Here are a few suggestions on the most effective ways to protect your home and family from unwelcome intruders. Choose metal exterior doors. If this is not possible, choose a solid wood door. Make sure door hinges are located inside so doors can't be removed from the outside. If your mail slot is in your door, make sure a hand can't reach through.For sliding glass doors, install a device that secures both the sliding and stationary panels of the door by pinning them together where the frames overlap. Always change your locks when you move into a new or existing home.Don't use crescent or "butterfly" latches to secure windows. They can be easily pried open. Use a do-it-yourself nail or bolt window stop instead. Drill the hole for the stop at a slight downward angle to prevent jiggling the pin out of the hole. Install laminated-glass windows, which can only be cut from one side, this can foil the burglary method of quietly cutting glass to gain entry.Pay attention to items that could allow easy access to second-floor windows or balconies. If you're remodeling or painting, put ladders away at the end of each day. Trim bushes and trees to allow maximum exposure of windows and doorways.Install motion-detection lights on all sides of the house. Don't hide your house key outside. Give a set of keys to a trustworthy neighbor, or hang the key on a long chain that be safely worn around the neck instead. Lower the volume of your telephone's ring so it can't be heard outside your house. (An unanswered phone tells a burglar casing your house that no one's home.) Don't enter your home if it appears to have been burglarized; immediately call the police from a cell phone or neighbor's house.According to the FBI, homes equipped with centrally monitored alarm systems are 15 times less likely to be targets of break-ins. These steps will help you choose one that's right for your security needs: Determine how much protection you need. The goal of a residential security system is to detect an intruder as early as possible, alert the home's occupants to their presence, and scare them away before any harm can occur. Progressive layers of protection accomplish this goal. This usually involves sensors on the windows and exterior doors, with interior motion detectors as backup to the point-of-entry protection. The additional cost of protecting the innermost circle adds spot protection for high-value areas. Electronic alarm systems come in two basic types: wired systems and wireless systems. "Wired" systems require running low-voltage electrical wires from a master control panel to doors and windows, motion detectors, keypads, and sirens. A "wireless" system uses miniature radio transmitters instead of physical wires so very little drilling and no special tools are required for installation. Compare prices. Be sure to compare not only the installation charges but also annual inspection costs and monthly fees (for monitored systems). Also, check with your insurance agent to see if you'll receive a discount for installing a specific system.Alarm systems are only part of good home security. Electronic systems have to be used properly for them to be effective. Solid doors and good locks as well as security-smart light, landscaping, preparedness and practice are fundamentals that cannot be overlooked.