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First Detection Systems
Home Security Checklist
Print and use this as a guide as you check your home for safety measures. Boxes marked "No" indicate areas where you could take action to improve your home's security. These are just some steps that you can take to decrease the likelihood that you or your home is targeted for a crime.
Please use these tips for safety and home security:
| Exterior Doors: | Yes |
No |
| All doors are locked at night and every time we leave the house - even if it's just for a few minutes. | ||
| Doors are solid hardwood or metal-clad. | Doors feature wide-angle peepholes at heights everyone can use. | |
| If there are glass panels in or near our doors, they are reinforced in some way so that they cannot be shattered. | ||
| All entryways have a working, keyed entry lock and sturdy deadbolt lock installed into the frame of the door. | ||
| Spare keys are kept with a trusted neighbor, not under a doormat or planter, on a ledge, or in the mailbox. |
| Garage and Sliding Door Home Security: | Yes |
No |
| The door leading into the home from the garage is solid wood or metal-clad and protected with a quality keyed door lock and deadbolt. | ||
| The overhead garage door has a lock so that we do no rely solely on the automatic garage door opener to provide home security. | ||
| Garage doors are all locked when leaving the house. | ||
| The sliding glass door has a strong, working key lock. | ||
| A dowel or a pin to secure the sliding glass door has been installed to prevent the door from being shoved aside or lifted off the track. | ||
| The sliding glass door is locked every night and each time we leave the house. | ||
| If installed, the home security sensors detect when window glass has been broken |
| Protecting Windows: | Yes |
No |
| Every window in the home has a working key lock or is securely pinned. | ||
| Windows are always locked, even when they are opened a few inches for ventilation. | ||
| If installed, the home security sensors detect when window glass has been broken |
| Outdoor Security: | Yes |
No |
| Shrubs / bushes are trimmed to so there is no place for someone to hide. | ||
| There are no dark areas around our house, garage, or yard at night that would hide prowlers. | ||
| Every outside door has a bright, working light to illuminate visitors. | ||
| Floodlights are used appropriately to ensure effective illumination. | ||
| Outdoor lights are on in the evening ? whether someone is at home or not; or a photocell or motion-sensitive lighting system has been installed. | ||
| If there is home security system installed, there visible signage indicating its installation | ||
| Our house number is clearly displayed so police and other emergency vehicles can find the house quickly. | ||
| If installed, the home security also monitors the perimeter of my home with the latest video surveillance security systems |
| Security When Away From Home: | Yes |
No |
| At least two light timers have been set to turn the lights on and off in a logical sequence when we are away from home for an extended time period. | ||
| The motion detector or the home security system (if we have one) has been activated when we leave home. | ||
| Mail and newspaper deliveries have been stopped or arrangements for a neighbor/friend to pick them up have been made when we go away from home for a period of time. | ||
| A neighbor has been asked to tend the yard and watch our home when we are away. |
| Outdoor Valuables and Personal Property: | Yes |
No |
| Gate latches, garage doors, and shed doors are all locked with high-security, laminated padlocks. | ||
| Gate latches, garage doors, and shed doors are locked after every use. | ||
| Grills, lawn mowers, and other valuables are stored in a locked garage or shed, or if left out in the open, are hidden from view with a tarp and securely locked to a stationary point. | ||
| Every bicycle is secured with a U-bar lock or quality padlock and chain. | ||
| Bikes are always locked, even if we leave them for just a minute. | ||
| Firearms are stored unloaded and locked in storage boxes and secured with trigger guard locks. If installed, the home security system monitors gun cabinets | ||
| Valuable items, such as television, stereos, and computers have been inscribed with identifying number approved by local police. | ||
| Our home inventory is up-to-date and includes pictures. A complete copy is kept somewhere out of the house. |
| Fire Protection: | Yes |
No |
| Smoke detectors are installed on all levels of our home | ||
| Our family has a fire escape plan that includes at least two ways to get out of every room | ||
| I check the batteries in each smoke detector at least once a month | ||
| I clean my gutters regularly of dry leaves and evergreen needles | ||
| The roof of my house is fire-resistant | ||
| I have my chimney cleaned and inspected every year | ||
| If I have children and/or pets, there are child locator stickers in their bedroom windows, as well as pet locator stickers on a first-floor window | ||
| If installed, my home security system monitors Fire/Smoke |
| Household Flood Monitoring: | Yes |
No |
| I turn the water off whenever I leave my home for extended periods of time | ||
| If installed, my home security system monitors flooding |
| Carbon Monoxide Poisoning | Yes |
No |
| I regularly check my heating system for carbon monoxide emissions | ||
| I periodically check your range, fireplace and water heater | ||
| With attached garages, I make sure that I never start my car, nor leave it running, while the garage door is closed. | ||
| If installed, my home security system monitors carbon monoxide poisoning |
| Child Safety | Yes |
No |
| My children know the fire escape route in the house | ||
| My children know exactly what their boundaries are when they play outside | ||
| My children know who is allowed in the house while you are away | ||
| My home been completely childproofed. They are safe from gun cabinets, wine cellars, liquor cabinets and pool areas, secured with a home security system |
| Home Security System | Yes |
No |
| If installed, I test my home security system system regularly to ensure it is in good working order | ||
| My home security system is easy to use by all members of your household | ||
| All entrances to my home is monitored by your home security system | ||
| All gun cabinets, wine cellars, liquor cabinets and pool areas are wired to my home security system to protect my children | ||
| I am able to control my home security system from the road, either by GPS, telephone or via a secure Web site | ||
| My home security system control lights, automatic garage doors | ||
| My home security system monitors for critical conditions such as high levels of carbon monoxide, excessively high or low temperatures or flooding | ||
| My home security system has a back-up system in case of power failure |
