Alarm Systems and Other Home Security Measures

When it's time to increase home security, installing alarm systems can be a great way to do just that. When it comes to one's home, family and belongings, protection and safety are mandatory. Alarms are active after-the-fact protective devices but there are also many preventative steps to take that will keep crimes from happening in the first place. Here are some home security measures to consider for your dwelling:

- Neighborhood watch: Neighbors watching out for each other can greatly increase safety. This can be a formal or informal group. Formal watchdog groups have meetings, hang up signs and have the police come talk to everyone about safety. Informal groups can just be neighbors keeping an eye out and reporting any suspicious behavior or vehicles. In our modern times, many people are so busy and come home from work through their garage. They might not even know their next door neighbors. Community is important and there's safety in numbers. Have a block party to have fun, build community and watch over each other.

- Get a pet dog: Fido and Rover are fun for the family and great for protecting property. In fact, they are much like a natural alarm system. When they start barking in the middle of the night, the inhabitants know something is up. Dogs are friendly and devoted to their family and friends but can be lethal to burglars. Be sure to hang up signs that say "beware of dog" to fend off the robbers, too.

- Have your mail and newspapers picked up when you're gone: Stacks of newspapers, advertising flyers and mail will alert criminals that you're out of town. Have the post office hold your mail, donate the newspapers to a classroom or stop service and have a neighbor clear away those pesky flyers hanging from your doorknob. Do the same for neighbors when they're out of town.

- Burglar alarm systems: Burglar alarm systems can range from simple to complex. A simpler system will be one that is set when the family is away. If an intruder enters while it's set, the alarm will blare and hopefully scare off the bad guys. This is similar to a car alarm in that the noise is the deterrent. More complex alarms may be hard wired to send messages to the police station via a monitoring company. Windows can be wired for break-ins and sensors can pick up motion.

- Fire alarms: Fire alarms are a bit different in that they are set off by smoke and heat. Smoke and heat detectors will sense a fire in the making and begin blaring the signal to the firefighters. Sprinkler systems may be a part of the plan, as well.

In order to keep one's home, family members, pets and belongings secure, it helps to use preventative measures as well as alarm systems. Getting to know one's neighbors, adopting a dog, making sure the mail, newspapers and flyers don't accumulate during vacations will all help keep your property secure.