No one is safe from burglaries and other dangerous situations. These situations are happening more and more frequently. All neighborhoods are targets for break-ins. In this article you will find information about improving home security.

Is your dog outside even if you are away? If so, the dog can be a terrific spot to keep a spare key. Attach your spare key inside the collar of your dog. If your dog is suspicious of strangers, you have found a good hiding place for your key.

It’s important to shop around before you settle on the right security system for your home. Prices can be very different from one product to another. Get at least 3 quotes from security system companies and compare features and services as well as monthly costs.

Don’t just hide your spare key anywhere. Doormats and door frames are predictable places that burglars will always check. Hide your alternative key on your dog’s collar.

Buy fire resistant roofing, flooring and ceiling materials. This will add an extra protection layer for your house, particularly if you live near power lines or in a dry location. Fire prevention is always a good idea, and sometimes it can be a lifesaving idea!

If your house has a garage, keep the car there, not just your junk. This will keep thieves from stealing it or harming it. When your car is hidden, it will be hard for intruders to tell if you are home or not.

Make sure the ringer on any phones in your home is turned off when you leave for vacation. A constantly ringing phone can signal to a burglar that the house is vacant, making it an easy target for their criminal activities.

Don’t be shy. Talk to the people who live in your neighborhood. Keep an eye out for their houses, and request that they return the favor. Don’t ignore any gossip either. Important security details (like the presence of strangers in your neighborhood) can come out of the most innocent conversations.

Make your home safer by storing your car inside the garage. If your car is locked up inside, it cannot be stolen or vandalized. Hiding your car from plain view will also keep potential intruders from tracking when you are home and when you aren’t.

Do you live out in the country? If so, you might not be as worried about burglars breaking in as those people in the city are. Due to the distance between neighbors, some think rural areas are more likely to have intruders. That said, stranger things have happened.

If you’ve got skylights, don’t neglect them when ensuring your home’s security. While they are there to let light in, if you do not care for it properly it could also let in a thief. Your skylights should have strong components that can withstand tampering.

It is not a good idea to hide a spare key on your property. 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. Potential burglars know the usual hiding places. A better option is to entrust an honest neighbor with a spare key.

Use the spaces in your home’s walls to store valuables. It is not necessary to cut out pieces from your wall. There are lots of places around the home that have pre-cut areas that you can use. Unused electrical sockets can be great for hiding expensive jewelry.

After bringing home a big-ticket item, such as an appliance or electronic device, avoid leaving the packages on the curb before trash day. If you leave the boxes out all week, it lets people know what type of items you have in your home.

When you pick an alarm system, it’s a good idea to get one that provides protection for both doors and windows. Burglars often enter through windows as well. Be sure your home alarm covers all entry points into your home. This is the pinnacle of safety.

Are you aware that the wires located on the exterior of your house have value? Many people have their wires stripped each year. Copper wiring is very valuable and susceptible to being stripped from the outside of your home. This is why the wiring should be hidden or difficult to get to.

If you’ve just gotten a home, replace every lock. Though you may not suspect that the seller is up to something, you still need to be careful. Also, there have likely been other owners of the home, and you don’t know them either.

Plug a rechargeable flashlight into an outlet in each room of your house in the event of power outage. Flashlights are essential since they let you move around in an emergency. Train your kids how to use flashlights so that all members of the family can contribute.

Were you aware of how valuable your house wires are? This is something few homeowners realize until they become victims of wiring theft. Experienced criminals can make a decent amount of money quickly by stripping copper wiring off of houses in order to sell it at a scrapyard. This is why the wiring should be hidden or difficult to get to.

Unless you’re moving into a brand-new apartment or home, changing the locks should be one of your top priorities. The previous tenants may have returned the keys, but they could have a copy. You can purchase locks and install them yourself to ascertain that only you have a key.

If you allow a security company to come to your house, make sure they appear professional and can present identification. It is very common for thieves to pretend to be company reps in order to get into your home. This could be quite dangerous. Act cautiously in order to stay away from potential dangers.

Use the Internet to find a reliable home security company. Read through official websites for different companies and look for reviews written by customers. Put together a list of the different home security companies you want to know more about and give them a call.

Always go over the small print on contracts offered by your home security company. They sometimes have hidden costs if you let go of them prior to the contract expiring. You should avoid these fees as much as you can; therefore, you need to know of their existence.

Consider a surveillance system for your home and property. A wonderful way to make your home safer is by putting in hidden or visible cameras. Intruders will stay away from your home if they notice cameras and hidden cameras can help identify intruders if they disable the most visible cameras. A lot of surveillance systems are accessible using your cell phone, so you can monitor your home while you are out of town.

See how long the home security company has been around before you make any decisions. Companies that have been around for years have shown that they know the industry and that their services are reliable and great enough for recommendations. You may not feel as safe if you opt to go with a company that has not been in business for long or that does not have a stable history.

If you purchase an expensive item, get rid of the box rather than allowing it to sit outside your home. Burglars will see these boxes and recognize that there are new valubles in your house. When you have emptied the boxes, make sure you cut them up.

If you think something looks odd when you get back home, don’t go inside. This can be a dangerous scenario, as the criminal might still be present. The best thing to do is call the police and wait for them to arrive before doing anything else.

Do not buy spring latch locks. Just one credit card can get a burglar access to your home. The card is slid into the crevice between the latch and the door, pushing the latch back and springing the lock open. A deadbolt can be retrofitted to a door with a spring latch lock if you want to make it more secure.

If you will be going out of time, have someone you trust get your mail. Also, have them look for fliers stuck in your door. Thieves sometimes place fliers on front doors and then wait to see if anyone removes them. If the flier is not moved, they know that the occupant is not around or on vacation.

Find out if the company you choose will give you the option of buying or leasing home security systems. Buying it may cost more, but this means there are no monthly charges. While leasing might be less expensive, it also comes with high monthly fees and contracts. Look into both choices to know which one is better for your personal circumstances.

Burglaries happen in middle and lower class neighborhoods, too. Thieves target any house that looks like it can be easily broken into. If you use the tips here to improve your home security, your family will be much safer.

Do not store your vehicle registration documents in your car’s glove compartment. This is not wise since anyone who has access to them will know where you live. Keep them in your wallet or in another safe place like your trunk. They’ll always need to be close by in the event you get pulled over.