Continue reading to learn more about your options concerning home security. Home security is a complex and costly topic that requires a great deal of thought. You need the right information to make the right decision.

Make sure you trust your house cleaner before you provide them with a key. Before you give a cleaner full access to your home for extended periods of time, you have to be certain that they’re trustworthy and reliable. Carefully check their references. If applicable, call the BBB to inquire about their reputation.

Be sure your home always looks occupied. Timers can be used to turn lights and televisions on and off when required. It’ll make it seem like someone is home. This is a simple way to improve your home’s safety and make it less attractive to criminals.

Your garage should be as secure as your home. Lots of folks are concerned about burglars gaining access to the garage and then the home, but this can be addressed. Simply attach a C-clamp near the roller on the door track.

Make sure you trust your house cleaner before you provide them with a key. Be sure to check out the background of any housekeeper you plan to provide with a key to your home. One way to do this is to check their references. If you are using a cleaning firm, make sure it has an excellent Better Business Bureau rating.

Remove old plants and debris from your yard. This can be a fire hazard, especially if you live in an area with high heat. Keeping your plants and bushes trimmed will benefit your family’s safety as well as the appearance of your home.

Purchase a safe to lock all of the extremely valuable items in your home in one place. This is vital if you don’t want diamonds, gold or other personal items exposed to a home intruder. Be sure to put your safe in an out of the way place like the basement, attic or under the floorboards.

Regardless of the type of home security system you choose, be sure to have regular inspections and maintenance performed. Have a worker from the security company take a look at it. There are any number of problems that can cause malfunctions in your security system, from weather damage to animal activity. There are always ways your home is vulnerable, even if you don’t know it.

Police Department

Alter the combination of the locks in your home. Not everyone who leaves your house will leave happy, and a fresh set of locks will protect you from both former residents and acquaintances of your own looking to cause mischief. It is generally cheap and may be done in a little under a day.

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. Your police department will be able to help you find out what is available in your town.

When having a company install your security system, you must trust your feelings. If the installers give you the heebie-jeebies, it’s not a good sign. If you are unsure, contact the security company to make sure that the installer was actually sent by them. Security is supposed to give you peace of mind after all!

When securing your home, don’t forget about skylights. While they are an excellent source of natural light, they are also an easy way for thieves to enter your home. Keep them secure with heavy duty hardware that closes them off to potential thieves.

If you reside in a small town or rural area, then you might not be as worried about someone breaking into your home as city dwellers may be. On a different note, some people believe homeowners in more rural areas are more likely to experience robberies because of the lack of nearby neighbors. Others hold that burglars are not as likely to target rural areas.

If you have any boxes to discard from large, expensive items, wait until the evening before the trash is scheduled for collection. Exposing the box to view ahead of time signals a burglar that he will find this item in your home.

Walls make the perfect hiding spot. If you need to protect expensive items in your home, put them inside the walls. Just access unused switch plates, outlets or phone jacks. If you’re using all your outlets, you can install phony ones.

You should change all the locks if you just bought or rented a new home. Even though the person who sold your home to you may seem honest, you simply can’t know for certain. Don’t forget that there were likely other owners and residents in the house before the last set.

Do not let people on the street see valuable items in your home. While it may be nice to look out, burglars will see your valuables inside. If your house has street-facing windows, make sure they are always covered and your make sure your valuables are hidden away.

Before you let anyone go into your home, look at their references thoroughly. Try doing a background check to look at their criminal history. You can never be certain if the contractor, repairman, maid, etc. that you hire to do services in your home is honest. If you let these people in without knowing anything about them, you could experience significant losses.

Choose an alarm which monitors other areas outside your doors. Intruders can enter through your windows too. Get an alarm that will trigger if either the doors or windows are opened. Do this to keep you and your family safe.

You have the knowledge you need now to make informed decisions. It is vital that you understand your situation because it is vital in keeping you and your family safe inside your house. Follow the tips presented here to make your home safer and more secure.

After making major (i.e. expensive) purchases, don’t dump the packaging out front if your next scheduled garbage pick-up is several days away. Having these boxes around will let thieves know the type of items that are inside your home.