66 - Friday, August 13, 1999 - North Shore News - Secur FOR many of us, buying a home is one of the largest siagle purchases we will make in our lives. Iris also one of the most imper taat for net only does a home pro vide us with a roof over our head, it alse serves as a safe haven torus, our Sunilies and our Weasured posses sions, Thats why its very imper tant te Ft top priory to Se CUTity issues wher you are buying a new home. “Home security isa quesuon of balance. birst of all, install an alarm systom ies the best deterrent against a br in, In addition, there are other steps vou can, and should, take to make vour new rom. intruders.” says rn, director of markeu and public relations for Al Security Services Canada, Ine. As a new homeowner, vou cain take SAME COMMON sense precau- tions against being burglarized. First, always change the lacks when vou move in, Make sure tinat the esterior of your home is well fit, pr bh with motion detection lights that attract: pore attention and do not use energy when ne one is there. Frim nearby bushes and trees so that a burglar won't have a convenient plaice to hide and make sure that your house number is clearly visible, making it casy for an emergency response crew to tind. Women or the elderly are espe- cially ally vulnerable to becoming a break-in victim. id keeping large sums of cash og, bles ar home and be on your guard when walking home late at night. Whether you are purchasing an existing home or building a new one, make sure that all) exterior doors are maiie of metal or of solid core wood, preferably [¥-inch hard- wood with a peep-hole and a metal a atane i hing on the insade te prevent drilling, sawing or kicking through Phere shoukd not be mare ch feaniites bermcen a doc mend hinges should always pled on the inside, so that the pin cannot be removed Poors leading ro the outside, including screen and: storm doors. garage doors, colar doors and pate doors, should be equipped) with deadbolt togks with aiminununt 1+ mech bolt, Packs should be placed at least 40 inches away fron windows, ghass panels and: other potential openings suchas mul ots. whieh soll make it ditticul: tora burghar te reach aand unlock the door Better stl, install double cvtinder, dead bolt locks that aced to be opened with a hey trom the inside as welias the outside, Sliding ahass doors are especially inviding to burglars. Tf one side of the duor ean atove, placing a dowel or broum bandle in the track will make ivery difficult to open. ‘Phe simplest way te secure a doorway Phole that iras been dried through the doors’ overlapping frames. Windows are abo pop nury points for intruders. The! > some very decoranve: bars aew avalible on the market, which should be installed on all windows, particuhar ly those at ground level. Hea window serves as a potential fire escape route, secure it with bars that can be unfocked and opened; but make surc to place keys beyond arm's length of an intruder who breaks the windew and reaches inside. Make sure that veur new home is well protected against tire. Install a smoke and/or heat detector on cach level of your home and outside cach bedroom. Wo yvou are building 4 new home, h your contractor install the wiring for this equip- fas ity will turn a home NEWS photo Tarry Pelors MAKE sure your new home is safe and secure by changing the locks, installing an alarm system and providing good lighting, inside and out. A timer like the one above can help. ment. HY vou are alsa installing a memitored alarm system, it can be hooked ap to a apeciatly designed, monitored smoke and or heat detce- tor, Should there be a fire, a mes sage Will be instantly rel alarm company, which w ately notify the fire department, sav- ing you valuable time and possibly your life. However, be warned: smoke is $200000 less at Citadel Pointe Sophisticated, estate-sized, on a cormmanding point in Port Coquitlarn stands the largest. most elegant townhome that for size and fully loaded features would cost hundreds of thou- sands more on the North Shore. From Liberty Homes, three levels, huge kitchen, formal din- ing, breakfast nook, three bedrooms, den, home office, patio, balceny, cathedral windows, vaulted ceilings, double garage, securily system, so much more, from 2,579 to 3,160 sq.ft. from $249,900 Drive out this weekend to Port Coquitlam's nicest surprise. Open Every Day: Noon-5pm 688 Citadel Drive, follow the signs just off the Mary Hill by-pass, Port Coquitlam 464-7400 (24hrs) ws must be cheeked and their ed at least once every ths. Tt is also advisable te replace detectors every 100 years, When replacing detector that are wired inte your house, get a unit with a battery back-up, se that the unit will continue to function even if there is a power failure. Ic is also important te install car- bon monoxide (CO) detectors near bedrooms and any fiel-burning household heating equipment (fire- places, furnaces, water heaters, wood stoves and space or portable heaters). A CO detector can also be monitored by your alarm: company. Once a year, before the cold weal Muate all hey connectors for proper installa Won, cracks, blockages or leaks. People believe in Liberty, because, for aimost 50 years, the people of Liberty Homes have dedicatca themselves to the urchitec- ture and construchion of the finest quaitty homes. The mission shared by the principals and employ- ees of Liberty Homes is to create superbly crafted residences whicit bring pride, comfort, and peace of mind to homeowners. In achieving this ideal, Libert: fy adds value to every home built. It's why. for grow- ing numbers of British Columbians, the three most important home-buy- ing decisions are... Location, Lifestyle and Liberty.