Lock Talk: Securing Your Home Against IntrudersLock Talk: Securing your home adequately against intruders requires choosing - and using - the right locks.As a rule, a dead bolt should should have a 1-inch (2.5cm) throw bolt and an interlocking frame. 
And yes, your door needs a dead bolt in addition to the keyed knob set.Don't use a dual-cylinder device - the kind with a key for both sides - This can trap your family in the house in an emergency. If you have one now, replace it.You may also want to install a dead-bolt on the door from the garage into your home. If your door has a window or a glass panel, secure it with a decorative grille that has nonremovable screws, or install over the glass a break-resistant plastic panel. If a window lies within an arm's length of the door, make sure that the door's dead bolt is out of reach should an intruder break the glass in the window and reach inside. Cover the window with a curtain or shade to keep prying eyes out. And always draw all the shades or close the blinds at night. Knock-Knock: Who's There?Can you detect who's knocking before you open the front door?If you don't already have a peephole, hire a locksmith to install one in your door when he or she comes to install your new dead bolt. A simpler - and much less expensive - approach is to buy a peephole and install it yourself. Choose the type with a fish-eye lens; its wide-angle view will allow you to see almost everything - and everyone - on your doorstep before you unlock that dead bolt and open the door. Make sure your porch light is at least 40 watts to properly illuminate nighttime visitors. Secure gate latches and garage and shed doors with sturdy padlocks that are designed to resist prowlers and stand up to rain and freezing temperatures. Locking Devices Defined.-- Single-cylinder dead-bolt: Opened with a key on the outside and a thumb turn on the inside.-- Dual-cylinder: A bolt device that has a key for both inside and outside. Replace it with a single-cylinder device, which is safer. -- Privacy: A commonly used interior lock that has a push button or thumb turn on the inside, with a hole on the outside that allows someone to open the door with either a special key or a straightened paper clip in case there is an emergency.  Custom Search Fire and Smoke - Prepare Your Home to Withstand Both
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Securing Your Home
Against Intruders
Keep your home safe and secure from intruders with these
essential safety tips.
Preventing Household Accidents
Ensure a safe home by putting these
essential tips
into play.
February Home Checklist
Keep your home safe and its various systems running smoothly this month with the February Home Checklist.