Being Secure Is Part of Being User Friendly

“Home is where the heart is” is an old  saying---it’s been around for centuries. And, for most of us, it’s just as true today as it’s ever been. And, just as it’s always been, it is much to the point to do things around the house that make it a save place to live.

One way around these problems is an alarm system that calls 911 when the house is broken into or catches on fire, whether you’re home or not. That’s an after-we-move-in thing---these systems can be installed at any time.

But there are a number of things which are not electronic which we can and should do before we move in, whether it’s a new house or a pre-owned one. Let’s take a look at a few of these things.

One is to check each outside door and the way it’s locked. There may be a separate dead bolt or the latch may be lockable with a key. In either case take a look at the striker plate, the piece of metal that’s attached to the molding beside the door. It has an opening which the latch or dead bolt fits into when the door is locked. The plate is held in place with screws that are supposed to go into the door frame behind the molding. And this is critical. Those screws must be big enough and long enough that it takes a concerted  (virtually impossible) effort to dislodge the plate when the door is locked. Otherwise a simple push on the door pulls the screws out, dislodging the striker plate and letting the door swing open.

It is not suggested that it be tested so strenuously when you are looking at a house to buy, but do take a look at the plate with the door open. There should be no indication that the plate has become loose with use. If it has it should be repaired either before or after you move in. And be doubly careful of double doors where the latch is in one door and the striker plate in the other. Unless especial care is taken to be sure the locked doors are securely fastened at top and bottom, they are an inviting arrangement for thieves. A simple push and the entrance is open.

Another one. Take a look at the front door of far too many of today’s homes. Buyers are attracted to entrances that have eye appeal, ones that are designed and built to look beautiful. Glass is a usual part of the attraction. When there is glass in or around the front door, it is often easy to break the glass, reach through, unlock the door, and walk in. If there is an operating electronic survelliance system, that should take care of it. The other alternative is to avoid such an arrangement in the first place.

And don’t forget the windows. When you’re away from the house they should be locked. When the weather is hot this isn’t always that easy when they’re kept opened to let the breezes through. One approach is to have small pieces of wood which fit into the window frames and are put in place to prevent the window from opening further. Of course, they are removed when you want to really open the windows.

Like your house key, your garage door opener is something to be careful with. There have been reports about the openers being left where they could be stolen and then used to gain access to the house. For example, cars in long-term parking at an airport that are left unlocked let thieves get the opener and the address from papers in the glove compartment. It is then easy to go to the address, open the garage door and help themselves.  You just can’t be too careful.

When you’re in the garage of a house you’re looking at, check to see if there is a sidedoor with glass in it. It, too, is easy to break, reach through and open the door. If it is made of unbreakable glass, the problem is gone but, unfortunately, that is the kind of foresight you don’t often see.

Home security is one of the many aspects of the user-friendly home discussed in the book Better Houses, Better Living by Myron E. Ferguson which is available at http://www.BetterHousesBetterLiving.com, from the publisher (Home User Press, 1-800-530-5105), or from Amazon.com. The Existing House Checklist and the Building & Remodeling Checklist, either of which comes free when the book is ordered from the publisher, are described on the website. Ferguson can be reached at betterhouses@comcast.net.