Gone are the days when you could safely leave your door unlocked - even while you're home. It seems that thieves and home invaders are getting more and more sophisticated, which means your home security measures need to be more sophisticated to counter them. If you've just bought or built your first piece of real estate and are worried about protecting it properly, this article will outline some home security measures that you may want to take.

Locks

Locks are the most basic type of home security and one that no home should be without. In a condo, you usually only need to focus on your hallway door because the windows are too high for access, but in a house you'll need to have working locks on all of your windows, even on the upper storeys. If your children are continually losing house keys, consider using a number code lock that doesn't require a key. Choose solid locks, preferably deadbolts, that are not easily pickable and supplement them with sliders and chains on the inside.

Thieves and home invaders do their work under cover of darkness, so take away the darkness and you greatly reduce your risk of being victimized. Visit a supply store for some low-wattage LED nightlights to keep on all the time, such as in the kitchen, hallway, entryway and garage entrance. Installing motion sensitive floodlights in your yard is also a great deterrent for anyone trying to sneak up on the house. When you'll be away, purchase automated timers for your lights to make the house look lived in.

Alarms

If your home or your possessions are especially valuable, you may need extra protection in the form of an alarm system. There are many levels of alarm security, from do it yourself home kits to professionally monitored systems. Make an appointment with a reputable firm to get an assessment on whether your valuables warrant the extra cost of an alarm. Once you've got it, make sure to use it by properly arming it when you leave or go to sleep.

Caution

All the security measures in the world won't keep your Liberty Village condos from being burglarized if you don't exercise caution in who you invite into your home. Make sure kids know never to open the door for a stranger or when they're home alone. Don't give out your door or alarm codes, write them down where they can be found, or hide keys in obvious places outside. When having parties where strangers are invited, make sure to hide your valuables out of sight to discourage the sticky-fingered from thinking they should come back later and rip you off.

Courtesy of: Super Steam London - rug and carpet cleaners.