While home security devices may be the most obvious way in which to protect your home from intruders, there are other improvements you can make and practices you can employ in order to keep criminals away.

First of all, make sure your doors are secure. Any loose doorknobs, hinges, or doorframes may be an invitation for a robbery. Secure these fixtures or purchase new ones. If necessary, purchase a new door – preferably steel, with windows that cannot be broken in order to unlock the door from the inside. A door with windows, however, can still contain a deadbolt that locks from the interior with a key (instead of a turn-dial), and still be secure.

A storm or screen door may do little to prevent a break-in. You may want to invest in a wrought-iron or metal scrollwork door. While someone who really wants in still might find a way to get past the metal door, they will be deterred by the potential time it would take to do so.

Window locks should be in working order. It may be desirable to install bars on lower-level windows. In addition, windows should have the proper interior coverings – blinds or curtains – so that potential burglars are unable to see what is inside the home. Burglars are less likely to break into a home if they don’t know what valuables are contained within.

It’s a tried-and-true practice, but leave a light or two on while you’re gone. If it looks like someone is home, most potential intruders will stay away. In addition, a “Beware of Dog” sign will deter many criminals – even if you don’t own a dog. The possibility of being bitten by an angry beast does not appeal to even those who would try to steal your valuables.

Keep money, jewelry, and other expensive items well-hidden or under lock-and-key in a safe. In the event of a break-in, you will suffer fewer damages than if your valuables were in plain site. Especially valuable items should be taken to a safety deposit box at a bank.

If you are worried about home security, there are many things you can do to make you and your home more secure. Using multiple thief-deterrent practices can increase safety and thwart break-ins before they start.

House Sitters

Even if you have an alarm system, house sitters are invaluable. If you leave your home to to on vacation, your best defense is having actual people in your home. The majority of burglaries in the United States happen during the day while people are at work. Criminals will take the easiest route. If people are in their targeted home, they will move on to a house that appears empty. The problem with traditional house sitting services is that they simply make one or two trips to your home a day to collect mail, open curtains, water plants, and throw off criminals. That still leaves about 23 hours in the day that your home is vulnerable to intrusion or fires.

The best house sitting option is to have people living in your home. If you have house sitter stay at your home full-time throughout the length of your vacation, you will worry less about burglaries, fires, and other problems such as coming back to a flooded home because of a broken hot water heater.

Having a house sitter also cuts down on preparation time and expenses before your vacation. You won’t have to have your mail stopped (all a criminal has to do is watch your postal carrier skip your house to assume you’re on vacation), buy and set light-timers, or even board the dog.

Don’t have a friend or family member who can stay at your home? There are services available that match up people and live-in house sitters. It’s as though someone is renting your house while you’re on vacation, only they generally don’t pay you rent. They will pay utilities, mow the lawn, take care of your mail, pets, and home while you’re away. They will notify you of any problems. The services help you screen candidates and find the perfect person, couple, or family willing to take care of your home.

Home security is becoming more and more critical for everyone. Even the neighborhoods that traditionally were secure are no longer as safe as before. Criminals seem to lurk everywhere looking to take from you. And if you live in a high crime area then you don’t really have a choice but to pay attention to how secure your home is. But protection from criminals is not the only aspect of home security that you need to consider.

The pointers below will help you design an action plan to make your home a safer place to live.

First Aid Kit

I’m told that most accidents happen in the home – now I don’t know if it’s true but it is amazing how often accidents do happen in a home. I guess if you figure that the kitchen is full of chemicals, electrical appliances, sharp objects designed to cut, boiling water, hot fat,…the list is endless. Then take the bathrooms where there are often slippery floor surfaces, more boiling water, more razor edges, medicines ……and we haven’t got to the garage yet with machines and gas and ……………..yowza. It’s amazing that any of us survive. The you have to add the kids to the whole package.

So – before you need it – and the odds are that you will need it – get a first aid kit. Any family chemist of clinic will help you with a list of suitable stuff. In many cases you will even be able to buy a complete kit. However you chose to get a kit – get one. Because when you need it – you are going to need it quickly.

Smoke Alarms

Fire is another real hazard in the home. Not that it happens every day but it can. And face it – fire is often a part of our normal living. Maybe a fire in the fireplace. How about in the barbeque or burning the garden refuse. Maybe the fat catches fire in the kitchen. A candle falls over. Then there are the kids again and matches and curiosity. How about falling asleep with a cigarette or cigar. Electrical shorts. The list goes on and on. So consider a smoke alarm system. Get a good system and keep an eye on the batteries to make sure they are still able to run the sensors. And get a fire extinguisher. Get one for the garage at the same time. You may never need it. But if you do you will need it fast. No time to go looking under cupboards and stairwells. It needs to be right there.

Locks

Get good locks on the doors. .Deadbolt locks are good. If you are not sure about the lock quality that is suitable for your home then talk to your local hardware store or locksmith.
I know it may sound crazy but all to often the locks on exterior doors may be inferior and offer little resistance to an experienced house breaker. Make sure your locks are solid.
But also make sure that everyone in the home knows how to get the lock open in a hurry. Circumstances may come about where you need to get out in a hurry – and it may be pitch black at night. Practice drills on evacuation.

And get a good solid torch or flashlight. Get a couple. Stash them around the home where everyone can get their hands on one if necessary. If they are really solid they can double as a club. Now I know you may not be Rambo but you never know. If you do surprise a burglar or need to break a window to escape then a club with a light on one end will be useful.

Get a list of support telephone numbers.

Nothing like stating the obvious but. I watched a car thief breaking into my car and realized I didn’t know the telephone number of the local police station or my security company. Too late to go paging through the phone book. Put the numbers on the fridge, in your cell phone – anywhere. So when you need them you have them. ( Needless to say – my torch and a strong sense of indignant protesting was enough to chase the car thief away ) but next time I’ll have the telephone numbers I need.