Safety Sunday: 10 ways to keep your home safe while you’re away

While many like to think of their homes as their castles, it can come as a shock when someone gets past the ramparts and simply leave you feeling violated. As we mentioned in the “Locks are meant to keep honest people honest” there isn’t much one can do about someone determined to get in but fortunately there are ways of discouraging hooligans from trying. The best way to prevent someone from breaking in, is to make your place appear difficult to break into which will generally leave most crooks looking for an easier target.

• First & foremost is always make sure your doors & windows are locked
• Don’t forget to lock the door between the house & your garage as many garage doors are easy targets
• Attaching an angle iron to the top of your garage door can not only help strengthen but secure your garage door
• Speaking of securing your doors, 3” screws, solid strike plates, & deadbolts are a great way help prevent brute force entries. For sliding patio doors a pin lock or piece of wood dropped in the track will help prevent it from being removed from the track
• Windows are another favorite target and can be secured with special window films to prevent breakage & dowels to help backstop the locks or allow for the windows to be left cracked open while preventing them from being open further.
• Advertise your alarm company or an imaginary can be a great deterrent to those that are worried about the police showing up.
• Dogs are also a great deterrent, and even if you don’t have one a well-placed sign, doggy doormat or water dish can make many people think twice. As for the sign above, that is not a good one as it implies you either don’t have one, it is probably friendly&/or leaving one with the impression that they might find firearms in the house which are easily sold.
• Eliminate or trim down bushes around your house or that block the view from the street as these are great hiding areas. Remember most people do not want to get seen doing something wrong.
• Motion sensing lights are a great item to use around a garage, porch, and the backyard. Not only does this save energy but it just might grab the attention of a neighbor as compared to a light left on all night.
• Make sure you stop mail & newspaper deliveries while you are gone on vacation or better yet arrange for your neighbor to pick it up.

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