Home maintenance starts with security. To fully understand a great home security plan, studying and researching is necessary. Read the below article to learn how to create the best home-security plan.

You should always change the locks after purchasing a home. You don’t know how many keys have been handed out previously. Get a locksmith in right away. Also, if you ever lose your keys, do the same.

You can hide your spare key on your dog. This is only true if yours in an outdoor dog, or your house is equipped with a doggie door. Attach the key to your dog’s collar, and it will be handy if you ever need a spare.

Providing a key to the person cleaning your home can be acceptable, but you must be sure they are honest and worthy of your confidence. If they need the keys and plan on being in there for more than an hour, try to ensure that they are honest, hardworking, and reputable. Read through their references very carefully, and don’t hesitate to follow up on their references to ensure they actually exist. If this professional is from a company, it’s best to check with the Better Business Bureau to see what kind of reputation they have.

Setting off an alarm during a burglary is just one of the valuable functions a good security system can perform. They can be programmed to alert the homeowner if a person enters the home. Parents of children can track their kids this way.

Use your garage for your car and not for storage. Keeping your car in your house will deter intruders from vandalizing or stealing it. Hiding your car from plain view will also keep potential intruders from tracking when you are home and when you aren’t.

Check around for prices, reputation, and reliability when choosing a home security provider. Most companies have different price schemes for the the same general level of protection. Get quotes from several companies so that you can get the best price for your home security system.

A spare key must be carefully hidden and not in the obvious spots that a person might think. Placing a key above a door or under a doormat is quite obvious! Try hiding the key in your outside dog’s collar.

Don’t hide an extra key under a rock or in a planter. A key that is easily found is a convenience for a burglar, not just for you. Thieves know about all these hiding spots. You should have a trusted neighbor keep a spare key.

Don’t let strangers enter your home. Even if this stranger has a believable story or is trying to sell you something, do not let them in. Some criminals will come in, case your house and then come back when you are away.

An extremely important tactic for keeping your home safe is changing out the locks. Maybe you’ve had a roommate leave or a bitter ex-lover, so changing the locks can keep you safer. This doesn’t usually cost much, and it can be accomplished in less than a day.

When in the process of selecting an alarm system, you should select a system that protects more than simply the doors of your home. The best systems are those that cover windows as well. The alarm and monitoring system should be set for all windows and doors. This will make your family safer.

When choosing a home security firm, trust your instincts. Don’t hire anyone who makes you uncomfortable. Ask the company to send a different installer or simply change companies. The system and the company should put your mind at ease.

While choosing your alarm system, ask about protection for windows and motion detection as well as doors. Windows need to be monitored too. Have alarms installed for each window and any other entry point. This will make your family safer.

Were you aware of how valuable your house wires are? Some intruders could strip your home of every bit of copper. The copper wiring can be stripped and be turned in for money. This is why the wiring should be hidden or difficult to get to.

After bringing home a big-ticket item, such as an appliance or electronic device, avoid leaving the packages on the curb before trash day. Exposing the box to view ahead of time signals a burglar that he will find this item in your home.

Before you let anyone go into your home, look at their references thoroughly. You need to do background checks in order to find out about their criminal history. Avoid giving keys out to contractors, maids and repairmen.

If your home isn’t new, replace the locks. Although it’s normal for owners / tenants to surrender their keys when they leave, there’s no way of knowing who else might have copies. You can purchase locks and install them yourself to ascertain that only you have a key.

Don’t allow your landscaping make it easier for burglars to break into your home. The doors and windows of your home should not be obstructed by trees, fences or shrubs. If these things can be seen by the naked eye, they won’t offer hiding places to potential criminals. If you want to have a garden around your home, keep trees and shrubs away from your house.

Have your home security company inspect your home and suggest safety improvements. Everyone has specific needs and wants when dealing with the security of their house, belongings and family. You’ll get the best protection by using a company that can tailor a plan to your requirements.

Whenever you sign with a home-security company, it is important that you thoroughly read the contract. There may be hidden costs involved that you were not aware of. You want to avoid as many of these fees as you can, so read everything.

If you are out of town for awhile, ask a friend to take a look at your door for any fliers. Crafty burglars will leave fliers on homes, and check to see if they’re being removed as a means for determining whether or not the home is vacant. If a flier remains on a front door for a number of days, the burglar knows the homeowner is away.

Empty Boxes

Having light on in your home at night will scare crooks away. These crooks do not wish to be noticed or seen. A well-lit home is like a red flag to a burglar. That’s why it’s a good idea to light your home well for optimum safety.

If you buy a new, expensive electronic, such as a television or computer, do not leave the empty boxes on your curb. If the burglars see the empty boxes, then they will realize you have the items in your home. As a result, they’ll be more likely to break in so they can steal it. When you have emptied the boxes, make sure you cut them up.

Home security is a topic of vital importance but one about which not everybody knows a great deal. Studying the subject needs to be a top priority for any person that worries about their family’s safety and their items’ safety. Hopefully, you’ve learned what you need to know from this article and can now put the information to use.

Don’t allow your landscaping make it easier for burglars to break into your home. The doors and windows of your home should not be obstructed by trees, fences or shrubs. If they can be seen, there will be no place to hide. If you want to have a garden around your home, keep trees and shrubs away from your house.