Home Security and Safety Tips
General Home Security Tips
1. Don't advertise when you go on vacation. Make sure to have a neighbor take in your mail and newspapers, and consider installing a system that rotates lights on and off, creating the illusion that someone is in the house.2. Do you like gardening? Roses are one of the most effective burglary deterrents, thanks to their thorny stems. Guard vulnerable, low-lying windows with attractive, prickly rose bushes.
3. Teach your kids how to use your alarm system. Generally, children can operate your ADT monitored alarm from the age of eight.
4. Park your car in the garage, especially if it's a late model. There's no need to let everyone know that you have disposable income; that means there are objects inside the house that are worth stealing.
5. Change your locks once a year. Throughout the course of 12 months, different people constantly have access to your keys. Eliminate the chance of an easy entry by switching up the locks.
6. If you live in an apartment or condo, let your neighbors know you expect them to take building security seriously. Don't let anyone into the building unless you personally know them.
7. Your security system is worthless if it's not activated. Get into the habit of setting it each time you leave the house. You may even want to consider posting a note in your car to remind you.
8. Consider getting a dog. You don't need an attack dog, by any means-as long as the bark is audible, it's likely to send a burglar scurrying to the next house on the block.
9. Think about joining a neighborhood watch association. Though not as popular as they once were, these groups are still an effective way of battling crime at the local level.
10. Leaving a key under a doormat is like inviting a burglar into your home for tea. This is the first place an intruder will look. Even lock-boxes aren't fool proof. You may want to look into installing a digital keypad. This relatively low-tech answer can really simplify your life.
Home Fire Safety Tips
1. Teach your kids fire safety from a young age. Many adolescents don't make the connection between a flame and the devastating effect it can have.2. Is your home over 50 years old? Have a specialist come in to make sure that there aren't any highly flammable materials waiting for a spark.
3. Create an effective fire escape plan, with multiple exits leading out of each room in the house (including bathrooms). Emergency ladders are mandatory for rooms above the first floor. Practice at least once every six months.
4. Make sure to have a technician check your gas lines once a year. Likewise, if you use oil heating, bring in a specialist to look the system over on a regular basis.
5. If you're a smoker, it's important to maintain proper fire safety. Never smoke while laying down-falling asleep could quickly prove deadly.
6. Add a carbon dioxide component to your ADT monitored alarm system. These are much more effective than a simple smoke alarm, because in the event of a fire, a signal will automatically be transmitted to ADT's command center.
7. Never barbecue on a dry patch of grass. Choose concrete. If there's no alternative, at least make sure you're far enough away from your home to prevent a fire.
8. Check the levels in fire extinguishers on a regular basis. Most local fire departments have monthly recharge events, where they'll fill up your tanks for free.
9. Be extremely careful when cooking with hot oils. Aside from their ability to start fires, oils can cause serious, permanent burns.
10. Never paint windows shut. In the event of a fire, you likely won't have time to make it to a door. The pennies you'll save with this "insulation" aren't worth the risk.
Find more great home safety information at these sites:
KidsHealth Household Safety Checklist
Household Products Safety Information
FireSafety.gov