To make educated decisions regarding the security of your home, you need to have a grasp on all the information available. It is not a decision to take lightly. Rather, be deliberate about deciding what your family needs in terms of home security.

When you buy a new house, change the locks. You will want to have a unique combination to stay secure. Hire a locksmith so that you can be sure you are the only person who can access your home. Also, you can contact a locksmith if you ever misplace your keys.

Do not give the key to your home to your cleaning person unless you are certain they are worthy of your trust. When giving your house cleaner the key to your home, you need to be sure that they are reputable and honest. Ask for references and check them thoroughly. If you’re hiring from a company, call the BBB for more information.

Buy a safe to contain everything of great value. This is vital, as you want to safeguard your valuable items in case of home burglary. Hide your safe in a place that is hard to get to, like a basement closet or an attic.

The best home security systems do much more than sound the alarm (literally). You can have your system alert you of any movement in certain areas of your home. Parents riding herd on small children will be thankful for this feature which makes it harder for kids to sneak outside without supervision.

Your flooring and roofing should be fire resistant. Having your home built with fire resistant materials will help safeguard your home in case it catches fire. Avoiding fire hazards is a great way to keep things safe.

Don’t just hide your spare key anywhere. Avoid cliched hiding places like over the door frame or beneath the doormat. Experienced criminals will check these places immediately. Think outside the box and put the key someplace unusual, like hidden in your dog’s collar.

Keep your car in your garage. This will keep it away from thieves and vandals. Besides, intruders will have a hard time determining whether or not you are home if you keep your car inside your garage.

Do not open your door for anyone you don’t know. You never know who they might be, despite their story. Make a house rule forbidding anyone to open the door for an unexpected visitor.

Install lights that use a motion-sensor. This type of light will come on when they detect motion within a certain distance of your home. This is a good way of knowing who comes near your home and keeps you safe if you ever come home late. Just remember to change out the bulbs every so often so the lights remain in working order.

You need to change our locks as your first step to ensuring your safety. Whether you just bought your home or someone just moved out that you were living with, this is an important step to any new situation. This is a very easy process that you can complete within a day.

Change your locks if someone you don’t trust moves out of your home. Perhaps your roommate left town or you have gone through a messy divorce, and you need to feel that the home is safe. It is pretty cheap and the job won’t take more than a few hours.

If you live more out in the country, you may think that you’re not at risk. However, there is the belief that rural dwellers are more susceptible to break ins simply because there are no nearby neighbors. Still, many believe that rural environments are less frequently targeted by burglars.

Walls can serve as a handy hiding place. You can hide small valuables in your walls. Just open up an electrical outlet or a phone jack that is not in use. Anything not used currently makes a good spot for hiding.

Stashing your most precious possession right inside the walls of your home can be a great idea. You needn’t tear down your walls to do this. Many places around your house have areas that are already pre-cut. For example, you might remove the cover of an electrical outlet, disconnect the wires, and use the space to hide small valuables.

Make sure that none of your valuables can be seen from the outside. While it may be nice to look out, burglars will see your valuables inside. Cover all street-facing windows.

Replace rotted wood that surrounds your door frame. Rotten wood is easily removed and can give an intruder a way into your home. Replace it as soon as possible.

Always use online resources to identify the very best home security firm. Read through official websites for different companies and look for reviews written by customers. From there, you can make appointments with your top three selections to compare final package pricing and specific details about plans and monitoring.

A simple way to increase your home security is to add motion lights around the house. They lights will light up your property at night and they are cost-effective and efficient. Properly-situated motion detectors will give your home a complete field of protection and make it impossible for a miscreant to approach undetected.

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. Every family is different, and so your security needs will be unique. If you are able to secure a company willing to tailor a system to your needs, there is a good chance that you will be satisfied.

Keeping the home illuminated during evening hours helps keep criminals away. They do not want to be seen. With a well lit home there is no place for burglars to conceal themselves. Keep lights on in the evening for a safer home.

Make sure you have weighed the costs and risks when you are considering your security needs. While these systems are great and can help protect your family, they are not necessary for everyone. In some neighborhoods, it may be better for you to have a dog, or even take self defense classes in order to protect yourself. Know the risks so that you can make a better decision.

It is a good idea to get some history on any home security companies you are thinking about doing business with. Look for a security company that is well-established and has extensive experience in the industry. Being in the hands of a good company helps you have peace about your decision.

If you arrive home and you see that your door is ajar, never enter to investigate on your own. This can be dangerous since the intruder might still be on the property. Call the police, then wait until they get there to do anything else.

A dog is a great alarm system. These pets are usually territorial and want to protect their masters. It doesn’t need to be a huge dog either. Even a small dog will deter intruders, who do not want a lot of noise when they commit their crimes.

There are wireless systems available for home security, as another option. While wired systems may seem cheaper, they need your home to be rewired and they can fail due to a power outage. Wireless options are easy to install, need less maintenance and are not dependent on the home’s power source.

Inquire about different choices for contract lengths available from the home security provider. These lengths can be both good and bad. With a longer contract, your monthly payment is likely to be lower. The downside is you might be stuck for a longer period of time if you decide you don’t like the service or want to move. If you want more freedom, it is best to purchase a more expensive but shorter contract.

Buy a paper shredder. Thieves may look through your garbage for information. If you cannot afford a paper shredder, rip papers up into small pieces.

You should now know more about home security systems. You don’t have to approach home security with your eyes closed. You need to be comfortable that you have taken your family’s security seriously. You should use the tips from this article to protect your home.

Dogs are an excellent way to protect your home. Dogs can be extremely protective of their space and are great at barking when something is afoot. That is not to say that a big, scary dog is required. Little dogs can also make big noise, which is the main thing that burglars care about.