You should definitely be concerned about your home’s security. It’s impossible to tell when a criminal will break into your home to steal valuable possessions or attempt to harm the people inside. This article will help you prevent that rom ever happening.

Your faithful dog makes a great hiding spot for a spare key. This is only true if yours in an outdoor dog, or your house is equipped with a doggie door. Simply affix a spare key to the collar of the animal. You’ll always have a backup plan if you lose your key!

Only provide your house cleaner with a key if you trust him or her implicitly. If you do give your housekeeper a key or plan on doing so, it is imperative that they are honest and upstanding. Be sure to make sure their references check out. If the house cleaner is employed by a company, check with the BBB of your area to determine their reputation.

Home security systems aren’t just about sounding alarms. Many systems can be used to go off whenever anyone enters your home. This can be useful if you’ve got small children that are able to open doors.

Does your dog like to play in your yard? He or she is actually a great place to store your spare key. Secure the key on the inside of the dog’s collar. Especially if your dog is not very friendly, this will help keep your key safe.

Make sure you have a safe to keep valuable items in one place. A safe is the best way to protect your diamonds, gold and important documents. Keep your safe in a hard-to-get-to place, such as a basement closet or your attic.

Don’t announce your vacation agenda on your social networks. This is especially true if you have lots of unfamiliar “friends”. Though trips are always fun to talk about, you may be doing little more than telling burglars the best times to visit your house.

You should never give details about your vacations and other plans on social networks. It’s natural to be excited about your trip, but this is as good as throwing out the welcome mat for people who know your home is unoccupied.

Do not forget to secure the garage attached to your home. A lot of garage owners fret over burglars entering this way, but there are answers. Use a C-clamp to secure the door if it’s off track.

Ask friends for some advice before choosing home security companies and systems. You can benefit from the experience of others that have gone before you by paying attention to their recommendations and warnings. Keep asking to get the advice that will help you make the right choice.

Rid the outside of your home from dead wood, vegetation and overgrowth during the summertime. As the summer heat rolls in, there is a higher chance that these can catch on fire, putting your home at risk. Regularly clear away your yard to keep your home in good standing and safe for your family.

During the summer, remove all vegetation and dead wood from your yard. When summer heats up, such debris can catch fire. Keeping your plants and bushes trimmed will benefit your family’s safety as well as the appearance of your home.

Don’t be afraid to know the people who live near you. Talk to your neighbors and those on your block. Keep an eye on their houses and yards and request that they return the favor. Pay attention to gossip. You could learn important security information, such as if strangers have been lurking around the neighborhood.

Is your garage used for storage? Consider removing those items and keeping your car there instead. It will be far more secure against thieves. Keeping your car secured will prevent people from vandalizing it. Keeping your car out of sight is also a good way to prevent intruders from determining whether or not you are home.

You need to change our locks as your first step to ensuring your safety. If you have boarders, former live-in partners, or others who once had access to your home, this is especially important. It is not expensive and you can do it in less than a day.

You should regularly check your home security system, regardless of how reliable you believe it is. Your security company should send a representative to check your system. There are many things that can be problematic with regards to home security systems, like wayward wild animals and the environment. You may not be able to tell there is an issue by yourself.

Always lock your doors, even if you are just walking down the street. In a lot of cases, home intruders enter through unlocked doors. Thieves can steal thousands worth of your belongings very quickly.

Use the spaces in your home’s walls to store valuables. This doesn’t necessarily involve chopping up your walls, either. Instead, you can use the small spaces that are already there. What about un-wiring an electrical socket which isn’t used to utilize as a cover to hide your jewelry?

When deciding on an alarm system, be sure and get one that protects more than your doors. The best systems are those that cover windows as well. Be sure your home alarm covers all entry points into your home. This is just one more thing you can do to protect your home.

The outside of your house should be well lit. It will be easier for intruders to keep an eye on you and approach your home if they can hide in the dark. Make sure to have lights anywhere an intruder might enter. All doors, porches, garages and windows should be well lit.

If you install a security system, make certain to hide the wires well. An intruder can cut the wires if he can find them. Make sure the wires are installed inside the walls of your home. This helps keep you and your family safe.

Consider a wireless home security system. While wireless systems are often cheap, the cost of installation can be sky high. Wireless systems are much easier to maintain and also to install, and they are not reliant on your central power source.

Add motion detector lighting to the exterior of your home for increased security. They lights will light up your property at night and they are cost-effective and efficient. If placed strategically around the house, motion detectors can make it very tough for criminals to get to your property.

Install a surveillance system in your home. This will allow you to see who is around your house. Visible cameras are a deterrent to most intruders, and should they decide to disable them, a hidden camera will continue to capture footage. A lot of surveillance systems are accessible using your cell phone, so you can monitor your home while you are out of town.

Before signing up for home security, find out how long they’ve been in business. Many years of service bode well for the company’s performance. It will make you feel better knowing that the company you choose is not fly by night.

If you purchase an expensive item, get rid of the box rather than allowing it to sit outside your home. If the burglars see the empty boxes, then they will realize you have the items in your home. As a result, they’ll be more likely to break in so they can steal it. Remember to cut up or break down those boxes and take them to the recycling center.

If you come to your home and discover that your door has been left open, avoid investigating by yourself. The burglar may be on the premises. Just contact the police and sit tight until they arrive.

See if your security firm offers a variety of contract lengths. There are usually pros and cons in each contract. Your bill may be lower with a long-term contract, but you could wind up paying for a service you’re not using if you decide to move. A shorter term allows for flexibility, but it might be expensive.

If you plan to be away and you have another person collecting your mail, have them double check your front door for fliers. Thieves sometimes place fliers on front doors and then wait to see if anyone removes them. A flier that hangs around for days on end lets burglars know that there’s no one in the home.

A home alarm system is a terrific investment, but make sure someone is there to call the cops if it happens to go off. The smart thing to do is to get an alarm that is centrally monitored. That way, the police will definitely show up if it sounds. An isolated alarm that just wakes up your neighbors is far less reliable, especially after a few false alarms.

Man’s best friend can be one of the most effective anti-burglary systems. Dogs become extremely protective of their families and bark when uneasy. You don’t even need a huge, vicious dog. Even a small dog will deter intruders, who do not want a lot of noise when they commit their crimes.

Make sure you select captive keylock deadbolts. They have a thumb latch ensuring that reaching through a window won’t unlock the door. After arriving home, you should put your key inside the lock and keep it there. That will allow you to get out quickly if there is a fire.

Rather than hoping for the best, you need to be realistic. Things can always happen, and you need to prepare yourself. These tips will help prevent this hardship from occurring.

Whenever possible, keep your yard free of kids’ toys when your children aren’t actually playing outside. Thieves might think women live there. Women have expensive jewelry more often than men.