When it comes to keeping your home secure, understanding your options is key. You must plan carefully before making this decision. Think long and hard about creating a safe home for your family.

Do you have a dog that stays in your yard when you’re not at home? You could let your dog carry a spare key. Hook your key to the dog’s collar in a place that is shielded from view. If your dog is suspicious of strangers, you have found a good hiding place for your key.

Man’s best friend can also be trusted to secure a spare key. This will only be ideal if you have a dog door or an outdoor dog. You could simply put a key onto your dog’s collar, so it is always handy.

A home security system has other features in addition to sounding an alarm when there is a break-in. They often even alert you to any time a door is opened. This is great for parents that have small children so that they know when their kids open or close doors.

Don’t make a habit of giving strangers access to your home. Even if they tell you a sob story about needing help, this warning remains true. There are some people who will just come in to see if you have a home security system, and if you do not, they could come back later when you are not home.

Don’t let strangers enter your home. Even if their story is compelling, they need assistance or want to sell you something. There are people that just want to go into your home to see if you’ve got a type of home security system, and if they see that you don’t, they’ll return when you’re not home.

Your garage should be as secure as your home. People often worry about people getting in through attached garages, but you have a solution. Place a C-Clamp on the door track near the roller. This will prevent the door from lifting.

If your house has a garage, keep the car there, not just your junk. Keeping your car in your house will deter intruders from vandalizing or stealing it. This can also keep people from knowing your schedule.

Consult with your police department to find out about good programs for home protection. Many police departments will offer expert advice, arrange inspections, sponsor neighborhood watches, and help you mark and register your valuables. Ask your police department to see if these types of programs are available.

Don’t be afraid to know the people who live near you. 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. You shouldn’t neglect gossip. While this is unorthodox, it may clue you into a possible home security threat.

When choosing a home security firm, trust your instincts. This goes for the installer, too. Ask for someone else to come out or switch companies. At the end of the day, your efforts are so that you feel more comfortable.

You need to go with your gut instinct when it comes to negotiating and dealing with a home security installation company. If the installers make you feel uncomfortable, heed your feelings. Do not hesitate to ask for a different person to install the system or even consider hiring a different company. You want your new system to protect you, not be the way the thief gets into your home.

The walls are a perfect hiding place. You can hide small, valuable items inside the walls of your home. Place them in switch plates, phone jacks or an electric outlet. You can easily install fake unused plates.

Spare Key

If you live in a rural area, you may not be as concerned about home break-ins as people who live in the city. Some think residents of the country are even more vulnerable because there are no close neighbors. Some think rural areas see less burglary.

You should not hide your spare key under your mat or inside a plant box. Though you may think you are giving yourself a way into your home if you lose your key, you are actually inadvertently inviting intruders into your home. Burglars are well aware of these hiding places. You should have a trusted neighbor keep a spare key.

Be sure your expensive belongings are not visible from the home’s exterior. It may be great to have large windows with a view, but this means that people can look in. Keep your windows covered and your belongings private.

Walls make the perfect hiding spot. Small valuables fit nicely inside walls. Place them in switch plates, phone jacks or an electric outlet. If you use all of them, you can always have fake ones installed.

Always lock your home, regardless of how short your trip out is. It may shock you to know this, but a lot of intruders get inside homes through open doors. A thief can steal lots of stuff in a little amount of time.

When you choose an alarm system, pick one that offers protection that goes beyond the doors. Windows are a way for thieves to enter your home as well. You want to be sure that the alarm is connected to all windows and entry points. This can mean the difference between a safe home and one that is an easy target.

If you have purchased any large and/or expensive items, do not throw the boxes away until the day before the trash man is scheduled to come. You are alerting thieves that there is something worth stealing inside your home.

Be sure to replace all of the old locks as soon as you move into a new domicile. Even though the person who sold your home to you may seem honest, you simply can’t know for certain. Keep in mind that there may have been residents prior to that person too.

This article has shown you the light. Home security is an important subject. Knowing that your family is safe is key. Be sure and remember what you have learned here.

When moving into a house, ensure that each lock has been replaced. You have no way of knowing whether the previous homeowner is trustworthy. Remember that other families may have lived there before that person as well.