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Keep your home and your loved ones safe—even If you don't have an expensive home security system. Our tips will help you protect yourself with inexpensive, easy-to-install devices.
You never want to open a door unless you know who's on the other side. A peephole lets you see who's there, but entry doors don't come with peepholes, and a lot of peepholes are so tiny that they don't clearly show you who's out there. Strangers can hide slightly out of view or appear so distorted that they're hard to identify.
Mail theft is a growing problem since unsecured mailboxes are easy targets. One sure way to keep thieves from stealing your mail—checks, credit card offers, personal information—is to use a security mailbox.
Attach the alarm to the door or window (with a screw or double-sided tape) alongside the magnetic contact strip (they don't have to be touching, but within 1/2 in.). When the door or window opens, breaking magnetic contact, the alarm shrieks. The door alarm has a delay feature, giving you time to set the alarm and leave, then open the door and deactivate the unit when you come home, without setting it off. The window unit has an on/off switch. The alarm batteries last two to three years.
Reinforcing your door jamb with a heavy duty strike plate and extra-long screws gives it the added strength needed to withstand a burglar trying to kick in your door. If your dead bolt was installed within the last 10 years, it's probably already reinforced. To check, simply remove the strike plate. If it's heavy steel with at least 3-in. screws or has a heavy reinforcing plate, you can rest easy. If not, buy strike plate–reinforcing hardware ($5 to $10 at home centers).
A flimsy old wooden garage entry door has weak center panels that can easily be kicked in by thieves. Adding a dead bolt won't solve that problem. A down-and-dirty way to beef up the door is to add a 1/2-in. plywood reinforcement panel and then bar it with 2x4s placed in bar-holder brackets.
Identity theft is on the rise, and you may not even know you've been victimized until you apply for a loan and find out your credit has been ruined. One way to protect your identity is to shred your personal papers, including credit card offers, bank statements and bills. Shredders start at $20 at office supply stores. More-expensive models shred credit cards, CDs and multiple sheets of paper. Some even “micro-shred” documents for added security.
Replace a dead bolt screw with SIMLock's special screw, then slide the “lock” over it to keep the dead bolt from turning. This product only works on dead bolts that lock in the vertical position.
Share what's on your mind and see what other DIYers are thinking about.
March 07, 3:53 PM [GMT -5]
I have found that post-it notes work great when I'm on the road. Just stick one up in front of the room door peep hole for instant privacy.
February 07, 11:42 PM [GMT -5]
A peephole is important for your safety but you can't stop there. A criminal with a reverse peephole viewer can see into your home through the peephole from the outside. For added security it is important to install a cover on the inside of the door to block the use of reverse door viewers. A good source for peephole covers is www.secureaview.com.
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