As a homeowner, your priority should be to keep your family safe. There’s nothing worse than having your home severely damaged. Not only is your home a large investment, there are often precious memories tied to it. Read on for advice to keep this most precious asset secure.

Home security systems have additional features to just being noise alarms. The majority of systems will give an audible alert when someone enters the house. For families with young children, this is excellent for alerting when a child has entered or left the house.

When you buy a new house, change the locks. You simply do not know how many keys to the old locks are floating around. Speak with a locksmith to get a unique lock for your home. You should also do this if your keys ever get lost.

When in the process of purchasing a home-security system, be sure to comparison shop. Most companies have different price schemes for the the same general level of protection. Get quotes from no less than three companies before choosing the best one.

When looking to buy a security system, shop around. Prices vary greatly in regards to the same protection for each company. Ensure you talk to a minimum of three companies to obtain quotes before deciding the one that you believe is best for you.

Be sure to secure your attached garage. Lots of folks are concerned about burglars gaining access to the garage and then the home, but this can be addressed. A C-clamp placed on the garage door track will stop it from opening when you don’t want it to.

Social networking sites are great for keeping in touch, but post information sparingly. For example, you might avoid broadcasting when you are going out of town, especially if your friends list contains casual acquaintances. It’s great to see new places and take a lot of photos, but posting them while still overseas lets thieves know your home is empty.

Make sure to clear your yard of brush and dead wood in the summertime. These can be fire hazards and can cause damage to your home. Always clear the yard to ensure safety.

Turn off ringers on land line phones while you are on vacation. If the phone rings when you are away, burglars will know there’s nobody home, making the house vulnerable to a break-in when you are out.

Be sure to keep your car in your garage rather than filling your garage with stored belongings. In this way, your car will be safer. This will help to keep your vehicle safe. Keeping your car in your garage also keeps a thief from knowing whether you are at home or not.

Use the space in walls to store your prized possessions. You do not need to remove segments from your walls. Take a closer look at your walls and note just how many access points there are already. Unused electrical sockets can be great for hiding expensive jewelry.

Regardless of the quality of your home security system, you need to check it annually. Have a worker from the security company take a look at it. There are quite a few things that can negatively impact the effectiveness of home security equipment. For example, adverse weather conditions or pests such as raccoons can cause problems. Sometimes it is very difficult to see the problem if you don’t know where it is.

When you choose an alarm system, pick one that offers protection that goes beyond the doors. Your windows should also be protected because burglars can also break into them. Be certain they are also alarmed and monitored. Do this to keep you and your family safe.

You can hide your valuable items inside your walls. You don’t have to cut pieces out of the walls. You can find pre-cut areas in your walls that can be used. Consider unwiring an electrical socket that isn’t used and storing your valuable jewelry.

If you purchase big-ticket items, don’t throw their boxes in the trash before trash day. They show the world you have money and lots of valuables inside.

Always lock your home, regardless of how short your trip out is. Many home thefts start with the thief simply walking in an unlocked door or window. Thieves can make off with large amounts of valuable merchandise very quickly.

Check someone’s references carefully before letting them come into your home. Run a criminal background check on them, as well. You don’t know whether the contractor, maid, or repairman that you’ve hired is trustworthy and handing them your keys could be a costly mistake.

Do not choose a home alarm system that monitors only your doors. It should protect the windows too. Get an alarm that will trigger if either the doors or windows are opened. Do this to keep you and your family safe.

You want to know what is included in a contract if you’re signing up with a security company. There could be fees for terminating the contract early or acquiring additional equipment down the road. You should avoid such expenses if you can, so make yourself aware.

When moving into a house, ensure that each lock has been replaced. As nice as the previous person may seem, you don’t really know them. People may have lived in the home before those owners, too.

A bright home is a safe home. That’s because they want to remain hidden. When your house is well lit, intruders have no place to hide. This makes it hard for them to get things from you. That’s why it’s a good idea to light your home well for optimum safety.

Be sure to replace rotten wood in the frame of your front door. Rotting wood is easy to remove and take apart if someone is trying to get in. Replace any wood that has begun to rot with new wood so that your house stays safe.

For maximum safety, your home needs bright exterior lighting. A burglar prefers to sneak around in the dark, and a well lit house is always a deterrent. Install some outside lights so you can see everything outside. Be sure to consider your front and back porch, garage, ground floor windows and any basement entryway.

If you are entering a house that has already been occupied, you should first change your locks. Even though the previous tenant may have turned in their key, you never know if they have a copy. You might even install new locks yourself so that you know you have the only keys.

If you get home and notice an open door, do not go in to see what has happened. It can be dangerous to walk in on an intruder. Call the cops and let them do the initial walk through.

Before you let any strangers enter your home, be sure you look over their references. Try doing a background check to look at their criminal history. There is no way of knowing whether or not service people are honest, so you should not give them keys to your home.

Can you locate your house number if you are standing on the street? In an emergency situation, first responders won’t be able to locate your house quickly if the numbers are hidden or are too small to see clearly. Thankfully if you notice a problem it’s an easy and cheap thing to fix.

When choosing between security companies, read everything on the contract. There could be fees for terminating the contract early or acquiring additional equipment down the road. Avoid as many fees as you can by reading everything.

Speak with your security company about contract lengths and any options available. You will probably find there are many pros and cons associated with each different contract. You might pay less each month for longer contracts, but it has its deterrents as well. If you want more freedom, it is best to purchase a more expensive but shorter contract.

You can keep intruders away by always having your house lit up. They do not want to be seen. A well-lit home will make it hard for intruders to hide and take your valuables without being detected. So keep those lights on at night for a secure home.

Inquire with your company if they allow both leases and purchases of equipment. You’ll spend less money in the long-run if you buy the equipment outright. 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. It is worthwhile checking out both possibilities before you decide on which is best.

Get your neighbors to not only pick up your mail, but also any flyers left at your door. Some intruders will place a flyer at your home to see if the flyer is removed immediately or not. If their fliers are not moved, the crook knows the home is unattended.

You should never use your birthday as the password for your numeric keypad. It is easy for anybody to learn your birthday, which makes it easy for them to access the house. Use a random number instead.

Do not use spring latch locks on your doors. They are simple to open if you have a credit card. Wedging the card into the door crack can cause the lock to release. If your locks are spring latch, either replace them or put in a deadbolt to protect yourself.

If you have windows into your living room that open to the street, always draw your curtains in the evening. You wouldn’t want strangers leering into your home. If criminals can clearly view what’s going on in your house, it makes it easier for them to commit crimes. Lock everything up and shade your windows to stay discreet.

You need to inquire about whether you can buy or lease the home security equipment. Purchasing equipment outright will cost more initially, but may offer savings over the long term. Leasing is often less expensive, but it may involve contracts and higher monthly fees. Look into both choices to know which one is better for your personal circumstances.

Keeping your house safe is not a difficult feat. It simply takes knowledge. Use these home security tips wisely. Every single one of the tips you just read will improve your chances of keeping your home safe.

Put some extra thought into concealing your spare keys. Fake rocks are very easy to spot. The doormat is the first place someone will look. Instead, you should keep your spare keys with a trusted neighbor. Otherwise, you should be more creative when it comes to hiding your key.