Your Home Security Plan
There are also many steps that you can take to minimize your loss and improve your chances of recovery if a burglary occurs. The first step in improving overall home security is to take a hard look at the measures already in place. To help your with this task, conducting a home security survey is important. Go through your house or apartment and carefully exam it for weakness. Look at your place at night as well as in the daytime. Remember, the test should point out weaknesses around you home. Your security cannot be adequate until these weaknesses in your place are corrected.
Landscaping and Yard - Home Security
A few alterations to your landscaping can be enough to put off intruders from breaking in. To avoid getting caught, intruders look for a house they can get into and out of quickly with little or no home security. Their ideal setting is a place surrounded by large hedges and shrubs, which hamper visibility from the street and the view of neighbors.
Bushes, Shrubs and Trees: Trim shrubbery and trees so doors and windows are visible to neighbors and from the street. Trimmed landscaping should not provide concealment for criminals. If you have a second floor, prune trees so they can't help a thief climb in second floor windows. Place trellises where they can't be used as ladders to gain entry to the upper floors.
Ground plants (shrubbery and bushes) within four (4) feet of any sidewalks, driveways, doors or gates, should be maintained at a height of not more than two (2) feet. Ground plants between four (4) and eight (8) feet of any sidewalks, driveways, doors, or gates, should be maintained at a height of not more than four (4) feet.
Ground plants under windows should be maintained at a height that is below the window sills of your house.
Trees should be trimmed so that the lower branches are more than six (6) feet off the ground and away from your windows.
Place large gauge gravel on the ground near windows. The noise caused by intruders walking on it can become a psychological deterrent. DO NOT place river rocks or other items near glass windows or doors. You do not want to provide the burglar with his tools to get into your home.
Plant spiny (thorny) plants along fences and under windows as added security. Such plants will discourage even the most nimble intruder. Protecting with spiny plants is as effective as the use of barbed wire, and a lot more attractive.
Street Numbers-Home Security Plan. Street numbers to your residence should be easily viewable from the street. Critical time can be saved by emergency responders when the street address for your residence is visible from a distance. Emergency response is a critical part of your home security plan. On your residence:
Use house numbers made of reflective materials, or black on white, that are 6 inches high.
Keep house numbers new and clean and replace as necessary.
House numbers should be placed under a light and near the front door or garage entrance of your residence.
Your house or apartment number should be painted on the curb in front of your place.
Four (4) to six (6) inch high black numbers on a white background is most effective.
It should be centered at the end of your driveway or just to the house side of your driveway.
If you live along an alley your house number should be painted (as stated above) on the fence outside your alley gate.
Limited or Direct Access to Yards and Utility Store Rooms:
Intruders look for no, or few obstacles blocking quick exits from your home or yard. Gates to your place should be locked at all times, even when you are home! Home security doesn't take place just when you are away. The idea is to improve security to your home 24 hours a day. Ladders and tools should be stored in a garage or storage shed, and these areas should be locked.
Landscaping should also be designed to control access to your residence and all play a crucial role in improving your security. Proper barriers make the person with criminal intent feel uncomfortable as he or she approaches your residence or business.
Home Security Exterior and Interior Lighting
Remember security doesn't only take place within your residence, but the areas surrounding your house as well.
It is a known fact, that good lighting is a deterrent to crime. While any lighting will help reduce your risk of becoming of a victim, proper lighting, used correctly will be the most effective.
Exterior Home Security
Exterior lights are a very important part of protecting your home and family, especially near doors and in the rear of the residence where intruders do most of their work.
All sides of your place should be protected by lighting that is located high out of reach, and is vandal resistant. Lighting in carports and garages of your residence is a critical part of your security plan. For garages, an automatic garage opener is the best choice. Almost every garage door opener made today has a light that comes on when the opener is activated, lighting the garage interior. In carports, it is best to either leave a light on, have a light on a timer, or have a light connected to a motion sensor or photo electric cell. Some sort of security in your garage is vital.
The best light to use on the exterior of your residence is a motion detector type of fixture. The advantage to this type of lighting, especially in the backyard, is that the light warns the resident that someone is in their yard. While there is a concern that dogs, cats, or birds will trigger the sensor and cause the lights to come on, if the resident sets the sensitivity of the sensor correctly this will not be a problem. In the front yard, any type of lighting will be effective, as long the lighting pattern covers the entire front and sides of the home. Sensor lighting will be effective, but is more prone to "false alarms" caused by things like people walking down the sidewalk, or children playing.
Interior Security:
When residents go out for an evening, they usually leave on their "burglar beacon". A burglar beacon is a small light that is left on so they don't walk into the dark when they return. These are lights like the one above the kitchen sink or stove, the hallway light, or a light in the corner of the living room. Unfortunately these lights are a signal for the burglar that no one is home. If you go out for an evening leave a radio and several lights on. When you go on vacation put at least two lights, in different parts of of your place , and a radio on timers.. Regardless of whether you are on vacation, or just gone for the evening, from the outside your place should look as if someone is there. For a Vacation Watch call the local police or security service and provide the required information to the call taker.
Home Security- House and Garage Doors
Entry Security Doors should be solid core wood (at least 1 3/4" thick) or metal wrapped. Your home entry door should fit it's frame tightly, with no more than 1/8" clearance between the door and the frame of the house. If the gap is too big, replace the door or bolt a sturdy metal strip to the door edge. You will boost your protection, and save home energy too. Most hollow core doors can be easily broken through. If the door is flimsy or weak, or doesn't fit securely into the frame, it offers little protection, no matter what locks you use.
Doors with decorative glass panels or windows are security flaws for a burglar to break into your place. It takes only seconds to break the glass and unlock the door. If you do not want to replace such doors, install a break-resistant plastic panel, such as Lexan, or decorative grille over the glass. Attach the grill with special non-removable screws.
For the best protection , install a wrought iron security door over the front door of your place Wrought iron doors not only provide an extra level of visible security against a break-in, they also allow you to open your front door to strangers, or leave a front door open for ventilation.
Your garage door should be securely locked at all times (even when you are there). Keeping it locked is just as important as keeping your front door locked, especially if the garage is attached to the residence. Once inside the garage a burglar can work uninterrupted at getting into your residence. Statistics show that approximately 40% of our non-forced entry residential crime is through open garage doors. If you install a " doggie door" be sure it is not a way in for burglars as well as the dog. Do not be complacent by the fact that you have a small dog. Burglars come in all sizes!
Locks, Strike Plates and Hinges Role in Home Security
Locks/Deadbolts- Home Security
The "lock-in-knob offers you privacy and convenience but it does not offer security from intruders. In fact many "lock-in-knob" locks can be opened by using a simple credit card. You may have privacy, but you don't have protection. All exterior doors require the use of a deadbolt lock. When you turn the key the locking mechanism slides a strong metal bolt from the door into the door's frame. When you buy a security deadbolt lock, MAKE SURE:
The bolt extends at least 1" into the front edge of the door.
The strike plate is attached through the trim to the home door frame with screws at least 3" long.
It has a rotation case hardened shroud that prevents it from being twisted off with a pair of pliers or other tools.
The two most common types of deadbolts:
Single Cylinder Deadbolts - Have a thumb turn on the interior side of the home. They are convenient to use and may speed up the exit from the home in the process in the event of fire. If used near a window they can be opened by breaking the window and reaching through. This type of deadbolt lock does not prevent the burglar from taking your property out through the door.
Double Cylinder Security Deadbolts - Utilize keys on both sides. This type of security lock should be considered if there is glass window within 40" of the lock. However, this type of protection does present a potential fire escape hazard. This type of deadbolt lock can delay a burglar that wants to use the door to remove your property.
Home Security Keys
As many as half of all burglaries take place without forced entry to the home. Many times the burglar uses a key for access Be sure your keys don't fall into the wrong hands. Protecting your keys raises your level of protection. Never carry identification on your key ring or holder.
Re-key all locks when you move into a new house or apartment.
Know who has keys to your residence. Do not give keys to maintenance or delivery people. If you must leave a key behind leave it with a trusted neighbor. Make sure that each member of your family knows where his or her key is located.
Never hide a key outside your residence. Burglars know all the hiding places. Hiding a key outside greatly reduces your home security.
Do not hang keys on hooks within plain view inside your place.
Strike Plates
The strike plate is attached to the door frame with screws. The metal bolt of the deadbolt lock slides into the strike plate to secure the door soundly to the door frame.
A high security strike plate is required to keep the metal bolt from being kicked from the door frame when locked. A strike plate should have at least 4 screws that are a minimum of 3 inches long.
Hinges
Hinges are often installed with the same 3/4" screws as the common strike plates. Replace these with 2" to 3" fully threaded screws so the hinges are anchored to the sub-frame.
In some cases the hinges are installed in such a manner that the hinge pins are exposed to the exterior of the house and an intruder may attempt to remove the pins in an effort to gain entry.
Hinges can be pinned by installing a partially threaded screw into the frame side of the hinge. The unthreaded portion of the screw is left exposed and the head of the screw is cut off. A corresponding hole is drilled into the door and hinge on the opposite side, so when the door is closed the exposed portion of the screw fits in to the door. This will prevent the door from the being lifted out.
Arcadia Home Doors and Sliding Glass Windows As Part of Your Home Security Plan.
People often install sturdy locks on their front doors but leave arcadia (sliding glass) doors and sliding glass windows "wide open" to entry into the home. Burglars look for both of these because they are easy to open. Usually, arcadia doors and windows are more secluded than front doors, making a perfect place for burglars to hide and enter. Two factors must be protected against.
Prying the Lock
Most arcadia doors and sliding windows come equipped with a lock that is easily pried open. A supplemental lock must be installed. Broomsticks (they should fit snug), "Charlie bars" and finger operated locks provide some protection.
Key locking devices are much preferred because they can prevent the burglars from using the door or window to remove stolen property.
There are several types of supplemental security locks available. Keyed locks may be keyed alike with other entry lock sets and deadbolts. Check with your locksmith or hardware store and select a sturdy type that most suits your home.
Lifting Out
Many arcadia doors and sliding windows can be lifted out of their tracks from the outside of the home.
Two sheet metal screws placed in the track above the removable part of the door or window can prevent it from being removed. Adjust the screws so that the doors or window will just clear underneath them.
Drill a hole and insert a nail through the inside frame and part way through the metal door frame. You can remove the nail but the burglar can't.
Double Hung Home Windows
To secure a double hung window, drill a downward sloping hole into the top of the bottom window, and through that into the bottom of the top window. A pin can now be inserted, locking the window shut.
By partly opening the window (less that 4 inches) and making a second set of holes, the window can then be used for ventilation. Remember, open windows and doors, even if secured, should never be left unattended while you are gone or asleep. Security Alarms and Home Security Systems
Do you keep extremely valuable property (jewelry, television sets, computers, other electronic equipment, etc.) in your residence? Do you often leave your home unattended for more that a few hours (go to work or school for example), or do you want more protection? These are reasons to invest in a quality home security system.
The FBI has announced that over a ten year period, and average of 1 of every 4 residences throughout the nation will be burglarized. Based upon statistics like these, most houses or apartments should be protected by a good home security system.
Many quality alarm systems are available. Before you purchase a security system, you should have in mind what type of home security systems you want to look at. This will prevent buying more equipment that you actually need. Read as much about different brands and types of home security systems as you can. Talk to friends and neighbors that have security systems. We recommend that you speak to at least three alarm companies about their product and service prior to purchasing a system Remember, you get what you pay for in many cases. Choosing Home Security Systems
Common questions asked by people considering a home security alarm system:
How do I know the right security company to choose when considering the purchase of a security alarm system?
How much security do I need in my residence?
How much should I expect to pay for a security system?
Tips to help when choosing a contractor for your home.
Ask about insurance. General liability, workman's compensation, and errors and omissions. You have every right to ask for certificates of insurance for these items. This protects you!, because if the security company is not properly protected, the claim or losses falls on you!
Ask for the company's city business license, which allows them to do security business in your community.
Ask for local referrals of other customers in your area that have had security systems installed like the one being proposed to you.
Check your contract! Review carefully what you sign, make sure everything is agreed upon in writing. Know what the warranty period is and what is included in the warranty. Remember, an adequate design of a home security system should consider the structure, the lifestyle, the perceived security and the budget of the occupant.
Ask if the security company has been established for 3-5 years.
Ask if the system will be monitored locally or outside of the state.
Be sure the security company does the entire security installation and not subcontract work out to another home security firm.
To reduce the number of security alarm systems false alarms that police officers must respond to, check to see if the city has an Alarm Ordinance.
For additional information, please contact the Police Department's alarm coordinator, or read the alarm ordinance web page prior to purchasing an home security alarm system.