You can keep your house safe and discourage burglars from approaching your home in the first place if you trim shrubs away from windows and doors, and install motion-activated lights near all points of entry – especially those not visible to neighbors and passers-by.

Digital door locks, like those on high-end autos, are now an option for homes. The advantage is you don’t need a key – just punch the code.

The best burglar-resistant doors are solid wood or metal rather than hollow-core. It’s safer to use a peephole (rather than a sliding-chain lock) to see who’s outside. One option to consider is installing an exterior video camera with an interior receiver.

An alarm system, too, may be worthwhile if you own expensive antiques, silver, jewelry or electronic equipment. The best alarm systems, rather than sounding an alarm that only the neighbors hear, are hooked up to a central security control. These have a staff who will respond around the clock.

Sophisticated systems detect whether the alarm is from a fire or a burglary, and even what part of the house was affected. If you’re a security-conscious homeowner and want to keep your house safe, you’ll want to follow these guidelines:

Door frames and doors should be strong enough to prevent forcing; hinges should be on the inside, not outside.

No windows in doors, or at least none within 40 inches of the locks (so the glass can’t be broken and the lock turned).

All entrances are lighted, and the front entrance can be seen from the street.

Sliding-glass doors are secured so they cannot be lifted out of their tracks.

All doors and windows have adequate locks, and no doors or windows are inviting to burglars.

Ladders are not kept outside the house where they might be accessible.

The electric garage door can be deactivated when you are on vacation.

The development of more sophisticated equipment is allowing the industry to offer consumers a wider range of fire and burglary protection at more affordable prices. The new technology is also allowing consumers to have better control over their home security systems, which cuts down on costly false alarms.

In fact, experts often use the word “smart” when describing the new technology because it is beginning to become integrated with other functioning parts of the house. Basically, a burglar/fire alarm system that is installed by a dealer will likely come complete with some sort of audible alarm, motion sensor, detectors on doors and windows, and a control unit and keypad. The alarm is activated, or deactivated, by the consumer punching in a special code on the keypad.

However, new home security technology makes it possible for homeowners to activate their systems from outside the house via the phone line or the Internet. Wherever you are in the world, the system talks to you. You can turn off your alarm, even if you are in Brazil.

Consumers can also turn up their heat or coordinate the lighting in their house – all from a phone or the Internet.  Special sensors can even detect water leaks and furnace failures. If you are on a business trip or vacation, you can call the house and check the system to see how it is going.

Connecting – or interfacing – the alarm system with the energy systems, as well as with other electronic systems in the house, is the latest trend in the industry. Some consumers also are opting to incorporate their security system into their home entertainment system with the use of closed-circuit cameras. This way the homeowner can identify the caller at the door without even looking through a peephole.

Another technology allows consumers to talk into their central control unit, via a voice prompter, and give directions to the alarm system. Some systems have the ability to “speak,” announcing, for example, that an intruder has entered the house.

Technological advances have also resulted in the creation of better and more sophisticated equipment, another benefit to the consumer. Homeowners can choose between a burglar/fire alarm system that is wired (which uses concealed or exposed wiring to connect the system’s components), or wireless (which connects the components by radio frequencies). In most cases, the signals are transmitted to a central monitoring station, where dispatchers monitor the signals and contact the appropriate emergency agency.

The wireless technology allows homeowners to deploy instant security in homes because the amount of work involved in installation is considerably less than that of a wired system. The technology for the wireless system is exceptional these days. The new technology has caused the equipment to be much simpler to use if an alarm is triggered in any of the security “zones” set up in a house. The monitoring dispatchers will know exactly where the problem is located.

The experts also say a lot of the new technology is going to help reduce the number of false alarms called in to police and fire departments. Police estimate that about 98 percent of all activated alarms are considered false.

In an effort to cut down on false alarms, some of the detectors used in home security systems are being improved.  For example, “dual technology” is being utilized in glass breakage detectors. Glass break detectors are small units that recognize breaking glass and activate the alarm when a door or window glass is broken. The new technology combines a shock sensor (for vibration) and an acoustical device (which detects only the high-pitched sound emitted from breaking glass).

While much of this type of new technology may still be cost-prohibitive for many consumers, efficient home security systems are getting cheaper every day.

1. Don’t Leave it Lying Around. If you have gas grill, a barbecue, propane tank, or any other form of explosive you shouldn’t leave it lying around. Be careful with lighters and matches, too. Although you may not have children, other people do, and children may not know it’s wrong to play with the things in other people’s backyards. It is very risky for your home security to have flammables lying around, and a very likely way to start a blaze.

2. Escape Plan. Think of making an escape plan and practice it. You may have thought it will be hard to break into until you forget your keys and only need 10 minutes. It seems really easy to get out of the house, but try and imagine that certain doors and windows are blocked, and deal with issues in escaping from upper story windows like storing ladders in upper-story rooms.

3. In Hot Water. It is nice to have blazing hot water available in winter at any times, except for the fact that hot water systems can be unpredictable. If you have incredibly hot water in your house, be sure to call a professional person to deal with the situation. Simply, you cannot know when a blast of hot water could potentially cause you harsh burns, especially when you are in the bathroom or kitchen where a slip and fall could lead to a grave head or body injury.

4. Be Careful when Cooking. Whenever you have a chance, cook on the back burners. Many people think they should be cautious when small children are around. Well, there is always a risk with children that they will snatch onto or hit into a hot pan handle and pull it down on top of oneself. Adults, on the other hand, should be careful with hot oil or hot water pans which may spit or spill onto unprotected skin. Therefore, it is recommended always to keep at the distance while you are in the kitchen.

5. Be Forewarned. It is always a good idea to provide a home alarm system, or fire alarm system in your house. You can avoid any possibility of catching a fire by surprise, but you have to charge the batteries and/or change them at least once a month. It is not unusual that many people, especially at night, are not even awakened by a fire, as the deadly smoke can be just as dangerous when breathed in. However, with an alarm system installed there is no need to worry at all. You can relax and sleep well at night.