Keeping your home safe is of the utmost importance. Sadly, who knows where to start? This article provides some valuable advice that can help lead you down a path to a more secure home.

Change all of your locks when you move in. You don’t know who might have a key. Have a locksmith install a brand new lock. Be sure to cal a locksmith if you were to lose your keys as well.

Always have the locks changed when you buy a new home. There is no telling how many key copies were made and given out by a previous owner. Call a locksmith to make sure you’re the only one with access to your home. In addition, replace your locks if your keys ever get lost.

Only give your house key to a professional house cleaner if you trust them. If you do give out a key to such individuals, be certain you know their reputation for honesty. Ask for references and check them thoroughly. If you are using a cleaning firm, make sure it has an excellent Better Business Bureau rating.

Be very cautious about entrusting a maid service with a key to your home. If you do give your housekeeper a key or plan on doing so, it is imperative that they are honest and upstanding. Read through their references very carefully, and don’t hesitate to follow up on their references to ensure they actually exist. If the house cleaner is employed by a company, check with the BBB of your area to determine their reputation.

Do you keep your dog outside when you aren’t home? If so, you can use your dog to hide your spare key. You can attach your key to your dog’s collar in order to keep the key hidden. This is quite effective if your pet does not respond well to strangers.

Do you have a dog that stays in your yard when you’re not at home? They can help you with your spare key. Fasten the key to your dog’s collar to hide it from view. This works especially well as storage if your pet isn’t too fond of strangers.

Home security plans have other features along with an alarm that goes off during a break-in. Many can be set for sounding their alarm if anyone enters. If you have little ones wandering about the house, this makes it easy for you to know if they have come in or gone out.

Home security systems offer additional features besides loud alarms during a break-in. They can be programmed to alert the homeowner if a person enters the home. This is great for parents that have small children so that they know when their kids open or close doors.

Don’t throw away boxes for expensive or valuable items until the garbage collection day. They show the world you have money and lots of valuables inside.

Buy a safe to keep all of your valuables in one place at home. This will help to keep your jewelry and other valuables secured in the event of a break in. Conceal the safe in an out-of-the-way and not easily accessible spot, such as an attic or a basement area.

Were you aware that your home’s wires are valuable? Many people are not aware of this until they are stolen from their home. Copper, found in many wires, can be removed in little time, and is worth quite a bit of money. Hide your wiring for optimum security.

Turn off your phone’s ringer when you go on vacation. A loud ring that goes unanswered can alert people to the fact that you aren’t home. This makes you more likely to be the victim of a burglary.

If you get home and see the door is slightly open, don’t go inside by yourself to investigate. This is dangerous since the thief may still be on your property. You should call the cops and then wait for them before you do anything else.

Don’t open your door when strangers are knocking. Burglars are getting creative, and they will do anything they can to gain access to your home. Establish a rule where you and your family only open the door for expected visitors.

You should think about getting a home security system that is wireless. Systems that are wired are cheaper, but they need unattractive wiring inside your home and may malfunction when you have a power outage. Wireless systems are much easier to install, and they can work independently of your home’s power.

Police Department

The best way to keep a burglar out of your garage is to ensure no one can see inside. Use a frosted film to cover the windows. This can be purchased at many hardware stores. Don’t leave your front door unlocked or standing open when you are working in the garage or yard.

The police department in your area may offer a home protection program. Your local police department will help you with preventive measures, inspect your home and show you how to mark your valuables so they can easily be found. Contact the police department to see if they have something similar.

Can you read your house numbers while in the street? It is important for the authorities to find your address in the event of an emergency. Fortunately, this is something that can be corrected quickly and cheaply.

You need to have your security system checked once a year. Get a professional in to check it out. There are many things that can reduce the quality of your system. It’s quite possible for there to be a fault in your system even if you can’t see it.

Your pup is a great crime deterrent. Dogs become extremely protective of their families and bark when uneasy. You will get good results even if you do not have a large or vicious dog. As long as he is noisy when strangers approach, he’s a great addition to the security of your home.

A wall is a great hiding place. You can hide small valuables in your walls. All you need is a wall opening you’re not using (something like a phone jack, electrical box, or switch plate). You can also just put in a false plate to cover a hiding place.

Discuss various contracts offered by any home security provider you are exploring. They probably each have their pluses and negatives. While your monthly rates may be lower with a lengthy contract, you have no recourse should you list your home for sale or terminate your contract. There’s more freedom with a contract that’s shorter, but the monthly payments may be higher.

Keep flashlights in your rooms. If the power goes out, you will be able to see everything. Train your kids how to use flashlights so that all members of the family can contribute.

Keep your curtains pulled tight when you are away from home. When they’re open, it would be easy to see no one is there. If they spot something desirable, they will seek access. Curtains and blinds should be drawn shut while you are asleep.

If you are seeking home safety ideas that are simple and inexpensive, you should buy outdoor lights with motion sensors. Nighttime security lights are affordable and effective in terms of security and handy in terms of visibility and safety. If positioned correctly on the exterior of your home, the motion detectors make it virtually impossible for an intruder to sneak onto your property.

Never hide keys in obvious locations. Is anybody really fooled by those fake rocks? Not likely. A doormat is obvious, and a burglar is sure to look there. It is probably best to find someone you trust to hold a key for you. If you can’t do that, you must think creatively to find a good place to keep a spare key.

Can you read your house numbers while in the street? If your house numbers are not easy to see, the police may have difficulty finding you in an emergency. Thankfully if you notice a problem it’s an easy and cheap thing to fix.

If you’ve got a type of numeric keypad on the front door, don’t use your birthday as the password. Anyone could get your date of birth from Facebook and could have access into your house. Try making the number one that can be remembered by doing a match equation in order to remember that equation instead.

Discuss various contracts offered by any home security provider you are exploring. There are going to be ups and downs for each one. You might pay less each month for longer contracts, but it has its deterrents as well. Shorter contracts mean more freedom along with higher costs.

Do you turn the lights on and off during the same time period? If so, consider a timer. A timer will prevent the need of flipping the switch. In addition, it will help ensure the lights keep turning themselves on and off when you are not home. This will help deter potential burglars.

When you aren’t home, be sure to close your blinds, curtains or shades. If they remain up, criminals will have no problem seeing right into the house. If they spot something desirable, they will seek access. Keep them down as you sleep, too.

Draw the blinds at night in whatever room of your home faces the street. People who can peek through your windows might find your home inviting. Burglars may see something valuable, which will tempt them to steal. Be discreet about what the public can see and you can reduce your chances of getting burglarized.

When checking out security companies, ask whether they allow you to choose between buying or leasing the system. Buying will save you a ton of money over time. On the other hand, while leasing is more expensive overall, it can get you a better system if you don’t have funds available immediately. Evaluate both alternatives and choose the best option for yourself.

Sliding glass doorways can pose security hazards. They can be unlocked very easily if you shake and lift them. You have to secure them, so use a piece of pipe in the track. This keeps the door wedged closed so that it is harder to pry open.

Hard-wired security systems can be a sound choice. The wireless ones are convenient, however, they need multiple battery sets that must be changed frequently. The system will cease to work properly if the batteries are not fresh. Replacing batteries can get costly.

Obviously, owning a big dog that has a frightening bark has its benefits. Burglars are unlikely to desire an encounter with such an animal. Consider getting a large dog that will be able to protect your family and also serve as a companion for the little ones.

If your current door is anything other than solid wood or metal, swap it out for one that actually is. Doors made of metal or wood are much sturdier than those that aren’t. If a thief tried to kick the door, he would not be successful in doing so. It shouldn’t be too costly to replace your exterior doors, so go do it.

Try to hide any indications that there are women and children in the house, like leaving toys on the lawn, from view from the outside. Intruders will guess that women are living in this home. Women have expensive jewelry more often than men.

Having a safe home helps you have a peaceful mind. About this, there can be little doubt. The most effective method of doing so, however is not always readily apparent, unless you have spend some time studying the subject, and this article has hopefully offered some tips you can really use.

If you have a window installed air conditioner, be sure that you have secured bars or a wooden board around it. Burglars often remove window air conditioners for easy access to homes. During the winter, remove them from windows for better security.