Homeowners need to secure their homes to keep their families safe. Sadly, home burglaries are very common, and other things like fire or floods can harm your home. Keep reading to gain useful insight about keeping your house and loved ones out of harm’s way.

Why not give your trusted dog the job of holding onto your spare key? This works with a dog that stays outside or a dog with a pet door. Attach the spare key to your dog’s collar. By doing this, you have a handy spare key whenever you need it.

You can hide your spare key on your dog. This approach is useful if your dog is a large breed that lives outdoor, or if your house has a doggy door. Just place your key on your dog’s collar.

It’s important to comparison shop for alarm systems. Some companies offer comparable levels of protection that can be priced very differently. Look at a number of different companies and get at least three quotes before selecting what you feel is the ideal plan for your home.

If someone comes to clean your home, only give them a key if they’re trustworthy. Make sure they are honest, reputable and hardworking. It is best to do a reference check on them. If applicable, call the BBB to inquire about their reputation.

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. Under the doormat or above the door frame are all too common spaces that will be checked first by potential intruders. One idea is to hide your key inside the collar of your outdoor dog.

Good home security systems sound a loud alarm when breached, and that’s not all. The majority of systems will give an audible alert when someone enters the house. This is useful for parents who have small kids, as it helps keep them from leaving the house.

If you have a lot of unfamiliar people on you social networking accounts, avoid letting everyone know you will be going on vacation. While these platforms are there for sharing, this is announcing to the world that your home is an open target.

If you like to have a key hidden in case you lose yours, place it in a safe place. Common places to hide a spare key are above your door frame or underneath your doormat. Therefore, thieves are more likely to check these places out first. An example would be to attach a key to your dog’s collar, if he stays outdoors.

Don’t let people into your house that you don’t know. Even if their story is compelling, they need assistance or want to sell you something. Some will come to your door just to determine how secure it is, and they may return later if they think they can easily enter your home.

Get roofing, flooring and ceilings that are fire resistant. This ensures your home won’t be a tinderbox. Keeping fire hazards away is a great safety precaution since fire can cause lots of destruction.

Don’t allow a complete stranger to come in your home. There are people who are going to be convincing, but they can just be professional thieves. Therefore, only allow people you know and are expecting to enter your home.

See if your area police department has any home security programs. Some police departments offer things like code numbers to help find your valuables should they get stolen. A quick call to the non-emergency number at the police station in your town will tell you all you need to know.

When having a company install your security system, you must trust your feelings. You are giving someone unlimited access to your home, so be sure the installer doesn’t give you a bad vibe. Ask the company to send a different installer or simply change companies. Security is supposed to give you peace of mind after all!

If you’ve got skylights, don’t forget about it when it comes to home security. While they are an excellent source of natural light, they are also an easy way for thieves to enter your home. Any skylights in your home should be secured with strong hardware.

If you have skylights, do not neglect them when making sure your home is secure. While they are there to let light in, if you do not care for it properly it could also let in a thief. Be certain that skylights in your home can be locked securely.

Choose an alarm which monitors other areas outside your doors. Burglars can gain entry through your windows as well. Have alarms installed for each window and any other entry point. Do this to keep you and your family safe.

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. Having these boxes around will let thieves know the type of items that are inside your home.

If you’ve bought large or pricy items, avoid throwing out boxes until the day the trash is scheduled for pick-up. Having these boxes around for a while will give people an idea of what is inside your house.

Replace rotten wood on your door frame. Anybody wanting to break into your house can just pry off rotted wood and get inside. Replace wood that is starting to rot with fresh new wood to keep your home as safe as possible.

Rotted Wood

Make sure that whoever is getting your mail while you are on vacation also retrieves any fliers left on the door. Thieves will drop off flyers to see if home owners are away. Fliers that are left behind signal to the burglar that there is no one at home.

Rotted wood in your door framing should be replaced. Anybody wanting to break into your house can just pry off rotted wood and get inside. Therefore, replace rotted wood with fresh wood to ensure your home’s safety.

Whenever you purchase some expensive item, don’t place the empty boxes right outside your home. Burglars will see these boxes and recognize that there are new valubles in your house. Cut the boxes up when they are empty.

Obtain flashlights with solid batteries, and ensure they are kept in all the rooms of your home in the event of a power outage. It is extremely important that you have flashlights because they allow you to move around easier in the dark, which is especially useful in an emergency. Your kids should know how to work the flashlights so that everyone can help.

Ask about the different contract durations that a security company can offer you. They probably each have their pluses and negatives. A longer contract might give you a lower monthly bill, but you could be stuck with those monthly costs if you sell your home or decide to discontinue services. Shorter contracts have more freedom, but the monthly costs could be higher.

Research how long a security company has been in the business before contracting with them. You can be sure that an established company has a good track record of providing solid and reliable service. Knowing you are not dealing with a fly by night company gives you extra peace of mind when making this important decision.

Keep your windows covered if you’re out. If the blinds are up, then the intruders can see directly through your home. They’re going to want to get in your house if they can see items they want. At night when you’re asleep, you should close your shades.

Make an appointment with a home security company to evaluate the security needs of your home specifically. You need some features which other families may wish to do without. The right company will make you feel more safe and secure in your home.

If you must hide a key, hide it somewhere unusual. Is anybody really fooled by those fake rocks? Not likely. Under your doormat is also a common place burglars will look. It’s better to ask a trusted friend or neighbor to hold your extra key. If you can’t do that, you must think creatively to find a good place to keep a spare key.

Many things can affect the safety of your home, and it’s important that you consider many different things. You should know more about home security after going over this article. Use each idea to give your home maximum security.

Do not make a number-code password your birthday or other obvious number. Your birthday can be found on mail or social media sites, so this means anyone can access your home. You should choose a number no one else will be able to guess and change it regularly.