Home security is a subject on many minds these days. Long gone are the days when you could safely leave your doors unlocked while you ran to the store. Today, intruders often invade your home even when you’re there. In Houston, home security experts say that the burglary rate is climbing in many communities even as violent crime drops. Installing a home security system is the most positive way to protect your home from invaders and burglars, but there are other things you can – and should – do to keep your home safer, whether or not your also employ a home security system. These tips, from a Houston home security expert, will help make your home less attractive to intruders.

Locks for Home Security

Install heavy duty deadbolt locks on all entry doors. Deadbolt locks with strike plates installed in the door jamb make it nearly impossible for burglars to force the door open.

If you have door lights – windows in or beside the door – make sure that they are made of unbreakable glass, or that locks are not within reach of the window.

Replace the standard window locks with more secure locks that can’t be manipulated from outside. If you have first floor windows or windows that are accessible from patios or landings, install window bars or grates to prevent anyone from entering through them.

Don’t sabotage yourself by leaving a key outside your house “in case you get locked out.” Burglars know all the handy hiding places and will easily find a key left in a flowerpot, under a mat or hung inside a mailbox. If it looks like a good hiding place to you, you can bet that a burglar will have the same thought. Instead, leave a spare key with a neighbor who is usually home.

Locks are only good if you remember to lock them all when you leave. Make it part of your routine to check and lock all the windows and doors whenever you leave the house – including the door from the garage to the house. Many homeowners count on the garage door to keep intruders out of their homes and fall prey to a burglar with an automatic garage opener.

Lighting for Safety and Home Security

Locks will keep intruders out. Lights can keep them from even attempting to get in. Put lights at all of your entries so that there’s no shadow for burglars to hide in while they attempt to break in. Make sure that the paths and approaches to your home are well-lighted and can be seen from your windows and, if possible, from neighbors’ homes.

Put your lights on a timer, both indoors and out. Choose a timer that allows you to set variable times, or use a switch that’s activated by light so that your lights turn on when it gets dark. That avoids the rigid time schedule that’s a signal to burglars that the homeowner is away.

In addition to these basic home security measures, consider installing a comprehensive home security system to protect your home and your family from intruders.