You should always feel concerned about your home’s security. You can’t tell just when a burglar might break in to take valuables or hurt people. Read this to make your house safer and secure.

Have your dog protect the spare key. This is only true if yours in an outdoor dog, or your house is equipped with a doggie door. You can attach a copy of your key to the dog’s collar, so when you need that spare, you’ve got one handy!

Is your dog kept outside when you are away? You might consider leaving your spare key with your dog. You can attach your key to your dog’s collar in order to keep the key hidden. If your dog doesn’t like strangers, it’s even better.

When you buy a new house, change the locks. You simply do not know how many keys to the old locks are floating around. Call a locksmith as soon as you can for maximum security. If you lose your keys, you should do the same thing.

Provide the house key to your professional house cleaner, but only if you fully trust them. Be sure to check out the background of any housekeeper you plan to provide with a key to your home. Check their references very carefully. If you hire a cleaner from a company, then you should check the company with the BBB.

Buy a safe. This is important, since you don’t want your valuables exposed to a potential intruder. Be sure to put your safe in an out of the way place like the basement, attic or under the floorboards.

The best home security systems do much more than sound the alarm (literally). The majority of systems will give an audible alert when someone enters the house. This is important to parents who have small children, because they will want to know if the children have opened a door.

Don’t just hide your spare key anywhere. Too many people put their extra key under the mat in front of their door; burglars know to check there. Think outside the box and put the key someplace unusual, like hidden in your dog’s collar.

Get roofing, flooring and ceilings that are fire resistant. This ensures your home won’t be a tinderbox. Preventing a fire hazard is one of the safest precautions that you can take due to the level of destruction that it can cause.

Your friends may have some great advice for choosing the right company. Other people will probably have personal experience with these companies that are either good or bad. They can share their experiences with you, which will greatly assist you in making the best decision. Be sure you seek out advice by asking those people.

Avoid being shy. Talk to the people who live in your neighborhood. Watch their homes for suspicious activity and get their word that they will do the same thing for you. Pay attention to gossip as well. You can learn of important security information, including if strangers have been lurking.

Make sure to have your home inspection system maintained on at least an annual basis. Ask a qualified worker who specializes in security systems to take a look. A number of things may cause your alarm system to have problems, including mother nature and wild animals. Sometimes it is very difficult to see the problem if you don’t know where it is.

Always go with your gut when it comes to choosing a security firm. This is particularly true if you’re uneasy with those that install your actual system. You don’t want to refrain from choosing a different company or technician. Your security system is supposed to help you, not cause you more stress.

Rural areas are just as prone to break-ins as cities. People who live in the country may even be more vulnerable because they do not have nearby neighbors. However, understand that regardless of where you live, a theft can occur anywhere. Therefore, you need to be prepared.

Keep valuables out of sight of windows. Open curtains allow people to see inside your home and see exactly what you have. You should cover any windows that are facing the street so your valuables will be safe.

Stashing your most precious possession right inside the walls of your home can be a great idea. You don’t have to cut pieces out of the walls. There are many spots in your home that already have areas that are pre-cut. What about un-wiring an electrical socket which isn’t used to utilize as a cover to hide your jewelry?

If your door is set in a rotted frame, you must replace the frame. Anyone who wants to get into your home can easily pry away rotted wood and slip right into your home. Replace any wood that has begun to rot with new wood so that your house stays safe.

After making major (i.e. expensive) purchases, don’t dump the packaging out front if your next scheduled garbage pick-up is several days away. You are alerting thieves that there is something worth stealing inside your home.

Motion-sensitive exterior lighting is a must. In the evening hours, this lighting can provide extra security and an economical way to light your front entrance way when you arrive. When they are positioned correctly, they make it pretty much impossible for intruders to get to your house unnoticed.

Be certain to read the entire contract when you hire a home security firm. There are early termination fees, and there may be fees for extra equipment procured in the future. You should avoid these fees as much as you can; therefore, you need to know of their existence.

Make sure all the wood around your doors is in great shape. Rotten wood is easily removed and can give an intruder a way into your home. Replace the rotting door frame with a new one and keep your home much safer.

You should find out how many years of experience your home security service has. A company that’s been around for a while has proven that their service is reliable. It also ensures they’re not a fly-by-night firm.

The outside of your house should be well lit. A burglar prefers to sneak around in the dark, and a well lit house is always a deterrent. Install lights in areas where intruders might come. Don’t forget that this includes ground-level windows as well as doors, garages, and porches.

Make sure to have flashlights with fresh batteries in all rooms within your house in the event of a power outage. If the power goes out, you will be able to see everything. This can come in handy if someone has cut your power and is attempting to break in.

If you do not already have a paper shredder, you may want to think about investing in one. You’d be shocked at how many times thieves search trash looking for personal documents to see when you’re not home so that they can get into your home. If you don’t have a paper shredder, tear the papers up.

Take off your rose colored glasses and realize that bad things can happen to anyone. Anything can happen any time and you must be prepared. Use the tips from this article to create a safer place for your family.

Before you let a security company representative enter your home, make sure they are in uniform, and don’t hesitate to ask them for identification. It is simple for a thief to pose as a representative of your home security company as a means of gaining access to your house. This situation presents danger to your home, family and belongings. Act cautiously in order to stay away from potential dangers.