All homeowners ought to have a plan to make sure their home is safe; however, many simply do not. To learn all you can in order to create a solid plan, it is important for you to do your research. Read on to learn about how to secure your home.

Always have the locks changed when you buy a new home. You don’t know the exact number of copies of that key the previous owners have or have handed out. You want to be sure that you’re the only one with a key. If you lose keys, make sure to do this, too.

Put your spare key on your dog. Of course, your dog has to be an outdoor dog (or you at least need to have a doggy door) for this to work. You can purchase a special collar that will hold your spare key, so when you forget your keys your dog can let you in.

Make sure you trust your house cleaner before you provide them with a key. If you plan on giving them the key so that they can work in your home for over an hour, make sure that they’re reputable, hardworking, and honest. Check the housekeeper’s references very carefully. If it is a known company, check with your local BBB.

Keep your jewelry, vital documents and other expensive items in a safe. This is essential, because you would never want valuable jewelry and other items to be seen by intruders. Put the safe somewhere difficult to get to, like the attic.

Do you have a dog that stays in your yard when you’re not at home? Your furry friend is also a great storage place for your extra key. You can attach your key to your dog’s collar in order to keep the key hidden. If your dog is suspicious of strangers, you have found a good hiding place for your key.

If you want to have a spare key close to your house in order to prevent lockouts, make sure you give its hiding place some careful thought. Above doors or under doormats are much too common to hide them and potential criminals will check them first. A possible solution is to attach a key to your outdoor dog’s collar.

Buy housing materials that are fire resistant. This will help ensure the safety of your home, particularly if your home is located in a dry area. Fire prevention is paramount.

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. Although your first instinct is to share the news about an upcoming trip that excites you, the info may well fall into the hands of people who’d be interested in burglarizing your home while you’re away.

Your home security system ought to be checked each year. Ask someone who works at the security company to do a maintenance check. A number of factors can cause problems with your security system, including wild animals and mother nature. You might be unaware of problems that arise in some cases.

Don’t let people into your home unless you know them. There are some people who are very convincing and good at getting you to let them into your house. It’s quite possible that your charming guest is only interested in evaluating the security of your home; if they find it lacking, they may be back later to relieve you of some of your possessions.

Go with your gut when you invite a home security company representative into your house. This is especially true if you are uneasy with those who are installing the actual system. If you simply are not comfortable with a company’s technician, request for another technician or simply hire another company. Security is supposed to give you peace of mind after all!

You can hide things in your walls. If you need to protect expensive items in your home, put them inside the 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.

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 feel that rural residents lead riskier lives because they are far away from neighbors. Still, there are those who are of the opinion that rural properties are less of a temptation to burglars.

Change all of the locks in your new residence. The previous owner may be perfectly respectable, but you can’t know that for sure. There are other people who have lived in the home as well.

Always lock your home when you leave it, no matter how soon you plan to return. Most burglars gain entry to a home through an unlocked door. It does not take long for thieves to steal your expensive stuff.

Your flashlights should always be equipped with good, working batteries. The flashlights are important because they make you able to get around the house in an emergency. Train your kids how to use flashlights so that all members of the family can contribute.

Never throw out boxes for expensive items until the day your trash is picked up. Having these boxes around for a while will give people an idea of what is inside your house.

Your first priority when you move to an apartment or house where others have lived in before is to replace all the locks. Even if the tenants turned their keys in, they may have made copies. You can purchase locks and install them yourself to ascertain that only you have a key.

Were you aware that your home’s wires are valuable? A lot of people don’t realize this fact until a robber steals it from their home. The wiring contains valuable copper than can be quickly stripped from a home. Be sure to keep your wiring hidden or difficult to reach.

A reputable security company will send a representative to your home to design a custom system. The needs and wants of each family and the configuration of each home are quite individual. You’ll get the best protection by using a company that can tailor a plan to your requirements.

Replace rotten wood near door frames. The rotten wood will be simple to remove, allowing a thief access to your home. Replace rotting wood with fresh wood to improve your home’s security.

Always keep your home’s exterior well lit. Burglars tend to commit crimes at night. Be sure all vulnerable exterior areas of your home are equipped with good lighting. All doors, porches, garages and windows should be well lit.

When moving into a previously owned home, change the locks. The previous owners or tenants might have made some copies of the key. It’s easy to install locks, so you can just purchase them at the home improvement store and swap them out to be sure you have the only keys.

It might be time to get yourself a paper shredder if you haven’t already gotten one. Unshredded documents can offer up a wealth of valuable personal information to thieves, including enough of your schedule to allow them to pinpoint the best time for a burglary. If you can’t afford to buy a paper shredder, tear your papers up into tiny bits before throwing them away.

Prior to allowing access to anyone, make sure you are shown proper identification. Conduct background checks if necessary. Anyone you bring into your home to work could be your worst enemy.

Not too many people know exactly how to make their home more secure. This is a subject which all homeowners should know about intimately. It is hoped this article provides a good foundation for implementing sound solutions.

When you are trying to hire a home security contractor, read all the small print on your contract before signing it. There might be hidden costs or other things you should know about. Avoid nasty charges or fees regarding early termination, contract expiration and additional features or equipment.