If your home contains precious possessions, such as jewels, art or cash, don’t think only you know about it. You should protect your home and your family by investing in a quality home security system. Read on to find ideas about home security.

You should always make sure your home looks like its occupied. You could purchase timers and have your TVs, lights, radios and other types of electronics to go on at various times. Potential intruders will stay away from your home if they believe someone is inside. This is a simple way to improve your home’s safety and make it less attractive to criminals.

A spare key must be carefully hidden and not in the obvious spots that a person might think. Common places to hide a spare key are above your door frame or underneath your doormat. Therefore, thieves are more likely to check these places out first. Think outside the box and put the key someplace unusual, like hidden in your dog’s collar.

Any time you buy a new home, have the locks changed. You have no clue how many people were given keys by the former owner. To make sure you’re the only person that can get into your home, contact a locksmith. Also, if you ever lose your keys, do the same.

Setting off an alarm during a burglary is just one of the valuable functions a good security system can perform. The majority of systems will give an audible alert when someone enters the house. This can be useful if you’ve got small children that are able to open doors.

You should invest in fire-resistant roofing, flooring and ceiling. This is a good way to protect your home against fires, for instance if you live near power lines or in a dry area. It’s best to prevent a fire before it starts.

If your garage is attached to your home, always keep it secure. People often worry about people getting in through attached garages, but you have a solution. However, you can use a C-clamp to help keep the door secure.

See if your local police department offers any home inspection or other protection programs. They may offer neighborhood watch programs, home inspections, engraving tools for marking code numbers onto items so that they will be easily identified if stolen. Call and see what is available.

Your garage needs to be secure. It is possible for an intruder to get in the garage and then gain access to the house; however, you can do something about it. Using a C-clamp on the garage door will prevent it from opening by staying on the door’s track.

Avoid being shy. Talk to your neighbors and those on your block. Ask them to keep an eye on your home, and do the same thing for them. Listen to gossip also. Important security details (like the presence of strangers in your neighborhood) can come out of the most innocent conversations.

When securing your home, don’t forget about skylights. Although skylights provide your home with a lot of light, it is also very helpful for burglars to break in. Keep them secure with heavy duty hardware that closes them off to potential thieves.

Be brave! Speak with your neighbors and friends in the area. Look out for their property, and see if they will look out for yours. It’s best to be in on any rumors in the area. You might actually learn a thing or two concerning people that have been hanging around.

Be sure your expensive belongings are not visible from the home’s exterior. Large front windows are great, but they also allow others to peer into your home. Blinds are a great way to allow the light in, without allowing people to see in at the same time.

You want an alarm system that protects more than your doors. Windows offer easy access to a potential thief. Have alarms installed for each window and any other entry point. The safety of your family will be ensured.

When choosing a home security firm, trust your instincts. If the installers give you the heebie-jeebies, it’s not a good sign. Don’t hesitate asking for another technician or get another company. The purpose of using the company is to calm your uneasiness, not worsen it.

If you are moving in your new home, ensure all the old locks are replaced. The old owners may seem nice, but you don’t know everything about them. Don’t forget that there were likely other owners and residents in the house before the last set.

Rotting Wood

Walls are excellent hiding spots. You can hide small, valuable items inside the walls of your home. Simply take advantage of an unused switch plate, electrical outlet, or phone jack. If you use all of them, you can always have fake ones installed.

Your door frame should be replaced if the wood around it is rotting. It is simple for a robber to pry away rotting wood and enter your home. Replace rotting wood with new wood to stay safe.

Be sure to read all of the fine print to any contracts you plan on signing for a security company. There may be some hidden fees, or a need to buy more equipment later. Try avoiding these fees when you can so that you know about them.

Avoid leaving spare keys outside of your home. These are the first places criminals will look when they try to enter your home. Burglars are well aware of such hiding places. Ask a friend, neighbor or relative to keep your extra keys for you.

If you have your home brightly lit, burglars are likely to avoid it. Most intruders avoid anything that could reveal their identity. When your home is lit well, the crooks have nowhere to hide, making it difficult for them to steal from you undetected. Have lights that come on when they detect movement for best results.

If you get home and see the door is slightly open, don’t go inside by yourself to investigate. This can be dangerous since the intruder might still be on the property. Get on the phone to the authorities immediately.

Change the locks on any new place you move into. Even if the tenants turned their keys in, they may have made copies. You can purchase locks and install them yourself to ascertain that only you have a key.

Speak with your security company about contract lengths and any options available. There are of course pros and cons for each contract. Longer contracts can lower your monthly bill; however, you may have to continue paying the bill even if you move or discontinue with their services. With a shorter contract, you will have a greater level of flexibility. The downside is you will also have larger monthly bills.

Don’t put the registration to your car in your glove box. Anyone with access to your car can find out where you live, so it is not a smart thing to do. Keep these papers on you or hide them under a seat in your vehicle. Remember that you have to have access to them in case you’re stopped by the police.

Get a custom-designed plan that fits your needs by having the security company do a site visit in your home. Each situation is different. If you have found a company that could cater to your needs, then it is easy to get the security that will make you and your loved ones comfortable.

Instead of seeing your home as impossible for burglars to target, you should try preparing for the worst. Don’t live in fear, but be sure and take the steps to protect yourself. Keep these tips in mind to boost your home security, so that you can keep your family and home safe.