Indy Home Marketing Newsletter

July, 2011 Newsletter

Volume 5, Number 7

Click HERE to use your internet browser to read and view the web version of this newsletter.

			Home Security Tips While on Vacation It's natural to be concerned about the security of your home when you are on vacation. Al- though, according to law enforcement statistics, the over-all odds of being burglarized are about the same, whether you are in town or out of town. Nevertheless, here are 14 things you can do to make your home less tempting to a would-be burglar anytime you're away from home for an extended period of time. More

Save Energy & Help the Environment

If every American home replaced just one in-
candescent light bulb with a compact florescent
light (CFL), we'd save enough energy to light
2.5 million homes for a year and prevent
greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions
of nearly 800,000 cars. CFLs not only provide
high-quality and high-efficiency lighting, they
last about 4 to 10 times longer!


	RECIPE OF THE MONTH Grilled Gogonzola Burgers The next time you decide grill a few hamburgers, kick their taste up a notch with this quick and easy recipe....

INGREDIENTS:

•	2 lbs ground Angus beef	•	1/4 cup diced green pepper
•	1/4 cup diced yellow onion	•	Horseradish sauce
•	4 large hamburger buns	•	Thinly sliced swiss cheese
•	1/8 cup Gorgonzola cheese crumbles
•	1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
•	Dash kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
•	1 medium sized red tomato, sliced
•	Red lettuce for topping

DIRECTIONS:

Blend the ground beef, diced onion, diced pepper, Worcester-
shire sauce, and Gogonzola cheese together, add salt and pep-
per to taste, and then form four 1/2 pound burgers roughly 3/4
inches thick. Pre-heat your grill to sear the burgers on both
sides and cook to taste. Placed each burger on a lightly
grilled bun and top with swiss cheese, red lettuce, sliced
tomatoe, and horseradish sauce

Tips for Securing Your Home...
(continued)

1 - Put your mail and newspaper on hold.
Newspapers collecting on your driveway and mail piling up in your
mailbox is a dead giveaway no one is at home. Inform the Post
Office to hold your mail over the period of time you plan to be on
vacation. Also, have your newspaper provider stop delivery until
further notice. Note - It's best not to mention you'll be on vacation
or give specific times to anyone except police, security, or Post
Office personnel.

2 - Put your lights on a timer
Timers come in a wide variety and are available at most hardware
and home improvement stores. Most simply plug between your
lamp cord and electrical outlet. Consider having two or three rooms
equipped so the lights go on and off at various times. Also, leave
the light on over the stove, because when people are at home,
kitchens tend to be lighted most of the time.

3 - Leave a stereo or TV turned on
A deserted house "feels" empty because it's quiet. People make
noise and vibrations. Turn your stereo or TV on to a talk station
(instead of a music station) to create the impression someone
is home.

4 - Set your answering machine
Even when you're in town, your phone message should never say
"we're not at home." Instead, try "we can't get to the phone right
now." Also, set your machine to answer in 5 rings -- answering
too soon, or not at all, can be a clue that no one is at home.

5 - Adjust your drapes (or other window coverings)
There's some debate about leaving drapes open or closed. Some
maintain closed drapes indicates you're not at home. Others main-
tain open drapes invite look-ins by potential burglars. Still others
recommend a combination, leaving some drapes open and others
closed. Whatever your decision, make sure rooms with expensive
items (such as TV's and computers) are not visible from outside
your home.

6 - Park a car in the drive way
This is another debated tactic. Some highly recommend it to give
the appearance someone is home. Others maintain a car that
doesn't move is a tip off. Another idea is asking your neighbor
to park over-night in your driveway. However, if you live in a
neighborhood where cars are not normally parked in the driveway,
skip this tip.

7 - Padlock the gates
Make your backyard inaccessible. Padlocking your gates when you
are at home can be inconvenient, but the advantage of doing it
while you are on vacation is great. It not only makes getting into
the backyard more difficult, it seriously hinders anyone trying to
carry out items like stereos and computers. Difficulty can be be
a strong deterrent.

8 - Hire a reliable teenager as a caretaker
This isn't necessarily a vacation/home security tip, but it works as
one. Find a young, reliable neighborhood teenager and pay him or
her a monthly fee to do certain chores for you. This is a great way
to get your lawn mowed, your trash taken out, sidewalks shoveled
and leaves raked. All of which will disguise the fact that you are
not home. Younger, 10 -14 year olds tend to take these respon-
sibilities very seriously and also serve as someone to watch your
house for you even when you are in town.

9 - Let a neighbor know how to contact you
In case of problems, leave a telephone number where you can be
contacted. Some experts recommend leaving a key as well, if you
are uncomfortable with that, leave a key with a close friend or
family member and give your neighbor that person's number.

10 - Make sure all doors and windows are locked
Make a circuit of your home before you leave to check that all
windows and doors are secure and locked. As obvious as this
may sound, quite often in the rush to get out the door this
can be overlooked.

11 - Make sure your alarm system is armed
This is another tip that should be obvious, but it's also often for-
gotten in the rush to leave for vacation. In fact, a check-list of
things to do before you walk out the door can be extremely
helpful.

12 - Notify your security service provider
If you're planning a trip of a week or more and live in an area
patrolled by a private security provider, make sure they are in-
formed about your absence and the length of time you plan to
be away from your home.

13 - Invest in a floor safe
If you travel frequently, you might want to consider installing a
floor safe for your jewelry and other valuables. It's also an ideal
spot to store a list (or video tape) of your possessions in case of
theft or fire.

14 - Hire a house sitter
Although Hollywood would give you the impression that any teen-
ager without adult supervision will throw a party and destroy your
home, that is just not true. Most teens will jump at the chance to
earn "easy" money by simply staying at your home overnight.
Next to making your home difficult to break in, your best
burglary defense is hiring a house-sitter.

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