Regardless of whether you own the building, you own the things inside and you want to keep them safe. You may not know the best way to secure your home, so that’s what this article can help you with. Read on to discover what steps you can take to make your home safer.

Be sure your home appears to always be occupied. Purchase timers for electronics, lights, radios and TVs so that they will turn on and off at varied intervals. This will give your home the appearance of someone being there. This is a great way to keep your home safe and avoid burglaries.

You can hide your spare key on your dog. Of course, your dog has to be an outdoor dog (or you at least need to have a doggy door) for this to work. Hide a key inside the collar of your dog in case you need a spare.

Your dog could carry a spare key for you. However, this method is only effective if your dog is large, scary, and stays outdoors. Place the alternative key on your dog’s collar in case of an emergency.

You should only provide a house cleaner your key if you completely trust them. Make sure you know they are legitimate before giving out the key. Check their references very carefully. If they work through a larger firm, you can check up on the company with your local Better Business Bureau.

Do you keep your dog outdoors when you go out? Your dog is an excellent place to hide your spare key. Secure the key on the inside of the dog’s collar. This is a good way to ensure easy home access, especially if your pet does not associate well with strangers.

Do you keep your dog outside if you leave the home? Use him or her to help hide your spare key! Secure the key on the inside of the dog’s collar. This is especially useful if the dog does not take kindly to strangers.

Get advice from your friends before selecting a provider for home security. Knowledge of first-hand experiences can be very helpful to you when it comes to making this important decision. Ask around to get lots of advice for making a better choice.

Buy a small home safe that you can use to keep your valuables in. You can’t have your valuable personal items and jewelry out in the open for anyone to see. Conceal the safe in an out-of-the-way and not easily accessible spot, such as an attic or a basement area.

Home protection program details may be available at your police station. Many have quite a few helpful programs that you take, like on self-defense or other things related to your home. Get in touch with the department to determine their offerings.

Ask your friends for advice before you choose a home security system or company. Other people are sure to have opinions and experiences to share. Spending a few days asking for reviews is useful in helping you choose correctly.

Regardless of the type of home security system you choose, be sure to have regular inspections and maintenance performed. Have a worker from the security company take a look at it. Your security system’s quality can be impacted by numerous factors, such as the weather and wild animals. It’s quite possible for there to be a fault in your system even if you can’t see it.

Don’t allow anyone you don’t know to look into your house. Even if their story is compelling, they need assistance or want to sell you something. This person might just be casing the joint to see if there is home security equipment.

A secure hiding place can be created in a wall. Hide valuables inside of your walls. You can use the opening provided by an electrical switch plate or other device that is not being used. If you have no unused plates, you can easily install false ones.

You need to secure your garage if it is attached to your home. Often people are concerned that burglars can enter the home via the attached garage . Happily, there is a solution to this problem. A C-clamp placed on the garage door track will stop it from opening when you don’t want it to.

Take advantage of the Internet while comparing your home security options. Review the websites of several companies and play close attention to the types of services offered and the customer reviews. Once you do this, make appointments with the three best companies you find so that you can compare pricing and other important details.

Keep your car in the garage. Keeping your car in your house will deter intruders from vandalizing or stealing it. 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.

Always keep your home’s exterior well lit. Burglars like committing crimes in the darkness. The most important parts of your home to light are all of its potential access points. Having these outdoor lights installed can really work as a deterrent to criminals who are considering your house.

Use motion sensors on exterior lighting. These lights will come on if someone walks near your house. Not only will you know that someone is out there, it will also deter burglars because they want to be inconspicuous. Get in the habit of checking and replacing the bulbs as necessary to ensure the lights remain effective.

When you are out of the house, your drapes and blinds should be fully closed. If you don’t, others can look in and see that the property is currently unoccupied. They may break in if they spot something that they like. At night when you’re asleep, you should close your shades.

A skylight is another area that needs to be protected for home security. Skylights have a good function, but unfortunately they also often provide a way for a burglar to enter. Make sure that you use safety hardware when the skylights are installed and maintained.

Don’t keep your car registration in the glove box of your car. This will prevent anyone from knowing where you reside. Keep them in your wallet or in another safe place like your trunk. However, make sure you have them in case you were to get pulled over by the cops.

Always lock your doors, even if you are just walking down the street. Most break-ins and burglaries occur because a door is left open and an intruder just walks in. It does not take long for thieves to steal a lot from your home.

You should invest in a timer to turn lights on and off at regular times. This makes your life a bit easier, and it means that your lights will still be lit even if you are away from long periods of time.

Rotten Wood

Secure valuables that are truly irreplaceable. Items such as family photos, passports, legal documents, expensive jewelry and financial records need to be placed at a secure location. You may want to invest in a floor safe for these. For added safety, place them in a safety deposit box at your bank.

Rotten wood on door and window frames needs to be repaired. Rotten wood is easily removed and can give an intruder a way into your home. Replace rotted wood with fresh wood to make your home safer.

Replace flimsy doors with doors made of solid wood or metal. These types of doors are much stronger and harder for someone to break into. Burglars would have a hard time kicking such doors down. It’s a good idea to replace all your exterior doors with more secure ones. It really doesn’t cost a lot.

Keep lights on at all times if you want to prevent break-ins from happening. Thieves don’t want to be visible. Good lighting in your home means that crooks have no hiding places. Keep lights on during the night.

A home alarm might be a good investment. Your best option is an alarm system that is monitored centrally so the police will be dispatched when the alarm sounds. You can’t necessarily rely on the neighbors to call.

Ask the home security company about how long they’ve been running prior to signing up. A company that’s been around for a while has proven that their service is reliable. Whenever you know you aren’t doing business with a fly-by-night company, you will be more assured your home is protected.

You must always keep second-floor windows locked. This is most often overlooked by a lot of people due to the fact that they don’t think a burglar will check them. This isn’t so. Intruders will check these windows if the first floor is secured.

Think about your specific needs and risks prior to investigating security systems. Generic systems aren’t for everyone. In some particular neighborhoods, classes for self defense or acquiring a dog may be the best option. However, the newest home security technology may be the best protection in other regions. Understanding your neighborhood, risks and budget constraints can help you to make the best choices.

Women are much more likely to be targeted for a home invasion, especially if they live by themselves or with children. Put big boots on the front porch to give the appearance of a man residing inside the house. This will help keep criminals away.

If you think something looks odd when you get back home, don’t go inside. Your home and the area surrounding it may still be in danger. Your best bet is to call the cops and wait until they arrive before you do anything else.

Refrain from buying a security system from a re-seller. Re-sellers are out to score quick money, and they likely won’t offer you any guarantees. If you deal directly with the security company, you will not incur added fees and you can be assured that your equipment will be serviced by the company.

Wireless home security systems are becoming more popular. A wired system might cost less, but they can require extensive rewiring work and may be rendered useless if the power fails. The wireless systems are simpler to maintain and install and they don’t need power from the home to run.

Try not to leave any toys in the yard when your children are not out there playing with them. This makes thieves think women live there. Since women have more jewelry than men, they are targeted more.

If your lights are generally turned off at roughly the same time, consider using a timer. Not only does this save you a step, you can continue the routine even when you are not home.

Regularly clean carbon monoxide and smoke detectors. They tend to get dust on them which can prevent the sensors from going off when they should. This makes your detectors ineffective when keeping your home safe from carbon monoxide and smoke.

It is now time to take action and find a good home security system. Do not hesitate to put these ideas into practice. Allow them to serve as a sounding board for all of your notions about home security. The safer you feel, the better you will sleep, so don’t dawdle!

There is a reason that the right to own a gun is a popular, if controversial, amendment since it gives people a way to protect themselves and their homes. You may wish to get trained to use a type of gun and then buy one if you feel it’s necessary. Simply knowing how to handle a gun can have you feeling more protected.