Home maintenance includes home security. Nonetheless, it is difficult to know what steps to take first. Read this article to learn some very helpful strategies to help you get started.

Does your canine stay in the yard while you go out? Using Fido to hide your spare key can be a clever trick. The key can be attached to the collar of your dog. This will ensure that burglars cannot see it. This is especially useful if the dog does not take kindly to strangers.

Why not give your trusted dog the job of holding onto your spare key? In order to make this work, your dog either needs to stay outside or have access to a pet door. Place a spare key on the collar, and when you really need a spare, you know where to go!

Buy a safe so you can conceal your valuables in it. This will keep your stash of diamonds, gold and other valuable items out of view and inaccessible to burglars. Hide your safe in a hard to find place like the basement or attic.

Home security systems have additional features to just being noise alarms. Many systems can alert you whenever anyone has entered your home. This can be useful if you’ve got small children that are able to open doors.

You should never give details about your vacations and other plans on social networks. 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.

Make sure to use caution when deciding if and where to hide an extra key outside of your home. It is very common for homeowners to hide them under a mat or above the framing of their door, and intruders know this. An example would be to attach a key to your dog’s collar, if he stays outdoors.

Shut off the ringer for all of the telephones in your home if you are planning to go on vacation for a long time. A ringing phone that goes unanswered may signal to a burglar that nobody is home.

If you’ve got lots of people you don’t know on your social networks, don’t let them know that you’re going to be on vacation. Although your first instinct is to share the news about an upcoming trip that excites you, the info may well fall into the hands of people who’d be interested in burglarizing your home while you’re away.

Never allow a stranger to enter your home. It is essential you do not do this, even if the stranger gives you a convincing story or states they need your assistance. There are some people who will just come in to see if you have a home security system, and if you do not, they could come back later when you are not home.

Shut off the ringer for all of the telephones in your home if you are planning to go on vacation for a long time. If the phone rings when you are away, burglars will know there’s nobody home, making the house vulnerable to a break-in when you are out.

Do not open your door for anyone you don’t know. People often think of ways to trick others into letting them in so they can steal from them. Keep a hard, fast rule that says you only open the door for invited guests in order to keep your family safe.

Don’t open your door if a stranger is on the other side. Burglars are getting creative, and they will do anything they can to gain access to your home. Therefore, only allow people you know and are expecting to enter your home.

Those that live in rural area are not as concerned about having their home invaded as those who are located in the city. However, there is the belief that rural dwellers are more susceptible to break ins simply because there are no nearby neighbors. Some think rural areas see less burglary.

Request information from your local law enforcement agencies about home protection packages. Many police departments offer programs that can include home inspections, home security training and more. A quick call to the non-emergency number at the police station in your town will tell you all you need to know.

While an alarm system or other security measures can make your home much safer, you must be sure that your security wiring isn’t exposed. An intruder can cut the wires if he can find them. Do not make things simple for a burglar, but rather bury all wires or hide them in the wall. This way, you will be safer.

Install motion-sensor lights. These kinds of lights will pop right on when they detect motion near your home. The lights will notify you of motion and also deter would be burglars. Test the bulbs frequently, though.

After making major (i.e. expensive) purchases, don’t dump the packaging out front if your next scheduled garbage pick-up is several days away. Empty boxes for expensive new gear serve as advertisements to potentials thieves; don’t make it easy for them to spot such tempting targets.

Use the space in walls to store your prized possessions. You needn’t tear down your walls to do this. There should be pre-cut spaces throughout your home that will suffice. Why not take the guts out of an electrical socket you’re not using? You can convert it into a convenient and covert little wall safe.

Replace all locks in a new house. As nice as the previous person may seem, you don’t really know them. Keep in mind that other people may have lived in the home prior to the seller.

Don’t ever place your spare key under your mat or next you a plant box. Instead of letting you into your home in the event you are locked out, you are providing criminals with easy access to your home. Thieves are aware of these hiding spots. Ask a reliable neighbor or a friend to keep your spare key.

Be sure to replace rotten wood in the frame of your front door. The rotten wood will be simple to remove, allowing a thief access to your home. Replace it as soon as possible.

You want an alarm system that protects more than your doors. Your windows should also be protected because burglars can also break into them. You want to be sure that the alarm is connected to all windows and entry points. With this method, your family will be safer.

A simple way to increase your home security is to add motion lights around the house. These lights illuminate your home during the night. As an added bonus, they are affordable and quite efficient. With good positioning and properly set motion detectors, intruders will not be able to sneak up on your home unnoticed.

If someone from the security company comes to your home, ask to see their ID before allowing them in. They might not be who you think they are. This situation presents danger to your home, family and belongings. Be cautious to stay away from those potential dangers.

Criminals are much less likely to target your home if it’s well lit. Most burglars rely on concealment to approach a home. Making your home’s exterior nice and bright will make it impossible for crooks to go undetected. So keep those lights on at night for a secure home.

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Keep safety at the forefront when landscaping your property. Shrubs, trees, fences, etc. should not obstruct the view of your doors and windows. If these things can be seen by the naked eye, they won’t offer hiding places to potential criminals. Have your landscape several feet away from your house for better safety.

Ask your home security company how long they have been in business before you sign up for service. Find a home security company that has a good reputation and many years of experience to get excellent service. Knowing that you are dealing with a shady company can keep you calm when making this crucial decision.

Anytime you make a new electronics purchase, keep the boxes off the curb until the very last minute. Burglars will see those boxes and realize that there are valuable things in your home for them to get. You should cut up the boxes once you empty them.

Make sure the outside of the house is well lit. Burglars tend to commit crimes at night. Put a light anywhere where an intruder can enter your home. This can include the garage, doorways, porches and other areas which invite an intruder in.

If there are parts of your home you want no one else to enter, there is no need to lock doors or have a set of keys on you at all times. You can instead get key-less locks that work using a code. Install them yourself or get a local home security company to do that.

When you purchase an expensive item such as a computer or TV, be sure to take the cardboard box to the recycling center rather than leaving it on your curb for all the world to see. Don’t advertise that you have expensive new equipment! When you have emptied the boxes, make sure you cut them up.

Don’t use spring-latch locks. These locks are very easy to pick with something as common as a credit card. An intruder has only to press the card into the doorjamb between latch and the door and the lock will pop open. If you have already installed spring latch locks, consider adding a deadbolt for even more security.

Inquire about various contract lengths which your security company might offer. You will probably find there are many pros and cons associated with each different contract. You might pay less each month for longer contracts, but it has its deterrents as well. A short contract may seem more expensive each month, but you have more freedom.

If the living room window in your home is facing the street, you must keep the curtains closed. You would not want to tempt outsiders to look through your window. If potential thieves notice any expensive valuables within your home, they might target you. Be careful about what you expose to the public so that your likelihood of a burglary will decrease.

Put the shades down on your windows when you are out. You do not want any part of your home visible to the public. If they spot something desirable, they will seek access. You should also have them down when you are sleeping.

Deadbolts featuring captive keylocks are usually your wisest choice. These locks has a thumb latch to prevent anybody from reaching through an opening close by in an attempt to open the lock. When at home, leave your key in this kind of lock for easy egress in the event of fire.

Always store your irreplaceable valuables in a secure place. Legal and financial documentation, IDs, pricey jewelry, and important mementos like family albums should be protected as carefully as possible. You can buy a cheap floor safe to put these items in. It is even better to rent a safe deposit container for absolute security.

A dog trained to bark will keep you safe. Burglars generally prefer to avoid confronting a dog. Of course, the animal should be protective and also safe as a companion to your children or yourself. A dog with a temper may be scary, but the animal must also be friendly enough to interact with you.

Having a safe home helps you have a peaceful mind. There is no doubt about that. Learning all you can about home security will assure you have a safe home and peace of mind.

No matter who lived in the home before you moved in, replace the lock or rekey it. Always make sure that the lock is switched at least once a year.