If you are concerned about the security of your home, you should be! You never know when a “n’er do well” might come along and steal your belongings or harm your family. Look at this piece to ensure your home is safe.

Compare different systems when looking into home security. You’ll find a wide range of prices from different companies. Obtain quotes from a minimum of three home security companies before making a final decision.

When you buy a new home, be sure to have the locks changed. The person who previously owned the home may have made copies of keys. Having a locksmith replace the locks will ensure that no strangers have a key. If you lose keys, make sure to do this, too.

During the summer, remove all vegetation and dead wood from your yard. As the summer heat rolls in, there is a higher chance that these can catch on fire, putting your home at risk. Clearing your yard keeps your home, belongings and family much safer.

Home security systems offer other triggering features besides having an alarm sound. Many systems can be used to go off whenever anyone enters your home. This is a good way to keep track of where your young children are.

You should always park your car inside your garage instead of using your garage to store some belongings. Keeping your car secured will prevent people from vandalizing it. Hiding your car from plain view will also keep potential intruders from tracking when you are home and when you aren’t.

When you decide to purchase a home alarm system, make sure you comparison shop. Wild variations in pricing can exist for similar security products. Get quotes from no less than three companies before choosing the best one.

Be outgoing. Build up a rapport with the people who own homes close to yours. Keep your eye on their houses, and ask for help to keep yours safe too. Pay attention to gossip. Important security details (like the presence of strangers in your neighborhood) can come out of the most innocent conversations.

Social networking sites are great for keeping in touch, but post information sparingly. For example, you might avoid broadcasting when you are going out of town, especially if your friends list contains casual acquaintances. It’s exciting going to new places and enjoying your time, but you could alert thieves to an empty home that they can easily break into.

Ensure that valuables are stored in a hidden area that isn’t visible from outside your home. You might enjoy large windows so you can see out, but just remember that makes it easier for those burglars to see inside your home as well. Windows facing the street need to be covered to keep inside possessions safe.

Don’t be shy. Get to know other people who live next door and others in your neighborhood. Keep an eye out for their houses, and request that they return the favor. Do not ignore gossip either. You may find out helpful information about strangers lurking around.

Change the locks on any new place you move into. While you may trust those who lived there before you, you have no idea who lived there before them. You might even install new locks yourself so that you know you have the only keys.

Install lights that have motion sensors. These are lights that turn on whenever any living thing gets too close to your home. These lights will not only let you know when someone gets too close, they will also stop potential burglars from breaking in. After all, burglars don’t want anyone to know they are there. Test the bulbs frequently, though.

Make sure that the person analyzing your home for a home security system is who he says. Intruders can easy pass themselves off as an employee of a security company just to get inside your house. This is a danger to your belongings and your family. Take care to steer clear of danger.

The walls are a perfect hiding place. If you have small valuables you want to protect, consider hiding them inside your walls. Any phone jack or electrical outlet that isn’t being used is a great place to hide valuables. If you do not have any unused plates, it is easy to install a false one.

Before you let any strangers enter your home, be sure you look over their references. Run a criminal background check on them, as well. There is no way of knowing whether or not service people are honest, so you should not give them keys to your home.

Don’t just hope and pray that your home is never invaded, take steps to reduce the chance of it happening. You need to be prepared for many different situations. Keep in mind what you have learned from this article to make your home safe for your loved ones.

If you’re going to hire a company that provides home security, read everything in the contract before you sign it. There may be some hidden fees, or a need to buy more equipment later. You should avoid such expenses if you can, so make yourself aware.