Keeping your home safe needs to be something that you take seriously, and you should not let it fall to the wayside. Looking around you may feel overwhelmed by all that you need to do. Use the information in this article to get you started in the right direction.

Don’t give your keys to a house cleaner unless you totally trust them. Be sure any home cleaner you give your key to is trustworthy and reputable. Carefully check their references. If your cleaning person comes from a company, check with the BBB.

Keep your jewelry, vital documents and other expensive items in a safe. This will keep your stash of diamonds, gold and other valuable items out of view and inaccessible to burglars. The safe should be kept hidden in a basement or attic.

Comparison shop when you are ready to buy a home security system. Different companies can provide equivalent levels of service and security, but their prices can vary wildly. Before choosing which company to go with, ask for quotes from a minimum of three companies.

Use your garage for your car and not for storage. Protect your car from vandals by keeping it in the garage. Keeping your car out of sight is also a good way to prevent intruders from determining whether or not you are home.

Don’t post information about an upcoming vacation anywhere on the web. Though trips are always fun to talk about, you may be doing little more than telling burglars the best times to visit your house.

Walls can serve as a handy hiding place. If you need to protect expensive items in your home, put them inside the walls. Simply take advantage of an unused switch plate, electrical outlet, or phone jack. If you have no unused plates, you can put in a fake one.

Look for an alarm system that does more than protect your doors. Burglars often enter through windows as well. The alarm and monitoring system should be set for all windows and doors. This can mean the difference between a safe home and one that is an easy target.

Solicit word of mouth recommendations from friends, colleagues and family members to find a great home security company or system. You can benefit from the experience of others that have gone before you by paying attention to their recommendations and warnings. Do your research; it will help you make a good decision in the end.

If you bought any expensive or large items, don’t throw the boxes out until the day trash is scheduled to be removed. Letting such packaging sit out will signal to criminals that there are good things to be found in your house.

If your home isn’t new, replace the locks. The previous tenants may have returned the keys, but they could have a copy. You can change the locks yourself if you’re feeling really industrious.

You need to be sure the attached garage of yours is secure. Lots of folks are concerned about burglars gaining access to the garage and then the home, but this can be addressed. Get a C-clamp to secure your garage door if it is mounted on a track.

You can make your home safer by investing in some motion detectors and outside lights. Nighttime security lights are affordable and effective in terms of security and handy in terms of visibility and safety. They also help to keep intruders away, because an intruder does not want to come close to your property if they know they might be spotted.

Always go over the small print on contracts offered by your home security company. There are sometimes fees if you break a contract or need additional equipment. You can easily avoid these fees if you do your research.

In the summer, remove all the dead trees from your yard. They are a potential fire hazard during warmer months. Clear yard regularly to maintain your house safe.

Always enlist the powers of online research to help you make a smart choice when it comes to home security companies. Look at various sites and read customer testimonials, along with details on various packages. With this information, you can contact the companies you feel comfortable with and compare the rates to each other.

You should find out how many years of experience your home security service has. A long-standing company has a track record in the industry that people can attest to. You should not trust a company that does not have a good record with your local Better Business Bureau or few years of experience.

An extremely important tactic for keeping your home safe is changing out the locks. Has a roommate or ex-lover moved out recently? If so, then you need to change out the locks in order to keep you and your home safe. It is usually inexpensive and can be done in less than 24 hours.

Keep your home’s exterior areas illuminated well. Burglars tend to commit crimes at night. Make sure to have lights anywhere an intruder might enter. This extends to doorways, porches, garages and lower windows.

Your furry friend is a great home security system, too. Dogs will bark at the sign of trouble or intruders. It doesn’t need to be a huge dog either. Small dogs also help, because intruders don’t want people to notice the barking.

Criminals often pick houses where they can see the valuables inside. Large windows let in light and give you a great view outside, but that works both ways. If you have windows that face the street, always keep them covered and keep your valuables safe.

Put the shades down on your windows when you are out. If you keep them up, intruders will be able to see right into your home. You may have things inside that will tempt them to break into your house. At night when you’re asleep, you should close your shades.

Find out if the company you choose will give you the option of buying or leasing home security systems. It may be more expensive to buy equipment at the outset; however, you may save money in the long run if you are free from monthly payments. Leasing is often less expensive, but it may involve contracts and higher monthly fees. Pick the option that suits your particular situation best.

Make sure the wires of your home security system are completely hidden. Easily-accessible security wiring is a definite weak point in your home’s protection; the best alarm system in the world is useless if it’s easily disabled. Don’t make it easy for an intruder, have the wires buried or hidden within the home’s walls. It will keep your family safer.

Avoid storing car registration in your glove compartment. The reason is that anyone who sees them will immediately have your home address. Keep them on you or hide them somewhere else in your vehicle. You must have them on hand if the police stop you.

Keeping your home safe is unquestionably something you must do in order to maintain peace of mind. There is no doubt about this. Hopefully you now have a better understanding about how to really secure your home.

If you bought any expensive or large items, don’t throw the boxes out until the day trash is scheduled to be removed. If you set these boxes out with the trash, thieves will know you have expensive items in your house.