2. Use your eye viewer/peephole on the door. If you don't have one, install one that has at least a 180 degree view so you can get a look at anyone knocking on your door before you open it. Also, consider a security chain so that you open your door to someone unexpected without making yourself vulnerable to them.

3. Start or join a "neighborhood watch" program. These types of programs can be extremely effective and are free!  Also, get to know your neighbors. For example, if the people next door know you are out of town and they see a furniture delivery truck parked in your driveway, well acquainted neighbors are more likely to call you or the police. Be sure to stop newspaper deliveries, and have your mail held at the post office or picked up by a trusted neighbor so these things don't pile up, signaling with a bright red flag "Nobody is home" and making your home a prime target for robbers. 

4. Keep your garage door closed with the interior door to the house locked also.  Secure your personal possessions and your car inside the locked garage and not out in the driveway. This removes temptation and eliminates an opportunist from trying to see what he can grab and get away with quickly.

 5. Cut back or remove trees, shrubs and other thick foliage around ground floor level doors and windows to eliminate hiding spots for crooks.  However, you should also keep valuables hidden inside your home by keeping them away from windows and being sure to cut up and destroy boxes from new items and big electronics. Tall fencing and bushes that are farther away from entry points are desirable, as are thick window coverings such as blinds or drapes that conceal big screen TVs, jewelry and other high ticket items from someone who might be scouting your neighborhood for an easy target.  Be sure to lock away ladders so that a thief can't use your own equipment against you to steal your possessions.

6. A barking dog is a great deterrent for burglars.  If you don't own a dog, and don't want to get one, consider getting a sign for your front yard warning of a guard dog or a security company. You can also get a motion sensor alarm that sounds like a barking dog which will sound as an intruder approaches and gets more aggressive sounding as the intruder gets closer.  If you decide to get a dog for protection purposes, decide whether you want a guard dog or protection dog.  Guard dogs protect and defend property but are generally not pets. Conversely, protection dogs are treated as family pets who watch over people rather than a physical area. German Shepherds, Rottweilers and Dobermans are among the best breeds for home protection, thanks to generations of breeding. They respond well to discipline and are friendly with their families, including children.  A thief will be put off by any perceived impediment to his mission which is to get in and out quickly without being discovered, so a dog, whether real or implied can put a serious dampener on a thief's plan to get into your home.

7. Keep your home well lit with outdoor motion detectors, flood lights and security lighting near possible points of entry, like windows and doors. Consider installing a security camera and put up signs that indicate your home is armed with a security camera to keep unwanted visitors away. If you plan to be away from your home for an extended period, set up indoor lights on a timer that varies its pattern to make it look like you're home.

8. Be careful about who has access to your house keys and ensure you have more than one lock on your doors which will make it more difficult for an intruder to get in.  Try to give the babysitter, house cleaner, dog walker or pest control person only one key to the front door or the garage door opener instead of all the keys to your home.  Then, if one of those trusted custodians loses a key or somehow allows it to get into the wrong hands, a burglar won't have access to the other locks on the front door or any other doors. Even when you hand out your car keys to a parking valet or car mechanic, be sure to only give them the keys they need. Also, do not leave your keys under flower pots or in other obvious places such as under the welcome mat. It's an open invitation that might have been safe fifty years ago, but not these days!

9. Regular windows are easily breakable and therefore present a unique security risk. A bold criminal can break the glass, reach in and unlock the window to get into your home.  Having your windows security laminated with a clear or tinted high quality laminate can be a good way to prevent the prowlers from gaining access.  You can also install a second layer of glass and ensure that panes are securely attached to the window frame so that they can't be wiggled lose and removed without making a noise.

10. Remove entry to hazardous areas like pools or dangerous tools and chemicals. Drowning is the third leading cause of accidental deaths in the United States, and many of these deaths are preventable by installing a fence around your pool's perimeter which can help keep out curious young neighbors and visitors to your home. The garage is another dangerous place, where sharp objects, toxic cleaners and fertilizers are often stored, and where they should be secured away from young children. Block access to the garage when possible and make it an off limits area whenever you can't be supervising children directly.  Additionally, keep all of your smoke detectors in proper operating order. Test them often, and replace batteries annually with at least one smoke detector on every level of your home so that the piercing shriek of the alarm will alert you and your family in the event of a fire. Consider buying a fire extinguisher and keeping it handy in high-risk areas, such as the kitchen and the garage. Your family should also practice a fire escape plan so everyone knows what to do in an emergency.

Click here for a more security tips and a downloadable safety checklist for YOUR home!

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