When people think of home security, they are inclined to think of electronic surveillance systems. However, there are other methods to protect yourself and your family from harm and burglars. I will give you my top ten tips for home security.

1] Windows are really the key to home security. Window-stays become loose or sloppy as they get older and now and then you can get a window-stay to jump off its peg by thumping the outside window frame. Fit window stay locks

2] Doors must be robust, well-hung on solid hinges and have secure locks. Fit deadlocks, especially on external doors.

3] Extra keys should not be hidden near the door under a mat, a flower pot or a rock. If you want to leave a key with a neighbour, select the neighbour carefully. Be cautious of those with teenage kids, their friends may become aware that the spare key in the fruit bowl is to your house.

4] Tools that can help a burglar must be locked away. Keep your shed and garage doors locked and if you have a ladder, chain and lock it to a fixed point like a wall.

5] Dogs are helpful for home security, but they should not be relied on. Some thieves will poison a dog to get in. If you leave your dog in the house, get a box to fit inside your door to collect whatever comes in, lock the letter box closed or seal it off permanently. If you leave the dog in the yard, try to get a neighbour to check up on it from time to time.

6] Plants and bushes should not be allowed to grow large enough to obstruct anyone’s view of windows and doors. Passers-by and ‘nosy neighbours’ are a big disincentive to burglars, but if no one can see a ground floor widow, the burglar can gain access unnoticed. if you do want bushes under your windows, make them tough, thorny ones.

7] Boundary walls or fences are your first line of defense. They can be a good deterrent, if you get the design right. Some people embed broken glass into the top of the wall, but this can be against the law and can hurt unsuspecting cats. The best thing to do is nail carpet-gripper just below the top, inside edge of the wall. Anyone putting their hands over the wall to pull themselves up will get a very nasty shock and leave DNA.

8] Valuables should not be put on show near windows. Your house is your home not a presentation case. Put your TV, DVD player and video recorder in a cabinet, maybe get a safe for your valuables and conceal that too.

9] External lighting is a key part of nocturnal security. Get garden lights that are activated by motion (microwave) or heat (passive infra red), put at least one on each external wall of your house.

10] Electronic surveillance systems are a necessity these days. You do not need cameras, but they are helpful for identifying intruders. Your home security system can be wired or wireless, monitored or not.

These top ten home security tips should prevent your home from becoming an easy target for burglars.

Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with wired home security systems. If you are interested in Security Systems For Home Use, please click through to our site.

Home security is a mammoth issue, but this is nothing new – it always has been an issue for parents and home owners. The problem is that family structure has altered. Not so long ago, people had much larger families and mothers or grandmothers were at home to look after the kids. With six, eight or even ten kids in a family, the house was never empty so burglars did not have a lot of opportunity. There was more social cohesion too, so criminals were loath to steal from their neighbours. So they attacked shops instead.

However, shops and other businesses started using electronic burglar alarms as the prices came down. These security systems were so effective that burglars turned to stealing from people’s homes, which is made easier by the fact that the kids are in school and the parents are at work all day. American federal statistics show that domestic burglaries are up almost ten percent since 2004. So, what can you do to deter a burglar?

If your residence is left unoccupied for a large part of the day because your children are at school, nursery or a baby-sitters’ and you are at work, consider getting some home help or joining a neighbourhood watch scheme. If you had a cleaner coming and going, it would afford some activity to discourage thieves.

Becoming a member of a neighbourhood watch would convey to your neighbours that you are worried about security and they will keep an eye on your home while you are out. Get your self a dog too, although be conscious that they can be easily poisoned, if the crook has access to them..

Fit an electronic surveillance system. This could be a monitored or tape set-up. Monitored is the best. An added bonus to a surveillance set-up is that you can be certain what your baby sitter gets up to while you are out too. You can turn it off when you yourself are at home or just leave the outside cameras on.

Another additional benefit with a home security system is that you can get a panic button connected to the system’s main external siren and strobe light. If you are set upon or worried, you can activate the alarm by pushing a button on a device that you can wear around your neck. They can also be built into watches and brooches. These personal panic buttons are useful for the elderly and single women providing peace of mind to those living alone.

A monitored surveillance system will also warn you if your house catches fire while you are asleep or out or if someone is prowling around your backyard. Often the operator of the system will phone the emergency services as well after they have alerted you.

A good surveillance system can be used as a bargaining chip with your insurance broker to gain some hefty discounts on your premium. If you have a small business that you operate from home, you may be able to off-set some or all of the costs against your business too and a good home surveillance system can increase the selling price of your house, because it makes it that one step more complete, like having uPVC doors and windows and a timber deck.

Owen Jones, the writer of this article, writes on many topics, but is currently involved with home security systems comparison. If you are interested in Security Systems For Home Use, please click through to our site.