Many people don’t set up a security plan for their home, even though it is important. Research the subject before you make any decisions about what to do about your home’s security situation. Continue reading to learn how to develop a strong security strategy.

Don’t use social media to announce that you will be gone for an extended period of time. This can indicate that your home will be free and vulnerable during the time.

Do you allow your dog to stay in your yard while you are away? This is a good spot for keeping your spare key. Simply put the key onto your dog’s collar so that robbers cannot locate it. This is especially useful if the dog does not take kindly to strangers.

Solicit word of mouth recommendations from friends, colleagues and family members to find a great home security company or system. Most will be willing to share their likes, loves and loathes, especially as they realize how important it is to you. Ask around to get lots of advice for making a better choice.

Valuable Items

Your home may be equipped with skylights, and if so you must not neglect them in your security planning. Intruders could use skylights to enter your home. Keep them secure with heavy duty hardware that closes them off to potential thieves.

Make sure you have a safe to keep valuable items in one place. This will keep your stash of diamonds, gold and other valuable items out of view and inaccessible to burglars. Hide your safe in a place that is hard to get to, like a basement closet or an attic.

If you have purchased any large and/or expensive items, do not throw the boxes away until the day before the trash man is scheduled to come. Empty boxes for expensive new gear serve as advertisements to potentials thieves; don’t make it easy for them to spot such tempting targets.

Before selecting a security firm, ask for recommendations. You can learn a lot from people who have already dealt with these companies. Ask around so you’ll have as much advice as you need in order to make a sound decision.

Replace all the locks in your newly purchased home. Regardless of how you feel about the sellers, you never know someone’s true intentions. Bear in mind that other people may have lived in the home before the previous owner.

You need to have your security system checked once a year. Ask a home security employee to give it a look. Wild animals or plain old nature can wreak havoc on your home security system. If you don’t see the problem, you may remain unaware of it.

Before you let anyone go into your home, look at their references thoroughly. Do not hesitate to hire someone to run a background check if you have doubts. You can never be certain if the contractor, repairman, maid, etc. that you hire to do services in your home is honest. If you let these people in without knowing anything about them, you could experience significant losses.

Install lights that have motion sensors. They’ll flip on when people walk within a certain distance of your house. Not only will you know that someone is out there, it will also deter burglars because they want to be inconspicuous. Replace bulbs regularly and check the sensors once a month.

Add motion detector lighting to the exterior of your home for increased security. At night, not only will these lights be handy to light up areas around your home,they are also a cost-effective and efficient security addition. This is a great way to deter prowlers and potential intruders at night.

Changing the locks is a fundamental part of adding security to the home. It might be that you have an angry ex-roommate or a bitter ex-partner, so changed locks will boost your security. It is generally cheap and may be done in a little under a day.

When choosing between security companies, read everything on the contract. There may be hidden expenses involved if you terminate service before the contract term is up, and there may be added equipment fees. You can easily avoid these fees if you do your research.

Those that live in rural area are not as concerned about having their home invaded as those who are located in the city. Some people think that country folk are mainly targeted since they don’t have nearby neighbors. You need to do some research on the areas where you live to get an idea of how frequent break ins are.

A bright home is a safe home. They don’t wish to be seen. A well-lit home is like a red flag to a burglar. Have lights that come on when they detect movement for best results.

Securing the home is something everyone wants to learn to do, but many do not know where to start. This topic needs to be the number one priority for all who want to keep their family safe and protected. Hopefully this article has served as a useful foundation for further investigation.

Checking out security firms online is a great idea. The sites of the companies themselves will provide you with details about their services, testimonials from their customers, and pricing information. After that, choose your top three for consultations.