When it comes to keeping your home secure, understanding your options is key. This isn’t something to be taken lightly. It is important to review your options and do what you can to protect your family.

When you buy a new house, be sure the locks are changed. You don’t know how many keys have been handed out previously. Call a locksmith to make sure you’re the only one with access to your home. Give a key to someone you trust in case you get locked out.

Have your home always look occupied. Buy timers so things will go on and off at different times. This will make it look like someone is home. It is also another way to secure your home.

Make sure you trust your house cleaner before you provide them with a key. If you do give your housekeeper a key or plan on doing so, it is imperative that they are honest and upstanding. Read through their references very carefully, and don’t hesitate to follow up on their references to ensure they actually exist. If you hire a cleaner who works for a company, speak with your local BBB about the company’s reliability.

Man’s best friend can also be trusted to secure a spare key. This approach is useful if your dog is a large breed that lives outdoor, or if your house has a doggy door. Put a key on the dog’s collar so you have access to it when necessary!

When you decide to purchase a home alarm system, make sure you comparison shop. Several different firms may offer similar protection for wildly divergent prices. Before choosing which company to go with, ask for quotes from a minimum of three companies.

Shop around when looking for a good home security system. Prices vary significantly, even for similar levels of protection. Get quotes from several companies before making a decision.

Social networking sites are great for keeping in touch, but post information sparingly. For example, you might avoid broadcasting when you are going out of town, especially if your friends list contains casual acquaintances. There may be a thief within this list and you would have been inviting him straight through your front door!

Purchase ceiling, flooring and roofing that is fire resistant. This will make your home more safe, especially if you are in a dry climate that has many power lines. Stopping fire hazards is a key precaution to take since the damage it causes can be considerable.

Your garage needs to be secure. A lot of garage owners fret over burglars entering this way, but there are answers. If your garage lifts up on a track, try using a C-clamp. This will prevent your door from opening up if the clamp is close to its roller.

Rid the outside of your home from dead wood, vegetation and overgrowth during the summertime. As the summer heat rolls in, there is a higher chance that these can catch on fire, putting your home at risk. Clearing your yard keeps your home, belongings and family much safer.

Install lights that have motion sensors. This type of light will come on when they detect motion within a certain distance of your home. They will notify you of any movement and can deter any possible burglars since they like remaining inconspicuous. Remember to keep working bulbs in them at all times.

Security System

Walls are a good place to hide things. This is a great way to hide jewelry, for example. Simply take advantage of an unused switch plate, electrical outlet, or phone jack. If you have no unused plates, you can put in a fake one.

Regardless of the type of home security system you choose, be sure to have regular inspections and maintenance performed. This is a job for professionals; get a security firm to inspect your equipment. There are many reason why a home security system can have problems, and it might be the weather or wild animals that cause it to malfunction. You might not even discover these problems if they aren’t easily sighted.

It is important that you do not put expensive valuables in plain sight. Large windows let in a lot of light, but they also allow outsiders to see inside your living space. Be sure to put curtains on your front-facing windows so people can’t see your valuable belongings.

When you purchase big, expensive items be sure to break down the boxes and take them to the recycling center yourself. Having these boxes around will let thieves know the type of items that are inside your home.

When you pick an alarm system, it’s a good idea to get one that provides protection for both doors and windows. All of your windows are possible entry points for a thief too. Be certain they are also alarmed and monitored. This is just one more thing you can do to protect your home.

Your flashlights should always be equipped with good, working batteries. Having a well-charged flashlight on hand is very beneficial in case of emergency. Show your children how to use them so everyone in the family is involved.

If your home security system is installed, be sure its wires are well-hidden. You do not want the wires exposed for easy manipulation. This is why it is so important to make sure all your wires are well hidden. This helps keep you and your family safe.

Keeping your home well lit at night can help keep the burglars away. They don’t wish to be seen. Good lighting in your home means that crooks have no hiding places. At night, keep your lights turned on to boost security.

Get flashlights with good batteries, and have them in each room in case you lose power. Having a well-charged flashlight on hand is very beneficial in case of emergency. Teach your children how to use the flashlights so that everyone in your household can help.

If you get home and notice an open door, do not go in to see what has happened. This can be a dangerous scenario, as the criminal might still be present. Instead, call the police to inform them of what happened, and wait on them.

Make sure to ask for identification for any home security company representative. It is easy for potential thieves to present themselves as representatives of a company in order to gain access to your home. This leads to danger. Use caution to stay out of danger.

If you plan to be away and you have another person collecting your mail, have them double check your front door for fliers. Some intruders will place a flyer at your home to see if the flyer is removed immediately or not. If the flier stays in place, the burglar knows that the homeowner is out on vacation.

If you want to make your house even more secure, a cheap way to do that is to buy outside lights with motion detectors. These lights are not only handy when you get home late, they also help deter criminals from entering your home. If they are positioned correctly outside of your home, your motion detectors can make it impossible for strangers to sneak around.

Put a surveillance system in your home. Placing hidden and visible video cameras is a good way to keep your home secure. Visible cameras scare intruders while a hidden camera could capture footage. Surveillance systems often allow you to access videos through your cell phone, too.

Keeping the home illuminated during evening hours helps keep criminals away. They want to avoid being seen. With a well-lit home, thieves cannot hide or break in unnoticed. Keep the lights on when it’s dark.

Make sure the inside of your garage isn’t visible. Have your windows frosted so they aren’t as easy to see through. Don’t leave doors open for long lengths of time when working there.

Make sure a surveillance system is part of your home security system. This will allow you to see who is around your house. Cameras that can be seen are an excellent tool for preventing most burglars from breaking into your home. However, if they are brave enough to try to disable your cameras, hidden cameras will capture them. You can sometimes access security systems using your cell phone, keeping you informed on the go.

You should now know more about home security systems. Home security is an important subject. You must place your family’s safety as a top priority. Keep the tips that have been discussed here in mind as you move forward.

A great way to deter criminals from getting into the garage is to make sure nobody sees inside it. Frost your windows so people cannot look inside your home. Don’t leave your front door unlocked or standing open when you are working in the garage or yard.