Your home is where your family deserves to be safest, no matter what. That includes when they’re not at home. This article will advise you on the best ways to keep your home secure from robbery.

If someone comes to clean your home, only give them a key if they’re trustworthy. If you plan to give them a key so they can clean in your home while you are away, ensure they are reputable and honest. Make sure you check references. If the person is an employee of a firm, call your local BBB to check their reputation.

Make your home look occupied at all times. You can buy timers to have radios, TVs, lights and other electronics go off and on at different times. It’ll make it seem like someone is home. This will keep people from breaking in.

Do you keep your dog outside if you leave the home? Store the spare key with them. You can attach your key to your dog’s collar in order to keep the key hidden. Especially if your dog is not very friendly, this will help keep your key safe.

If you have an extensive online presence that includes a lot of people you don’t know too well, avoid announcing upcoming vacations. While it is exciting to go to a new place and have a good time, you are letting thieves know that your house will be empty and they can come right in.

Only give your house key to a professional house cleaner if you trust them. If they will be there over an hour and you are thinking of giving them your home key, be certain they are honest, reputable and hard-working. Make sure you verify all references. If you’re hiring from a company, call the BBB for more information.

You should mute your land line phone if you are going on a vacation. A constantly ringing phone lets thieves know that you are not home and could increase the chances of you getting robbed.

Avoid opening the door if you don’t know who is standing on the other side. There are people who are going to be convincing, but they can just be professional thieves. Therefore, only allow people you know and are expecting to enter your home.

Buy a safe to keep all of your valuables in one place at home. You can’t have your valuable personal items and jewelry out in the open for anyone to see. Hide the safe in a very hard to reach place like the attic or a closet in the basement.

Get rid of all of the dead wood and vegetation in your yard during the summer months. These can quickly become fire hazards when hit by direct sunlight, placing your house at risk. Be sure all sorts of flammable items are kept under control around your home.

Security System

You should mute your land line phone if you are going on a vacation. A ringing phone that goes unanswered may signal to a burglar that nobody is home.

Regardless of the quality of your home security system, you need to check it annually. Ask the security company to send a technician out to give your system a thorough inspection. Wild animals or plain old nature can wreak havoc on your home security system. If the problem isn’t visible, you may be unaware of it.

Don’t put extra keys under doormats or in planters. Though you may think you are giving yourself a way into your home if you lose your key, you are actually inadvertently inviting intruders into your home. Thieves are aware of all these spots. Ask a reliable neighbor or a friend to keep your spare key.

Talk to the police department in your area to see what safety programs they have. There are plenty of things that can be done, from a safety walk to cataloging expensive items to help protect your investment and your family. Call and see what is available.

Be sure your valuables are not visible from the outside of your house. 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. If your house has street-facing windows, make sure they are always covered and your make sure your valuables are hidden away.

Choose an alarm which monitors other areas outside your doors. All of your windows are possible entry points for a thief too. Make sure you have a monitored alarm on every one of them. This is a way to make sure your family will be safe.

Do not be shy. Meet your neighbors. Watch their homes for suspicious activity and get their word that they will do the same thing for you. Do not ignore gossip either. You may hear valuable information regarding security, such as if any strangers have been hanging around.

Make sure the wires of your home security system are completely hidden. A burglar can easily cut and disconnect wires that are left visible. Make it hard for a burglar to avoid your detection. This can make you safer.

Security Company

If you’re in a rural place, you might not be as worried about break-ins as those that are in the city. There are some who believe country folk are more at risk because neighbors are not nearby. Not everyone believes this, though.

Before letting someone from a security company into a house, get some sort of official identification. Intruders can easy pass themselves off as an employee of a security company just to get inside your house. Intruders could disguise themselves as home security representatives to inspect your current security system. Caution is always advisable if dangers like this are to be avoided.

Take advantage of the Internet while comparing your home security options. Take a look at various websites and read over customer testimonials and details about various packages. Then you can schedule an appointment for a home visit to discuss which package is best for you and what it will cost.

If you have skylights, do not neglect them when making sure your home is secure. While they are an excellent source of natural light, they are also an easy way for thieves to enter your home. Your skylights need durable and reliable hardware for true protection.

When your door is found ajar when you get home, call the police. This can be very dangerous because the thief could still be inside. Call the police, then wait until they get there to do anything else.

Wireless security systems are the next generation in protection. While a wired system is more affordable, it also requires more extreme modifications of your home’s existing wiring. This could be a potential problem in the event that your power goes out. Wireless systems are much easier to install, and they can work independently of your home’s power.

Use your wall spaces to hide your valuables. You don’t have to damage the walls to do so. You can find areas in your walls that are pre-cut and use those. Perhaps you can use an old electricity socket as a place to hide your valuables.

If you have kids or roommates that you don’t want in certain household areas, it’s not necessary to lock multiple doors and tote around tons of keys. Use a code-access lock for any door you don’t want others opening. You could install these locks yourself. Or, you may have a security company to do it for you.

Secure your true valuables in an area that is as safe as possible. Items like family photos, passports, legal documents and expensive jewelry should be kept in a safe place. A great choice for keeping these items in your home is a floor safe. Safety deposit boxes are another great idea.

Do not hide your spare key under your doormat or in a nearby planter. These are the first places criminals will look when they try to enter your home. Thieves know about all these hiding spots. Ask a friend, neighbor or relative to keep your extra keys for you.

Sliding glass doors can create a security issue in a home. These can become unlocked very easy by burglars. If a security system isn’t attached to these doors, then insert pipe to place into the door channel. This keeps the door wedged closed so that it is harder to pry open.

You need to install locks that are accessible from both inside and out. A deadbolt meets this requirement and is a good burglar deterrent as well.

When in the process of selecting an alarm system, you should select a system that protects more than simply the doors of your home. Burglars can gain entry through your windows as well. Therefore, ensure the windows have an attached alarm. All potential entry points should have an alarm. This is great for keeping the family secure.

Having read this article, you have lots of good information to choose from. Will you be able to apply it to your own situation? Read everything you can find on this topic, so that you can swiftly and easily protect your house.