Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Ways to keep your Home Safe

By Pierre Levingston

Make the safety and security of your home and family a priority in your life. There are ways to provide protection with some quick home improvements. Here are a few good ideas.

Install new locks on your windows and doors. Many older locks are not very strong and should be replaced. If your windows, especially second story windows, do not have locks on them make certain to add some. Make certain all doors to the outside have dead bolts.

Trim your hedges that are unruly or high enough to block the view of your yard. None of your doors or windows should be blocked. All possible places that anyone can enter your property should be visible.

Install motion or heat sensing flood lights in your yard. If you have lights that also have timers, set them off to go off at regular intervals. Keeping shadows away from your home helps keep burglars at bay.

If you are away from home for a while remember to have your home look as if its still being occupied. Ask a trusted neighbor or friend to collect your mail and newspapers while you are gone. Park your car in the driveway to give your place a lived in appearance, or ask your neighbor to park their car there while you are away.

Install a self-charging smoke detector in your home. These detectors re-charge themselves every time a light is turned on, so you never have to worry about a dead battery. Keep a fire extinguisher in an easy to reach spot so everyone in the family will be able to get to it.

The neighborhood watch is another good safety precaution. It is absolutely free, another incentive to join. If you don't have one for your neighborhood yet, start one up yourself.

There are a lot of other precautions you can do to protect your home. Some other good ideas include installing a professional security system in your home and replacing flimsy outside doors with more sturdy ones. And don't forget to update your homeowners insurance, just in case something unexpected happens.

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