During the next year one in four homes in the United States will be burglarized. Despite the threat of burglary, nine out of ten residences are not protected by home security systems.

Now that low-cost home security products are available, many homeowners are customizing and installing burglary prevention systems for their own specific needs. For less than $100, for example, a motion sensor can be installed to protect the perimeter of a home. The motion sensor detects the presence of heat in motion. When someone crosses its overlapping detection fields, the motion sensor instantly switches on an outdoor light to create the impression that someone is home, even when they aren’t.

Another interesting home security device also uses a motion sensor, but for a completely different purpose. When someone crosses the motion detection field, a signal is sent to an indoor alarm that begins barking to scare away potential intruders. The “barking dog security alarm system” retails for less than $60.

Be aware of who you’re buying a burglar alarm from

Police agencies are planning to lobby the government to set up some legislative guidelines regarding the companies who sell the equipment, but in the meantime, it remains a buyer beware market.

Find out if they’re reputable. A lot of them look in the papers to see what homes have been broken into, then they contact the owners to see if they want to buy a home security system.

Someone who has just experienced a break-in is probably more vulnerable to this type of sale. And those who do purchase security devices for their home must be prepared to take on some additional responsibilities. For example, if they go away for the weekend who, apart from the police, is going to attend to the alarm?

Police have frequently dealt with complaints from neighbors who have had to listen to an audible alarm ring for extended periods of time. Have a neighbor or a relative who is willing to attend the alarm along with the police, so there is someone with a key for police to enter the residence to investigate and someone who can disengage the alarm.

If the burglar alarm is monitored, the company which it’s hooked up to usually requires that at least two alternate key holders are listed to respond if the homeowner isn’t available. Residential alarms tend to cost police departments a lot of time and money, since many are false alarms. If you trip your own alarm system, don’t wait until police arrive. Contact the monitoring company or the police to let them know it’s a false alarm.

If you don’t have an alarm system, don’t be a hero. Contact 911 and stay on the line until the police advise you to hang up. Don’t try to catch a burglar on your own.

One of the least expensive ways to provide a more secure home is to purchase and install proper dead bolts on doors and locks on windows.

But a growing rate of burglaries, which now account for nearly 35 percent of all the crimes recorded in the United States, along with fires, has changed the minds of owners of homes both lavish and modest, career-minded families who spend long hours away from home and even senior citizens who worry about being unprotected.

Home security has come a long way in recent years, both in options and prices. Microchip technology has made the newest home security systems even more reliable than that most lovable and popular of home alarms – the big, barking canine and accompanying “Beware of Dog” sign.

Most home security systems are built upon combinations of two-key devices: perimeter and interior alarm systems. The burglar who triggers an alarm by breaking a window or opening a door becomes a victim of a home’s perimeter security system, made up of small sensors attached by wire to a central control panel. When he disturbs one of these sensors on a door or window, a signal is sent to a central control panel, which in turn signals action.

The prowler who makes it inside a house can signal an alarm with movement, sound or merely his presence. These interior systems, which include infrared, microwave and ultrasound space protection units, also alert a central control panel once they detect change in their realm. Once signaled with either type of system, the control console can transmit a signal to sound an alarm or alert authorities at a professional monitoring station who will check out the situation.

There also are automatic telephone dialing devices that will dial a preprogrammed telephone number and deliver a prerecorded emergency message when an alarm is tripped.

A home security system combining both perimeter and interior devices could include sensors for front and back doors and bedroom windows, an interior unit strategically placed around an area that needs extra protection and central control panel and alarm.

“Smart home” systems take home security into the future with alarms that interact with one another and actually “decide” what to do when an intruder is detected. One system, for instance, will identify an entry from a door or window by location when no one should be home and automatically call police. Another lets the home owner decide who can enter his house in his absence and dictates when a guest can come in and where they can go.

Smoke detectors and alarms could be considered another type of security system – since they warn home owners of potential fire, which have, the potential of being even more devastating than a burglary. Smoke detectors rely on sensors similar to those used in security systems; many can be incorporated into these systems for all inclusive protection.

The most sophisticated systems boast improved features such as extra-loud horns that can alert hearing-impaired individuals and the heaviest sleepers and high-intensity safety lights that can mark exits and hallways in heavy smoke.

There are also false alarm control models that prevent harmless steam or kitchen stove smoke from setting off the alarm. The most security-savvy home owner, who would hire his own guard if he could afford it, may also choose to reinforce home security with TV cameras that offer him a bird’s-eye view of areas around his house via a surveillance screen.

A less costly alternative would be an intercom system – that allows him to speak to questionable parties at the front and back doors before letting them in.

Other high-tech precautionary home security devices devices center around the control of a home’s lights – one of the simplest and most effective deterrents around. One illuminating idea is found in security timers – designed to fool potential prowlers into thinking someone is home when a house actually is empty. These timers automatically turn indoor and outdoor lights on and off at designated times of the day.

Another version is an outdoor lighting system that’s equipped with infrared sensors. The lights automatically turn on when someone approaches a house, and hopefully send potential prowlers scurrying.

Basic home improvements aren’t quite as glamorous as high-tech additions, but are invaluable in terms of protection. Home owners can improve their fortresses by making simple, inexpensive changes. A few ideas include:

• Replacing flimsy, hollow doors with solid-core construction models on exterior exists.

• Securing doors leading outside with single or double cylinder dead-bolt locks.

• Installing peep holes that offer a wide-angle view of the area outside the door.

• Adding thumb-keyed slide bolt locks on windows.

• Planting “security shrubbery.” Thorny plants that will make hiding or entering a window more difficult.

Home owners can hide valuables such as jewelry, coins and documents in a home safe for extra protection. Even the best-armed homes should be backed up with adequate home owners insurance. The best policies command an adequate combination of liability – which protects the home owner if an accident occurs on his property, or he causes damage to someone else’s house – and property – which covers the house itself.

Until recently, the high costs of equipment and installation have prevented most people from enjoying the benefits of a well-protected home or apartment. But things have changed. New state-of-the-art electronic systems are now available that provide the protection of expensive, professional systems and can be installed easily by almost anyone. The savings in labor alone reduces the cost by at least half – with no compromise in home or personal protection.

In addition to watching over your house (or apartment) for fire, burglars, medical emergencies or other threats, some home security systems have a voice which guides you in setting up and operating the entire system, step by step. It also identifies the specific detector which triggered an alarm, and voices many other commands, requests and messages.

While the system’s voice is its most remarkable feature, it’s electronic brain is its most important part. The computerized central console, about the size of a telephone answering machine, has a built-in telephone dialer that, in the event of an alarm, will call up to eight local or long distance numbers and relay an emergency message in your own voice. It also automatically dials different numbers in response to different emergencies, and delivers an appropriate message for each situation. When there’s a fire, it can call the fire department first. During a burglary, the police can be called first. Your office, a neighbor or a relative also could be called, all automatically.

Using a centrally-controlled electronic fire and security system which will call out automatically for assistance often qualifies a homeowner or renter for an annual discount on home insurance policy costs. The insurance company also may consider the type and number of sensors used, whether the alarm system operates during power failures, and other factors.

New home security systems system employ door and window switches, motion detectors, smoke and heat detectors, and other electronic home monitoring devices. They automatically switch to back-up power when the electricity fails, and also use their electronic voice to say when its back-up batteries need replacement.

Secure your doors. Burglars are used to forced entry. They will kick your doors to get in. You can’t give them the chance to enter your house or at least give them some hard time in invading your doorsteps! Use one-inch-long quality deadbolt lock and metal box strike in your metal doors. Using a high quality, durable, knob-in-lock with a built in dead-latch mechanism. You can install a 160 degrees peephole. But if you’re using sliding-glass patio doors secured by latches which make them more vulnerable to forced entry, you can insert a wooden rod or stick to put off or limit movement. You must also keep the latch mechanism as well as the sliding rollers in good state and they must be properly adjusted. Alarm systems and dogs are also advisable for sliding glass doors to keep burglars away.

Avoid accessible windows. These windows that can be easily accessed through a stairway, tree, or fence, should be secured with secondary blocking devices. You must also ensure that no one will reach the window to remove the installed blocking device. To hinder the window from being lifted up, you may want to use anti-lift devices. If you’ve got window air conditioners, you can secure them by using sturdy screws through wood or metal framing to prevent burglars from pushing them in.

Wise landscape gardening also aids in preventing burglars from entering your residence. Trim tall plants that can cover burglars and tree branches that can act as easy access route to windows and roof. Interior and exterior lighting are both essential for home security. Install lights near doors, windows, blind spots and pathways. You can also use interior light timers to show signs of occupancy. Exterior lights must allow 100-feet visibility.

Alarm systems have been proven effective in promoting home security. They are an effective method to discourage burglars because they increase the fear of getting caught red handed and arrested. In order for an alarm system to be effective, it must be properly installed and maintained. They must have a built in audible horn or bell. Your alarm response call list should always be up to date. You must also befriend your neighbors so you’ll be able to teach them how to respond when the alarm bells. Repeat that. You must befriend your neighbors. Invite them in your home. Do things you mutually like. Keep the communications open to establish trust. You will never know how they may help you when burglars get in. Hope these helps in keeping you at peace when you’re out of the house or you’re sleeping soundly at night.

The first thing to do when deciding on a home security system is to find areas of your home that are particularly vulnerable. Is your property well-lighted? Do you have adequate locks on your doors and windows? Are there areas on your property (such as around high shrubs or in your garage) where a burglar could hide while he decides on a plan of action?

Obviously, Look at Locks

To address problem areas, start with the obvious. If you don’t have good locks on all of your doors and windows, install them. Remember, standard window locks aren’t much of a deterrent to any burglar with a crowbar; the screws are so short they’ll offer only negligible resistance when a burglar pries open the window. Instead, use a vertical jamb of strong wood or metal that makes prying impossible. Install a secondary deadbolt lock in your doors. Better deadbolts have a steel bar inside that will fool anyone trying to saw through it.

Sliding glass doors can be secured with a horizontal jamb between the door and the door frame, or by installing a metal pin that locks the two doors together. You might think a sliding glass door is an easy entry for an intruder, but most won’t risk the noise of breaking so much glass.

Lots of Light Helps

The next area to consider is the lighting in and around your home. A simple indoor lighting strategy is to use inexpensive programmers that turn lights on at preset times. Look for new, sophisticated models that offer such features as “time tracking,” a system that automatically changes with the hour of dusk over the year.

Alarming Ideas

A do-it-yourself option for inside the house is a wireless security system that uses battery-powered remote sensors to detect movement and send a radio signal back to a main control unit.

The ultimate in home security systems is a professionally installed alarm system. Wireless versions are available, but most are wired systems that can arm as many windows, doors and interior zones as you need. These systems can also provide monitoring for such things as medical emergencies, water and power problems and more.

In the real world, protecting your home and valuables comes down to a compromise between what makes you feel secure and what level of inconvenience you’re willing to tolerate. Homeowners in the inner city, for example, tend to hide behind iron bars, while those in more affluent communities generally count on alarm systems.

A dark-color house that has big overhangs and a recessed front door with no exterior lights but lots of trees and heavy shrubbery is an invitation to trouble. Setting up multiple roadblocks that steer intruders away from your house is a homeowner’s best protection. The more obstacles, the better chance of keeping the crooks out or at least slowing them down.

Even so, there’s no such thing as a foolproof home security system. Burglars can pry open a window in a matter of seconds, cut through iron bars in minutes, climb in and out of a house long before the cops show up and trick a guard dog into forgetting what it’s trained to do.

Home security should be a total package that considers everything from the structure itself to lighting, overhangs and landscaping. Motion detectors are a good idea, too.

The bright light not only discourages break-ins, but also alerts homeowners to potential problems. Security devices need not be expensive, either. Recommendations include dowels as well as nails, shims, screws or slide blocks to keep windows and sliding-glass doors from opening all the way.

There’s little homeowners can do to make louvered windows more secure. If you can’t afford to replace them, you can glue the panes into the window frame. All windows need to be at least 6 feet from door locks. If a window is too close, homeowners might be able to switch the lock to the opposite side of the door.

Exterior doors themselves should be solid-core, with hinges on the inside. Avoid glass-pane doors that make it easy for intruders to reach inside for the lock.

Also be wary of door styles with -inch wooden panels that burglars can easily kick in. Home security experts recommend deadbolts with a 2-inch throw on front doors. Double-key entries, which require a key on the inside as well as the outside, also are a good idea. But a double entry defeats the purpose if you leave the key in the door.

If you’re moving into an older house that already has iron bars on the windows, make sure they have a quick-release mechanism. Otherwise you could get stuck on the wrong side of a fire or other emergency. If you can’t get out, you’ve bought your own prison.

Monitored alarm systems are another good alternative. Prominently placed security company signs and stickers also act as deterrents. But be advised that troublemakers are wise to the generic alarm signs that some homeowners use in place of real systems. Sirens are better off inside than outside the house, because they tend to disorient intruders.

Homeowners should have have a backup to the basic alarm system. Consider a motion detector, heat sensor, magnetic contacts and glass-break detectors.

Landscaping is another important home security consideration. Shrubs should work with you, not against you to help keep you and your property safe. A wide-open, front-door entry, for instance, is far safer than one hidden behind trees. You don’t have to have a naked-looking house to be safe, but you don’t need to plant a jungle, either.

So-called security plants, including bougainvillea and natal plum, are a good choice. Nobody likes to hide out in bushes filled with thorns and stickers. Tall, substantial trees should not be close enough to the house to provide easy access to the second floor. And a 6-foot fence around the back yard isn’t going to do much good if you leave a 10-foot ladder, a sturdy trellis or a stack of pallets sitting in front of it.

No matter what type of security you choose, make sure it encompasses the entire house. Too often, homeowners concentrate on the front of their house, neglecting the rest. It’s all too common, for instance, to find an iron gate on a front door and unprotected louvered windows on the back.

Police officers suggest these additional security precautions for keeping out home intruders: Change all door locks when you move into a new house. Paint your address prominently on the front of the house and consider putting the numbers on the side facing the alley and on the roof. This will make it easier for police or other emergency help to find your place quickly.

Make sure all security devices are installed properly. Install a peephole in your front door, and use it. If you don’t know the person at the door, don’t open it. Make sure your window air conditioners are firmly secured. Often, all a thief has to do is push one through the opening. Examine greenhouse windows; some have bottom panes that easily lift out, providing easy access to the house.

A barking dog might scare off some burglars or at least alert a homeowner to potential trouble. But realize that an intruder can easily sidetrack the animal by tempting it with a treat and, perhaps, lacing it with a knockout drug. Keep your property clean and tidy.

An unkempt appearance says that you don’t care about your home and probably haven’t taken strong steps to protect it. An unprotected back yard is an open invitation to trouble. If you have a gate that can be locked, take the time to lock it. An open padlock is not going to fool anyone.

Inspect your mail slot to make sure someone can’t stick a hand through it and reach the door lock. Remember that most burglars expect you to hide an extra key within 10 feet of your front door and to use alarm codes keyed to your birthday, middle or maiden name. Be original.

You can protect your home by taking precautions. Technological advances make the newest alarm systems more reliable and efficient than those on the market just a few years ago. The motion detectors are much more stable, control panels have a lot more options. Today we’ve got a little mini-computer looking at what’s going on in front of it, and all central processing units have microprocessors.

When shopping for home security, where does a homeowner begin? A good starting point is to take a pad and pencil and walk around the home, noting all possible entrances and which ones can easily be opened from the outside. The next steps might include a trip to the hardware store, a visit with neighbors and, eventually, a home visit with a security professional.

Start with the doors. Each should have a deadbolt lock of at least 2 or 3 inches long. Check the door jambs to be sure they fit correctly. Make sure the door hinges are on the inside of the house, not the outside. Doors should have a solid core, not a hollow one. And don’t neglect back or side doors – they are a more common target than front doors. All windows should have locks as well.

Homeowners should get to know their immediate neighbors and keep in regular contact with them, so neighbors will be able to spot suspicious activity. One of the best ways to get to know your neighbors is to form a Neighborhood Watch group. Neighborhood Watch is people watching out for other people.

If a burglar does get in a window, he cannot open the door to carry things out. Even if a budget allows for only two sensors, an emergency dialer is a plus. Push an emergency button to automatically call the police. If the smoke alarm goes off while you are away, the fire department is called.

If just one door needs protection, install a simple self-contained door sensor and alarm. For just one room, install a battery-operated motion sensor with alarm. It offers several levels of security.

There have been many recent improvements in the features of complete home  security systems. A complete system includes window/door and interior motion sensors, a control panel and hand-held and wallmounted remote controls.

If you have pets, select one with pet alley motion sensors. Sophisticated security multi-sensor systems can also control the heating and cooling system. When combined with temperature zoning throughout the entire house, the utility bill savings are great.

Instead of having to put sensors on each door or window, some systems use pressure sensors. When a door or window is opened, the unique pressure wave pattern sets off the alarm.

These are easy to install. The easiest-to-install security system in an existing home is a wireless remote design. You can install a complete system (window, door, motion sensors and automatic dialer) in a couple of hours. If you ever move, you can remove the sensors and take them to your new home.

Well lets start with the basement windows. It’s the No. 1 way crooks enter homes. Often they’re only held together with very light nylon clips which can easily be broken, especially in the winter time when they become brittle. They may not be pretty but bars are your best bet.

Choosing locks for doors is crucial. Basically there are two types – the deadbolt and the locking knob set. The locking knob set, which locks with a twist of the door knob, is convenient and easy to install. It’s also easy pickings for burglars. With little effort, the latch can be pushed out of its strike with a credit card.

As well, the latch only extends into the door frame about 1.2 centimeters. If somebody wants to they can pry that door away from the frame far enough so that it will let go (the latch). That’s why deadbolt locks – with a standard throw of 2.5 centimeters – are the way to go.

It’s a little difficult to spread a door and a frame an inch, adding that once in the extended position, the bolt can’t slide back. And if you’ve just purchased a home – changing the locks is a good idea. You don’t know who’s got keys and it might be somebody who might have ideas about coming back.

Patio Doors

Patio doors should also be secured. You can buy an adjustable rod that keeps the closed door from being slid back. If you’re short on cash, jamming a two by four along the open track when the window is closed will do just as well. Another inexpensive but effective measure is to take a couple of washers on screws and screw them into the top track – a half-metre apart – so thieves can’t pop the door out. What that’ll do is take up the distance that the door can be lifted and actually taken out of the track.

Standard systems look after doors and basement windows, but there’s plenty of extras you can tack on to trigger your alarm. For example, perimeter systems protect all exterior glass. Acoustic glass break detectors work much like a microphone and are triggered by sound. They are fine-tuned, allowing them to distinguish between a breaking pane of glass and a breaking beer bottle. They’re almost immune to false alarms. Only one is required per room and it has a radius of 12 meters. If you have a family room/kitchen area with 30 windows one device will cover them all. It’s very economical.

If you’re looking to protect just one window, a window shock sensor is the practical choice. It’s a device that is triggered by the vibration of breaking glass. Some of the other benefits of both home security systems are:

• They can be kept on while the occupants are in the home.

• If someone tries to gain entry, the alarm is triggered while the burglar is still outside of the home.

• The alarms are pet compatible (unlike motion detectors)

Another home security product lets you turn up the heat on burglars by turning on the smoke. The product is called Smoke Cloak. As soon as the premises are broken into a fog-like white smoke is disbursed. Someone could be only two feet away and you would not see them. The smoke, however, is non-toxic and completely harmless to people and property. The smoke is produced by a generator about the size of an office water cooler. Inside a glycol-based liquid is converted to fine smoke by a heating block and expelled at high pressure. The process takes only seconds. The generator can be mounted in a basement, and smoke can be delivered to every room in the house through ducts by vacuum tubing.

Another wrinkle in the home security game is the Long Range Radio Network. It serves as a backup if thieves cut phone lines. Without phone lines, the alarm could be tripped but has no way of relaying that message to the monitoring company. If phone lines are cut or if somebody breaks into the house it will send both of those pieces of information in to the monitoring station. The device works much like a radio transmitter and also sends messages if there has been an AC or battery failure.

Also relatively new on the market is an audio verification system which allows the monitoring station to speak to and hear what is going on in the home after an alarm is tripped.

Personalized security codes for home alarm systems can monitor who came and went, and at what time. If kids don’t come home after school, there won’t be a code entered in the system and the parents can be contacted at work.

While the technology of home security is ever-changing, the concept remains the same. If someone wants to get into your house they’re coming in. The objective is to make it so difficult and time consuming for someone that they give up.

Here are some home security tips for those going away for a vacation:

• Get your neighbors involved. Let them know you’ll be away and ask for their help in collecting third-class (junk) mail and other doorstep litter.

• Have the post office halt delivery of your mail.

• Call your newspaper and have delivery suspended.

• Arrange to have someone mow your lawn.

• Never pull your drapes shut – it looks unnatural during the daytime and suggests your absence.

• Turn on a radio in the house and ensure the volume is loud enough to be heard just outside your door but isn’t so loud it bothers your neighbors.

• Never leave on a hall light to suggest your presence. Instead, turn on an upstairs bathroom or bedroom light. A burglar “casing” a neighborhood will assume when he knocks on your door that perhaps you failed to answer the door because you were upstairs and didn’t hear the knock.

• Consider putting lights on a timer so they go on and off at various times of day and night in your absence.