8 Things You Should Know About Home Safety

Think you’re up-to-date on home safety? From using alarm system monitoring to knowing how thieves think, there’s a lot to learn about keeping your home safe.

1. Most people store their valuables in the master bedroom’s nightstand, which is the first place thieves will look. Instead, keep your valuables in a bathroom or guest room, which most thieves will bypass. You may also want to keep valuables in a child’s sock drawer, so long as you’re not putting the child in danger. For example, if your child is away at camp, keeping valuables in their room is a good alternative to storing them in the master bedroom. bedroom’s nightstand, which is the first place thieves will look. Instead, keep your valuables in a bathroom or guest room, which most thieves will bypass. You may also want to keep valuables in a child’s sock drawer, so long as you’re not putting the child in danger. For example, if your child is away at camp, keeping valuables in their room is a good alternative to storing them in the master bedroom.

2. Having a mail slot in your front door is convenient, but it’s not safe. These slots weaken doors because they go against the natural grain of the wood. This makes the door easier to kick in. Instead, use a regular mailbox. Or, if you must use a mail slot, have it installed toward the bottom of the door. It should never be more than one-quarter of the way up the door.

3. Instead of leaving your keys in a bowl by the front door, keep them next to your bed at night. If you hear somebody trying to break into your house in the middle of the night, you can make your car’s panic alarm sound, which will hopefully scare away the burglar.

4. Thorny rose bushes aren’t just lovely additions to your landscaping, but when placed underneath windows, they’ll deter robbers.

5. Leaving for vacation? Ask a trusted neighbor to collect any flyers that are stuck in the door. Leaving them there is a dead giveaway that you’re not home.

6. It’s tempting to pack up your car with your luggage the night before you leave for a trip, but this is a sign to robbers that you’ll be out of your house for several days.

7. If you have a pile of firewood outside, don’t leave it right up against the house. Logs can be used as steps to access a window.

8. After a contractor or visitor leaves your home, double-check that the windows are locked. Burglars will leave a latch unlocked so they can access it later.

If there’s anywhere you should feel safe, it’s at home. Make sure you’re as safe as possible with these tips.