Keeping Your Home Safe
home remodeling articles and tips
topic: home safety
by Mary B
Home Safety Starts with You
More than 2.1 million burglaries are committed each year, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Nine out of every ten of those break-ins could be prevented every person knew the basics of home protection, the Insurance Information Institute reports.
Burglar-Proof Your Home
Installing a home alarm serves as a major deterrent to any would-be thief who trips it. But it's only one of several home protection steps that you can take:
- Lock doors and windows
- Keep bushes and trees trimmed so no one is able to covertly enter and exit your home
- Lock up valuables, including expensive tools
- Use outdoor lights with motion detectors
- Participate in a neighborhood watch program
- When you're out of town:
- Use light timers to make your home look lived in
- Stop mail and newspapers
- Employ snow shoveling and grass trimming services
- Ask neighbors to put out and pull in your trash cans on pick-up days
Burglars Work When You Do
Thieves generally strike during workday hours: 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Often, they enter through an unlocked door or window. Rented homes are at twice the risk of theft than owner-occupied homes, according to the Insurance Information Institute.
Home Safety Makes Financial Sense
Burglary losses averaged $1,725 in 2005, according to the FBI. Safety alarms are tailored for all living situations. You can buy or rent them, and they can cost as little as $100 for a simple wireless system. Insurance companies generally offer discounts of between 2 percent and 20 percent when you install a home alarm. Add in the comfort of feeling safe at home, and those numbers are hard to beat.
Home Improvement Gallery:
view our gallery of home safety
Library Resources
