Keeping Your Home Safe

This Life AdviceTM pamphlet about Keeping Your Home Safe was produced by
the MetLife Consumer Education Center with assistance from the Federal
Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the National Burglar & Fire Alarm
Association and the National Fire Protection Association. Editorial
services provided by Meredith Custom Publishing.

Your home. It's much more than a physical structure. It's the place
where memories are made, where dreams are shared, where lives are lived.
And many of your home's contents-the video of your baby's first steps,
grandmother's brooch or old family photos, for instance-simply cannot be
replaced. That's why it makes good sense to do everything you can to
protect your home from fire and theft. Preventing Fires

According to the National Fire Protection Association, home fires cause
more than $5 billion in property damage each year, and more than 3,000
deaths. That's the bad news. The good news is that most fires are
preventable. First, let's look at the top causes of home fires.

*   Cooking fires. Cooking fires pose a serious hazard. Always stay near
    the stove when cooking. Avoid wearing loose sleeves while cooking;
    they can be ignited by a burner or a grease splatter. You'll also
    want to keep curtains and other flammable materials well away from
    the range or oven. And never put water on a grease fire, which can
    cause the hot grease to splatter, burning you or spreading the fire.
    Instead, smother it with a lid or another pan, then turn off the
    burner. Leave the lid in place until it has cooled off completely.

*   Portable and space-heating equipment. Wood-burning, kerosene,
    propane and electric heaters can ignite draperies, clothing and
    other flammable items. Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet
    away from all heating equipment. Shut off a heater before you leave
    the room or go to bed. When you purchase a heater, make sure it's
    been tested and approved by a reputable organization such as
    Underwriters Laboratories (UL) or the American Gas Association
    (AGA). This information is usually located on the warranty.

*   Careless smoking. Cigarettes are the leading cause of fire deaths.
    Never smoke in bed or in a place where you may fall asleep. Also,
    use deep ashtrays so a lit cigarette won't roll out and fall onto
    rugs or furniture. It's also a good idea to run water over an
    ashtray before emptying it into the trash. A smoldering cigarette
    butt could set the trash on fire.

*   Electrical wiring. You can't see wires hidden inside walls and
    ceilings, but there are some warning signs of electrical problems.
    If lights dim or flicker, fuses blow frequently or sparks shoot from
    receptacles when items are plugged in or unplugged, consult an
    electrician. Faulty electrical cords can also spark a fire or cause
    an electrical shock. Never run cords under rugs or heavy furniture.
    Pressure can crack insulation and break the wires. Don't overload
    outlets.

*   Children with matches. Children playing with matches or lighters are
    the leading cause of fire deaths for children 5 and under. Keep
    these items up high, preferably in a locked cabinet, out of the
    sight and reach of small children. Teach older ones how to handle
    matches responsibly.

*   Holiday hazards. Decorations and candles are a special concern
    during the holidays. If you buy a live Christmas tree, choose a
    fresh one and water it daily. With an artificial tree, make sure
    it's made of flame-retardant materials. Keep candles well away from
    anything that can burn and blow them out when you leave the room or
    go to bed.

*   Fireworks also deserve special mention. They are illegal in many
    states and endanger life, limb and property. Avoid amateurs who set
    off fireworks. Instead, attend public displays conducted by trained
    pyrotechnicians. Even sparklers are hazardous; they burn at 1200 F.

There are some other simple, common sense precautions you can take to
decrease your chances of a home fire:

*   Never store or use gasoline in the home. Gasoline is a motor fuel
    only. Keep small quantities in an approved container designed to
    store gasoline, and store outside, preferably in a locked, detached
    shed. Wipe up spills immediately and never refuel motors near heat
    sources, sparks or cigarettes.

*   Don't overload electrical receptacles.

*   Don't use light bulbs with greater wattages than a fixture can handle.

*   Don't let combustible materials such as newspapers and rags pile up
    in basements and garages.

*   Leave plenty of air space around appliances and television sets;
    they can overheat and catch fire.

*   Use outdoor gas and charcoal grills with caution. Keep them away
    from structures, particularly when in use. Never add materials to
    the fire.

Fireplace Safety

If your home has one or more fireplaces, special precautions can help to
keep home fires burning safely:

*   Never burn charcoal or use a hibachi in your fireplace. Both produce
    deadly carbon monoxide.

*   Protect against sparks by enclosing a fireplace's opening with glass
    doors or a sturdy screen.

*   Never close the flue while a fire is still smoldering. Carbon
    monoxide could build up.

*   Never use gasoline, kerosene or lighter fluid to start a fire. Burn
    only dry, seasoned hardwood. For extra safety, light fires with
    long-stemmed matches.

*   Have your fireplace and chimney inspected annually. They should be
    properly vented and free of blockages. Have cleaned as needed.

*   Protect the top of your chimney with a guard that keeps out birds
    and small animals and keeps in sparks that could ignite your roof.

*   Keep flammables such as newspapers, magazines, rugs and carpeting
    well away from the fireplace.

*   Remove holiday decorations from the fireplace and mantle before
    building a fire to avoid having the decorations ignite.

*   Teach children to stay back from the fireplace.

*   Never leave a fire unattended.

*   Keep a fire extinguisher handy.

If Fire Breaks Out

Smoke detectors greatly increase the likelihood you'll survive a fire.
Place at least one on each floor of your home and outside each sleeping
area. Install detectors inside bedrooms for added protection. Mount
detectors on the ceiling, at least 4 inches away from the wall. Test
detectors monthly and replace batteries once a year. To help you
remember, plan to install new batteries on an annual event, such as the
Fourth of July. Replace smoke detectors after 10 years.

If a fire does break out, take immediate action. Smoke and flames spread
rapidly. Get out of the house right away, then call the fire department
from a neighbor's house or a cellular phone. Fumes overcome most victims
long before flames reach them. Use your safest exit. If you must escape
through smoke, get down and crawl low under the smoke, keeping your head
about 12-24 inches off the floor.

If you haven't gotten around to conducting a family fire drill, now's
the time to do it. And visit your local hardware store or home center to
invest in a few fire extinguishers. Extinguishers are classified
according to the type of fire they will put out, and you'll find the
classification displayed on an extinguisher. A Class ABC extinguisher is
multi-purpose and works well against any small, self-contained fire.
Keep one in the kitchen, extras in the basement or garage. Contact your
fire department to ask about training. Don't attempt to fight a fire
unless you know you have the right extinguisher to handle that type of
fire, and be sure to keep your back to a safe exit.

Fire Safety Checklist

Take this quick quiz to help you assess your family's fire safety plan:

Do you follow the fire prevention practices outlined in this pamphlet?
Pay special attention to safety tips on cooking, smoking, use of heating
equipment, proper storage of flammables and precautions regarding
children and matches.

Are your smoke detectors working? There should be at least one on every
floor of your home. Test each detector monthly, and replace batteries
annually.

Do you hold regular fire drills? Several times a year, have your family
practice exiting your home safely and quickly in the event of an
emergency. Designate a meeting place for all family members to gather
once they are out of the house.

Have you taught your children to "stop, drop and roll"? In the event
their clothing catches fire, kids (and adults) should stop, drop to the
floor, cover their faces and roll over and over or back and forth to put
out the fire. Keep rolling until the fire goes out.

Have you planned an alternate escape route? It's important to have at
least two escape routes from each room in your home, often a door and a
window. Practice using them now to be sure you could get out in an
emergency.

Can you safely exit from the second floor? A chain ladder or other
easily accessible ladder can help you escape from the upper stories of
your home in the event of a fire.

Do you know how to use your fire extinguishers? Know where your fire
extinguishers are kept, and read the instructions for use before you
need them.

Do you know the phone number for your local fire department and the
location of the nearest phone outside your house? In case of fire,
always evacuate your home first, then call for help from a cellular or
other nearby phone.

Preventing Theft

Every year, burglars hit more than five million households, stealing
more than $4 billion worth of property.* Determined thieves can break
into just about any home, but you can take steps to make entry a lot
more difficult for them.

* Source: Protecting Your Life, Home and Property, Capt. Robert L. Snow,
Plenum Press, 1995.

Invest in a quality door. Door security begins not with a good lock but
with the door itself and the frame it fits into. Weak door assemblies
can be broken with a single kick, popped open with a jimmy bar or even
pried out-frame and all-from the wall. Strong exterior doors have solid,
not hollow, cores; doors that are sheathed in metal are even better.

Install deadbolts. Deadbolt locks provide the best protection for the
least amount of money. Ordinary spring-operated locks can be defeated
with a credit card. Intruders can't slip a deadbolt lock because it has
a solid metal bar that fits into the door jamb. To be effective, a
deadbolt lock should have at least a one-inch throw (meaning the metal
bolt extends at least an inch past the edge of the door). Doors with
glass panes present a special security problem because a thief can break
the pane, reach inside and unlock the door. If state or local laws
permit, the solution is a double-cylinder lock-one that must be opened
with a key from inside as well as out. But don't defeat the purpose by
getting into the habit of leaving the key in the lock on the inside. To
exit quickly in case of a fire, keep the key near the door but in a spot
that can't be reached from outside. You might want to hang it on a nail
near the floor where you can find it easily if fire breaks out.

Don't forget windows. Windows and sliding glass doors also should be
secured. Look for locks specifically made for different window styles at
your local hardware store or home center. You also can secure a sliding
glass door with a broomstick or piece of 1" x 2" lumber laid in the door
track when the door is closed.

Light up. Outside flood lighting reduces your risk of burglary by
highlighting the exterior of your home at night. You can choose from
lights that remain on all night or motion-sensitive lights that come on
only when someone approaches your home. Motion-sensitive lights save
energy and could catch a would-be thief by surprise. Timers on inside as
well as outside lights give the impression that someone is home, even if
you're on vacation, out to dinner or visiting the neighbors. Sounding an
Alarm For greater peace of mind, consider investing in a professionally
installed alarm system. Alarm systems come in many shapes and sizes, at
prices that range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars. Many
installers also charge monthly monitoring fees, which should be taken
into account when you shop for a system. A home alarm system includes
some combination of the following components:

Perimeter sensors. These consist of photo cells or magnetic contacts on
doors and windows that sound an alarm when an intruder tries to get
inside. Perimeter sensors are mounted on two points, such as the door
jamb and the door itself. Photo cell sensors are activated when
something passes through a beam of light projected between the two
points, while magnetic sensors are activated when contact is broken
between the two magnetized points.

Heat and motion sensors. You can use heat and motion detectors to
protect specific spaces in or outside your home-a bedroom hallway, for
instance, or your backyard. Heat detectors respond to body temperatures.
Motion sensors detect movement.

Glass break detectors. These devices recognize the sound of breaking
glass. They activate the alarm when they sense breaking glass in a
window or door.

Keypad. One or more keypads allow you to turn the system on and off.

Audible alarm. A piercing alarm alerts neighbors and the police. And it
lets the burglar know he's been detected, meaning he'll probably leave
your house in a hurry.

Keep in mind that false alarms can be a problem. In addition to annoying
the neighbors and taking the police away from real emergencies, some
communities now assess fines for excessive false alarms. The National
Burglar & Fire Alarm Association reports that nearly 80 percent of false
alarms are caused by user error. Steps to prevent false alarms include
regular system maintenance and ensuring that whoever has a key to your
house also knows the codes to activate and deactivate your system.

Local police are a good source of information and recommendations
regarding security systems. They work with the security services in your
area and can tell you what types of break-ins are most common in your
community. Or contact the National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association
for names of members by calling 301/907-3202 or writing to NBFAA, 7101
Wisconsin Ave., Suite 1390, Bethesda, MD 20814-4805. After you've
determined which alarm system is best for you, ask your insurance agent,
family or friends for referrals. Get written quotes from at least three
companies. Before you obtain an alarm system, investigate a security
service's reputation and how long it has been in business. Also ask
about warranties and what they cover.

Crime-Stoppers' Checklist

Use this quiz to evaluate the security at your house:

Do you have a dog? Barking dogs attract the kind of attention a burglar
doesn't need.

Do you leave a radio or television set on when you're out? The sound of
voices will send an intruder elsewhere.

Do you refuse to open doors to strangers? Always ask for identification
or check the driveway for a repair or delivery truck. If in doubt, call
the utility or business in question to ask if they have sent someone to
your home.

Do you have peepholes in all solid doors? Don't rely on chain locks to
see who is at the door. They can easily be forced once a door is ajar.

Do you keep your garage door locked? Thieves like attached garages
because, once inside, they can unobtrusively force the door to the
house.

Are your basement windows secure? These are another popular point of
entry for intruders.

Do you keep trees and shrubbery trimmed? Overgrown vegetation gives a
burglar more privacy.

Do you have neighbors collect your mail and newspapers while you're
away? You can also ask the post office and paper carrier to hold
deliveries until you return.

Have you familiarized baby sitters and other outsiders with your safety
measures? Show them escape routes and familiarize them with any locks
and alarm systems. (See page 12 for a list of emergency numbers to keep
by the phone.)

Does your neighborhood have a watch program? If not, check with your
local police for information about starting one.

Insuring Against Loss

Homeowners or renters insurance provides money to replace possessions
after a fire or robbery. Remember to keep a good inventory of your
property, including serial numbers. A quick way to do this is with
snapshots or a camcorder. Store your inventory in a safe-deposit box or
other location outside your home, and update it every year.

While you're making an inventory of your valuables, consider engraving
them with your name or Social Security number. This makes it easier to
trace the goods back to you if they're stolen. Many local police
departments will loan etching tools.

Most insurers recommend that you insure your property at replacement
cost. This reimburses you for what it would cost to replace items today,
instead of paying only for their current, depreciated value. You'll pay
a little more in premiums for this extra peace of mind, so shop around
for the best policy and the best price. Consider only reputable
companies and agents. Get at least three quotes. Some companies provide
lower rates if you have more than one type of coverage with them, such
as auto and home. Review your insurance coverage annually. In Case of
Emergency Take a few minutes to look up these numbers and post them by
the kitchen phone.

Fire or Crime in Progress _____ 911
Poison Control Center
Alarm Service
Family Physician
Insurance Agent
Neighbor
Babysitter

Safe and Sound

The place where you and your loved ones live, with your possessions and
irreplaceable mementos of your past, is well worth protecting. The time,
money and attention you devote to securing it will reward you with
increased peace of mind and the feeling that your home is indeed a safe
haven.

Home Safety Checklist
Safety Equipment

Smoke Alarms
Is there one located on each floor of the home?
If battery operated, do you check the battery periodically and replace
it yearly?
If electrical, do you check periodically for proper operation?

Fire Extinguishers
Easily accessible?
Fully charged?
Is it within the expiration date?

Deadbolts
Installed on all exterior doors?

Plumbing
Hoses and Connections
Are the following periodically checked to see if they are secure and
leak-free?

Hot water tank
Dishwasher
Washing machine
Icemaker

Electrical
Are extension cords overloaded?
Are extension cords removed from under rugs or furniture?
If older home, is the wiring up to code?
Do you have surge protector bars on air conditioners, entertainment
equipment and computers?

Heating System
Is your furnace cleaned and checked annually?
Are the filters changed regularly?

Chimney/Fireplace
Are they cleaned and checked annually?
Is the damper functioning properly?
Are screen/doors in fireplace properly installed?

Frozen Pipe Prevention
Is home heated while on winter vacations?
Do you disconnect the garden hose and shut off outside water faucets
when the temperature drops to freezing?

Roof
Is the roof in good condition?
Are gutters cleaned every autumn to help prevent roof leaks?

Miscellaneous
Are all your steps/sidewalks level and intact?
Are there secured railings for your steps?
Is flammable material properly stored? (Example: Be sure clothes are not
stored near hot water heater.)
Are surrounding trees healthy?
Is your house clear from any hanging tree limbs?
Is your in-ground pool fenced in?
Are there locking gates on decks connected to swimming pools?
Are matches stored out of the reach of children?
Are all the cabinets in your home child proof (cleansers and sharp
objects are out of reach)?
Do you check the safety and condition of your outdoor deck on a
yearly basis? (Look for rot; check for stability; treat annually with
water sealer.)
Do you repair loose or missing grout or caulking in tub/shower area to
prevent deterioration of tiles?

Reference Materials
The Complete Guide to Home Security
David Alan Wacker, Betterway Publications $14.95

Home Safety Desk Reference
Ted Ferry, Career Press $19.95

The National Burglar & Fire Alarm Association offers a free brochure,
Safe and Sound: Your Guide to Home Security. It's available by calling
NBFAA at 301/907-3202 or on the Internet at (http://www.alarm.org).

Pamphlets from the federal government
The quarterly Consumer Information Center Catalog lists more than 200
helpful federal publications. For your free copy write Consumer
Information Catalog, Pueblo, CO 81009, call 719/948-4000 or you can find
the catalog on the Net (http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov).

Related Life AdviceTM pamphlets
See other Life AdviceTM pamphlets on related topics:
Moving, Home Improvement, Buying a Home, Renting an Apartment and
Homeowners Insurance. To order, call 1-800-MetLife.

Internet Information
If you're on the Net, check us out.
We're part of MetLife OnlineSM (http://www.lifeadvice.com).