Theft of valuables from home due to carelessness is very common. Never take home security for granted. If you make an effort to be secure, you will be protecting your family and your valuables much better.

Tips To Prevent Burglaries

•Securing doors and windows is extremely important. Many burglaries occur as vandals had easy access to the garage door where they worked unnoticed to gain entry into the house. Never leave your house, even for just a few minutes, without locking all doors and windows. Use dead bolts to improve home security. A pet entrance is not advisable. Have wide angled viewer installed in the main door to check who is at the door.

•Do not leave an extra pair of keys hidden outside your house; instead, leave them with a neighbor or friend.

•Make sure all doors and windows, which are not within your view, are locked when you are at home.

•Fuse boxes and power sources have to be secured, to make it impossible for criminals to tamper with them.

•Have a good burglar alarm installed.

•Make sure you periodically check all home security systems and have them serviced regularly.

•Keep your garden trimmed ensuring an unobstructed view of your house from the road or your neighbors.

•If you have to deal with windows accessible from the fire escape be sure to check that the windows are hardy, tamper proof, and secure.

•Never leave a message in your answering machine, indicating you are away.

•Do not have predictable habits change your routine often.

•Get your self a sturdy safe to lock up all valuables and important documents.

•Keep your home insurance up to date.

•Change all locks if you just moved into the house.

•Get a good private home security monitoring system to enhance home security.

•Do not leave ladders and other tools lying that can be used by vandals to gain entry into your home.

•Join a neighborhood watch program.

•Trim and maintain your garden, trees should not be used by criminals to gain entry into the upper floors of your home. Be sure that the branches are cut securing your home.

•In the event you lose a key, change the tumblers of all locks.

•It will be a great deterrent if you had a guard dog.

•Make sure your house number is lit and clearly visible to facilitate people who need to get to your home in hurry find your home easily.

•Secure skylights and roof taking precaution to prevent unauthorized entry through them.

If the above-mentioned basic home security measures are carefully followed, securing your home and sleeping peacefully will not be an issue any longer.

Selecting a good home security system can be tough, as you will have to be sure to select a good, reputable, customer friendly firm with excellent after sales service and reliable home security systems. Home security systems are available in different price ranges to suit all budgets. A good home security systems not only gives peace of mind, as you have secured your house, but also will be a deterrent preventing burglars from gaining entry into your house easily.

How To Select A Good Home Security System

•Do some research and contact all vendors who offer home security systems within your budget and the check for the quality of the products. Check the firm’s reputation to see if it is a legitimate and authorized business and get quotes from different vendors.

•Decide on the kind of home security system that is needed. Check if it will suffice to have a standalone home security system installed or will it be better to have a central monitoring system.

•Compare their product’s features, costs, after sales service, reputation, and warranty. Check references by other customers and see if they are satisfied with the product and the firm. Ask them if the system is reliable and if it did send any alarms when needed and if the local authorities responded quickly. Ask them if the features of the products were explained carefully and if all contracts were straightforward without any hidden clauses.

•Usually the firms send representatives to check your home and assess your security needs, listing limitations if there are any. The number of motion or contact sensors, cameras, lighting needs etc. that may be needed will be listed by him. Once you have an accurate security needs analysis done, you can invest within your budget to get the maximum possible home security. It always helps to invest in a good home security system as insurance companies offer a discount on policies if good security cover is provided.

•You could always ask friends and relatives to recommend a good home security system provider and could contact them to find out if they have a system that is within your budget. Make sure that the system will be serviced regularly and has power back-up facilities in case of power outages. Be sure to understand how to operate it. It will be better if the company had a good technical staff to guide you, in case you need their help.

Home security systems are essential these days when burglaries are on the rise. Do not compromise on quality, as it always pays to invest in a good home security system.

The target-hardening approach to crime prevention through lock hardware and security systems is a must. This traditional approach complemented with the concept of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) will greatly reduce unwanted intruders.

CPTED is based on the theory that proper design and effective use of the built environment can lead to a reduction in crime. The best time to apply this philosophy is in the design phase, before a building or neighborhood is built.

However, you can always successfully apply these designs to retrofit an existing environment.

Keeping your property well lit at night with automatic timers or photocell spotlights definitely helps to deter intruders.

Plant and maintain decorative shrubbery which is neatly trimmed, especially under windows and around doors.

Plant low private hedges around the perimeter of your property or install fences that will provide a border, but will not block the view.

Keep shrubs trimmed below your windowsill so you can easily look out on to your property and eliminate hiding places for intruders.

Replace solid stockade-type fences with more open fencing to eliminate hiding places and extend your view.

Keep trees trimmed to get maximum illumination from street lights and move your parking area so your vehicle is in front of your home, or in a position that is easily observed by you or your neighbor.

Re-design the walkway to your house so that people using the walkway are always in plain view.

It’s always a good idea to control how people enter your property. This is done by limiting the number of ways people can gain access on to your property.

You should frame your backyard with shrubs or fencing forcing people to use a gate or well defined walkway.

Add a gate with a latch to your front yard fence creating somewhat of an obstacle to enter your property. Reclaim vacant lots for community gardens or parks.

Another good idea is to encourage neighborhood outdoor activities to maintain a strong presence on the street. Events like block parties, clean-ups and garage sales help keep neighbors out on the street and burglars away.

Stay involved with developers and city authorities on new construction in your area. Try to work with business owners to help them increase their natural surveillance abilities and ask questions of strangers who don’t belong in your space. Get together with neighbors and local police to form a Block Watch. Keep your home clean and well maintained.

No single technique in environmental design will work to eliminate crime in every case. We must re-think how our environment may be contributing to criminal opportunity. Only then can we make the necessary changes in the most attractive and natural way possible.