General Home Security

[graeme@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

GENERAL HOME SECURITY brought to you by MAXIDOR

    * If you look at your home like a criminal's does, you will learn
much that can help you identify weak areas in your family's security
setup.
    * Try and break into your own home! What would be the easiest way
to gain access to your premises/home?
    * Walk past your house and look at it like a "casual passer-by"
would.
    * Inspect your garden for places that can conceal a criminal.
    * Examine your current security measures (i.e. burglar bars,
security doors, gates, fences, dogs, alarm systems, beams, anti-
scaling devices, lighting, etc.). Are they adequate considering your
neighbourhood and your lifestyle? How does it compare with the
measures your neighbours have taken?
    * Inspect the inside of your home for potentially weak areas, or
have a professional assessment done.
    * Carefully assess your family's security disciplines (locking
doors, assertiveness with strangers, awareness of dangers, alertness,
key storage, etc.)
    * Use this information to establish a security routine and train
your family and others in the home to stick to it!
    * Advertise the security measures you have taken (Alarm, Security
doors, etc.) on your perimeter fence/wall with the 'protected by...'
boards supplied (usually) by the company providing the service.
    * If any of your exterior doors are hollow-core, replace them with
solid wood, fibreglass or steel doors and fit a steel security gate.
    * While you have the choice, make sure exterior door hinges are on
the inside rather than the outside (intruders can remove the pins and
pull the door out of the frame).
    * To secure sliding glass doors, add a bolt lock or use a "charley
bar" to block the door closed and install an expandable security
barrier.
    * Invest in high-quality, name-brand deadbolt locks on all
exterior doors.
    * If you have a double-cylinder deadbolt that is operated by a key
both inside and out, keep the key in a safe place near the door where
every family member can find it and exit quickly in case of fire.
    * Install motion-detection floodlights around your home, high
enough so that intruders can't disable them.
    * Some burglars scan newspapers for wedding and funeral
announcements and special community and holiday events that might take
you out of your home, so be especially careful on these occasions.
    * Keep your garage door locked at all times, preferably with a
deadbolt lock.

For more tips and security assessments visit www.maxidor.co.za