Homeowners need to quit making it easy for a burglar. The best way to do that is by making a complete check of your house and outside property to determine where a burglar could enter. Doors and windows in most homes won’t stop a determined burglar.

Some things to protect your home include:

• Every exterior door should have a dead-bolt lock with a one-inch throw.

• Those moving into a new house or apartment should consider re-keying the locks.

• Secure sliding glass doors with commercially available locks with a rigid wooden dow in the track.

• Lock double-hung windows by sliding a bolt or nail through a hole drilled at a downward angle in each corner or the inside sash and part way through the outside sash.

• Don’t hide keys to locks in mailboxes, planters or under the doormats. Give a duplicate key to a trusted neighbor instead.

• Make sure outside doors, including the one between the house and garage, are solid 1-inch metal or hard wood.

• Doors should tightly fit in their frames and hinges should be on the inside.

• Install a peephole or wideangle viewer in all entry doors so you can see who is outside without opening the door.

• Teach children safety rules about answering the door and phone, along with how to get out if there’s a fire.

When it comes to the outside of a house, a homeowner should walk the entire perimeter and look for every possible way in which someone can enter their house. To discourage burglars from selecting your home as their place of work, the following things should be done:

• Prune any shrubbery that hides doors or windows and cut back tree limbs that could help a thief climb into second story windows.

• All porches, entrances and yards need to be well-lighted.

• Keep ladders and tools inside the garage or basement when not in use.

• When going away, people should put lights and a radio on timers to create the illusion that someone is home. Leave curtains, blinds and shades in normal positions. Always stop mail and newspaper deliveries.

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.

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.

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.

Homeowners today must take precautions in establishing strong security protection in and around the home. The key is to make your house key the only way to enter your home. To prevent burglars from doing their job, take seriously the security of your house. The following checklist will help you determine whether your home is safe.

1. Is your house fairly isolated, far from neighbors, or hidden by bushes and not easily visible to neighbors?

Many families pay for their privacy with an open invitation to burglars. Shrubbery near doors and windows is a perfect hiding place for burglars. If your house is isolated and not visible to neighbors, take special precautions. Keep shrubs well trimmed, and make sure your doors and windows are secure. Use lights, good locks, strong doors and, best of all, an electronic home security system monitored by the security company.

2. Does your home have exterior lighting?

A well-lit home is one of the best ways to protect your home. Lights won’t keep thieves out, but they will make it easier for neighbors to stop a prowler.

3. Do you leave an inside light on while away from home?

Many people arrange for a neighbor to check their home and turn lights on or off while they’re away for any length of time. Even better, some security systems can turn selected lights on and off automatically so it always looks like someone’s home.

4. Do you have an attached garage?

Unattached garages are safer than attached garages. They don’t provide a sheltered access to the main house for a burglar. But the door between your attached garage and your home can be protected with a home security system.

5. Are you aware of burglaries or incidents of vandalism in your neighborhood?

The safest neighborhoods, of course, are those that never have home invasions. But even in these havens, there’s no guarantee they’ll be crime-free forever. Don’t wait until crime hits your neighborhood before taking any precautions.

6. What are your doors made from?

Metal doors are best, but heavy, solid wooden doore are still good. If you have light, hollow wooden doors on any outside doors, it would be a good idea to replace them.

7. Do any of your doors have windows in them?

Windows and doors are anything but a safe combination. They can give burglars clues to whether or not you’re home. And they’re an easy access to your door locks. An electronic security system will notify you and the police if the windows or doors are opened in an attempted burglary.

8. What kind of locks do you have on your doors?

There is no lock that can’t be picked, but deadbolts give a higher degree of protection than spring locks, which can be opened in seconds.

9. How many locks do you have on your windows?

Standard window locks are far too easy to open. A second lock, made especially for windows, will add more protection.

10. Have you ever left keys outside your home?

Any hiding place you can think of, a burglar can think of, too. Leaving keys with a trusted neighbors is better.

11. Do you ever leave your doors or windows open when running an errand, working in the yard or sleeping?

Open windows and doors are a security risk, but no one wants to keep the house closed up all the time. With many security systems, you can enjoy the fresh air of open door or window while still protecting other entrances.

12. When away from home for extended periods of time, do you arrange to have a trusted neighbor look after your home and pick up mail and newspapers?

Overflowing mailboxes and piles of newspapers are a signal that the homeowners are away. Arrange with a trusted neighbors to have your mail and newspapers picked up regularly to create the appearance that the residents are around. If this doesn’t work for you, have the post office and newspaper discontinue the service until you return.

It’s always wise to stay alert to developments in the home security market. Read home magazines and attend home products shows for information on the latest products and services.

When thinking of home security, most families focus their efforts on the front door, but today’s burglar looks for alternative entrances such as patio doors and windows.

Homeowners today need to have products that include safety features. There are basic protection measures a homeowner can take, such as making sure windows and doors have advanced locking systems.

Homeowners should look for patio doors that feature multi-point locking systems. One of the better options available is a lock that secures the door to the top, side and threshold of the door frame with the flip of a single lever. With this locking system, some doors can withstand more than 1,000 pounds of force.

Also, homeowners are advised to opt for sophisticated casement window options. A convenient to operate window is one that will lock at tow points when a single locking lever is activated. In addition to providing added security, these systems help prevent wind drafts, water leakage and warpage from uneven pressure on the window or door frame.

People who have security concerns should take a look at the options and consider what features best meet their needs and the style of their 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.

1. Check your home, keeping in mind how you would break in. Why would you choose this home if you were a burglar.

2. When burglar-proofing your home, keep in mind fire safety. You should install smoke detectors and have fire extinguishers ready to use.

3. Trim shrubbery below window level. If shrubbery conceals a good lock, the lock becomes ineffective.

4. High fences can be good privacy, but can also provide good concealment for the burglar. Keep pad locks on gates.

5. House numbers should be placed on the front and back of the house. This aids in emergency response.

6. Lighting properly displayed can be a great deterrent to a would-be burglar. You want lighting to come down on what your are trying to light up, such as a light on a pole in an alley.

7. Main entry doors should be sturdy. Hinges should have a pin in them so they can’t be removed. Doors should be solid wood or metal. The door lock should be a deadbolt, with at least a one-inch thick throw bolt and should be equipped with a hefty cylinder guard. The strike plate should be held in place with 2 1/2 inch screws or longer. You may also consider a flange plate around the lock to protect doors from kick attack.

8. Garage doors should have a pin placed behind the wheel in the frame of the door, the garage door leading into the home should be secured with a deadbolt. If you use a double-key deadbolt, a key should be in the lock at all times when someone is in the home.

9. Windows should be secured with a second locking device. A removable pin in the frame offers good security. Remember fire safety.

10. Mark and take photographs of all property. The recommended way of marking property is to use an electrical engraver and to imprint your driver’s license number. An engraver may be checked out from the police department.

11. Spread your property throughout your home, making it harder for the burglar to locate items such as guns, jewelry, money and stereos. If if takes a burglar longer than 15 seconds, he or she probably will not get in.

Securing The Exterior Of Your House

- Make sure the exterior of your house is well lit, and without any unkempt bushes or trees that might obstruct its visibility from the road or your neighbor’s house.

- In case you have some trees or bushes with long branches near the house, cut them off in such a way that nobody could get into the house using the tree. Also, bushes that are planted near walls should be trimmed in order to prevent them from blocking the view. It is advisable to plant thorny plants and creepers along the fences or walls to discourage visitors.

- Try not to plant trees or bushes under windows, but if you do, keep them trimmed.

- If there are trees near the walls, make sure that their branches are cut off as that would prevent people from getting into your home area.

- Check whether the gates are locked and protected all the time.

- Lock all the areas, such as garage or exterior storeroom, thus making sure burglars will not find ladders or any other tool that might help them get easily.

- Install a home security system with lights placed in such a way that they illuminate the exteriors; a useful solution for this could be door and window break-in detectors with alarms.

- There are several useful home security equipment that you can use to secure your home successfully such as strobe lights, sirens, perimeter sensors, monitoring system, and exterior and interior cameras. All of them are used to activate the alarm and notify the police.

- While you are away from your home you could get timers to light up the exterior as well as interior of your house. If your house is well lit it will put off burglars and there would be less chance of burglary in well-lit and clearly visible areas.

- Ensure that all exterior doors are solid and made of metal or hardwood and ensure that all the doors are locked in a safe way. In many cases it happened that houses were burgled because the owners had forgotten to check whether the door or windows were locked.

- You could get extra home security by buying a good guard dog as houses which are protected by dogs are pretty discouraging for burglars.

These important home security tips will lessen the number of burglaries. If we are equipped even with the most basic home security systems, our houses will be protected safely.

Home Security is in the news nowadays. Many cases have been found where people have spent large sums of money in order to get the latest devices which will be used for protecting their homes, but they failed in those tasks. Their houses were easily robbed again and again. They made some mistakes which proved to cost them a lot. On one hand they did not check whether the structure of the house was secured and well-built and, on the other, they were too overconfident about the home security systems.

Doors And Windows

In order to secure home completely, all external doors have to be sturdy with dead bolts and padlocks installed in them. If the doors are not strong enough to withstand a shove or kick by burglars they have to be made sturdy. You have to make sure that the strike plates are in place, ensure that the frame is strong with screws fitted tight and ensure that the hinges are put on the inside part of the door. If you have the door which opens outwards use non-removable pins on the hinges and check whether the re-enforcers are installed around the doorknob and dead bolt in order to prevent it from giving away when the door is manhandled. In case there are french doors, use flush bolt or cane bolt locks to secure them. Extra home security with slide rod locks is required if there are glass doors and sliding glass doors. Windows can be secured with track locks or cane bolt locks, dual screw window locks etc.

Burglar Alarms

Burglar alarms present great home security equipment created in order to warn you if some unauthorized person wants to get into your house. Despite the fact that they are very expensive, they help to scare a potential burglar from being captured by making a loud noise. Their shape varies from very simple ones which just emit noise to startle the thief and warn the owner of the house, to those sophisticated ones that are connected to the local authority. In some cases people use the alarms to alert them by calling their mobile phones while they are far away from their home. Some alarms could be connected to the Internet and send emails to the homeowner who can see them from mobile phones. So, wired and wireless alarms with wide range of features, price and specifications have been offered to the owners. Make sure you find a good alarm system that is safe, reliable and with good after sales service and qualified staff to help you with installation. Be sure that pet proof motion detectors are installed for the prevention of frequent false alarms.

Watch out that  you are always alert and careful and do not act carelessly by leaving the doors and windows unlocked as burglars might easily enter your house. In that way you will not only lose your valuables but you might also put in danger those you love. Do not make any compromise as home security is necessary for the insurance of  your safety.