When people think of home security, the first thing they generally think of is burglar alarms. In most cases, though, alarms are only a small part of the overall security of your home.

In many cases, the key to home security is actually the windows. Houses with less secure windows get broken into far more often than houses with secure ones, as windows are the number one point of entry for burglars. You should always make sure to use the toughest glass you can, and have locks fitted to the windows. Never leave your windows open when you go out, eithereven really high up ones that you wouldn't expect anyone to be able to get to. Also, never leave ladders lying around in your gardenlock them up in a garage or shed instead.

Doors are also a common point of security weakness. Your door should be sturdy and bulky, with a well-built lock that can't just be forced open easily. You should also make sure to be careful about losing your keys, and never store them together with something that could reveal your address.

Of course, that's not to say that alarms aren't effective, although for the most part they are better as a deterrent than they are at detecting and helping to catch a burglar. Fitting a visible alarm to the front and back of your house is the simplest thing you can do to put a burglar off (they'll go for your neighbours instead), but a well-made fake alarm box generally works just as well for this as a real one. Front and back lights that come on when someone gets close also make a very good deterrent, as well as being convenient for you when you come home late and want to get the key in the lock.