| The Frugal Homeowner's Guide to Home Security | | | | emits a sharp warning to alert you. It's |
| | | | cheap, unobtrusive and it works. |
| If you want to keep your home safe but are | | | | |
| put off by the cost of alarm systems, don't | | | | Bolts and locks |
| despair. There are other devices you can use | | | | |
| to keep your family and your property safe | | | | For doors and windows, you can install bolts |
| and secure and you don't have to spend a lot. | | | | and locks to reinforce an existing lock. As |
| Here's how: | | | | long as the bolt is solid and the hinges are |
| | | | properly screwed in place, you will have |
| Determine your vulnerable points | | | | little worry. |
| | | | |
| Before you set out to buy anything, check | | | | If you have sliding doors that don't have an |
| your house first. Go outside and look | | | | anti-lift device, it would be a good idea to |
| around, test your doors and windows for any | | | | install one. Or, you could install two door |
| weaknesses (old hinges, rusted locks, weak | | | | locks - one on top and another at the bottom |
| frames, etc.). Sometimes it's as simple as | | | | - to reinforce the hook lock. |
| replacing a few of your old hardware to keep | | | | |
| your home safe. | | | | The garage is a common point of entry for |
| | | | most burglars, so keep the door padlocked and |
| Next, put yourself in the shoes of a | | | | the garage windows closed before you enter |
| potential thief. Imagine how you could enter | | | | the house. |
| your house unnoticed. Identify the most | | | | |
| vulnerable points in your house - your front | | | | Keep the light on |
| door, rear and patio doors and your windows. | | | | |
| Another point of vulnerability is your garage | | | | Illuminate your porch, back door and garage. |
| or shed. | | | | If you're willing to spend a little, invest |
| | | | in dusk-to-dawn lighting powered by |
| Install alarms | | | | photoelectric cells. These save a lot of |
| | | | energy and will be cheaper to use than |
| First things first. There ARE low-cost home | | | | electric-powered lights. |
| security devices available on the market. | | | | |
| These are usually the wireless systems which | | | | Keep things thorny |
| are easy to install and set up. Wireless | | | | |
| systems are very popular because they provide | | | | If you don't have a fence or wall, keep |
| the peace of mind that homeowners want at an | | | | thorny plants and shrubs around. Plants like |
| affordable price. | | | | roses, holly and hawthorn have spiny leaves |
| | | | and thorny stems are great deterrents because |
| You might also want to buy one of those small | | | | they can produce punctures and tear at the |
| door-installed alarms that cost about $20 or | | | | skin. They not only provide you with |
| less. Powered by cell batteries, once it's | | | | security, they are also great ornamentals. |
| turned on and the door is opened, the alarm | | | | |