If you’re a women who lives alone, home security should be a major concern. Instead of remaining afraid, you can take steps to feel better. For example, start by reading this article.

Make sure that you change the locks once you’ve taken possession of the house. You have no clue how many people were given keys by the former owner. To make sure no one else can get into your home, call a locksmith. If you lose keys, make sure to do this, too.

Does your dog remain outside while you’re gone? Using Fido to hide your spare key can be a clever trick. Simply put the key onto your dog’s collar so that robbers cannot locate it. This works very well if you have a pet that is not very fond of strangers. You will get the access you need without having to worry about your safety.

Is your dog outside when you are away? They can help you with your spare key. Hook your key to the dog’s collar in a place that is shielded from view. This is very effective if your pet is afraid of strangers; therefore, burglars are not very likely to notice the key.

Check with your local law enforcement agency about home protection plans. They may offer neighborhood watch programs, home inspections, engraving tools for marking code numbers onto items so that they will be easily identified if stolen. Speak with the police in your area to see if they have these things.

Home security systems offer additional features besides loud alarms during a break-in. Many systems can alert you whenever anyone has entered your home. This is a valuable safety feature for parents of small children since they know if their child has exited the home.

Be bold. Build up a rapport with the people who own homes close to yours. Agree to watch each other’s homes while you are away. Never neglect gossip. You might hear helpful information, for instance if strangers have been hanging around.

If there are folks you don’t know or trust in your social network online, don’t let them know you are going away. It’s exciting going to new places and enjoying your time, but you could alert thieves to an empty home that they can easily break into.

Rural Areas

Don’t allow a complete stranger to come in your home. Nowadays, thieves are creative when thinking of ways to get homeowners to open a door and let them in. You should only open the door to people you were expecting.

Those living in rural areas often don’t worry as much about intruders compared to city dwellers. There are some who believe country folk are more at risk because neighbors are not nearby. Other people believe rural areas are less likely to be targeted by burglars.

When summer comes around, eliminate all vegetation and dead wood from your yard. These can quickly become fire hazards when hit by direct sunlight, placing your house at risk. Keeping your plants and bushes trimmed will benefit your family’s safety as well as the appearance of your home.

If you have skylights, do not neglect them when making sure your home is secure. While they are there to let light in, if you do not care for it properly it could also let in a thief. Be sure that the skylights for your home are durable and reliable.

A wall is a great hiding place. Hide valuables inside of your walls. Just access unused switch plates, outlets or phone jacks. You can also install a fake one.

You can hide certain valuables within your walls. This doesn’t require tearing into your walls, of course. Instead, you can use the small spaces that are already there. Perhaps you could deactivate a few unused electrical sockets to use as a place to store stuff.

Get creative and hide valuables inside your walls. Don’t make it obvious by cutting out big chunks of drywall. You can find pre-cut areas in your walls that can be used. Perhaps you could deactivate a few unused electrical sockets to use as a place to store stuff.

Choose an alarm which monitors other areas outside your doors. Your windows should also be protected because burglars can also break into them. Attach an alarm to every one of them, and make sure all entry points are monitored. Do this to keep you and your family safe.

It is important that you do not put expensive valuables in plain sight. Large windows let in light and give you a great view outside, but that works both ways. Cover all street-facing windows.

When moving into a house, ensure that each lock has been replaced. Though you may not suspect that the seller is up to something, you still need to be careful. There are other people who have lived in the home as well.

Always lock your house, even if you are only going to be away for a few minutes. In a lot of cases, home intruders enter through unlocked doors. It doesn’t take long for a thief to steal thousands of dollars worth of stuff.

Rotted Wood

You want an alarm system that protects more than your doors. Your windows are easy entry points for crooks too. You want to be sure that the alarm is connected to all windows and entry points. They are the most effective.

Replace rotted wood around entryways. If a person wants to enter your home, rotted wood can easily be pried away. When you see that wood is beginning to rot, replace it with new wood for better home safety.

If you are entering a house that has already been occupied, you should first change your locks. Even if the tenants turned their keys in, they may have made copies. You can even buy and install the locks yourself so you know that you are the only one with a key.

Change the locks on any new place you move into. While you may trust those who lived there before you, you have no idea who lived there before them. You can install locks yourself to make sure you’re the only one who has a key.

You can add a great deal of security to your home by installing a system of motion activated exterior lighting. These lights will keep your property well lit and give you a good idea of who approaches your home. When placed appropriately, no one will be able to break in unannounced.

When allowing a representative from any security company to enter your home, look for someone in uniform and ask to see an identification. Having the name of the technician coming to your house ahead of time can help to ensure you are allowing someone who really works for the company into your home. This leads to danger. You want to use caution to prevent danger.

When hiring a home security company, make sure to read the fine print on the contract you are signing. There may be hidden costs to doing business with them, including early termination fees and surprising equipment costs. Try avoiding these fees when you can so that you know about them.

Think about safety when designing your home. Doors and windows should not be obstructed by trees, plants or shrubs. No one can easily break into a window which everyone can see. Have your landscape several feet away from your house for better safety.

One of the best things you can do to protect your home at night is to deter intruders with plenty of exterior lighting. Most intruders avoid anything that could reveal their identity. Good lighting in your home means that crooks have no hiding places. Keep your lights turned on during the night.

Don’t let anyone peek into your garage. Frost your windows with film bought at a hardware store. If you use your garage for working on projects, don’t forget to lock it when you’re through working for the day.

An important part of vetting any security company before you sign a contract with them is finding out how long they’ve been providing security services in your community. Find a home security company that has a good reputation and many years of experience to get excellent service. You should not trust a company that does not have a good record with your local Better Business Bureau or few years of experience.

Can you read your house numbers while in the street? If the numbers aren’t legible, police may drive right by. Fortunately, it doesn’t require much to fix this problem.

Don’t have spring latch locks installed. These are very easy to pick by simply using a credit card. Burglars just slip a card between the latch and the door, causing the lock mechanism to open. Add a deadbolt to doors with spring-latch locks.

When you’re not in your house, all of the window coverings (blinds, curtains, shades, or what have you) should be tightly shut. If you keep them up, intruders will be able to see right into your home. If they notice this, they may break in. You ought to keep them drawn while you are asleep.

If you want to minimize the maintenance required by your security system, go with one that’s hard-wired. Wireless set-ups need battery changes all the time. Your home security system will not function properly if you do not change the batteries. Replacing all of those batteries will cost a lot, too.

Don’t keep your car registration inside the glove compartment. If someone accesses these documents, they can determine your address. Keep them with you or hide them elsewhere. Make sure you can easily and quickly access them in the event that a police officer pulls you over.

Though inside locks are great, they do little if they cannot also be locked externally. A deadbolt with keys on both the inside and outside of the door is best.

Set up a timer to turn your lights off and on at regular intervals. The automatic timer will keep the lights going on and off on schedule, so a thief will not be able to tell when you are away. Even when you are at home, the timer is convenient because it saves you from having to remember to turn on the lights.

Dog owners, especially those with large, tough pets, have a leg up in the home security game. Burglars are often deterred from homes with scary sounding dogs, as they want to avoid bites and attacks. If you own a dog, it can double as a playmate or companion and a security benefit.

Take extra measures to keep valuables that cannot be replaced secure. This can include items like important photos, passports, pricey jewelry, and legal documents. Floor safes make for great places to hide such items. Safety deposit boxes are another great idea.

Go straight to a home security company to buy your system rather than going through a middle man. This is because a re-seller might not give you the same level of service that the company will. When you go through the company, they will offer a guarantee and won’t charge extra fees.

Homes that have sliding glass doors can be more of a security risk. They are easy to unlock, all they require is a bit of lifting and shaking. If you lack a connected security system for such doors, cut a piece of pipe to stick in the door’s channel. This will ensure the door stays tightly shut and it is difficult to force open.

Why not try installing some lights with infrared detection. Nearby movement causes these lights to come on automatically, making them impossible to avoid. This will deter most burglars. The person has been seen, and he or she will get out of sight.

It is possible to protect your home without the need of installing expensive alarms or waiting for home-security companies to install them for you. Luckily, there are many inexpensive ways that you can secure your home, without breaking the bank. Use all the tips from this article and you will notice a difference.

If you have a garage door opener, change your code. The installed code is the same for each unit, which means that the same opener may work with many garages. Many thieves drive up and down alleys with one opener until a garage door will respond to its generic code.