How to Make Your Home Safer

You've probably seen them sprouting on lawns or popping up on windows in many new neighborhoods--signs for home security systems. Companies such as ADT, Brinks and a host of other national and local companies sell alarm systems to protect homes and the individuals inside. Many builders are now working with security companies to hard-wire alarm systems into new homes right from the start.

The National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) says alarms can be a good investment, but police caution that alarms are only good once someone has already invaded your property. While the security alert signs themselves can help deter criminals, there are many other steps you can take to decrease the chances of becoming a victim.

Whether your house is old or new, one of the most obvious pieces of advice is to check your locks. The NCPC says that every external door should have a sturdy dead bolt lock. Key-in-the-knob locks aren't enough. If you've just moved, get your locks re-keyed. Once you've done that, don't hide keys around the outside of your home. If you're worried about locking yourself out, find a trustworthy neighbor to hold that spare key.

Outside doors should be metal or solid wood, and the NCPC warns that if those doors don't fit tightly, install weather stripping around them. Peepholes or wide angle viewers are a must for entry doors so you can see who is outside before you open the door. Don't depend on door chains. Police groups and the NCPC say the chains can break easily.

ADT offers this additional piece of advice when it comes to doors. " Make sure exterior door hinges are on the inside, rather than the outside." If the hinges are accessible, intruders can slide out the pins and lift the door out of the frame.

The NCPC also urges homeowners to take a good look at their sliding glass doors and windows. It says sliding glass doors can be secured "by installing commercially available locks or putting a broomstick or dowel in the inside track to jam the door. To prevent the door being lifted off the track, drill a hole through the slide door frame and the fixed frame. Then insert a pin in the hole." Pins or key locks can be used to secure double-hung windows. ADT's security folks also advise you use bars to secure basement or garage doors and to add bars to basement windows.

If the key to real estate is "location, location, location," then one of the keys to home security must surely be "lighting, lighting, lighting." Thieves don't want to call attention to themselves, so make sure you have and use outdoor lights. If you can't remember to turn the lights on and off or you're worried about wasting electricity, consider installing a timer on your lights or purchasing light-sensitive dusk-to-dawn fixtures.

Don't think that just because it's daytime, your house is safe. Crime statistics indicate most home burglaries occur between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Remember to use those locks when you go out.

If you'll be away from your home for a number of days, try to make the house look as lived-in as possible. Among the tips recommended by crime-fighting groups, put timers on lights and televisions inside your home to help fool would-be intruders. Have someone mow your lawn, pick up newspapers or flyers that might be left outside, take your trash cans in and out, and park a car in your driveway from time to time. Leave your curtains slightly parted. Don't let trees and bushes grow so large that they make a good hiding place for thieves.

One crime prevention tactic that everyone seems to recommend is joining or starting a Neighborhood Watch. The National Sheriff's Association provides a wealth of material on this "extra eyes and ears" program on its Web site. Much like those alarm system signs posted on individual homes, Neighborhood Watch signs scattered throughout a neighborhood can make burglars think twice.