Home Security Checklist

Home Security Checklist

Use this as a guide as you check your home for safety measures. Boxes marked “no” indicate areas where you could take action to improve your home’s security. These are just some of the steps you can take to decrease the likelihood that you or your home is targeted. Print this out and go around the house and check what needs to be done to secure your house.

Exterior Doors Yes or No

All doors are locked at night and every time we leave the house–even if
it’s just for a few minutes. □ Yes □ No

Doors are solid hardwood or metal clad □ Yes □ No

Doors feature wide-angle peepholes at heights everyone can use □ Yes □ No

If there are glass panels in or near our doors, they are reinforced in some
way so that they cannot be shattered. □ Yes □ No

All entryways have a working, keyed entry lock and sturdy deadbolt lock
installed into the frame of the door. □ Yes □ No

Spare keys are kept with a trusted neighbor, not under a doormat or planter,
on a ledge, or in a mailbox □ Yes □ No

Garage and Sliding Door Security Yes or No

The door leading from the attached garage to the house is solid wood or
metal-clad and protected with a quality keyed door lock and deadbolt. □ Yes □ No

The overhead garage door has a lock so that we do not rely solely on the
automatic door opener to provide security. □ Yes □ No

All garage doors are locked when leaving the house. □ Yes □ No

The sliding glass door has strong working key locks. □ Yes □ No

A dowel or a pin to secure a glass door has been installed to prevent the
door from being shoved aside or lifted off the track. □ Yes □ No

The sliding door is locked every night and each time we leave the house. □ Yes □ No

Protecting Windows Yes or No

Every window in the house has a working key lock or is securely pinned. □ Yes □ No

Windows are always locked even when they opened a few inches for
ventilation. □ Yes □ No

Outdoor Security Yes or No

Shrubs and bushes are trimmed so there is no place for someone to hide. □ Yes □ No

There are no dark areas around our house, garage, or yard at night that
someone can hide. □ Yes □ No

Floodlights are used appropriately to ensure effective illumination. □ Yes □ No

Outdoor lights are on in the evening – whether someone is at home or not,
or a Photocell or motion-sensitive lighting system has been installed. □ Yes □ No

Our house number is clearly displayed so police and other emergency vehicles
can find the house quickly. □ Yes □ No

Security When Away From Home Yes or No

At least two light timers have been set to turn the lights on and off in a logical
sequence when we are away for an extended time period. □ Yes □ No

The motion detector or other alarm system (if we have one) has been
activated when we leave home. □ Yes □ No

Mail and newspaper deliveries have been stopped or arrangements for a
neighbor/friend to pick them up have been made when we go away from
home for a period of time. □ Yes □ No

A neighbor has been asked to tend the yard and watch our home
when we are away. □ Yes □ No

Outdoor Valuables and Personal Property Yes or No

Gate latches, garage doors, and shed doors are locked with high-security,
laminated padlocks. □ Yes □ No

Gate latches, garage doors, and shed doors are locked after every use. □ Yes □ No

Grills, lawn mowers, and other valuables are stored in a locked garage or shed,
or if left out in the open, are hidden from view with a tarp and securely locked
to a stationary point. □ Yes □ No

Every bicycle is secured with a U-bar lock or quality padlock and chain. □ Yes □ No

Bikes are always locked, even if we leave them for just a minute. □ Yes □ No

Firearms are stored unloaded and locked in storage boxes and secured with
trigger guard locks □ Yes □ No

Valuable items, such as television, stereos, and computers have been inscribed with the identifying number approved by local police. □ Yes □ No

Our home inventory is up-to-date and includes pictures. A complete inventory is kept somewhere out of the house. □ Yes □ No