If you’ve got jewelry, original art or a lot of cash, someone else likely knows about it. Boost your home safety to keep burglars from targeting you. Go over this article to find out how you can keep your home safe.

Talk to people you know for referrals when choosing home security systems. Others have likely had both good and bad experiences that they can share with you that can then save you a lot of stress and time. Ask a number of people to get a several different opinions.

Home security systems offer additional features besides loud alarms during a break-in. Many systems can be used to go off whenever anyone enters your home. It’s a great feature for parents as they can tell if a child is potentially leaving the house.

Make sure the ringer on any phones in your home is turned off when you leave for vacation. If your phone is ringing while you are out, burglars will realize that no one is home, making your home very vulnerable to an attack during your time away.

Don’t let strangers enter your house. Even if someone has a good story, requires help or has a great product to sell, ignore them. Some folks will enter to scout for security systems, and upon seeing you lack one, will resolve to return at a later time.

Buy fire resistant roofing, flooring and ceiling materials. This is a good way to protect your home against fires, for instance if you live near power lines or in a dry area. Lowering or eliminating the risk of a fire is an extremely important home security strategy because a fire can cause extreme destruction very quickly.

Do not open your door for anyone you don’t know. Folks are always thinking up new schemes to get people to open the door so that they can commit their crimes. You should only open the door to people you were expecting.

Attached Garage

Before leaving for vacation, turn off the ringers in your house. A burglar might hear your phone ring and ring and ring, then realize that you are not home to answer it.

You need to be sure the attached garage of yours is secure. Many people worry about burglars getting into their attached garage and then entering their home, but there is a fix. If your garage lifts up on a track, try using a C-clamp. This will prevent your door from opening up if the clamp is close to its roller.

Always change the locks if you have someone move out of your home. Whether an old roommate left or a relationship ended, changing your locks is a good idea. Changing the locks can typically be done very cheaply and quickly.

Do not open your door for anyone you don’t know. Nowadays, thieves are creative when thinking of ways to get homeowners to open a door and let them in. Make it mandatory that doors in your home are only opened for expected visitors.

Walls are great for hiding things. Keep small, valuable items inside the walls of your home. You can use the opening provided by an electrical switch plate or other device that is not being used. If you haven’t got any plates that are unused, simply install a false switch plate.

Don’t put extra keys under doormats or in planters. Keeping a spare key is convenient but intruders will have access to your home if your key is too easy to find. Thieves are aware of these hiding spots. Instead, have a trustworthy neighbor hold on to your spare key.

See if your local police department offers any home inspection or other protection programs. Your local police department will help you with preventive measures, inspect your home and show you how to mark your valuables so they can easily be found. Discuss these programs with a local police officer to see if they’re available in your area.

Your valuables should not be easily seen from outside your home. It may be great to have large windows with a view, but this means that people can look in. If you’ve got street facing windows, be sure and keep them covered.

When moving into a house, ensure that each lock has been replaced. You have no way of knowing whether the previous homeowner is trustworthy. Aside from that, other people lived in the home even before the ones from whom you purchased the home.

You need to go with your gut instinct when it comes to negotiating and dealing with a home security installation company. This is doubly true when you feel unease about the installers. If you simply are not comfortable with a company’s technician, request for another technician or simply hire another company. Remember that every aspect of your home security system should support you in feeling more secure.

Replace rotten wood near door frames. An intruder can simply pry away that rotted wood and enter your home. Find a reliable contractor who can replace the door frame for you.

If your home isn’t new, replace the locks. While you may trust those who lived there before you, you have no idea who lived there before them. You might even install new locks yourself so that you know you have the only keys.

People in rural areas are not usually as worried about burglaries as people in cities. Due to the distance between neighbors, some think rural areas are more likely to have intruders. However, understand that regardless of where you live, a theft can occur anywhere. Therefore, you need to be prepared.

One of the best things you can do to protect your home at night is to deter intruders with plenty of exterior lighting. These crooks do not wish to be noticed or seen. Thieves have a hard time stealing things when there are lots of lights around. Keep lights on in the evening for a safer home.

Don’t assume you’ll never be the victim of a crime; be proactive about securing your home. There’s no need to live in fear, but addressing some basic security concerns is always the prudent course of action. Keep these tips in mind if you want some good ways to improve the security of your home.

Walls are a good place to hide things. Jewelry and other small items can be protected very well when placed in hiding places in your walls. Just access unused switch plates, outlets or phone jacks. If you’re using all your outlets, you can install phony ones.