Act Now to Protect Your Family. Start with Our Home Security Tips.

Which precautions should you take?

The best way to take advantage of ADT security alarm monitoring is to ensure that it's the last line of defense and not your sole means of protection.

Focus on prevention so you can reduce the likelihood that a burglar could successfully enter your home. Also, take steps to reduce the likelihood that a burglar will choose your home in the first place.

1. Secure all doors, including your garage and patio doors. Exterior doors should be solid, and should have deadbolt locks. Solid doors with deadbolts are much more difficult to kick in than hollow doors with only standard locks.

2. Never make it known that you aren't home. Don't leave notes on the door, and have a neighbor or relative collect your newspaper and mail so they don't accumulate in your mailbox when you're on vacation. If you have ADT Pulse with a lamp module, remotely turn one of your lights on and off at random intervals to make it appear as if you're home.

3. Keep your lawn properly maintained. A poorly kept lawn can reveal the owner's absence or negligence, indicating to a burglar that the home may be an easy target. Poorly maintained shrubbery that extends above your home's window sills also gives burglars places to hide while committing their acts.

4. Don't advertise your valuables. Keep your blinds shut, especially in rooms that have expensive electronic equipment. It's also a good idea to keep your garage door closed whenever possible to prevent revealing any valuable items you may have stored.

How to handle a break-in

1. Have a plan. Every member of your household should know where to go and what to do if someone breaks in your home. Your home security monitoring professional will get you the help you need when your security alarm goes off, but you should know what to do in the short window between a forced entry and the arrival of the police.

2. If possible, evacuate the home through an alternate entrance. Keep in mind that burglars often work in pairs and may position themselves at different entrances. Only attempt to leave the home if you can avoid a direct confrontation with the perpetrator.

3. Have a safe room in your home. It can be as simple as a closet with a sturdy door and a deadbolt lock on the inside. Get your family in the safe room and wait until help arrives. With ADT's rapid emergency response, the police should be on the scene within minutes.

4. Avoid initiating any sort of confrontation with the intruder. An intruder who is surprised or threatened is much more likely to resort to violence. Your security provider is responsible for getting you help from trained emergency professionals, so only use force as a means of defense.

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