Burglarproofing your Home Washington DC

As you plan your next vacation, take five minutes to review these simple, yet often overlooked home safety practices that deter burglars from breaking into your house. Your home will appear to be lived in whether you are away for only a weekend or for weeks at a time.

Make Your Home Appear Lived-in
Install automatic timers to turn lights and radios on and off at appropriate times. Ask a friend or neighbor to pick up your mail, or have it forwarded it to the post office. Contact your local newspaper to stop delivery and consider having someone mow your lawn and water the flowers. Lower the sound of your telephone and answering machine so they cannot be heard from outside and make sure your outgoing message does not imply that you are away.

Give a Neighbor A Spare Key
Leave a key with a trusted neighbor in case anything happens to your house while you are away, or in case you get locked out. It's usually not a good idea to leave a key hidden outside your house, especially in more urban areas.

Protect Your House Keys
Don't give repairmen a key, and don't give people fixing your car your whole set of keys. Your house keys can be easily duplicated and your address can usually be obtained from your license plate number.

Change Your Locks
It is usually a good idea to change the locks on your new home when you move in. You never know who might have keys to your house. If your new home does not have deadbolts on all ground-level doors, consider installing them. If a sliding glass door is easily accessible, it is a good idea to put a strip of wood in the lower tract....

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