Protect your property with a home audit

Investigate your opportunities for making your home more secure and discourage aspiring criminals from targeting your home.  Following is our ‘Most Wanted’ list of things we want homeowners to think about when crime proofing their homes.

Case the joint - Walk around your home with the eyes of a burglar. Look for weaknesses that would make a theft or break-in easy for a burglar.

Follow along below or download a printable copy of the home audit checklist.

Outside your home

  • Are there clear views of all windows and doors?
  • Do you have interior and exterior lighting that gives the impression you are home?

Doors

  • Is there a convenient way of clearly seeing who is at your door without opening it?
  • Do all of your exterior doors have a deadbolt; and if so do they have at least a one-inch throw?
  • Are the screws that secure your entry doors and the strike plates located on the door jamb opposite the lock at least 2 1/2 inches long?
  • Have you taken steps to reinforce any windows located in or next to doors?

Sliding doors

  • If you have a sliding door, do you have screws in the top of the track to prevent the door from being lifted out when they are in the closed and locked position?
  • If you have a sliding door, do you have either a hockey stick in the bottom track or a security bar to prevent the door from opening?

Windows

  • Do the sliding windows of your home have security locks?

Garage doors

  • Do you always close and lock your garage door? Do you have a deadbolt on your walk-in door?

Valuables

  • Do you store valuables in the basement or keep them in a safety deposit box?
  • Do you lock your vehicle or leave valuables in your vehicle?
  • Have you marked all valuables with an engraver and recorded serial numbers?

When away

  • Do you have a trusted neighbour or friend pick up your mail, newspapers and flyers when away for more than a day?
  • Have you made arrangements to have your lawn cut and your snow shoveled when you go away?
  • If you have an answering machine, do you leave a message that leaves the impression you are home?

Results

Let's see how you did!

  • 15-16 Excellent!
  • 13-14 You're almost there.
  • 11-12 You have a little work left to do.
  • 9-10 Your home would benefit from further security improvements.
  • 7-8 It's time to address your security needs.
  • Less than 7 Improve your security. Don't delay.

Your results reflect the level of security your home has in relation to the most common security weaknesses.

Please review your security as all of the above changes to your home can, in most cases, be done at a reasonable cost. The results are substantial for the amount of money invested in your home.

What else can you do?

We all have a role in crime prevention. Crime prevention starts with you!

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