Additional tips: House: Alarms | House: Locks | House: Windows & Doors | Garage | Yard | Valuables | Vacation | Miscellaneous |

YOUR HOUSE: LOCKS

* Install locks or secondary security devices on all accessible windows so they can't be opened far enough for someone to crawl through from the outside.

* You can limit access to your home and omit keys by getting the latest technology with fingerprint locks; they are very easy to use and very "007"!

* Install dead bolts with captive keylocks on all doors located next to windows. These locks have removable thumb latches so that even if a thief breaks a window, he still can't reach around and unlock the door. But because dead bolts can also be a fire hazard, make sure they have a removable key on the inside cylinder for when you are home. When you leave, just remove the key and keep the lock bolted on both sides.

* Always lock up all doors and windows — including second-floor windows — even if you're just going out for a few minutes.

* A door that locks from the inside is great — but it needs to lock on the outside as well!

* A chain lock allows you to talk to someone outside your door without opening it all the way.

* If you have the same key for all your locks, have one door re-keyed and use that key to give to contractors or visitors. If the key is lost, you will only have to change one lock on your house.

* Do you and your family members often misplace keys? Use color-coded key chains that work with a radio transmitter. Then just press the button that matches the color of your key chain and a tone will go off, letting you know where your keys are.

* When you move into a house or apartment, have the locks re-keyed. There's no telling who the previous residents may have given a spare key to, or whether they kept one themselves.

* To avoid being locked out of your house, secure a spare key in a combination or key lockbox on your property, or leave one with a trusted neighbor.

* Original locks may look quaint, but they are nearly always unsafe. Modern locks can be refitted while keeping the original integrity of the house.

* Keypads are a good alternative to traditional locks in homes that are occupied or accessed by many people.

* Combination keyless locks are a great way to keep certain rooms off limits to anyone but those with the code!

* Be careful who you give your alarm codes and keys to; some alarms now allow you to give each individual their own code so as to monitor their use.