It is important that you never completely put your guard down. Make sure you look at your home security. Don’t put your family in unnecessary danger. Review these excellent tips on creating a home that is safe and secure against burglary.

Always have the locks changed when you buy a new home. There is no way to ascertain how many keys the previous owner handed out. To make sure your home can only be accessed by you, enlist the help of a locksmith. This is also the thing to do if you lose the keys.

Don’t post online when you’ll be away from your home. While it is exciting to go to a new place and have a good time, you are letting thieves know that your house will be empty and they can come right in.

Does your dog remain outside while you’re gone? You might consider leaving your spare key with your dog. You can attach your key to your dog’s collar in order to keep the key hidden. Especially if pets don’t like strangers, this can be a useful way for having easy access to your house.

Consult with your police department to find out about good programs for home protection. Several in various jurisdictions have programs which entail providing a home inspection, what protective measures will help your home and even how to engrave valuable items to make them easier to recover. These programs can make a big difference to the security of your home, and they may just be a phone call away.

Home security systems aren’t just about sounding alarms. Most systems can be set to sound an alert when anyone enters the home. This can be valuable to parents with small children as they are made aware their child has opened or closed a door.

The first thing to do is get your locks changed out. Anyone from an old roommate to a former tenant could have access to your home if you leave the old locks in place. It shouldn’t cost too much, and the process can be completed very quickly.

Don’t let people into your home unless you know them. It is essential you do not do this, even if the stranger gives you a convincing story or states they need your assistance. 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.

Purchase an alarm system that has a few “bells and whistles;” you don’t just need protection for your doors. It should protect the windows too. Make sure you have a monitored alarm on every one of them. This is the pinnacle of safety.

It doesn’t matter how much money you spent, you should have an annual test. Ask a home security employee to give it a look. A number of factors can cause problems with your security system, including wild animals and mother nature. If you don’t see the problem, you may remain unaware of it.

While an alarm system or other security measures can make your home much safer, you must be sure that your security wiring isn’t exposed. An intruder can cut the wires or disconnect them and avoid the system. This makes it much easier for a thief to get inside your home. Keep the wires protected. It will keep your family safer.

Motion sensor lights are a great investment. The motion sensors turn on the lights whenever anyone approaches 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. Just remember to change out the bulbs every so often so the lights remain in working order.

If you are new into a house, replace all the locks. Regardless of how trustworthy you consider the last owners to be, neither you nor they can be sure that there aren’t others out there with keys to those locks. Besides, other tenants or owners might have copies of the key if the previous owners did not change the locks.

If you’re in a rural place, you might not be as worried about break-ins as those that are in the city. However, there is the belief that rural dwellers are more susceptible to break ins simply because there are no nearby neighbors. Others feel rural residents have a lower risk of being burglarized.

Criminals are not predictable, and a break-in of your home can happen at any time. Rather than just counting on luck, do what is necessary to protect your own home. Use what you’ve just read to secure your home.

Do not let people on the street see valuable items in your home. A big front window gives you a good view; however, it also gives burglars a good view of the interior of your house. If your windows face a street, be sure they’re always covered and have your valuables safe.