Securing your home

Team up old-school safety smarts with digital tools

BY JERRY HALE

Every homeowner deserves to feel safe and secure inside their residence. Unfortunately, in a world where criminals don’t hesitate to prey on those who aren’t well protected from break-ins, some forethought, behavior change and modifications to your property are likely needed to help protect you from potential invaders. While digital tools abound, don’t forget to take common-sense measures to stay safe.

Start with the basics

Begin your safety assessment with these routine precautions: n Always lock all doors and windows when leaving home or retiring for the night. n Install high quality door locks. n Supplement the locks on sliding doors with a commercial slide blocking device, available online or from home stores, or a length of heavy dowel (an old broom handle will do) fitted into any sliding door’s lower slide channel.