Ten ways to protect the home

Whether living in a house, apartment or condominium, home security is on everybody's mind. Mishaps in and around the house, ranging from fire and theft to accidents in general, can be all too common. Here are 10 ways to minimize the risks in the home:

1. Replace the batteries in smoke alarms on a regular basis. A good way to remember this is to change the batteries each time you set the clocks forward or backwards in the spring and in the fall.
2. Keep a fire extinguisher on each floor and in the kitchen -- where most household fires originate.
3. Rechargeable flashlights are a valuable purchase. They'll always be fully charged, and will flash automatically when the power goes out so you can find it with ease.
4. Anti-scald shower controls do away with one common hazard: a surge of hot water during a shower when another tap is turned on.
5. Install motion-activated lights indoors and out. Besides foiling burglars, they increase safety by providing instant light when and where it is needed.
6. Disconnect the automatic garage door opener when away for an extended period of time.
7. Keep a fire ladder on the upper floor of the home.
8. Investigate call-in cold and heat alarms. People who are away from home or own second houses can have their furnaces checked automatically throughout the winter.
9. Look into new wireless home security systems, which work off the homes' existing electricity or phone lines.
10. Panic buttons are potential life-savers, especially for the elderly and persons living alone. The push of a button will signal that assistance is needed, such as an ambulance or police.