Every homeowner has the responsibility of doing his best in keeping his house safe. While you may think the only thing you have to do is get an alarm system put into your home, there are a lot of other things that can be done. Continue reading to see how you might be able to improve your home’s security.
You should always make sure your home looks like its occupied. Buy timers so things will go on and off at different times. This will give your home the appearance of someone being there. This helps you keep your house burglar-free.
Man’s best friend can also be trusted to secure a spare key. This works with a dog that stays outside or a dog with a pet door. Place a spare key on the collar, and when you really need a spare, you know where to go!
TIP! Consider using your dog as a place to store your spare key. But, this is only effective if your home has a pet door or your dog stays outdoors when you are not home.
You should only provide a house cleaner your key if you completely trust them. When giving your house cleaner the key to your home, you need to be sure that they are reputable and honest. Check references thoroughly. If they work through a larger firm, you can check up on the company with your local Better Business Bureau.
Don’t announce your vacation agenda on your social networks. This is especially true if you have lots of unfamiliar “friends”. Although it’s fun to talk about, posting it online makes it more possible for criminals to find out when you’re gone.
When you buy a new home, be sure to have the locks changed. You don’t know how many keys have been handed out previously. Contact a locksmith to make sure that only you have access to your home. Also, if you ever lose your keys, do the same.
TIP! It is crucial that you change the locks as soon as you move into a new residence. It’s important to know everyone who has a key to your home.
Take advantage of any and all security resources your local police force makes available to homeowners. 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. Get in touch today.
Security System
Compare different systems when looking into home security. Some companies offer comparable levels of protection that can be priced very differently. Before choosing which company to go with, ask for quotes from a minimum of three companies.
TIP! When looking for a system to secure your home, do comparison shopping. You’ll find a wide range of prices from different companies.
Regardless of the type of home security system you choose, be sure to have regular inspections and maintenance performed. Ask the security company to send a technician out to give your system a thorough inspection. Many things can impact the performance of a security system, such as animals and weather. There are always ways your home is vulnerable, even if you don’t know it.
Skylights need to be secure, too. While they are an excellent source of natural light, they are also an easy way for thieves to enter your home. Use heavy-duty hardware to secure your skylights to the roof.
If you want to have a spare key hidden outside of your home, hide it carefully. Doormats and door frames are predictable places that burglars will always check. Rather, think about putting a key on your outside dog’s collar.
TIP! Make sure to use caution when deciding if and where to hide an extra key outside of your home. It is very common for homeowners to hide them under a mat or above the framing of their door, and intruders know this.
You could hide some valuables within your walls. No need to damage your walls. There should be pre-cut spaces throughout your home that will suffice. Consider unwiring an electrical socket that isn’t used and storing your valuable jewelry.
When you pick an alarm system, it’s a good idea to get one that provides protection for both doors and windows. Your windows are easy entry points for crooks too. Get an alarm that will trigger if either the doors or windows are opened. This is just one more thing you can do to protect your home.
Turn the ringers off on all your phones if you will be away for a prolonged period of time. If a burglar keeps hearing your phone ring, they’ll know the home is not occupied, making it more likely for a break-in to occur.
TIP! If you will be vacationing for an extended period of time, turn off the ringer on all the phones in your house. A burglar might hear your phone ring and ring and ring, then realize that you are not home to answer it.
When moving into a house, ensure that each lock has been replaced. While the person that previously had the home may seem okay, you don’t know who they actually are. Keep in mind that other people may have lived in the home prior to the seller.
Rotted Wood
Don’t open your door when strangers are knocking. Many people are devising many different schemes to get into homes and burglarize them. Therefore, only allow people you know and are expecting to enter your home.
TIP! Do not open your door for people you do not know. You never know who they might be, despite their story.
Your door frame should be replaced if the wood around it is rotting. Rotted wood can be easily removed by thieves. Be sure and replace rotted wood with fresh wood in order to ensure home safety.
Alter the locks and the keys when you change homes. Even if you’ve gotten a key from the previous owner or tenant, there could still be a lot of people out there who have keys to your home. You can even buy and install the locks yourself so you know that you are the only one with a key.
See what the local police offer when it comes to home protection programs. These programs may include engraving identification codes on your valuables, home inspections, and advice about home security. Get in touch today.
TIP! See what the local police offer when it comes to home protection programs. Many programs include how to use some engraving tools to create code numbers for identifying valuables that are stolen, home inspection, and advice on protective measures.
You need to make sure you’re making use of the Internet when looking at different home security companies. Read through official websites for different companies and look for reviews written by customers. After narrowing down your top five choices, you can then take the next step by contacting each one.
Landscape your home with safety in mind. Do not obstruct doors and windows with plants or furniture. If these things can be seen by the naked eye, they won’t offer hiding places to potential criminals. Put these features at a greater distance from your house; let beauty also complement safety.
People in rural areas are not usually as worried about burglaries as people in cities. Some think residents of the country are even more vulnerable because there are no close neighbors. Some people think burglaries are less prevalent in rural parts.
TIP! Your risks of being the target of home intruders really doesn’t depend on the area in which you live. Some think residents of the country are even more vulnerable because there are no close neighbors.
Ask a home security company to come to your house and design a security system that is perfect for your needs. Everyone has specific wants and needs when it comes to securing their home, family and belongings. Most companies will create an individual plan to meet your needs so you can have a high level of security to assure your peace of mind.
If you’re planning to be out of your home for a period of time, have a neighbor remove any fliers placed on your door. Thieves will drop off flyers to see if home owners are away. If the fliers isn’t removed, the criminal knows that no one is home.
You can hide your valuable items inside your walls. This does not mean that you should make alterations to your walls. There are many places in your home that are pre-cut and available. If you have an electric socket you do not use, hide valuables behind their covers.
TIP! You can hide certain valuables within your walls. You do not have to damage your walls to keep your valuables safe.
Put up video surveillance. Installing hidden and visible video cameras is great for securing a home. If a burglar can see them, they are likely to go away. Some security systems are accessible via mobile phone, which lets you look in on your house when away.
This information can help put you in the safest position possible. Although it can seem like a hassle, it’s worth protecting your family. Using these tips should help you out a lot.
If your home isn’t new, replace the locks. Although other tenants might not have a key anymore, they could have copied it. You can install locks yourself to make sure you’re the only one who has a key.
TIP! Moving into an apartment or home that you’ve lived in should involve changing the locks first to maker them safer. Even if you’ve gotten a key from the previous owner or tenant, there could still be a lot of people out there who have keys to your home.