As a homeowner, your priority should be to keep your family safe. When your home is damaged heavily, it makes you feel the worst. Not only is your house a big investment, but it is also the place where you should feel most comfortable. Read this article for tips on keeping your precious asset safe.

Don’t just hide your spare key anywhere. Under the doormat or above the door frame are all too common spaces that will be checked first by potential intruders. One good place to hide a spare key is in the collar of a dog that does not take kindly to strangers.

After you purchase a new home, change the locks. You’re not aware of any copies that have been made by the previous owners of the house. Having a locksmith replace the locks will ensure that no strangers have a key. Also, you can contact a locksmith if you ever misplace your keys.

If your social networking accounts are filled with folks you do not really know, do not announce vacations on the sites. Although you may want to let others in on your excitement, it may inadvertently give burglars a heads up to target your property.

If your social networking accounts are filled with folks you do not really know, do not announce vacations on the sites. While you may want to shout it from the rooftops, you’re letting everyone know that your home will be vacant and easy to rob.

Before selecting any home-security company, talk to your friends to see who they suggest. Others may have had bad and good experiences that they share with you so that you may be able to save time and stress. Make broad inquiries so that you are able to make a well-informed decision.

You should mute your land line phone if you are going on a vacation. If the phone rings without you there, burglars will suspect that you’re not home, and that can make your home a target for an attack while you’re gone.

Don’t let strangers enter your home. No matter what the excuse the person presents, keep them from entering your home. Some folks will enter to scout for security systems, and upon seeing you lack one, will resolve to return at a later time.

Use your garage for your car, not just storage. Having the car in the garage will prevent it from getting broken into or stolen. Hiding it will help to deter people from tracking the times you aren’t there.

Make your home safer by storing your car inside the garage. This will help to keep your vehicle safe. It will also keep any intruders from knowing when you’re home.

Any program to improve the security of your home should begin with complete replacement of your door locks. Anyone from an old roommate to a former tenant could have access to your home if you leave the old locks in place. You can change the locks in a single day, and the hardware is not very costly.

No matter how good your security system is, it should be checked annually. This should be performed by a technician from your security company. Many factors cause issues with security systems like nature and wild animals. If the problem cannot be seen, you probably won’t even realize there is one.

Go with your gut when you invite a home security company representative into your house. This is particularly true if you feel uncomfortable with a company you are dealing with. You should not hesitate to ask if you can work with a different representative or find a different company if you are not comfortable. After all, you’re investing in a system that helps you to feel safe, so make sure the process involved in obtaining that system does the same.

Avoid being shy. Speak to your neighbors. Watch their homes for suspicious activity and get their word that they will do the same thing for you. Pay attention to gossip. You never know what sort of security issues you might become privy to.

Don’t put spare keys inside plant boxes or beneath the welcome mat. While you may need to prepare if you have a spare key, it is wise to choose ways that do not increase the risk of a criminal gaining entrance to your home. Burglars always know just where to look. If you have a neighbor you can trust, have them hold your extra key.

You need to change our locks as your first step to ensuring your safety. Anyone from an old roommate to a former tenant could have access to your home if you leave the old locks in place. It shouldn’t cost too much, and the process can be completed very quickly.

Make certain no one can see your valuable belongings through windows and doors. Large windows let in a lot of light, but they also allow outsiders to see inside your living space. If your windows are facing the street, make sure you cover them and protect your valuables.

Lock up your house every time you leave. Many home thefts start with the thief simply walking in an unlocked door or window. It does not take long for thieves to steal your expensive stuff.

Rotted Wood

If you make a large purchase, like a big screen television, don’t simply set the box out in front of your home. If you leave the boxes out all week, it lets people know what type of items you have in your home.

Replace rotted wood around any door frames. Anybody wanting to break into your house can just pry off rotted wood and get inside. Replace the rotting door frame with a new one and keep your home much safer.

If you are moving in your new home, ensure all the old locks are replaced. You really don’t know much about the people who sold you the home, regardless of how competent they may seem. You should also keep in mind that other people may have lived in the home before the previous homeowner.

Before allowing someone into your house, be sure to carefully check their references. Do not hesitate to hire someone to run a background check if you have doubts. Avoid giving keys out to contractors, maids and repairmen.

The number one thing you must do if you’re moving into a new place is have the locks changed. 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. 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. Motion detection lights will turn on as soon as something or someone enters your yard. If positioned correctly on the exterior of your home, the motion detectors make it virtually impossible for an intruder to sneak onto your property.

Get some professional assistance by asking a home security company to come to your house and work up a plan for a customized security system. Different people require different plans. You will get the best home security system possible if you use a service willing to work with you to create a tailored system.

Before signing up for a particular home-security company, find out how long they’ve been around. Companies with a long history can give you the best service for many years. You may not feel as safe if you opt to go with a company that has not been in business for long or that does not have a stable history.

Think about what you need to feel safe before considering security systems. Security systems are a proven method of reducing your chance of break-ins, but it is not always the right choice. In some neighborhoods, it may be better for you to have a dog, or even take self defense classes in order to protect yourself. You need to assess risks and choose a system adapted to the kind of situations you are likely to run into.

Get a paper shredder. Thieves often dig through garbage to obtain personal data that will help them enter the house. If you don’t have a paper shredder, tear the papers up.

Think about getting a home security system that is wireless. A wired system might cost less, but they can require extensive rewiring work and may be rendered useless if the power fails. A wireless system is easy to install, and will not become inoperable if your power goes out.

If you are out of town for awhile, ask a friend to take a look at your door for any fliers. Canny burglars will often produce and distribute their own fliers so that they can see whether or not anyone takes them down. The more flyers pile up or the longer they are there, the more likely it is that the house is empty.

If you purchase a new, pricey electronic like a TV or computer, don’t leave the empty box near your curb. Burglars will see these boxes and recognize that there are new valubles in your house. Break the boxes down, or take a scissors to them to help them fit in your trash can.

Equip your home with a system designed for home surveillance. Setting up hidden and visible video cameras is a good way to keep your home secure. Cameras that can be seen are an excellent tool for preventing most burglars from breaking into your home. However, if they are brave enough to try to disable your cameras, hidden cameras will capture them. A lot of surveillance systems may be accessed through a cell phone, letting you check on your house when you’re away.

Talk to your home-security company to see if they provide buy and lease options for your equipment. Buying will cost you more initially for the equipment, but will save you a monthly bill. By leasing equipment, you can get the protection you want for less, but you may be paying for it over and over as time goes on. Compare both avenues to see which one is better suited for your needs.

Do not store your vehicle registration documents in your car’s glove compartment. These valuable documents provide criminals with information about your home location. You ought to keep them with you or store them in an alternate spot in the car. If a cop pulls you over, you will need them anyway.

Hard-wired home security systems can help you to cut down on costs. While wireless systems are great, they do require batteries on a consistent basis. You might forget to change out the batteries, which will result in your system not operating as it should. Replacing all of those batteries will cost a lot, too.

Consider a hard-wired security system if you are concerned about ongoing maintenance costs. Sure, wireless options are easier to use, but they consume battery power quickly. Forgetting to change out the batteries leaves you insecure. What you spend on batteries, additionally, can really add up!

Take to your security company, and find out if they have motion activated lights. A lot of them have this, and they cause outside lights to come on when people approach your home. This will ward off thieves and make you feel safe when you come home.

It doesn’t have to be the most difficult thing to keep your home protected. You just need to be knowledgeable on home security ideas. To make your home safer, use the advice from this article. Never put these tips to the side but instead use them to make sure that your home is protected and safe.

Don’t avoid your neighborhood gossip. Instead, get to know him or her. They will be the first one to notice any strangers lurking near your home. Maintaining cordial relations can put you in the loop and give you access to potentially critical security info.