10 Security Tips To Keep Your Home Safe

Golden Locksmith" Safe Home SECURITY Tips Know who's there Install the right type of peephole You never want to open a door unless you know who's on the other side. A peephole lets you see who's there, but entry doors don't come with peepholes, and a lot of peepholes are so tiny that they don't clearly show you who's out there. Protect your mail Mailboxes are easy targets for thieves Mail theft is a growing problem since unsecured mailboxes are easy targets. One sure way to keep thieves from stealing your mail-checks, credit card offers, personal information-is to use a security mailbox. Install a small safe Hide a safe in the wall or floor Install a cylinder floor safe like the SentrySafe Waterproof Floor Safe (available through our affiliation with Amazon.com) by bolting it to the floor (most safes have holes inside for just that purpose). Hide it in the corner of a closet or other inconspicuous area. Or mount the wall safe inside a wall and cover it with a picture. Door alarms have a piercing shriek Attach the alarm to the door or window (with a screw or double-sided tape) alongside the magnetic contact strip (they don't have to be touching, but within 1/2 in.). When the door or window opens, breaking magnetic contact, the alarm shrieks. The door alarm has a delay feature, giving you time to set the alarm and leave, then open the door and deactivate the unit when you come home, without setting it off. Put motion detector lighting anywhere Motion detector lights are a proven crime deterrent, and standard hardwired models cost as little as $15. If running a power supply would be difficult, buy ones that run on solar power (for instance, Sunforce LED Solar Motion Light, available through our affiliation with Amazon.com). Attach the lighting unit to the house or outbuilding (screws are included). LIGHT SOLAR PANEL BATTE CASE SENSOR kiman Secure patio doors Install a second patio door lock Patio door locks are easy to pick. Placing a heavy duty stick in the door track will bar the door closed, but it looks crude and it's inconvenient to remove every time you want to open the door. Fortunately, there's a better way to get the security you need. An Auxiliary Security Lock (available through our affiliation with Amazon.com) fastens along the bottom of the door and has a bolt that fits into a grommet to hold the door secure. Reinforce exterior doors STRIKE PLATE Strengthen the doorjamb Remove the puny 3/4-in. screws from the strike plate. Drill pilot holes into the framing behind the jamb. Then drive in 3-in. screws to anchor the strike plate to the framing. JAMB Beef up your wooden garage entry door Use plywood and 2x4s to add strength A flimsy old wooden garage entry door has weak center panels that can easily be kicked in by thieves. Adding a dead bolt won't solve that problem. A down-and-dirty way to beef up the door is to add a 1/2-in. plywood reinforcement panel and then bar it with 2x4s placed in bar-holder brackets. Shred papers to protect your identity Shredders are inexpensive protection Identity theft is on the rise, and you may not even know you've been victimized until you apply for a loan and find out your credit has been ruined. One way to protect your identity is to shred your personal papers, including credit card offers, bank statements and bills. Shredders start at $20 at office supply stores. Add video surveillance, real or fake . CCD Camera Real or fake? Place video cameras by doors and windows. Most burglars won't take the time to figure out if the camera is real-they'll just avoid the house.