As a homeowner, you really should know about security procedures for your home. It takes a lot of time and research if you look at the different sources of information. This article will help you assess your home’s security needs and decide on effective actions to take.

Once you buy a house, switch out the locks. You don’t know the exact number of copies of that key the previous owners have or have handed out. Get a locksmith in right away. In addition, replace your locks if your keys ever get lost.

Be sure that your home is always occupied. Timers can be used to turn lights and televisions on and off when required. This will give the appearance that someone is at your house at all times. This is a great way to keep your home safe and avoid burglaries.

Make sure you trust your house cleaner before you provide them with a key. Only select service people who are totally trustworthy. Ask for references and check them thoroughly. If they work through a larger firm, you can check up on the company with your local Better Business Bureau.

Once you buy a house, switch out the locks. There is no telling how many key copies were made and given out by a previous owner. To make sure you are the sole person with access to the home, engage the services of a locksmith. You should also do this if your keys ever get lost.

Home security systems have different kinds of features that can sound an alarm when someone breaks into your house. Many systems can alert you whenever anyone has entered your home. If you have little ones wandering about the house, this makes it easy for you to know if they have come in or gone out.

Buy a safe and use it to hold all of the valuables in your home. If a burglar enters your home, he or she will have a hard time making off with your possessions. Keep your safe in a hard-to-get-to place, such as a basement closet or your attic.

See what the local police offer when it comes to home protection programs. Many police departments will offer expert advice, arrange inspections, sponsor neighborhood watches, and help you mark and register your valuables. Your police department will be able to help you find out what is available in your town.

If there are people you don’t know that have access to your social media sites, then you don’t want to let all of them know you’re on vacation. It can be exciting to tell everyone about your vacation, but you could potentially be letting a burglar in on your whereabouts.

It doesn’t matter how much money you spent, you should have an annual test. The security company should have a specialist come to look at it. Wild animals, domestic pets, and weather are all factors that can affect the reliability of your home security system. If you cannot see a problem, you might not know one exists.

Seek recommendations from friends and family when choosing a security company or system. This will help you to reduce the stress that you have on your search for a good one. Making a great choice is important, so this advice will come in handy.

Use exterior lights that have motion sensors. These are lights that turn on whenever any living thing gets too close to your home. These lights will make you aware of, and can also scare off, potential burglars. Remember that the bulbs need to be changed so that the lights keep working.

Security System

Change your locks if someone you don’t trust moves out of your home. There are many different people who might have keys from your past, and removing the potential of them accessing your home can be a very good idea. It does not cost much, and can be handled very quickly.

Regardless of the quality of your home security system, you need to check it annually. Make certain the security company you choose provides for regular inspections. Mother Nature and wild animals can also cause issues with your home security system. If the problem cannot be seen, you probably won’t even realize there is one.

Avoid placing spare keys under door mats or in plant boxes. While you may feel that you are keeping yourself safe by allowing a way in for yourself, you are also allowing everyone else to visit whenever they want. Burglars always know just where to look. Rather, keep your spare keys with a neighbor you trust.

When having a company install your security system, you must trust your feelings. If the installers make you feel uncomfortable, heed your feelings. There is nothing wrong with asking for a different technician if you’re uneasy. After all, you’re investing in a system that helps you to feel safe, so make sure the process involved in obtaining that system does the same.

Hide your security system’s wiring. A burglar will simply cut the wires if he can see them. To provide maximum security, wiring should be laid underground or installed safely within the walls of your house. Keep yourself safe.

If you live in a rural area, you may not be as concerned about home break-ins as people who live in the city. People who live in the country may even be more vulnerable because they do not have nearby neighbors. Others hold that burglars are not as likely to target rural areas.

Are you aware that your home’s wires are worth something? People often don’t think about this until they have it stolen from their home. It does not take much time to strip off the expensive copper wires from the exterior of your house. Keep your wiring hidden or inaccessible to potential burglars.

Don’t put your spare key in an obvious place near your front door. While you may feel that you are keeping yourself safe by allowing a way in for yourself, you are also allowing everyone else to visit whenever they want. Thieves are aware of all these spots. You should have a trusted neighbor keep a spare key.

If you move to a dwelling that has had prior occupants, make sure you get the locks changed. While you may trust those who lived there before you, you have no idea who lived there before them. Find a reliable locksmith who can replace the locks or do it yourself.

Don’t leave the packaging from any electronics or expensive purchases sitting on the curb until trash day. You are alerting thieves that there is something worth stealing inside your home.

Motion sensing lights are a good way to increase home security. In the evening, lights will help keep your home safe, and will add little in the way of extra expense. With good positioning and properly set motion detectors, intruders will not be able to sneak up on your home unnoticed.

If you sign a contract for a security company, read all the fine print first. Sometimes there are hidden costs involved if you decide to let your service go before the contract expires or add additional equipment at a later point. You’ll definitely want to avoid these types of fees if you can, so read carefully.

Don’t allow your landscaping make it easier for burglars to break into your home. Make sure that there is nothing obstructing your doors and windows. These types of places provide the perfect cover for prowlers. This will give your home additional safety.

Keep your home’s exterior well lit. Burglars like the cover of darkness to commit their crimes. Install some outside lights so you can see everything outside. Make sure your porch, garage, doorways and windows are well lit.

Inquire with your home security service as to how long they’ve been in business. Any business with multiple years of history has a proven record in being reliable. Knowing you are not dealing with a fly by night company gives you extra peace of mind when making this important decision.

Never enter your house if the door is open or something doesn’t feel right. This is very dangerous due to the fact that the thief can still be inside your property. Go to a neighbor’s or another safe area and call the police.

If you just purchased electronics, do not leave empty boxes outside. Don’t advertise that you have expensive new equipment! Break the boxes down, or take a scissors to them to help them fit in your trash can.

Invest in a good paper shredder. Thieves may look through your garbage for information. If you cannot afford a paper shredder, rip papers up into small pieces.

Inquire whether a security company offers variable contract lengths. Each will have its own pros and some cons, too. Your bill may be lower with a long-term contract, but you could wind up paying for a service you’re not using if you decide to move. A short contract may seem more expensive each month, but you have more freedom.

Consider installing a surveillance system for your home. You can make a huge difference in your home’s security by putting in cameras whether they’re concealed or out in the open. If a burglar can see them, they are likely to go away. Surveillance systems often allow you to access videos through your cell phone, too.

Blinds, shades and curtains are best closed when no one is home. Intruders can look into your house if the blinds are up. You may have things inside that will tempt them to break into your house. Your window dressing should also be closed while you sleep.

Make sure that your house number are visible from the street. If your numbers cannot be plainly seen, then the police will struggle to locate your home very quickly in case of emergency. Thankfully, you can right this wrong cheaply and quickly.

Hard-wired home security systems can help you to cut down on costs. Wireless set-ups need battery changes all the time. Your home security system will not function properly if you do not change the batteries. Additionally, it can be expensive to replace a lot of batteries.

Using a timer is a great way to make it seem as if you are home when you are on vacation. This makes it easy for you because you do not have to turn the switch. It also makes the lights go off and on even if you are not at home.

If you often turn your lights off/on around the same time, consider using a timer. This is simpler, as you will not have to flip any switches, and you will know the lights will go off and on in your absence.

Be sure to close your curtains at night in rooms that face the street. You don’t want to attract peeping Toms. If the crooks can see what you own, then they are going to target you next. Try being discreet about what everyone sees to reduce the chances of being targeted by burglars.

If you have windows into your living room that open to the street, always draw your curtains in the evening. It’s best to discourage peeping toms. If criminals can clearly view what’s going on in your house, it makes it easier for them to commit crimes. Lock everything up and shade your windows to stay discreet.

Sliding Glass

Women are targets for thieves, especially those with kids. Keep some shoes on your porch to make potential intruders think a man lives here. This is sure to scare criminals off from your house.

It can be tough to provide the proper level of security in a home equipped with sliding glass doors. It’s easy to break into a sliding glass door by just lifting it up and shaking it. If your security system is not connected to the doors, cut a board or pipe the exact length of the door channel, and drop it in the space to secure the doors. This jams the door so it just can’t open.

Try to purchase your security system direct from the company, rather than from a re-seller. People reselling it care more about money than the product. Dealing with the company means there will be no extra fees, and they will service your equipment whenever you need.

Every homeowner needs to learn about home security. However, pulling out the most helpful pieces of information from the irrelevant can be a challenge. So, you will find it to be worth your while to keep looking back at these tips if that is what it takes to secure your home.

Outdoor wiring is attractive to thieves. Electrical wires contain copper, which is extremely valuable. Keeping your wires hidden prevents the thieves from seeing them and wanting to take them.