Concerned About Home Security? Use These Tips To Help

March 20, 2020 - Comment

Home maintenance includes home security. Unfortunately, it may be difficult to know exactly where to start. Use the information in this article to get you started in the right direction. Make sure your home appears occupied. Put timers on the TV, lights and radios. This will make your home look like someone is in it.

Home maintenance includes home security. Unfortunately, it may be difficult to know exactly where to start. Use the information in this article to get you started in the right direction.

Make sure your home appears occupied. Put timers on the TV, lights and radios. This will make your home look like someone is in it. This should help you make your home safer and not attract the attention of potential intruders.

TIP! Be sure that your home is always occupied. Use timers to make electronic devices and lights turn on and off at intervals.

The only time you should give out house keys to house cleaners is if you absolutely trust them. Be sure to check out the background of any housekeeper you plan to provide with a key to your home. Make sure you verify all references. If you hire a cleaner from a company, then you should check the company with the BBB.

Turn the ringers off on all your phones if you will be away for a prolonged period of time. A home phone that rings and rings is a good way for a potential thief to know if anyone is home.

TIP! If you will be away from your house for an extended period of time, turn the ringers off for all your phones. A loud ring that goes unanswered can alert people to the fact that you aren’t home.

Don’t let everyone in your social network know that you are leaving the home unprotected for your vacation trip; especially the people who you aren’t familiar with. Although it’s fun to talk about, posting it online makes it more possible for criminals to find out when you’re gone.

Store your car in the garage if you have it. This will keep thieves from stealing it or harming it. Besides, intruders will have a hard time determining whether or not you are home if you keep your car inside your garage.

TIP! Keep your car in the garage. Keep the car within the garage will make sure no one harms or steals it.

Ask friends for some advice before choosing home security companies and systems. They have likely had interactions with home security providers that they can tell you about, saving you time and stress. By asking around, you will gain information about the pros and cons of a variety of options.

Make sure to have your home inspection system maintained on at least an annual basis. Ask a home security employee to give it a look. 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.

TIP! Regardless of the type of home security system you choose, be sure to have regular inspections and maintenance performed. Have a worker from the security company take a look at it.

In the summer, remove all the dead trees from your yard. As the summer heat rolls in, there is a higher chance that these can catch on fire, putting your home at risk. Therefore, you need to regularly clean your yard so that your home is protected.

Switch your locks. Maybe you’ve had a roommate leave or a bitter ex-lover, so changing the locks can keep you safer. It is generally cheap and may be done in a little under a day.

TIP! When it comes to securing your home, start by changing your locks. Whether you have a roommate who is about to move out, or a relationship that has run its course, it is a good idea change your locks.

Security System

Walls are excellent hiding spots. You should think about hiding certain small valuables within your walls. Just take advantage of the phone jack, electrical outlet or unused switch plate. Anything not used currently makes a good spot for hiding.

TIP! A secure hiding place can be created in a wall. Concealing small valuables in your walls is an easy and highly effective way to protect them.

Get in the habit of checking your security system regularly. Ask someone who works at the security company to do a maintenance check. Many different things can make problems for your security system. You might not even discover these problems if they aren’t easily sighted.

Use your walls as hiding spaces. It is unnecessary cut space into your wall. You can find areas in your walls that are pre-cut and use those. For example, place jewelry in an unused electrical outlet.

TIP! Place your valuables in cut-outs in your walls. You don’t have to cut out pieces of the wall to do this.

Walls make the perfect hiding spot. Hide valuables inside of your walls. All you need is a wall opening you’re not using (something like a phone jack, electrical box, or switch plate). You can also install a fake one.

If your home security system is installed, be sure its wires are well-hidden. An intruder can cut the wires or disconnect them and avoid the system. Make sure the wires are installed inside the walls of your home. This helps keep you and your family safe.

TIP! After installing a security system in your home, make sure any wires are hidden. Intruders can get around security systems and into a home by cutting the wires.

Never place a spare key in a plant box or under your welcome mat. Remember that you are not the only one who is aware of these sorts of hiding places. Thieves are aware of all these spots. If you have a neighbor you can trust, have them hold your extra key.

Be sure to replace all of the old locks as soon as you move into a new domicile. 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.

TIP! When moving into your new house, change every lock. Although the person you purchased the house from might seem good, you really have no clue as to who they really are.

Criminals often pick houses where they can see the valuables inside. A big front window gives you a good view; however, it also gives burglars a good view of the interior of your house. If your house has street-facing windows, make sure they are always covered and your make sure your valuables are hidden away.

If you move to a dwelling that has had prior occupants, make sure you get 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.

TIP! If you are entering a house that has already been occupied, you should first change your locks. The previous tenant or owner may not have the keys, but you don’t know if they made copies for themselves or others.

Regardless of how long you think you’ll be gone, make sure to lock your doors. In a lot of cases, home intruders enter through unlocked doors. It won’t take long for thieves to steal lots of expensive valuables.

Make sure that the person analyzing your home for a home security system is who he says. You would be surprised how many thieves will impersonate security representatives to get into your house. This puts your household and valuables at considerable risk. Trust your gut and if something does not feel right, it is okay to go with your feelings.

TIP! Anytime a security installer comes to the house, make sure they display proper identification. They might not be who you think they are.

When choosing an alarm system, consider one that offers protection for more than just your doors. Burglars can gain entry through your windows as well. The alarm and monitoring system should be set for all windows and doors. This is just one more thing you can do to protect your home.

Talk to any companies you’re considering hiring to install a security system about how long the company has been around. You can be sure that an established company has a good track record of providing solid and reliable service. It can ease your mind when you know you’re not doing business with a company that might not be around tomorrow.

TIP! Ask the home security company about how long they’ve been running prior to signing up. A company with a long history has proved they can survive and provide great service to people.

Are you aware that your home’s wires are worth something? Many folks are not aware of this until a thief steals it. The copper component of wiring is very valuable and may be stripped from the outside of your home in a fairly short amount of time. That’s why it’s important to hide your wiring, or make it hard for criminals to have access to it.

Before looking at home security systems, consider your personal security risks and safety needs. A home security system is a good idea; however, it is not the perfect solution for every home. It may be better for you to take a self-defense class or buy a dog. The neighborhood you live in makes a difference. Understand completely the risks and rewards in order to make an informed purchase decision.

TIP! Consider your security risk and safety needs before purchasing home security systems. Some systems aren’t necessary for some, while others may have a need for them.

Door Frame

If you don’t have a paper shredder, you might want to buy one. Thieves often find the trash cans to be a gold mine of pertinent information about potential victims. Cutting the papers into small pieces with a pair of scissors is another option.

TIP! Consider buying a paper shredder for your home. Thieves can often be found looking through garbage cans in search of personal information found on bills and credit card slips.

Your door frame should be replaced if the wood around it is rotting. The rotten wood will be simple to remove, allowing a thief access to your home. Find a reliable contractor who can replace the door frame for you.

Can you read your house numbers clearly from the street? If your house numbers are not easy to see, the police may have difficulty finding you in an emergency. If you notice a problem, you should be able to fix it fairly cheaply, though.

TIP! Is your street number on your house visible from the street? If there’s an emergency, it will take longer for the police to locate your home if the numbers are concealed in any way or too small. Fortunately, it doesn’t require much to fix this problem.

Get flashlights with good batteries, and have them in each room in case you lose power. Having these in an easy to find place will allow you to see in the dark much quicker. Train your kids how to use flashlights so that all members of the family can contribute.

There’s an easy way to secure interior doors (if there are areas you want to keep housemates and children out of) without obliging you to carry a key-ring around at all times. There are locks that use a code for entry, rather than a key. Either you can install them or home security companies can.

TIP! If you have roommates or kids who you do not want in certain areas of the house, you do not have to lock the doors and carry around a ton of keys. Use a code-access lock for any door you don’t want others opening.

Whenever seeking out home-security companies, the Internet can be a valuable resource, so utilize it. Review the websites of several companies and play close attention to the types of services offered and the customer reviews. Then, you can set appointments to make price and service comparisons before you choose.

Do not use spring latch locks on your doors. Defeating a spring latch lock is a trivial endeavor; experienced burglars can get through one using nothing more than a credit card. Intruders just have to slide a card in between the latch and door for the lock to pop open. IF spring latch locks are already in place, add a deadbolt for that extra layer of security.

TIP! Do not use locks with spring latches. These locks are the simplest ones to breach, since they are able to be opened by using just a credit card.

To make you feel at ease, it’s crucial that your home is as secure as possible. There is no doubt about this fact. The best home security methods are not always obvious. We hope this article has given you some insight into planning the best home security measures for your home.

When you are out of the house, your drapes and blinds should be fully closed. You do not want any part of your home visible to the public. They may break in if they see things they like. Also lower them while you are sleeping.

TIP! You want your blinds and curtains closed if you’re away from your home. By failing to do so, you are granting a prime view of your house and your belongings.