From birds flocking to the feeder to neighbors strolling down the sidewalk, everyone gets more social as the mercury climbs. With more daylight hours to enjoy, kids spend evenings darting in and out of houses playing games and grabbing snacks. Families spend hours in their backyards, chatting over garden walls or enjoying the languid evening from a chaise longue. No one pays much attention to a stranger slipping through an unlocked front door and stealing valuables.

Just as warm weather invites open doors and windows, it also invites increased home invasions and burglaries. But these crimes can be prevented by remaining attentive and taking a few strategic steps — barefoot or in flip flops.

* Install a home security system.

The most reliable way to protect your home and family from invasions, today’s home security systems are easy to use and affordable — they only cost about $1 per day. They’re easy to install, too, featuring wireless technology that makes drilling into walls a mess of the past.

Whether you’re at home or not, home security systems can be armed to alert you if someone tries to break in or disturbs a motion detector. They provide you the ability to spend all day splashing in the backyard pool without worrying about what’s happening inside or at your front door.

* Screen your callers.

Who doesn’t love the feel of a fresh breeze cooling their home? Remember, though, breezes cool just as effectively through locked screen doors, which serve as effective deterrents to would-be burglars. Similarly, screens in windows help to keep thieves out, and closed garage doors (even when you’re home) prevent burglars from seeing what you have to steal.

* Get to know your neighbors.

If you see a suspicious person in your neighborhood, tell your neighbors and encourage them to be on the lookout, too. Burglars prefer to operate unnoticed, so the more you and your community pay attention to the goings-on in your area, the more likely burglars are to stay out of your town. Consider starting an official neighborhood watch program, and encourage everyone in your community to get involved.

Remember, vigilant home security does more than guard your possessions against home invasions and burglars. It protects your home and family from violation and violence, and keeps safe what you hold dear. So relax this summer, just don’t be lax with your home security.