Misfortune may strike at any time. You don’t want to put yourself in a dangerous situation because you’ve failed to have a plan for protection. Read the below article to learn excellent ideas on keeping your home safe from all threats.

Only provide your house cleaner with a key if you trust him or her implicitly. If you do give out a key to such individuals, be certain you know their reputation for honesty. Go over their references and do some background research on the company they work for. If you’re hiring from a company, call the BBB for more information.

Any time you buy a new home, have the locks changed. There is no telling how many key copies were made and given out by a previous owner. To make sure you’re the only person that can get into your home, contact a locksmith. You should also do this if your keys ever get lost.

Does your canine stay in the yard while you go out? This is a good spot for keeping your spare key. You can attach your key to your dog’s collar in order to keep the key hidden. Your dog is an especially good key hiding spot if he doesn’t react well to strangers, since they won’t approach him, but the key will be there if you need it.

Only give your house key to a professional house cleaner if you trust them. If you do give your housekeeper a key or plan on doing so, it is imperative that they are honest and upstanding. Make sure you verify all references. If your cleaning person comes from a company, check with the BBB.

If you keep a spare key outside to prevent yourself from being locked-out, think carefully about where you hide it. You don’t want to put them in common spots, such as above the frame of the door or under the doormat. Think outside the box and put the key someplace unusual, like hidden in your dog’s collar.

Do you keep your dog outside if you leave the home? She or he is actually a good place to keep the spare key. Put it on their collar. If your dog is suspicious of strangers, you have found a good hiding place for your key.

Consult with your police department to find out about good programs for home protection. Some police departments offer things like code numbers to help find your valuables should they get stolen. These programs can make a big difference to the security of your home, and they may just be a phone call away.

Security System

Make sure to have your home inspection system maintained on at least an annual basis. This should be performed by a technician from your security company. Many factors cause issues with security systems like nature and wild animals. If you don’t see the problem, you may remain unaware of it.

Shop around when looking for a good home security system. Each company has different rates for their security system. Get at least 3 quotes from security system companies and compare features and services as well as monthly costs.

You should not be shy. Build up a rapport with the people who own homes close to yours. Keep your eye on their houses, and ask for help to keep yours safe too. Pay attention to gossip. You may learn some great information about security, such as if any strangers have been hanging around.

Aim to purchase fire-resistant ceilings, roofs and floors. This will help ensure the safety of your home, particularly if your home is located in a dry area. Stopping fire hazards is a key precaution to take since the damage it causes can be considerable.

Find a home security company you can trust. If you are hesitant about the company, your gut feeling is especially important. It’s your home, and you are free to hire any company you like. Security is supposed to give you peace of mind after all!

Shut off phone ringers inside the home if you’re going to be gone for quite a while. 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.

The walls of your home make for great hiding spots. Small valuables fit nicely inside walls. Just use an unwired electric plug, light switch or phone box. Installing a false unused plate is very easy to do if your home doesn’t have one.

Never allow any strangers into your home. Even if someone has a good story, requires help or has a great product to sell, ignore them. Even home security representatives could be intruders who want to check the kind of protection you have.

A good home security system monitors all entry points to your home. Windows are a way for thieves to enter your home as well. Attach the alarm to each window and ask for monitoring for them. This is vital to keeping your family safe.

Your garage needs to be secure. It is possible for an intruder to get in the garage and then gain access to the house; however, you can do something about it. Using a C-clamp on the garage door will prevent it from opening by staying on the door’s track.

When installing your home security system, make sure to hide the wires. Intruders can get around security systems and into a home by cutting the wires. Instead, make sure the wires are hidden. You will be much more safe.

The police department in your area may offer a home protection program. There are many that offer programs that include items, such as home inspection, how to use engraving tools to mark code numbers to identify valuables if yours are stolen, and protective measures advice. Get in touch with the department to determine their offerings.

Always go over the small print on contracts offered by your home security company. Sometimes, hidden costs can be incurred if you get rid of the service before a certain date. You can easily avoid these fees if you do your research.

Put motion sensor lights around your house. This type of light will come on when they detect motion within a certain distance of your home. These lights will make you aware of, and can also scare off, potential burglars. Just remember and change out the light bulbs whenever necessary.

Use the Internet to find a reliable home security company. The sites of the companies themselves will provide you with details about their services, testimonials from their customers, and pricing information. Once you do this, make appointments with the three best companies you find so that you can compare pricing and other important details.

Any program to improve the security of your home should begin with complete replacement of your door locks. 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. It does not cost much, and can be handled very quickly.

A wireless security system could be a good option. Wired systems may be cheaper, however it usually means you’ll have to rewire your home, and your system may get finicky in the event of a power outage. The easy of installation and maintenance when it comes to wireless set-ups makes them the best bet.

If you’re in a rural place, you might not be as worried about break-ins as those that are in the city. Some people think that the people out in the country without neighbors are actually at a much greater risk. Others feel rural residents have a lower risk of being burglarized.

If you don’t own a paper shredder, it would be a good idea for you to buy one. Thieves can often be found looking through garbage cans in search of personal information found on bills and credit card slips. If a shredder is too expensive, at least tear relevant paperwork into small bits.

Understand certain safety precautions when it comes to having skylights for your home. Though skylights bring light into your home and look nice, it is also a very common way for burglars to get into your home. Check that skylights have heavy duty hardware that can stand up under unwanted tampering.

Put a surveillance system in your home. This will allow you to see who is around your house. While a visible camera is a deterrent, a burglar might try to disable the camera, but a separate hidden camera can solve this problem. Some security systems are accessible via mobile phone, which lets you look in on your house when away.

You should not hide your spare key under your mat or inside a plant box. While it can help you if you’re locked out, you could be letting intruders inside your home. Thieves know about all these hiding spots. If you have a neighbor you can trust, have them hold your extra key.

If you use a door lock with a numeric keypad, do not use your birthday as the pass code. It is easy for anybody to learn your birthday, which makes it easy for them to access the house. Use a password that you can remember but that no one else will be able to guess.

Motion Detectors

If your door is not made out of solid wood or metal, you should replace it. These doors hold really good. If a thief tried to kick the door, he would not be successful in doing so. It is easy and affordable to replace all of your home’s exterior doors, so ensure you do this immediately.

If you wish to boot your home’s security, one cheap way to do this is to buy exterior lights with motion detectors. Cost-effective and aesthetically pleasing, these lights really add value to your home. If placed strategically around the house, motion detectors can make it very tough for criminals to get to your property.

Sliding doors are a huge security issue. It’s easy to break into a sliding glass door by just lifting it up and shaking it. Place a pipe in the door crevice to keep the door secure. This will make the door a lot harder to force open.

Request that prospective security firms design a system specifically for your home. Everyone has specific wants and needs when it comes to securing their home, family and belongings. If you have found a company that could cater to your needs, then it is easy to get the security that will make you and your loved ones comfortable.

Make sure you lock your second floor’s windows. People think no burglar will get up to that floor. This simply isn’t the case. This is often a weak area that criminals know about.

Don’t use your birth date as the password for your security alarm. Anyone can get your birthdate off mail or your Facebook page and will therefore have access to your home. Make it a random number that you and your family can commit to memory.

Deadbolts with keys make the best locks. They include thumb latches that prevent anyone from breaking a window and reaching around to unlock the door. Leave a key inside the lock in case there’s an emergency.

Burglars are not predictable, so you never know if you have become a target. Rather than crossing your fingers and hoping for the best, be proactive. Follow the tips presented here and stay up to date on the latest home security information to protect your home and family against crime.

Women have a greater likelihood of being the targets of home invasion, particularly if they live alone or with children. Make it seem as if there is a man living in your home by putting large mud boots on your porch and a man’s hat in your car. This visual can deter burglars from targeting your home.