Knowing your home’s secure will provide you with peace of mind both when you’re at home or away on vacation. House alarms are of course a very effective deterrent but ensuring that your home’s security is top notch is often more a matter of employing common sense than high tech security systems. Many homeowners choose to “hide” a key somewhere. This usually means behind a rock, under the doormat or in the BBQ. Burglars are all too aware of these places so if you’re constantly locking yourself out, consider giving a key to a trusted friend who lives close by. Also, don’t leave your shed or garage unlocked as you’ll be extending an invitation to thieves.Put yourself in a burglar’s shoes and walk around your yard looking for ways to break in. Most thieves break in through the front door so make sure your door is solid wood or reinforced metal. Install steel screws in the exterior door jams and buy strike plates to help protect the deadbolt from crowbars or kick attacks. The burglar wants to get into your home as quickly as possible — if his one forceful kick won’t work on your door, They will likely give up and flee.

Windows are also a very popular break in point so replace cheap locks with heavy sash or keyed locks. Installing an eyebolt in window corners also prevents the window from being opened from the outside. Glass block windows are a good choice if you use windows for decoration and sunlight as they look very attractive, are extremely difficult to break and can’t be opened.
Burglars look for dark places where they can’t be spotted so eliminate these hiding spots by cutting back shrubs or trees in your yard. Motion sensing lights are a great security measure as they turn on as soon as they detect someone, and also save you money as they’re not burning all night long. If you purchase a big ticket item such as a flat screen TV or a laptop, don’t put the boxes out on garbage night as you’re just advertising to thieves what’s inside your home.</div>
If you’re away on vacation, the trick is to make it look as though you’re still around. Have a friend pick up your mail and leave their car in your driveway. Set you lights on a timer so that they’ll go on and off on their own and install a light sensitive porch light that turns off during the day. If you’re going to be away for an extended period of time, have someone cut your lawn.

When it comes to home security, paying attention to the simple things can make all the difference. Take the time to make a checklist of your home and list all the security failures that burglars would appreciate. Prevention is key, so stay safe by making your home’s security a priority this month.

Finally you should have an emergency plan

• Meet with your family.
• Discuss  the dangers of fire, severe weather,  and other emergencies.
• Discuss how to respond to each disaster that could occur.
• Discuss what to do about power outages and when a member of your family gets hurt.
• Know how to turn off your water, gas and electricity.
• Post emergency telephone numbers near telephones.  Teach children how and when to call 911, police and fire.
• Develop a Home Escape Plan .
• Have a family day and learn CPR together.
• Keep all records in a water and fire-proof container.

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