With or without an alarm system, your home security comes down to building good habits and consistently implementing the security measures you have in place. The best security system in the world is useless if you're failing to follow some basic guidelines for its operation. Unless you live alone, the responsibility of securing your home should fall on everyone to an extent appropriate for their age and abilities.

Delegate Responsibility

The more people live in your home the more broadly you can spread the responsibility for locking up when no one is home, or before everyone goes to bed. Each person is already responsible for securing their own bedroom window, but those are unlikely to be the only windows in the house. Young children can take on this responsibility easily, just be sure that window locks are accessible for them, and can be engaged without a great deal of struggle.

Teens and older children can take on the responsibility of engaging locks on exterior doors, such as a front, back, side and/or garage door. As the homeowner, you should take primary responsibility for engaging any alarm or security system that covers the entire house. Further, split responsibility for reviewing any footage from security cameras with another adult, or your spouse. Initially, it's also a good idea for you to double check on the doors and windows your kids have responsibility for, and make sure they take full ownership of those tasks.

Educate and Test Everyone

Make sure that each member of your household has their own unique pass code for any alarm system you have in place. Include them in any instruction you receive from the installer or company representative. It's also a good idea to help children to find an easy way to memorize their pass codes, without making those codes easy to guess at. Mnemonic devices can be found for most four to six digit numbers which will connect those codes to something significant to your child, without using a birthday or other immediately recognizable number.

Do test runs periodically to help build good habits with your family, and perform spot checks without informing your kids that you're doing it. This is especially important if you have a teenager who leaves for school after you've already gone to work. It will take time to build these habits, so be patient but at the same time don't just take for granted that instructions are being followed regularly.

A good security system can make quite a difference in your home security, but only if it's being used properly. Getting your whole household will help reduce your stress while also improving the chances that security is being observed throughout your home. For more tips, contact companies like Atlas Alarm Corporation.