If your personal possessions include high-value items like jewelry, artwork or significant amounts of cash, you can’t assume that their existence is secret. Protect yourself and your valuables by educating yourself on home security. Review these ideas for making your home safer.

Look for ways to make your home seem occupied. Timers can be used to turn lights and televisions on and off when required. This will make your home appear as if someone is there. This helps you keep your house burglar-free.

When you buy a new house, change the locks. There is no way to ascertain how many keys the previous owner handed out. Get a locksmith in right away. When you lose your keys, have your locks rekeyed.

Make sure you have a safe to keep valuable items in one place. You would hate for your expensive jewelry, personal family belongings, etc. to be stolen in case a burglar breaks into your home. Hide the safe in a very hard to reach place like the attic or a closet in the basement.

Spare Key

The materials of your home should be fire resistant. Your home will get added protection, especially if your environment is dry and has power lines. Investing in fire-resistant materials will help you save a lot since a fire can cause extensive damage.

Don’t just hide your spare key anywhere. Never put a spare key under a doormat or above a door jam. You could hide the key with your dog on the collar.

You need to have your security system checked once a year. Your security company should send a representative to check your system. There are many things that can reduce the quality of your system. It’s quite possible for there to be a fault in your system even if you can’t see it.

Social networking sites are great for keeping in touch, but post information sparingly. For example, you might avoid broadcasting when you are going out of town, especially if your friends list contains casual acquaintances. There may be a thief within this list and you would have been inviting him straight through your front door!

If you live in a rural area, you may not be as concerned about home break-ins as people who live in the city. Some maintain that rural dwellers have greater risk since their neighbors live farther away. Other people believe rural areas are less likely to be targeted by burglars.

Don’t put your spare keys under floor mats or plants. You might think that you are providing yourself a safe way into the house if you misplace your keys, but you are really inviting attackers inside. Thieves are tricky, diabolical, and familiar with any and every hiding place. A better solution is to give your key to a neighbor you trust.

Before selecting any home-security company, talk to your friends to see who they suggest. There are likely people you know that have had either good or bad experiences with these companies. Therefore, ask everyone you can in order to obtain the most advice. With thorough advice, the best decision can be made.

Criminals often pick houses where they can see the valuables inside. Large front windows are great, but they also allow others to peer into your home. If you’ve got street facing windows, be sure and keep them covered.

When choosing an alarm system, consider one that offers protection for more than just your doors. Windows offer easy access to a potential thief. Attach an alarm to every one of them, and make sure all entry points are monitored. With this method, your family will be safer.

Remove all of the vegetation outside in the hotter months. They pose a fire risk. Keep your family and your house protected by regularly clearing out your yard waste.

If you have a home security system installed, make sure the wires are hidden. An intruder can cut the wires if he can find them. This is why it is so important to make sure all your wires are well hidden. This can make you safer.

If you have any boxes to discard from large, expensive items, wait until the evening before the trash is scheduled for collection. Having these boxes around will let thieves know the type of items that are inside your home.

Keep your car in the garage. This will help to keep your vehicle safe. Besides, intruders will have a hard time determining whether or not you are home if you keep your car inside your garage.

Your flashlights should always be equipped with good, working batteries. These items will help you remain safe when there is no electricity. Make sure each member of your family knows where the flashlights are and how to operate them.

Anytime a security installer comes to the house, make sure they display proper identification. It is easy for potential thieves to present themselves as representatives of a company in order to gain access to your home. This situation presents danger to your home, family and belongings. Be cautious to stay safe.

You should regularly check your home security system, regardless of how reliable you believe it is. The security company should have a specialist come to look at it. There are many things that can be problematic with regards to home security systems, like wayward wild animals and the environment. The problem might not be obvious to you, though.

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. Any business with multiple years of history has a proven record in being reliable. Realizing you at involved with a stable firm will give you a sense of calm that is important.

Make an appointment with a home security company to evaluate the security needs of your home specifically. The needs and wants of each family and the configuration of each home are quite individual. Working with a business that will look out for your specific interests will help you be much safer at home.

Put motion-sensor lights into your home. The lights will be triggered when someone gets too close to the house. Not only will they notify you of movement, they will also deter potential burglars, as thieves want to remain as inconspicuous as possible. Test the bulbs frequently, though.

Spring Latch Locks

Don’t utilize spring latch locks. They are simple to open if you have 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. Add a deadbolt to existing spring latch locks for maximum security.

Your home may be equipped with skylights, and if so you must not neglect them in your security planning. As nice as they look, they’re a prime target for thieves. Check that skylights have heavy duty hardware that can stand up under unwanted tampering.

Ask your security company if they offer motion sensitive lighting. This is a common offering from most companies. These lights, affixed to your home’s exterior, illuminate whenever anyone comes within range. This provides additional protection for you when you come home after dark, and can also prevent a burglary.

Indoor locks are nice, but outdoor locks are better. Therefore, the best lock is the deadbolt. The ones with inside and outside keys will ensure that a burglar cannot open them.

Use your walls as hiding spaces. You don’t have to cut out pieces of the wall to do this. Your home should have a few pre-cut areas that can be used. Consider unwiring an electrical socket that isn’t used and storing your valuable jewelry.

Your valuables should not be visible from outside. If you are able to see your expensive stuff from your front lawn, so are thieves. Get some nontransparent window dressing so that people can’t see into your home. If you can’t cover every window, keep your valuables in rooms that are blocked from view.

Having your home broken into is a reality and possibility that you cannot ignore. You don’t have to live your life in fear, but you should take some preventative measures. Put the tips from the article to good use and protect your family and home.

You never want people to be able to see your valuables from outside of your home. Having large windows in front of your home may be a great way to see what is happening outside, but it can also give crooks a view inside your home. Make sure you keep your blinds closed or arrange your possessions in such a way that they can’t be seen from outside.