Whether you own or rent, you need your place to be safe. It is likely that you aren’t aware of small things that can be done in order to protect yourself and your living space. Thankfully, the below article will help. Make sure you save this article after you are done so that you can keep referring it throughout your decision making process.

Place the spare key that you make on your dog. Really this works only if you have a pet door or if your dog is an outdoor dog. You can attach a copy of your key to the dog’s collar, so when you need that spare, you’ve got one handy!

Home security systems do more than sounding an alarm in case of a break in. Many can be set for sounding their alarm if anyone enters. Parents riding herd on small children will be thankful for this feature which makes it harder for kids to sneak outside without supervision.

After getting a new home, make sure to change its locks. The previous owners or tenants might have made several copies of the key. Changing the locks will give you peace of mind that you and your family are the only ones who have access to your home. When you lose your keys, have your locks rekeyed.

Be sure your roof, floors, and ceiling are fire resistant. These materials will protect your home from both internal fires and the spread of fires that start on other properties. Preventing a fire is important since it can cause a lot of damage.

Carefully consider where you hide your outside spare key. Hiding it beneath the doormat is very common and most intruders will look there. A possible solution is to attach a key to your outdoor dog’s collar.

Local Police

Never allow any strangers into your home. Even if someone has a good story, requires help or has a great product to sell, ignore them. Some people will knock on your door simply to see whether you have a security system.

Talk to your local police department about what they offer. Many police departments offer programs that can include home inspections, home security training and more. Talk with local police to see if they offer these programs.

If your garage is attached to your house, make it secure. There is a solution for people that are worried about burglars going into their home through an attached garage. However, you can use a C-clamp to help keep the door secure.

No matter how good your security system is, it should be checked annually. Your security company should send a representative to check your system. Many things can impact the performance of a security system, such as animals and weather. It’s quite possible for there to be a fault in your system even if you can’t see it.

Rid the outside of your home from dead wood, vegetation and overgrowth during the summertime. As things heat up in the summer, items may catch on fire and threaten your home. Clearing your yard keeps your home, belongings and family much safer.

Put motion-sensor lights into your home. These lights will turn on if anyone walks too closely to your home. Not only will you know that someone is out there, it will also deter burglars because they want to be inconspicuous. Just remember to change out the bulbs every so often so the lights remain in working order.

Keep your car in your garage if you have one. A car kept locked in a garage is much less likely to be stolen or damaged. Keeping your car in your garage also keeps a thief from knowing whether you are at home or not.

Switch your locks. Perhaps your roommate left town or you have gone through a messy divorce, and you need to feel that the home is safe. You can change the locks in a single day, and the hardware is not very costly.

You can hide your valuable items inside your walls. You do not need to remove segments from your walls. Many areas in your house are already accessible for this purpose. What about un-wiring an electrical socket which isn’t used to utilize as a cover to hide your jewelry?

It is important that your alarm system wiring is not exposed anywhere. An intruder can cut the wires if he can find them. Don’t make it easy for an intruder, have the wires buried or hidden within the home’s walls. That will make you safer.

Don’t put your spare key in an obvious place near your front door. Though you might think that you’re giving yourself something you could use to get into your house when you’ve lost your keys, you’re actually inviting intruders inside your house. Any thief knows all the typical hiding spots. Ask a friend, neighbor or relative to keep your extra keys for you.

If you make a large purchase, like a big screen television, don’t simply set the box out in front of your home. Having these boxes around will let thieves know the type of items that are inside your home.

Lock the house, even if just going away for a short time. Many home thefts start with the thief simply walking in an unlocked door or window. Thieves can make off with large amounts of valuable merchandise very quickly.

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. It’s best to know about these fees in advance so that you can avoid them when possible.

Flashlights in your home should always have newer batteries if your power goes out. Flashlights are very important, as they will give you the ability to move around in the event of an emergency. If you have kids, teach them how to properly use the flashlights so everyone in the family can help out during a power outage.

Checking out security firms online is a great idea. Check out reviews you find on the web. Make appointments with the three best companies, and take the time to go over the details and compare them.

Always use online resources to identify the very best home security firm. Look at many websites and read customer reviews about the various services. After narrowing down your top five choices, you can then take the next step by contacting each one.

You should find out how many years of experience your home security service has. Companies that have been around for years have shown that they know the industry and that their services are reliable and great enough for recommendations. It will make you feel better knowing that the company you choose is not fly by night.

If you get home and notice an open door, do not go in to see what has happened. This is dangerous since the thief may still be on your property. Get on the phone to the authorities immediately.

If you think something looks odd when you get back home, don’t go inside. You have no way of knowing whether the thieves are still inside. Call the cops and let them do the initial walk through.

Think about a wireless security system for your home. While systems with wires are cheaper, you have to rewire your home and worry about power outages. Wireless systems are much easier to maintain and also to install, and they are not reliant on your central power source.

Make sure that your house number are visible from the street. During an emergency crisis, smaller numbers prevent emergency personnel from finding your home quickly. Luckily, this is an issue that can be fixed quickly.

Arrange for someone to pick up your mail and remove any fliers from your door if you are out of town. 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. A flier that hangs around for days on end lets burglars know that there’s no one in the home.

Spring Latches

Can you see the number of your house from the street? In an emergency situation, first responders won’t be able to locate your house quickly if the numbers are hidden or are too small to see clearly. If you notice a problem, you should be able to fix it fairly cheaply, though.

Steer clear of locks with spring latches. These locks are the simplest ones to breach, since they are able to be opened by using just a credit card. They can put the credit card in between the latch and door to open the lock. If you have spring latches already installed, consider adding deadbolts too.

You need to know your options with companies concerning either leasing or purchasing equipment. It might cost more at first when buying the equipment, but you don’t have the extra cost each month. Leasing is a good way to avoid the initial expense, but you will have to pay monthly fees. Evaluate both alternatives and choose the best option for yourself.

Do not store your car registration in your glove box. If someone finds them, they’ll know your address. Ideally, you should carry your registration in your wallet or bag. If you must leave them in the car, pick a less obvious hiding place. Remember, you do need to be able to access them quickly if you get pulled over by a policeman.

Does your security firm offer lights with motion sensors? Most companies will offer this service, and it illuminates the outside of the house whenever there is any movement. This can give you a heads up if a robbery was about to happen.

Set up a timer to turn your lights off and on at regular intervals. A timer is very convenient and will give the impression that your home is occupied if you have to go away over extended periods of time.

A home alarm might be a good investment. The only way to ensure this is to use a system that calls the police for you. It is not good enough to depend on your neighbors being able to call for you.

Now is the time to put this advice into action. Do not hesitate to put these ideas into practice. They can be a springboard and allow you to build on them and secure your home. Knowing your home is secure can really help to give you peace of mind.

Women are more likely than men to be a target for burglary. This is especially true if they live on their own with children. A pair of big muddy boots placed outside your door gives the impression that a man lives there. This will make criminals think again before trying to enter your home.