How safe do you really feel in your home? The best thing that you can do in order to protect the contents of your house is to know this subject very well. Read on for some helpful tips that you can use to secure your home.

Be sure your home appears to always be occupied. Have electronics and lights with timers and set them to go off at various times. This will make your home look like someone is in it. This is an excellent method for avoiding burglary and keeping your home secure.

Always change the locks after moving into a new home. You don’t know the exact number of copies of that key the previous owners have or have handed out. Have a locksmith install a brand new lock. In addition, replace your locks if your keys ever get lost.

Use a safe to protect your valuables. This is important, since you don’t want your valuables exposed to a potential intruder. Hide your safe in a hard to find place like the basement or attic.

Home security plans have other features along with an alarm that goes off during a break-in. You can have your system alert you of any movement in certain areas of your home. This is useful for parents who have small kids, as it helps keep them from leaving the house.

Before selecting any home-security company, talk to your friends to see who they suggest. It is probable that you will hear some great stories about some companies as well as some not so great stories about others. This can save you the hassle of having to research everything on your own. Ask around so that you can have the advice that you need to make a good choice.

If you like to have a key hidden in case you lose yours, place it in a safe place. Intruders will think to look on the top if a door frame and under a doormat. You should hide it in your dog’s collar.

If you will be away from your house for an extended period of time, turn the ringers off for all your phones. 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.

Buy ceiling, roofing and flooring which is resistant to fire. This will help ensure the safety of your home, particularly if your home is located in a dry area. Preventing a fire is important since it can cause a lot of damage.

Do not invite strangers into your home. Even if they tell you a sob story about needing help, this warning remains true. Some criminals will come in, case your house and then come back when you are away.

Avoid opening the door if you don’t know who is standing on the other side. People you do not know could have bad intentions or want to get an idea of how many valuable objects you own. You should make sure you only open the door to your home for people that you know and are expecting.

Don’t open your door if a stranger is on the other side. Criminals can be endlessly inventive when it comes to generating a convincing story to force their way into your home. No matter how sympathetic the story, remember that it could all be a put-on. Make a house rule forbidding anyone to open the door for an unexpected visitor.

You should clean your yard of vegetation and dead wood. These can quickly become fire hazards when hit by direct sunlight, placing your house at risk. Clear your yard often if you want to prevent a fire from starting.

In the summertime, you should rid your yard of dead bushes and vegetation. These can be fire hazards and can cause damage to your home. Clear yard regularly to maintain your house safe.

Skylights could be a problem for the safety of your home. While they are nice and help with lighting, they also provide the burglars help with access to your home. Keep them secure with heavy duty hardware that closes them off to potential thieves.

Switch your locks. Perhaps you aren’t sure who owned the home before you or maybe an old roommate has a key and never returned it. Regardless, changing the locks will ensure your security. Most locksmiths can accomplish the job within 24 hours.

A good home security system monitors all entry points to your home. Your windows should also be protected because burglars can also break into them. Get an alarm that will trigger if either the doors or windows are opened. This is the pinnacle of safety.

While choosing your alarm system, ask about protection for windows and motion detection as well as doors. It should protect the windows too. Every single entry point needs to have monitoring on it. With this method, your family will be safer.

If you make a large purchase, like a big screen television, don’t simply set the box out in front of your home. If you leave the boxes out all week, it lets people know what type of items you have in your home.

You want all wires of an installed security system to be hidden. A burglar will simply cut the wires if he can see them. Make sure the wires are installed inside the walls of your home. It will keep your family safer.

Home security is vital to protect you and your family from robbery. Not every person knows how to really protect their home and possessions. Hopefully, the article has helped you see how to secure your home any time of day.

Don’t let any service people into your home without checking their references completely. Do not hesitate to hire someone to run a background check if you have doubts. It is not a good idea to give anyone a key to your home, even contractors or repairmen.