Your home is your personal refuge. It should be the safest place for you, your family, and your love ones to reside. The last thing you want to do is let chaos get inside. The outside world is filled with craziness and this order and you want to make sure that you don’t let it get in.

Don’t let chance take its course. Take a precaution. One thing you should do is think about how a burglar with bad motives would act. Take a look at your home and evaluate where its strengths and weaknesses may be. All security is very important and you want to make sure that you know all the possible downfalls.

Let’s start off by considering window safety. If your windows are easily accessible and not very secure you are a prime candidate for a break-in. Make sure that the windows have solid locks and that they are not easily pried open.

You should be aware that you don’t want the locks to be easily seen from the outside. If a thief can see the locks they can figure out the best way to get them open to get into your home. Try to find away to conceal them. And if your windows have keyed locks, don’t leave the keys lying around. You should also consider skylights in the same way that Windows are. Make sure the skylights are locked.

Doors are up next. Nearly two thirds of all burglars gain entry via an unsecure door. To prevent this from happening, locks are vital. Deadbolts with at least a minimum throw of an inch should be installed on all doors; the strike plates should have screws that are at least 3 inches long. All doors should be solid hardwood or metal clad; reinforce wood doors with a steel strip and plates around the lock and hinges.

The hinges should be located inside with non-removable pins. You can install a rim lock to the inside of a door for added security; these lock automatically when the door closes. Fit bolts to the top and bottom of all outside doors. All entrances should have some sort of door viewer installed so you can see who’s outside. You can also use a chain for answering the door; don’t rely on it for reinforcement though, as it is easily broken.

Don’t leave yourself open to making it easy for a thief. Do not leave spare keys in obvious places. Remember, you may think you’re being clever but a thief knows all the secret hiding places. If you do hide keys, change the location every month. Don’t hide keys near windows, doors, under the doormat, or in a flower pot.

Lighting for safety. Always keep entrances well lit. Select a low energy light bulb that is controlled by an automatic dust to dawn switch for constant lighting. Make sure these lights are out of easy reach. Also consider motion activated lights.

Finally, when you think about it, a good home security system may also be in your best interest. By getting a home alarm you are adding that extra layer of protection to your home. You are also connected to a monitoring center in the event that you have a fire, or a major emergency. The monitoring system can send out help quickly.