Home Safety Tips Entryways Do front, rear and side doors have 180º peepholes, voice intercom devices, or windows to see through? Have locks been re-keyed since you moved in? Are locks that can be opened from inside at least 40 inches from glass? Are entrance doors solid core? Do entrance doors have deadbolt locks? If hinge pins are outside, are they removable? Do doors securely fit doorjambs? Are doorjambs tightly fastened? Do dead bolt plates have the proper strike plate? (Are they screwed 3” into the frame?) Is strike plate securely fastened to doorjamb? Is doorjamb constructed adequately? (Solid wood, any previous damage?) Does bolt extend sufficiently into strike plate? Are door locks in good repair? Do screen/storm doors have adequate locks? Is “Charley-Bar” or key-operated auxiliary lock used on sliding glass door? Can the lock mechanism be reached through a mail slot, delivery port, or pet entrance at doorway? Is there an outside door into the basement? If so, is this door adequately secured as an exterior door? Ground Floor Windows Do all windows have adequate locks in operating condition? Have double hung windows been pinned? Can windows left open for ventilation be secured? Do curtains/drapes fully cover windows? Is window air conditioner secured from inside? Do windows have screen/storms that lock from inside? Do any windows open onto areas that may be hazardous or offer special risk to burglary? Are exterior areas of windows free from concealing structures/landscaping? Upper Floor Windows Do any upper floor windows/doors open onto porch or garage roofs or roofs of adjoining buildings? If so, are they secured as adequately as if they were at ground level? Basement Does basement door to living quarters have an adequate lock operated from the living quarters side? Are all basement windows adequately secured against entrance? Exterior Do you belong to a neighborhood watch program? re shrubs cut below window level? Are tree limbs cut above window level? Does porch/landscaping offer concealment from view from street or public areas? Is exterior phone line tamper-resistant? Are basement windows concealed by shrubbery? Are house numbers visible and contrasting from the street? Can mailbox be locked? Are bicycles, mowers, and ladders kept inside? Exterior Lighting Is front door well lit? Is side door well lit? Is rear door well lit? Are other entrances well lit? Are there other exterior lights? (e.g. motion detector lights?) Alarms Do you have an alarm system? If monitored, does your alarm co. have an up-to-date emergency contact list? If not, is there a neighbor who knows how to reach you in an emergency? Garage Does overhead door close tightly? Does overhead door have a track padlock? Do you keep overhead door closed and locked when not in use? Do you remove keys when vehicle is in garage? Can garage light be turned on from inside home? Are garage windows secured for ground floor windows? SEE ALSO Crime Prevention