Since the tragic death of NFL player Sean Taylor, who was a victim in a home invasion, there have been numerous home security articles and an increased interest in the security measures you can take to avoid such an occurrence. For many people, this will mean a new home security door lock that is an improvement over the one they currently have.

When reading home security articles, several themes will be common to most of them. Having a good home security lock on every exterior door and keeping them locked is universal. Many will also recommend using alarms and home security services, but locks are the obvious first line of defense.

A lock is useless if it is not secured, and everyone in the family needs to be trained to lock every door every time. Don't make the mistake of hiding a key in an obvious place such as on a door frame, under a mat or in an easily detectable fake rock. If you really want a spare in case of accidental lockout, consider leaving one with a trusted neighbor or putting it in a coded lock box.

The different types of locks and how safe they are is mentioned often in home security articles. Old locks with skeleton keys are not great or safe, but it is also easy to defeat many modern locks also. If it's possible to break your lock with a credit card, then anyone can.

The box a security lock uses is also critical. It needs to be anchored into the door frame with 3" or better nails or screws, and should be rated as "kick proof." The bolt needs to be at least an inch and a half long as well. If there is glass nearby, a special lock is needed that can't be opened by breaking glass and just reaching in. Be careful to see what local codes permit, of course.

Another theme in the typical home security articles will be what to do if you are home and your locks and alarms fail. If you can, hide in a closet taking a cell phone and calling 911. If you are surprised, cooperate and try not to look directly into the intruders' faces. Memorize as much detail about them as you can, though. It is much better not have to deal with this at all by using really good locks appropriately.