Legal & General offers Brits ten top security and safety tips in support of National Home Security Week

Legal & General is encouraging Brits, in support of this year’s National Home Security Week, which runs from 23rd to 29th August 2008, to ensure they check their home security and safety. This would appear to be particularly important as a previous Legal & General online survey, ‘Safe as Houses', revealed that although we’re very good at putting home security features in place we’re not so good at checking that they are still working.

Research highlighted that although more than eight in ten, 84%, have smoke alarms in their homes and that almost one in three, 30%, have installed a security alarm, worryingly over 50% admitted that they have never checked their security alarm.

Elaine Parkes, Head of technical services, at Legal & General’s general insurance business commented: “Our research showed that while many Brits have installed security and safety devices to protect their homes, many are not as vigilant as they should be in carrying out regular checks that they actually work.

So, to help prompt people to carry out these important checks we have prepared the following security tips to hopefully encourage more people to make a conscious effort to ensure their homes are safe and secure.

Top ten home security and safety tips

• Check your burglar alarm works or consider installing one if you don’t have one already. These should be regularly checked in accordance with the installer’s or manufacturer’s recommendations, which normally suggest annually.
• At least every month check that smoke alarms are clear of any dust and that the batteries are working.
• Check locks fitted to all accessible windows are in working order, particularly those that may not have been opened for a while.
• Make sure your shed and any other outbuildings are secure. This may mean replacing any locks that have rusted and repairing or replacing any rotten or damaged window frames.
• Check trees and shrubs for storm and wind damage so they are not likely to fall on the house and cause any damage.
• Clean out your kitchen oven extractor hood to remove any oil build up to reduce the risk of fire.
• Clean tumble dryer filters and exhaust duct and the area under the dryer to reduce risk of fire and flood.
• Check the roof for any missing tiles or cracks in roofing felt and that the guttering and* drains are undamaged and clear of any debris.
• Check brickwork for any cracks.
• Check gutters for any debris collections or animal or wasp nests.
  

Legal & General has also prepared a special guide, Safeguarding Your Home which outlines in more detail how people may protect and safeguard their home and possessions. The guide is available to download at www.legalandgeneral.com/safeguard

More details on the National Home Security Week are available at http://www.homesecurityweek.co.uk

Source: FD Consumer Dynamics
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