If you're like millions of American families, you're worried about protecting your home, your children, and your possessions from theft and fire. In these uncertain times, it can be hard to shake the worry that you could walk into your home to find it ransacked or worse. The cost of home security is well worth it and can work on any budget. With just a few simple steps, you can rest easier when you're out and about, knowing that your home is safe and sound.

1. Lighting

Whether you're at home asleep or out of town, lights are used to deter thieves. Motion activated flood lights can cascade a yard with light, scaring off a criminal. Placing household lights on a timer while out of town can create the illusion someone is in the home and awake. This is often enough to make criminals look for an easier target.

2. Mail, Newspapers, and Other Deliveries

Piles of mail, newspapers, boxes, missed delivery notices, and other types of correspondence can be a dead giveaway that someone is out of town or not home. If going out of town, be sure to put a hold on newspapers and mail delivery. Ask a friend or neighbor to check on your house and remove any unexpected notices.

3. Lock All Doors And Windows

Many thieves enter and exit homes through doors or windows that are left unlocked. Before leaving, double check that doors and windows are secured properly.

4. Garage Doors

Garage doors should be secured properly when leaving the house. If the garage door has a keypad entry code, keep the code a secret and change it frequently to prevent the keypad from wearing, exposing your security code to criminals.

5. Stoves, Irons, and Candles

Whether you are leaving for a quick trip to the store or for a long weekend, double check to ensure appliances such as stoves, space heaters, and curling irons are turned off or unplugged. Be sure that any candles, cigarettes, or incense are completely put out and disposed of properly to reduce fire risks.

6. Lawn Maintenance

Proper lawn care and maintenance helps prevent fires and thefts. Keep bushes and hedges trimmed and maintained to reduce hiding spots for criminals. A well-kept lawn creates the impression someone is home to maintain the yard. Remove dead leaves, grass clippings, branches, and other vegetation from the home. These organic materials can become kindling, making any fire potentially more damaging.

7. Deadbolts

For home security, ensure external doors have strong deadbolts. If possible, avoid deadbolts that require an internal key. These deadbolts could create a hazard during a fire if they key is lost or damaged. Quality deadbolt locks can deter criminals from attempting to enter a home.

8. Sliding Windows And Doors

Sliding doors and windows can be convenient for a patio, but can be easily opened by a criminal. To make things more difficult, a piece of pipe, wood, or metal can be cut to match the length of the runner. This will prevent the door or window from being opened and entered through.

9. Smoke Detectors

Proper fire safety begins with smoke detectors. Having smoke detectors installed throughout the house can alert families to potential danger. Test the batteries often to ensure they work.

10. Home Security Systems

Home security systems with home monitoring and alarms are a deterrent to criminals. Before leaving the home, be sure to arm the security system. A system that is not armed is not effective at helping to protect your home.

Are you ready to get America's home security system?

Call us today at 1-888-528-9197 and we will help you pick the monitored home security package for you and your family.

1. Install smoke detectors on every level of your home. This is beneficial as it allows the alarms to be heard over the entire house, not just in the area that contains the source of smoke or fire. Use photoelectric as well as ionization smoke detectors. This doubles the chances that smoke will be detected before a fire grows and spreads.


2. A well thought out escape plan that the entire family knows and understands is imperative to safety in the event of a fire. Make sure that all family members are familiar with at least two exits from every room as well as multiple ways to get outdoors in the event that one or all of the main exits are blocked. Select an outdoor meeting place and practice by having at least two family drills per year.


3. Never leave the stovetop, outdoor grills, heated hair appliances, or clothing irons unattended. The intense heat from these appliances is one of the leading causes of home fires. If you must step away, be sure to turn them off and, in the case of curling irons or hair straighteners, lay the hot appliance on a non-heat conducting surface.


4. During the summer months, or in year-round arid climates, keep all dead brush and grass away from your home. This material can be highly flammable under the right conditions. Make it a point to dispose of these yard waste materials weekly or whenever you are doing your routine outdoor chores.


5. Never keep old paint near oily or dirty rags or shop towels in your garage. This combination can prove to be highly combustible. In the event that you have an attached garage, it is wise to have a smoke detector installed in the garage. Many of the items stored within can be common causes of fires. This is also a good place to install a carbon monoxide detector; Safe Streets USA offers an excellent variety of carbon monoxide detectors that will suit the needs of any homeowner.


6. Whether you are in the market to purchase a new home, remodeling your existing dwelling, or building a home from the ground up, installing fireproof roofing materials is one of the safest things you can do to protect your home. You may also qualify for tax credits or rebates by using these types of materials.


7. Make sure that all points of exit in your home are easily accessed. Do not have furniture arranged in a way that makes it difficult to reach doors or windows. Never nail windows shut and do not install a deadbolt system that requires unlocking the door with a key from the inside.


8. Make sure that your house numbers are large enough and illuminated in some way for easy detection from the street by firemen or rescue workers. The simple act of following this tip alone can be the difference between needing minor repairs for smoke damage or having a home that is a total fire loss.


9. Never leave a room, or your home, when you have candles burning. When lighting candles, be sure that they are on a hard and steady surface where they are unlikely to tip. Do not light candles near draperies or bedding. Never allow young children access to matches, lighters, or candles.


10. Make sure that all family members know how to operate your monitored security system. If no one is home and a fire starts, the armed system will alert ADT operators who will contact your local 911 dispatch, potentially saving your home and its contents from the devastation of fire.

Help Protect everything and everyone that is important to you with ADT monitoring and get peace of mind. Join over 6 million Americans who choose ADT for their security monitoring needs. Call us today at 1-888-528-9197 and we will help you select the what you need in a monitored home security package.