When Stephanie and Eddie Adler built a custom home on the North Shore, they installed a sophisticated security system that not only protects all doors and windows, but also includes motion detectors, cameras, a back-up cellular phone, sirens inside and outside, and lights. It is also wired to accept future fiber optic and data transmission technology.
“We like to think people are paying closer attention to securing their homes,” says Mike Brening, executive director of the Burglary Prevention Council in Chicago.
Indeed, burglaries nationwide have declined rather than increased, particularly in urban areas. In 1997, the latest year for which statistics are available, burglaries dropped 3 percent from the prior year, according to the council.
Although the decline bodes well, the staggering numbers connected with burglaries point out that more still needs to be done. More than $3.3 billion is lost annually in residential burglaries, with the average loss at $1,300. That figure does not include all that’s damaged when an entry is forced, such as broken windows and doors. Furthermore, a burglary occurs every few seconds or before you can finish asking, “I think a heard a strange noise, dear. Would you mind running downstairs to check?”
There’s a lot homeowners can do to prevent break-ins, with many steps requiring minimal dollars and effort. Highly sophisticated alarms are more in the reach of the average homeowner because prices continue to drop due to technology and competition.
The average cost of installing an alarm fell to $1,200 from $1,500 five years ago, according to the National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association in Bethesda, Md. Sometimes owners pay nothing for installation, but then a monthly monitoring fee of $25 to $40.
At the same time, many businesses have recognized a golden opportunity to protect homes, property and lives with a slew of sophisticated and expensive products, systems and services. Among these are “safe” rooms–many with an outside exit–in which to hide from an intruder. What type of protection you seek should reflect a balance of weighing a company’s guarantees of protection against the cost and your ease of using it on a regular basis.
Two other caveats. If you buy a new home, you may not have to make many choices because today’s new homes so often come outfitted with an alarm, fire and light system. Some come with more than others. Bannockburn builder Orren Pickell’s $1 million-plus homes are sold with a $2,500 “basic” package.
Second, if you design a home from scratch like the Adlers did, avoid placing entrances in locations that are out of sight lines, advises Chicago architect Richard Becker, and don’t leave large elevations without a window. He also recommends paring the number of doorways so access is not too easy.
Here are more suggestions:
– Common sense. The premise holds true, experts say. If your house reflects a lived-in look, burglars are apt to go elsewhere. When home, remember to close and lock your front door if you’re working outdoors in the back or even in a garage. If you’re going away for even a day, have a neighbor take in mail, papers and milk or have deliveries temporarily stopped. Lights and noise can deter, so leave on a few lights and consider leaving on a TV or radio, particularly if you live in an apartment. As with lights, appliances can be put on timers to confuse would-be burglars.
While many dogs are friendly and not likely to scare off most strangers, their barking can deter intruders. Stickers placed on exterior doors that say the premises are protected by an alarm system also may be a deterrent, though if the house has few signs of life, stickers may prove worthless.
– Lights. Your goal should be to make your house look lived-in yet not so bright that it appears you’ve recycled all your Christmas lights, which also probably won’t please your neighbors.
Take a stroll around your house at night. Security expert and author Ira A. Lipman says a good guideline in selecting sufficient outdoor light for an area is the ability to read a wristwatch by that light. Specific places to locate lights are along a path to the front door, above the front door, at the corners of the sides of the home, at the rear of the house, and by other doors.
The specific types of lights you choose are a personal decision, says Lloyd Gersdorf of Active Electrical Supply in Chicago. “If the light will burn for a long time and you don’t mind a yellow color, a high-pressure light will last the longest and be the least expensive,” he says. “If color rendering is important and you want the color to appear natural, consider halogen.”
You can make your life more maintenance-free by not having to turn lights on and off. Install photocells that go on and off according to the amount of natural light, as well as some lights on timers, which you set to go on at random so burglars can’t detect a pattern, says Jim Dockstader, director of sales and marketing in the consumer division of Intermatic Inc., in Spring Grove, Ill., which sells timers, wireless alarms and low-voltage outdoor lighting.
There are also motion detectors that trigger electrical devices and illuminate lights when anybody passes through a field, Gersdorf says.
In addition to these traditional solutions, specialty products have become available. The Emergency Beacon, patented by the start-up company Life Technologies Inc. in Minneapolis, features a 60-watt bulb that casts a regular light when a homeowner flips a switch once. When the same switch is flipped twice, it becomes a flashing beacon that can be seen from several hundred yards and in bad weather. The bulb costs $19.95 and lasts up to 2,000 hours.
– Landscaping. Most homeowners plant trees and shrubs to add beauty to their property, and well they should. But in placing the larger materials, they should also consider whether the plants may serve as a hiding place or access point for an intruder. “A large tree can be a way to get into a second-floor window,” notes Joel Albizzo of the National Landscape Association in Washington, D.C. At the same time, certain plants with thorns can be used to discourage burglars from climbing through a window, he adds.
– Locks. Even before you buy locks for doors and windows, be certain that they are of a high quality–solid-core wood or steel–so they can’t be knocked in easily. Secure sliding glass doors by inserting screws into upper tracks of door assemblies to prevent the door, glass and frame from being removed, says Lipman in his book, “How To Protect Yourself From Crime.”
The best door locks are pick-proof deadbolts that require a key because they can’t be copied without an owner’s permission, says David Lowell, director of education and certification for the Associated Locksmiths of America in Dallas. Most of the best deadbolts cost under $100 and are sold by locksmiths.
Having one key for all the doors in your home is smart because it will save you time when you come home late at night and want to gain entry fast, Lowell says. Be sure if you also lock your door from inside that you keep the key nearby so you can get out. Lowell recommends window locks so it’s harder to pry open a window.
– Alarms. You have numerous choices for an alarm system, including installing your own wireless, battery-operated alarms or having an independent or large-scale professional firm install a hard-wired system. Sears HomeCentral, in partnership with ADT Security Services Inc., is test-marketing hard-wired alarms.
You probably will make your decision based on cost. The number of bells and whistles should give you peace of mind. “Calibrate your level of security for the crook you’re most nervous about thwarting, but try to avoid living in a jail,” says Keith Fisher, of Keyth Security Systems in Highland Park. Keyth Security charges $299 for arming two doors and installing a motion sensor, then adds each door or window at an additional $70, Fisher says. More sophisticated systems with cameras add $75 to $500.
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF HOME SECURITY
The following quiz, provided by Sears HomeCentral, is designed to draw your attention to security-related topics and provide information to help you make intelligent safety decisions:
1. If you are planning to hide precious articles such as jewelry in your home, what room is likely to be the first to be searched by a professional burglar?
a. Bedroom
b. Kitchen
c. Basement
d. Bathroom
2. What is the most common place for home fires to start?
a. Kitchen
b. Furnace room
c. Fuse box
d. Room with fireplace
3. You’re planning a vacation and you need to secure your home in your absence. To help discourage a home break-in when you are away, it is most important to:
a. Use an automatic timer to turn lights on and off.
b. Arrange for a neighbor to park their car outside your home and collect your mail.
c. Not discuss your travel plans in public areas.
d. Never leave your house keys hidden outside your home.
e. Turn the bell or ringer on your telephone down.
f. All of the above.
4. What is the leading cause of fire in garages?
a. Oily rags
b. Internal oil tank
c. Gas cans
d. Arson
5. You are awakened during the night by the sound of an intruder entering your home. What should you do?
a. Scream for help
b. Try to get out of the house
c. Pretend you’re asleep
d. Turn on a light
6. A woman comes to your door saying she has had an accident and needs to use your phone. What should you do?
a. Let her make the call but stay with her.
b. Tell her that you will make the call, but don’t ask her inside.
c. Ask her to go elsewhere for help.
7. As more parents work, older kids should know how to help protect themselves if they are home alone. When you are not home, your older child should:
a. Never tell an unknown caller they are home alone.
b. Never answer a telephone unless they know who is calling.
c. Use answering machines to screen calls.
d. All the above
8. What percentage of home and apartment burglaries happen because a door or window is unlocked?
a. 10-30 percent
b. 30-50 percent
c. 50 to 70 percent
9. Typical crime victims tend to be:
a. Single females, living alone
b. Elderly couples
c. Single, unemployed young males
d. Suburban young families
Answers: 1-a, 2-a, 3-f, 4-d, 5-c, 6-b, 7-d, 8-b, 9-c
