If your personal possessions include high-value items like jewelry, artwork or significant amounts of cash, you can’t assume that their existence is secret. In order to protect the things you own, putting a little thought into home security is a must. Read on to find out how to secure your home.

You can hide your spare key on your dog. But, this is only effective if your home has a pet door or your dog stays outdoors when you are not home. Latch the key on his collar and voila–you have a spare key available!

Look for ways to make your home seem occupied. Timers can be used to turn lights and televisions on and off when required. This will make your home look like someone is in it. This is a simple way to improve your home’s safety and make it less attractive to criminals.

Beware giving keys to your maid unless the service has your absolute trust. If they will be there over an hour and you are thinking of giving them your home key, be certain they are honest, reputable and hard-working. Make sure you check references. If it is a known company, check with your local BBB.

Keep your jewelry, vital documents and other expensive items in a safe. This ensures during a break in that the most important things are not stolen. Hide that safe in a difficult-to-reach place like in a closet inside your basement or an attic.

Turn the ringer off on your telephone if you are going to be away. A constantly ringing phone lets thieves know that you are not home and could increase the chances of you getting robbed.

Never open the door for a stranger. People try many ways to convince others to open up their doors so that they can commit burglary or worse. Never open the door to anyone you do not know.

Do you have skylights? If so, you should keep them in mind when protecting your home. Skylights are great for making a home brighter, but they can make it easier for burglars to access the house. Fix your skylights so they cannot be accessed as an entry point by intruders.

If you’ve got a garage, boost home security just by using it for only a car instead of storage. Having the car in the garage will prevent it from getting broken into or stolen. Storing your car in the garage will also make it difficult for anyone casing your home to figure out when no one is going to be there.

After moving into a pre-owned apartment or home, change 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. If you own, you can have the locks replaced and only you will have had the key.

Try not to have a shy attitude. Talk to the people who live in your neighborhood. Keep watch of their homes when they are away, and ask if they will return the favor. Don’t ignore the gossip. You can learn of important security information, including if strangers have been lurking.

When you are trying to hire a home security contractor, read all the small print on your contract before signing it. You may find fees appear unexpectedly, including excessive costs for ending your contract early. You are going to want to avoid these kinds of hidden fees, so know about them up front.

Entry Points

Ask the home security companies to visit your home and design a system tailored to your needs. Everyone has different needs, and your security system should be designed to protect your home and family. When you choose a company that pays close attention to detail in creating your home security plan, you will feel very secure.

A good home security system monitors all entry points to your home. The best systems are those that cover windows as well. Attach an alarm to every one of them, and make sure all entry points are monitored. This is the pinnacle of safety.

Be sure your home is well lit on the outside. Burglars like using darkness to hide. Install lighting anywhere a possible intruder might break in. Make sure your porch, garage, doorways and windows are well lit.

If you have just bought any pricey new goods, never toss the boxes onto the curb prior to the garbage man’s arrival. Exposing the box to view ahead of time signals a burglar that he will find this item in your home.

Get your neighbors to not only pick up your mail, but also any flyers left at your door. Thieves have put them up in order to see if people are home to take them down. A flier that hangs around for days on end lets burglars know that there’s no one in the home.

If you’ve recently moved into a house, get any locks changed out. You don’t really know the people you purchased the house from or all the folks they shared keys with, so don’t place too much trust in the old locks. There are other people who have lived in the home as well.

If you purchase a new TV or computer, don’t leave empty boxes from your purchases on the curb. Don’t advertise that you have expensive new equipment! Break the boxes down, or take a scissors to them to help them fit in your trash can.

Make sure all the wood around your doors is in great shape. Anyone who wants to get into your home can easily pry away rotted wood and slip right into your home. Replace this old wood if you want to keep your house safe.

Stand out in your street, and look toward your home. Are you able to see the numbers of your home? If an emergency happens, the police can’t get to the home as quick if your numbers are obscured in any way or are too small. This is easy and inexpensive to fix if you believe there could be a problem.

As you work on your home’s landscape, don’t forget about safety. You should not let plants and shrub block your doors and windows. Do not give robbers a chance to hide in any area. Utilize shrubs and trees farther away in order to add beauty to your home while keeping it safe.

If you live with children or others whom who don’t want entering some parts of the house, keys and lock sets aren’t the only option. There are key-less locks that open with a push-button security code. Any good security company can provide and install these locks, or you can even put them in yourself.

You must prepare for all possibilities. There’s no need to live in fear, but addressing some basic security concerns is always the prudent course of action. Keep these tips in mind as you get to work.

Talk to your security company about the contract; in particular, inquire about the various contract lengths that are available to you. There are of course pros and cons for each contract. Long contracts may cost less each month, but it could leave you with a larger bill if you decide to end your service. There’s more freedom with a contract that’s shorter, but the monthly payments may be higher.