If you’re a single female or mother that lives alone and you don’t feel like you can defend yourself physically, the topic of home security may be a large issue for you. The following article will give you some valuable advice about protecting your most valuable assets. Read on to discover many tips to help on home security.

Compare various home security systems when shopping. Prices can be very different from one product to another. Get a quote from several companies before making a final decision.

Use your dog as the protector of your spare key. This can be done if your dog can come outside. Simply affix a spare key to the collar of the animal. You’ll always have a backup plan if you lose your key!

If you want to have a spare key hidden outside of your home, hide it carefully. Too many people put their extra key under the mat in front of their door; burglars know to check there. Try hiding the key in your outside dog’s collar.

Is your ceiling resistant to fire? What about your flooring or roofing? This will help ensure the safety of your home, particularly if your home is located in a dry area. Preventing a fire hazard is one of the safest precautions that you can take due to the level of destruction that it can cause.

Don’t let people into your house that you don’t know. Remember that intruders have a lot of experience with tricking people. Some folks will enter to scout for security systems, and upon seeing you lack one, will resolve to return at a later time.

Never open up your door to a stranger. You never know who they might be, despite their story. Therefore, only allow people you know and are expecting to enter your home.

If you have an attached garage, make sure it is secure. Intruders could easily break into your garage and access your home. Place a C-Clamp on the door track near the roller. This will prevent the door from lifting.

Don’t be shy. Engage your neighbors in conversation. Keep your eye on their houses, and ask for help to keep yours safe too. You shouldn’t neglect gossip. You never know what sort of security issues you might become privy to.

In summer, take care to trim back branches and plants near the house. These could catch on fire during the summer, especially if you live in a dry area. Therefore, you need to regularly clean your yard so that your home is protected.

Put motion sensor lights around your house. These lights will come on if someone walks near your home. Then you will know someone is present, and if the person is a burglar, he or she will be very likely to turn around and leave. Be sure to keep these lights working, though.

Always change the locks if you have someone move out of your home. Whether you have a roommate who is about to move out, or a relationship that has run its course, it is a good idea change your locks. It is generally cheap and may be done in a little under a day.

Consider changing your locks as a part of your home security program. As time passes, keys end up getting into the wrong hands. Changing the locks can typically be done very cheaply and quickly.

Keep your most valuable possessions inside your walls. You don’t need to cut out segments of your walls by the way. Most homes are pre-equipped with these handy spaces. You could removed the wiring from an electric socket that you aren’t using, and stash jewelry inside it.

No one should be able to see your valuables from outside. Large windows at the home’s front can be beautiful, but it can make it easier for criminals to see inside. If you’ve got street facing windows, be sure and keep them covered.

Do not hide your spare key under your doormat or in a nearby planter. These seem like great places for you when you misplace your key. Potential burglars know the usual hiding places. Rather, give the key to a neighbor to hold.

If you are new into a house, replace all the locks. It may seem as if the former owners of the home are honest, but really you don’t know much about them. You should also keep in mind that other people may have lived in the home before the previous homeowner.

Lock your home when you leave, even if you don’t think you will be away for long. Many burglaries happen because the intruders can just walk right inside. It can be a quick job for a burglar to steal items of great value.

Do you know how valuable the wires within your home are? Often homeowners are unaware of this fact until they find that their wiring has been stolen. It does not take much time to strip off the expensive copper wires from the exterior of your house. To protect this expensive asset, hide your wires or make them hard to get to.

Do you know how valuable the wires within your home are? A lot of people do not know this until a thief steals them from the house. Copper wiring can easily be removed. Hide the wiring and make it harder to access to prevent this from happening.

Be on the lookout for rotten wood anywhere near your doors or windows. If a person wants to enter your home, rotted wood can easily be pried away. Always replace rotting wood with fresh wood immediately to keep your house strong and secure.

Flashlights in your home should always have newer batteries if your power goes out. 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. Train kids how to use the flashlights so that everyone may contribute.

Before you let anyone go into your home, look at their references thoroughly. Perform a background check to learn about their criminal history, too. You can never be too sure about anyone you hire to enter your home, and giving them access can work against you.

Whenever you are landscaping your home, you should consider safety. You should have a clear view out of all your windows and an unobstructed path to any doors. If they can be seen, there will be no place to hide. For a beautiful yard that’s also safe, keep the landscaping separated from the house.

Security Systems

There are wireless systems available for home security, as another option. Systems that are wired can be a little cheaper, but may need significant reworking of your home’s electrical wiring and can fail in a power outage. On the other hand, wireless systems use their own power and have easier installations.

Consider your own personal safety needs and security risks before exploring home security systems. Even though these security systems can guard you and your family, that doesn’t mean they’re for everyone. In some situations, having a good dog and/or learning some self defense may be all that you really need to feel safe. Be aware of your risks to make an intelligent purchasing decisions.

If you do not already have a paper shredder, you may want to think about investing in one. Many thieves sift through trash for personal info and to figure out when you plan to be away. Cutting the papers into small pieces with a pair of scissors is another option.

Do not use locks with spring latches. These are the easiest for criminals to open with a credit card. An intruder has only to press the card into the doorjamb between latch and the door and the lock will pop open. If you are already using locks that operate on spring latches, improve your security by adding a deadbolt.

When standing in the street, can you see your house numbers? If you need assistance, emergency vehicles may not locate your home in a timely manner if the numbers don’t stand out. Thankfully, you can easily fix this problem very quickly and cheaply.

Avoid storing car registration in your glove compartment. This isn’t smart because anyone can reads them can see where you live. Keep them with you or hide them elsewhere. However, make sure you have them in case you were to get pulled over by the cops.

If there are certain rooms you want to keep unoccupied, then you don’t want to keep track of all the keys and locks. It is possible to have locks that require just codes, not keys. You can have your home security company install it for you, or you can do it yourself.

Avoid keeping your key somewhere expected. Everybody knows about fake rocks. Many people will look under your doormat. A better plan is to ask someone you trust to keep your extra key in case you need it. If you can’t do that, you must think creatively to find a good place to keep a spare key.

If your door is not made out of solid wood or metal, you should replace it. These doors hold. This makes it much more difficult for a burglar to kick in the door and break in. Make sure to replace exterior doors for the cheapest amount possible.

Keep your home safe and secure affordably. You can do it yourself. You don’t have to allow a stranger into your home to install a security system. There are cheaper alternatives that can keep criminals at bay. Keep the tips you learned from this article in mind, and you will be on your way to being safer right in your own home.

A home alarm investment is well worth the money, provided someone contacts 911 when it is set off. The only way to ensure this is to use a system that calls the police for you. You can’t always trust just the noise from the alarm to scare off the intruder.