Many seniors live alone, which in itself is a scary situation. If you grew up in a small community where nobody locked their doors, you may not have thought much about home security. Unfortunately communities are different now and people spend less time at home. Looking out for both your home and your personal safety is important. House break-ins are usually crimes of opportunity, which means that you have done something, or not done anything, to keep someone from accessing your property.
Maybe you can’t afford expensive alarms and monitoring devices, but there are a number of simple things that you can do to make your home more secure.
Having emergency numbers keyed into your phone, having solid doors, good sturdy locks on your doors, and eliminating dark spots with improved exterior lighting are things that we all can do.
A good quality secure door that has a heavy duty frame, three security hinges and a deadbolt lock are your first line of defense. You may wonder about security alarms. Alarms are good but should not be a substitute for other practical measures that you should be taking every single day.
Most people are easy targets. We are trusting by nature and forget to take simple precautions. Windows open to catch a summer breeze. Doors left unlocked when you are working outside in the yard. Wallets, purses and other valuables left in plain sight are easy pickings for someone looking for things to take.
What can you do without spending an arm and a leg? Kick proof your doors. Solid wood, fiberglass and steel doors can withstand most blows. Exterior doors can be strengthened by using a 1 inch deadbolt lock and you can easily install and inexpensive reinforcing metal box strike. Don’t overlook doors that lead into your house from the garage.
Chose the right locks, secure glass areas, beef up window locks and secure your window box air conditioners. Keep the house and yard bright. Illuminate the areas around the doors, windows and blind spots.
Landscape wisely: Be sure that foundation plants and high fences aren’t providing cover for criminal activity. Trim tree branches that might provide easy access to windows, roof or skylights.
Get to know your neighbors and organize a neighborhood watch. If you are away from home a lot, consider a central monitoring system that will call your cell phone if suspicious activity is detected.
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