Ways You Can Protect Your Home

Take precautions to protect your home and possessions from burglary. Even if you have homeowners insurance, replacing what is stolen or damaged could cost you a considerable amount of money out of your pocket--maybe more than it would have cost you to do some things to make your home more secure. (Some of the suggestions will cost you nothing, while others will require only a minimum outlay of money.

Write down the emergency telephone numbers of the local police and county sheriff's office and the numbers of several nearby neighbors. Keep the numbers by your telephone(s). Having the numbers handy can decrease the time it takes you to call for help.

If you live in a rural area, don't assume that you are immune from burglaries. You are not.

Protect your home during the day as you would at night. Burglaries also occur during daylight hours.

Check into the possibility of organizing a Neighborhood Watch where you live. A Neighborhood Watch should help to deter burglaries in your area.

Keep the outside doors to your home locked at all times, including when you are at home. Locked doors make it more difficult for burglars to enter your home and might discourage or prevent them from breaking in.

Keep your garage door closed at all times. A closed door could help prevent a break in.

Keep all gates in the fence around your house locked at all times. Locked gates (especially tall ones and tall fences) might possibly make it harder for a potential intruder to enter your premises. If entrance is too difficult, he or she may give up and move on to an easier target.

Don't leave house keys hidden outside your home. A burglar might locate the keys and unlock an outside door to your home.

If you store valuables within your home, hide them and do so in the most unlikely places possible. Professional burglars know about most of the ordinary hiding places.

Make sure shrubbery and trees don't hide doors and windows. Shielded entrances can provide greater cover for burglars to enter your residence unnoticed by neighbors and passers-by.

Don't open your door to a stranger. By opening your door, you could be giving a would-be burglar easy entrance into your home.

Don't put your name and residential address on your key ring. If you happen to lose it, a dishonest person could gain entry to your home.

Don't make it common knowledge that you are going to be away from your home. Burglars can take advantage of your announced absence to rob your home with more ease.

Ask someone to stay in your home when you are away from it at a family member's funeral (if the deceased resided at your residence). Burglars read the obituary column and often burglarize homes while the residents are at funerals.

Consider utilizing a house-sitter while you are away from home. The presence of a person within your home could prevent a possible burglary.

Install sufficient outside lighting to light up all entrances to your home at night. A well-lighted home should help to discourage a break in.

Consider installing a burglar alarm system in your home. An alarm system could scare off a burglar if accidentally activated by him or her.