The best way to protect your home and family from fire and burglary is with an electronic security system.| A security system is not only a good investment as a home improvement, it produces immediate benefits as well. Insurance companies offer a discount on your homeowners insurance ranging from 10% to 20%. Some systems have energy saver options that control your furnace when you are away, reducing your heating and air conditioning costs. Advanced wireless systems offer the best value, allowing most of your investment to be in technology rather than labor to run wire. A quality wireless system like the systems manufactured by Interactive Technologies Inc. (ITI), offer the best in protection,reliability and features. With the wireless systems available today, its even a good investment for people that are renting a home. When you are ready to move, you can simply take the system with you.
The Security Survey
Security systems are more affordable than many people think. To find out what is best for your situation you need to do a Security Survey of your home. For some people the investment in a security system may be under $100, for others in an identical home it could be $5,000. It all depends on your needs and lifestyle.
For example.....
If you are living in a ranch style home and your only concern is for fire protection and burglar protection when you are away, the following system may be all that you need:
- Control Panel
- Touchpad
- Siren
- 2 Door Sensors
- 1 PIR / Motion Sensor
- 1 Smoke Sensor
This may seem like a limited system, but it's actually a lot for your money. Lets break it down:
Security Facts
- 38% of all assaults occur during a home invasion.
- 60% of all reported rapes occur during a home invasion.
- Homes on a corner lot are more likely to be burglarized.
- If your home has had a burglary, the odds of being burglarized again dramatically increase. The stolen items have been replaced with new items.
- Over 2.7 Million Burglaries were reported to law enforcement agencies in 1994 (the latest published data), with 2 out of 3 being residential.
- Sixty-seven percent of all burglaries involved forcible entry. Over half (52 percent) of the burglaries occurred during the daylight hours.
- The value of property stolen during burglaries was estimated at over 3.6 billion dollars in 1994.
Inexpensive Ways To Make Your Home Secure
Protect Your Doors and Windows - There are many inexpensive ways to make your home and family safer. You don't have to spend an arm and a leg to make your home a safer place to live.
- Protect your doors. Statistics show that 80% of all break-ins are through a door. Doors with low visibility from the street and neighbors are particularly vulnerable.
- Simple door locks are vulnerable to credit cards or shaped pieces of a venetian blind and offer almost no security.
- Dead bolt locks are the best. Make sure that they have at least 1" draw into the door jam.
- Sliding doors are not very secure. Place a metal bar or a wooden dowel rod in the door track.
- The best method is to pin the door so that it can't be lifted out of the track. These pins can be purchased from your local locksmith or hardware store.
Protect Your Keys - Be careful with your keys. Many burglaries don't require forcible entry.
- Don't hide a key in the mailbox.
- Don't leave a spare key over the doorway.
- And never leave your house key under the mat. These are very common hiding places and the thieves know where to look.
- Don't put id tags on your key ring. The person that finds them may not return them and will know where the locks are that go with the keys.
- Get a removable key chain.
- If you have to take your car in for service or give your keys to a parking lot attendant you won't be giving them the keys to your home or business.
Common Sense Security
- Don't leave a ladder outside your home. Why make it easy for them?
- Purchase a timer that will turn on your lights automatically and light up your house when you're away.
- If you are going to be gone for an extended period of time, arrange to have your lawn mowed, leaves raked. In the colder areas, you should have your drive and walks shoveled.
- Have your mail held at the post office.
- Have your paper delivery stopped until you come back.
- Don't leave notes on the door announcing your absence. A note saying you'll be back at 6:00 tells the thief he has plenty of time to ransack your home and take your possessions.
- When you are gone, leave your furnace or central air on low so that the motor can still be heard. This says that you won't be gone long.
- When service men come to your home, ask for an ID and don't be afraid to call the company for verification.
- When you see a strange vehicle on your street jot down the license plate number. If you see strangers sitting in the vehicle, call the police and have them investigate.
- If you arrive home and find the door open, DO NOT go inside. Go to a neighbors house and call the police. Let them go inside first and make sure the intruders are not still there.
- Don't keep excess cash around the house, keep it in a savings or checking account.
- Keep important papers and negotiable securities in a safe deposit box. A safe deposit box costs very little and quite often is free with your checking or savings account.
- Take pictures of your heirlooms and personal items for later identification.
- Mark all electronic equipment with a permanent etching of your name and drivers license number or social security number. This helps identify property and makes it hard for the thief to sell.
We would like to thank getsafe.com for the above information. Please visit their web site at www.getsafe.com
