Safety is paramount when you own your own home. To have the sanctity of your home violated is a terrible feeling, one that should be avoided at all costs. You can avoid stressful situations by investing in a quality home security system. Continue reading to learn tips that can keep your home and family safe.

After you buy your new house, get new locks. You don’t know the exact number of copies of that key the previous owners have or have handed out. Find a good locksmith who can replace the lock and make a few copies of your key. If you lose keys, make sure to do this, too.

See if your local police department offers any home inspection or other protection programs. These programs may include engraving identification codes on your valuables, home inspections, and advice about home security. Speak with the police in your area to see if they have these things.

If someone comes to clean your home, only give them a key if they’re trustworthy. Anyone you give the keys to your home to should be unarguably honest. Check the housekeeper’s references very carefully. If your cleaning person comes from a company, check with the BBB.

Fire-resistant building materials are the way to go, both inside and outside the home. Having your home built with fire resistant materials will help safeguard your home in case it catches fire. Fire prevention should be taken seriously because it can stop a major disaster from happening.

If you have a garage, increase your home security by using it to house your car, rather than just for storage. You will not have to worry about thieves taking your car if it is inside your garage. Additionally, if your car is put away, burglars will not be able to tell whether or not you are home.

When you’re going away, turn off your phone ringers. Intruders might be attracted by a phone that rings constantly without anyone picking up.

Do not open your door for people you do not know. People try many ways to convince others to open up their doors so that they can commit burglary or worse. Only open the door for people you are expecting.

Have lights that are motion-sensor installed. This type of light will come on when they detect motion within a certain distance of your home. They will notify you of any movement and can deter any possible burglars since they like remaining inconspicuous. Remember that the bulbs need to be changed so that the lights keep working.

You need to have your security system checked once a year. This is a job for professionals; get a security firm to inspect your equipment. Mother nature can sneak in and cause many problems. If it’s not visible, you might not even know there’s a problem.

You want all wires of an installed security system to be hidden. An intruder can cut the wires if he can find them. Make it hard for intruders and bury the wires or hide them inside your walls, if possible. You will be much safer.

Walls are great for hiding things. If you own small valuables that require protection, try hiding them in the walls. You can use phone jacks or electric outlets as hiding spots. You can also just put in a false plate to cover a hiding place.

When you purchase big, expensive items be sure to break down the boxes and take them to the recycling center yourself. Having these boxes outside of your house will give robbers the temptation of robbing your house.

If you are entering a house that has already been occupied, you should first change your locks. 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.

Don’t put extra keys under doormats or in planters. Keeping a spare key is convenient but intruders will have access to your home if your key is too easy to find. Any thief knows all the typical hiding spots. Ask a friend, neighbor or relative to keep your extra keys for you.

Make sure the outside of the house is well lit. Burglars love to operate in the dark. Install lights by each and every entryway to your home. This will include doorways, porches, your garage, and ground floor windows that criminals can use.

Put in a surveillance system. Both hidden and visible video cameras can help keep your home safe. Intruders will stay away from your home if they notice cameras and hidden cameras can help identify intruders if they disable the most visible cameras. A lot of surveillance cameras could be accessed through your phone, giving you the chance to check it even when you’re away.

Lock your home when you leave, even if you don’t think you will be away for long. Most real-world burglars aren’t master lock-breakers; they simply stroll in through a door left carelessly unlocked. Thieves can steal a lot of valuable stuff in mere minutes.

Could burglars see inside your garage? Make sure that they can’t! Use a frosted film to cover the windows. This can be purchased at many hardware stores. Avoid leaving the door open for extended periods of time.

Are you able to see the numbers on your house from the street? In the event of an emergency, police officers may have trouble finding your house if they cannot read your address numbers. Fortunately, this is something that can be corrected quickly and cheaply.

If you have a home security system installed, make sure the wires are hidden. An intruder can cut the wires if he can find them. Never make things easy for them. Ask the person installing it to bury the wires or hide them inside the walls. This will make you much safer.

As was proven in the article above, it doesn’t have to be all that hard to maintain a safe home. You just need to be knowledgeable on home security ideas. Use these great tips to maximize your home’s security. Every single one of the tips you just read will improve your chances of keeping your home safe.