It is important that you never completely put your guard down. Do not risk placing your family in this type of danger due to your negligence. Read the tips here if you want to make your home safe and free of criminals.

Have your dog protect the spare key. Really this works only if you have a pet door or if your dog is an outdoor dog. You can purchase a special collar that will hold your spare key, so when you forget your keys your dog can let you in.

Make your home look occupied at all times. Put timers on the TV, lights and radios. In this way, it will always seem that someone is in your home. This will help to deter burglars.

If you retain a space key for when you get locked out, consider the place you hide it carefully. Intruders will more than likely check under your doormat or above your door frame. You should hide it in your dog’s collar.

When you buy a new home, be sure to have the locks changed. You’re not aware of any copies that have been made by the previous owners of the house. To ensure that you are the only one who has access to your house, call a locksmith. When you lose your keys, have your locks rekeyed.

Talk to people you know for referrals when choosing home security systems. Others may have had bad and good experiences that they share with you so that you may be able to save time and stress. Keep asking to get the advice that will help you make the right choice.

Do not give the key to your home to your cleaning person unless you are certain they are worthy of your trust. Be sure to check out the background of any housekeeper you plan to provide with a key to your home. One way to do this is to check their references. If they work for a firm, call the local Better Business Bureau to find out that firm’s reputation.

You should regularly check your home security system, regardless of how reliable you believe it is. The security company should have a specialist come to look at it. Many things can impact the performance of a security system, such as animals and weather. If you aren’t paying attention, you may not be aware of these problems.

Do you have an outside dog? They may provide you with a useful place to hide your key. Attach the key to the dog’s collar so that it is hidden from view. Especially if pets don’t like strangers, this can be a useful way for having easy access to your house.

Use motion sensors on exterior lighting. They will illuminate your property if they sense any movement near your home. These lights will make you aware of, and can also scare off, potential burglars. Get in the habit of checking and replacing the bulbs as necessary to ensure the lights remain effective.

Home security systems aren’t just about sounding alarms. Many can be set for sounding their alarm if anyone enters. This is important if you have small kids.

An extremely important tactic for keeping your home safe is changing out the locks. If you have boarders, former live-in partners, or others who once had access to your home, this is especially important. Changing the locks can typically be done very cheaply and quickly.

Buy a safe to contain everything of great value. You can’t have your valuable personal items and jewelry out in the open for anyone to see. Keep your safe in a hard-to-get-to place, such as a basement closet or your attic.

Always go with your gut when it comes to choosing a security firm. If the installers give you the heebie-jeebies, it’s not a good sign. Ask the company to send a different installer or simply change companies. At the end of the day, your efforts are so that you feel more comfortable.

You never know when someone might target your home. Home burglaries happen more often then you would probably like to think, so it is a good idea to be prepared. The information you’ve just reviewed can be a vital first step in improving the security of your home.

If your home security system is installed, be sure its wires are well-hidden. A burglar will simply cut the wires if he can see them. This is why it is so important to make sure all your wires are well hidden. That will make you safer.