.

Here are some of our recommendations:

• Schlage Touch Camelot Deadbolt BE375
• August Smart Lock Keyless Home Entry
• Kwikset 980 Single Cylinder Deadbolt featuring SmartKey

Hitch Locks

A hitch lock is a simple device you can use to prevent thieves from hooking the tiny house to their vehicle and driving off. It’s also a visible deterrent that prevents robbers from getting ideas about stealing the house.

It’s crucial to inspect different brands and specifications to find the right hitch lock. Remember that the better it fits on the trailer, the harder it is to break.

Here are some of the best hitch locks to choose from:

• Reese Towpower 7014700 Tow ‘N Store Lock Kit
• Master Lock Universal Sizes Couplers Trailer Locks
• Proven Locks 2516 AS Trailer Coupler Lock

Wheel Lock

Like hitch locks, wheel locks are another old-fashioned but extremely effective device to keep burglars from stealing your tiny home and trailer. A wheel lock is typically used by police for illegally parked cars, but it can also be used to keep the tiny home’s trailer from rolling away unintentionally.

Wheel locks are hard to remove without a key or other heavy-duty equipment. Compared to other steal-proofing devices, they tend to cost a lot more, but will prove to be a worthy investment in the long run.

Not sure which wheel lock to buy? Choose the right one from our top recommendations:

• Trimax Ultra-Max Adjustable Wheel Lock
• Zento Deals 2 Pack Heavy Duty Anti-Theft Vehicle Wheel Lock
• COOCHEER Heavy Duty Car Tire Wheel Lock

GPS Trackers

With smartphones, it’s possible to install a phone-finding app to locate the device in case the phone is lost. The same principle can also apply to a tiny house. If worse comes to worst and the trailer gets stolen, it can still be found using a GPS tracking device that’s secretly installed inside the house.

Although it is relatively a high-technology protective measure, GPS tracking devices are not expensive. Most of the GPS trackers in the market feature monitoring services that can keep track of the trailer’s route.

Here are some of the best GPS trackers to choose from:

• Vyncs GPS Tracker
• MOTOsafety GPS Tracker
• SpyTec STI GL300 GPS Tracker

Motion-Detecting Lights

Most burglars attack at night because it’s hard to see movement in the dark. But if lights are brightening the sides of a tiny house, robbers are likely to think twice about stealing from the property. Motion lights help illuminate the places where robbers might be hiding. With this installed in your home, it’s also possible to catch burglars red-handed.

There are lots of motion-detecting lights available in the market. But for tiny homeowners, battery-operated ones might be the best option since it’s not connected to any electrical lines.

Here are our top picks for motion-detecting lights:’

• MAXSA Motion-Activated Security Outdoor Spotlight
• LITOM Original Solar Lights Outdoor Motion Sensor Light
• BAXIA TECHNOLOGY Motion Sensor Lights

Smart Home Security System

Smart home security systems take care of the tiny home when you are away. There are hundreds of home monitoring systems available in the market now. Be sure to pick out the best one that works for your tiny house. Find an all-in-one monitoring system that includes sound and motion sensors to get your money’s worth.

Smart monitoring systems detect the slightest suspicious movement around the tiny house’s perimeter. It immediately sends images and alerts to the connected device, warning the homeowners about potential intruders.

Not sure which smart home protection system to purchase? We’ve rounded up some of the best ones here:

• SimpliSafe 5 Piece Wireless Home Security System
• Ring Alarm 5 Piece Kit (2nd Generation)
• ADT DIY 15 Piece LifeShield

Security Cameras

Another effective way to avoid theft is by installing a security camera at the front door or inside the tiny house. These cameras can store the footage into a local hard drive or on the cloud-based server. Local storage systems can give you better video quality but storing the clips on the cloud can give you access whenever it is needed.

Once the security cameras have been installed, make sure to put up signs to remind robbers they are being monitored. A “smile, you’re on camera” sign can make the burglar feel like they can be caught at any moment. This sign can also be placed even without actual cameras to deter criminals from stealing valuables inside the tiny house, but it’s still better to have them both.

Here are some of the best security cameras found online:

• Arlo Pro 3 Wire-Free Security Camera System
• Ring Stick Up Cam Battery HD Security Camera
• Wyze Cam Pan 1080p Smart Home Camera

Bonus: Consider Getting a Pet Dog

If you’re searching for another sign to adopt a dog despite living in a tiny home – here it is! It’s not unusual for tiny homeowners to bring along their furry little friends in their new house. Aside from being cute furry companions, they are also helpful in keeping the tiny house secure. Burglars are typically discouraged once they learn that homes have a dog guarding the space.

No matter what size, dogs intimidate intruders by creating a ruckus and barking noisily. However, the entire safety system of a tiny home should not depend on a dog alone. They are helpful in scaring off thieves, but dogs might be dragged too if the criminal decides to take the whole trailer with them.

When deciding which dog breed to adopt in a tiny house, it’s important to consider the amount of shedding, barking tendencies, and activeness. You would want a low maintenance dog that won’t shed much. Not sure which breed to get for your new house? Check out article on best tiny house dog breeds.

Living in a tiny house can be a big lifestyle change for anyone. There are a lot of things to consider, including your personal safety, as well as the security of your home and investment. With the right protective measures, you can live the best life in a tiny home with fewer worries.