You want to make sure that your home and your family are protected against intruders. To accomplish that, you need to make sure that you do everything you can to provide proper security. When developing a security plan for your home, it's important that you remember both the interior and the exterior. Here are four steps you can take to prevent intruders.  

Install a Home Security System

Installing a home security system is the most important step you can take when protecting your home against intruders. Home security systems protect your entire home, including all exterior-facing doors and windows. They also come with security cameras, which allow you to monitor the activities around your home. In addition, most systems also come with a panic-button option that allows you to contact emergency personnel with the bush of a button.

Go Keyless Entry on Your Doors

Even if you have a deadbolt, most burglars know how to pick locks, which means those locks aren't going to keep intruders out of your home. Beef up your home security by installing keyless entry systems on all your exterior doors. These systems require either an alpha-numeric code, magnetic keycard, or fingerprint recognition in order to open the door. An added benefit is that you can change the code if your previous code is compromised.

Secure the Doggy Doors

When it comes to home security, the small things can cause the biggest problem. If you have a doggy door installed on an exterior facing door, you're inadvertently inviting intruders into your home. This is especially true if your doggy door is for a large dog. Intruders can either reach their hand in to unlock the door, or if the opening is big enough, they can climb right through to your home. To prevent intrusion, be sure to secure the doggy doors before you leave the house, and before you head to bed at night.

Safeguard Your In-Window Air Conditioners

If you have in-window air conditioners, you may be susceptible to break-ins. Those air conditioning units can be removed from the window casing, making it easy for intruders to come right into your home. When installing your window air conditioning unit, be sure you install security brackets. The brackets will make it impossible for the unit to be removed from the outside of the house.

When it comes to home security, what you don't do could hurt you. Use the information provided here to secure your home and make it less accessible to intruders. For more information about how to secure your home, be sure to speak to a local locksmith (such as Southern California Security Centers).