Tips on Keeping Your Home Safe

According to the National Burglar & Fire Alarm Association (NBFAA), there are some simple steps you can take to make your home less attractive to would-be burglars. The best way is to combine the list of ideas below with a professionally installed and monitored electronic security alarm system in your home. Before you leave on your trip, pack your sunblock and be sure to:

• Get a trusted friend or relative to "house sit." Or, make sure your neighbors know your plans.
• Have a neighbor pick up your newspapers and your mail for you daily.
• Lock all doors and windows, and secure the garage door.
• Leave a car parked in the driveway, or ask a neighbor to park in your driveway.
• Leave a house key -- and a number where you can be reached -- with a trusted friend or neighbor.
• Use timers to turn lights on and off at certain times, altering lighting patterns, to create an occupied look.
• Leave drapes and shades open as normal. (Closed blinds during the day are a sure sign of an empty house, plus they allow a burglar to attend to his business unseen by neighbors.)
• Arrange to have your lawn mowed.
• Be sure your trees and hedges have been trimmed. This gives burglars fewer places to hide.
• Replace any burned-out lights in your yard. Consider upgrading outdoor light fixtures with devices that have built-in motion detectors, which turn on the lights whenever anyone walks past.