Article: You can make an appointment for local police to inspect your home and suggest security fixes. This is a good way to decide what you should prioritize in protecting your home. Most insurance companies provide 2 percent to 15 percent discounts for devices that make a home saferdead-bolt locks, window grates, bars and smoke/fire/burglar alarms. The back door is the most common point of entry for thieves, and the most common method is to simply kick it in. Outside doors should be metal or solid hardwood and at least 1.75 inches thick. Be sure the frames are of equally strong material, and the door fits its frame securely so it cannot be pried open. Make sure the hinges are on the inside. Inexperienced door installers sometimes leave them on the outside, making it easy to simply remove the door. If there is a window near the door, put a inch covering of clear Plexiglas over the existing glass to prevent thieves from breaking the glass and reaching in to open the door. If you have an automatic opening garage door, make sure it can't be lifted open when closed. These are often a point of entry for burglars, as the latch that closes them is easily forced. Place a wood dowel cut to size or an adjustable safety bar in the interior floor track to keep the door from opening. Be sure to use shatterproof glass. If your glass is not, cover it with a thin film of plexiglass to prevent shattering. Locks are the weakest point on a door. Make sure you have a grade 1 or grade 2 dead-bolt lock that penetrates the door frame. The strike platethe stationary piece that the bolt entersshould be made of solid metal or brass, with six three-inch-long screws that penetrate the door jamb and the door frame. For locks near windows, use a double cylinder deadbolt, which requires a key on the inside and outside. This prevents thieves from breaking the glass, reaching in and unlocking the door. Windows are another common entry point, particularly in the summer, when they are often left open. Put locks on your windows. Key locks work best. Otherwise, criminals can simply break the glass and turn the lock. If you do wish to leave your windows open for ventilation, install a window stop that prevents the window from opening more than 6-8 inches. Use safety or shatterproof glass, to make breaking the windows more difficult. For added security, consider putting bars or accordion gates on windows at street level or on fire escapes. Install a metal grate to protect basement windows, or put a metal bar in the middle to make sure they are too small to crawl through. Secure window air conditioning units. Use a bracket or sliding window lock to prevent thieves from simply pushing in the unit and entering. No matter how secure you make them, windows are still made of glass. The best way to prevent entry by windows is to keep the thief from getting to the windows in the first place. Don't leave ladders out unsecured. Thieves can use them to reach second story windows. Consider installing plastic drainpipes, which are much harder to climb than metal ones. Cut back weight-bearing tree limbs that hang near windows or over the roof. Place prickly bushes around first story windows to make them less tempting targets. Trim bushes and trees, particularly around doors and windows. Also, consider replacing privacy fences or thick shrubbery with something that can be seen through. A tall, solid fence also provides privacy for the burglar kicking in your back door. Motion sensitive lights are best. They startle criminals, and they also draw your attention and that of your neighbors. However, since nearly two thirds of burglaries occur during the day, lights should not be a top priority. Secure your windows and doors first.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Get a police inspection. Know that insurance companies provide discounts for improving home safety. Make sure your doors are strong. Take extra precautions with sliding glass doors. Replace weak locks. Secure your windows. Make your windows hard to reach. Eliminate hiding spots. Install outdoor lighting.