Get a Lock on Home Security

There are several ways you can make your home safer and more secure for you and your family.

Locks, lighting and alarms are means of protecting your home from intruders. As a bonus, many security upgrades will make your home more convenient and comfortable.

Where do you begin when it comes to upgrading home security and safety?

Start by making a sketch of your home that notes the most vulnerable locations. Typically these are doors (including sliding patio and overhead garage doors), windows, poorly lit spots and patches of dense landscaping or heavily wooded areas.

All exterior doors should be from 1 3/8 inches to 1 3/4 inches, and of solid construction. They should also be hinged to swing in and fit securely in the opening. Doors that swing out are more vulnerable because the hinge pins are exposed to the exterior and can be removed. If you have doors that swing out, be sure they have non-removable hinge pins that contain a set screw that prevents the hinge pins from being removed when the door is closed.

In addition to the standard key lock, exterior doors should be equipped with a deadbolt. The two most common types of deadbolts are single-cylinder and double-cylinder ones. Some communities will not allow double-cylinder deadbolts due to fire egress codes. Check with your local building department for more information.

Sliding patio doors traditionally have been a favorite of prowlers because they are relatively easy to break into. Over time, the latch on a sliding patio door can get out of adjustment, making the door difficult to lock and allowing it to become loose in the opening. Both the latch and the catch usually can be adjusted, using a screwdriver. You can further beef up the security of a sliding patio door by adding a small barrel lock at top or bottom of the door. A broomstick in the sliding patio door track is yet another simple and inexpensive method of preventing entry.

New, better-quality patio doors have multipoint locking systems that throw bolts into the head jamb, threshold and/or multiple points along the latch side of the door.

Garage doors, due to their size and configuration, present an entirely different set of problems. If your garage door is a one-piece, tilt-up model, it usually is equipped with two spring-loaded latches, one at either side of the opening. When it's locked, most kids can pop open one of these doors in an instant. For maximum security, add a latch with a single throw bolt at least at one side (and preferably at both sides) of the garage door. The latch should be securely bolted to the exterior of the door. A hole must be drilled into the jamb into which the bolt will fit. A padlock will prevent unauthorized access.

Sectional roll-up garage doors tend not to be as flimsy as the one-piece, tilt-up models. Adding a latch with a single throw bolt and a padlock will help improve security.

As with sliding patio doors, most windows can be securely locked using the manufacturer-installed latch, provided that it is secure and in good operating condition. Even better is a nifty key lock that fits over the window track (on sliding- and single-hung windows) that will prevent the window from being opened.

Prowlers thrive on poorly lit areas. Install motion-activated lighting at porches, paths, patios, driveways and other dark or potentially vulnerable locations. Low-voltage path and landscape lighting can also deter prowlers. Timers used to control interior and exterior lighting can give your home a lived-in look while you are away.

Finally, pull out the pruning shears and tree saw. Use them to thin out shrubbery and tree branches to eliminate potential hiding places.

Copyright 2003 Chicago Tribune Company Chicago Tribune May 2, 2003 Friday, CHICAGO FINAL EDITION, BYLINE: By James and Morris Carey, Associated Press. For more home improvement tips, visit the Carey brothers' Web site at www.onthehouse.com or tune in to their radio program on WAIT-AM 850 Saturdays from 8 to 9 a.m.