The Sense of Home Security

Here are a few ways you can do to protect your home. They are easy to do and should be done by every families member

Doors and Locks

• Use a solid core or metal door for all entrance points
• Use a quality, heavy-duty, deadbolt lock with a one-inch throw bolt
• Use a quality, heavy-duty, knob-in-lock set with a dead-latch mechanism
• Use a heavy-duty, four-screw, strike plate with 3-inch screws to penetrate into a wooden door frame
• Use a wide-angle 160° peephole mounted no higher than 58 inches

Sliding Glass Patio Doors

• Use a secondary blocking device on all sliding glass doors
• Keep the latch mechanism in good condition and properly adjusted
• Keep sliding door rollers in good condition and properly adjusted
• Use anti-lift devices such as through-the-door pins or upper track screws
• Use highly visible alarm decals, beware of dog decals or block watch decal

Windows

• Secure all accessible windows with secondary blocking devices
• Block accessible windows open no more than 6 inches for ventilation
• Make sure someone cannot reach through an open window and unlock the door
• Make sure someone cannot reach inside the window and remove the blocking device
• Use anti-lift devices to prevent window from being lifted out
• Use crime prevention or alarm decals on ground accessible windows

Be a Good Neighbor

• Get to know all your adjacent neighbors
• Invite them into your home and establish trust
• Agree to watch out for each other’s home
• Do small tasks for each other to improve territoriality
• While on vacation – pick up newspapers, and flyers
• Offer to occasionally park your car in their driveway
• Return the favor and communicate often

Lighting

• Use interior light timers to establish a pattern of occupancy
• Exterior lighting should allow 100- feet of visibility
• Use good lighting along the pathway and at your door
• Use light timers or photo-cells to turn on/off lights automatically
• Use infra-red motion sensor lights on the rear of single family homes

Home Security Alarm Systems

• Alarm systems are effective deterrents with visible signage
• Alarm systems to be properly installed, programmed, and maintained
• Alarm systems need to have an audible horn or bell to be effective
• Make sure your alarm response call list is up to date
• Instruct your neighbor how to respond to an alarm bell

Home Safes

• Use the safe everyday so it becomes routine
• Protect the safe code and change it occasionally
• Install it away from the master bedroom or closet