Home Security 101: Smart Tips To Improve Your Safety

January 26, 2020 - Comment

Something terrible can occur when it is least expected. Don’t ever assume bad things can’t happen to you or your family. Read on for great tips to make your home safer and to keep criminals from targeting you. You should always make sure your home looks like its occupied. You could purchase timers and have

Something terrible can occur when it is least expected. Don’t ever assume bad things can’t happen to you or your family. Read on for great tips to make your home safer and to keep criminals from targeting you.

You should always make sure your home looks like its occupied. You could purchase timers and have your TVs, lights, radios and other types of electronics to go on at various times. This helps to create the illusion that someone is presently at home. This is just one of the many precautions you can take to secure your home.

TIP! Look for ways to make your home seem occupied. Have electronics and lights with timers and set them to go off at various times.

Be sure your home appears to always be occupied. There are timers you can use to make electronics turn on and off at random times. This way, your house will always look occupied. This can be a terrific method of securing your home and keeping burglars at bay.

You can hide your spare key on your dog. This only makes sense if your dog is outdoors a lot or you have a pet door. Simply affix a spare key to the collar of the animal. You’ll always have a backup plan if you lose your key!

TIP! Why not give your trusted dog the job of holding onto your spare key? This only makes sense if your dog is outdoors a lot or you have a pet door. You could simply put a key onto your dog’s collar, so it is always handy.

There are more features to a home alarm system besides making sounds when people break in. They often even alert you to any time a door is opened. For families with young children, this is excellent for alerting when a child has entered or left the house.

Is your dog kept outside when you are away? Using Fido to hide your spare key can be a clever trick. Attach your key to your dog’s collar, ensuring that it can’t be seen. This is very effective if your pet is afraid of strangers; therefore, burglars are not very likely to notice the key.

TIP! Do you have an outside dog? You might consider leaving your spare key with your dog. Put it on their collar.

When placing your spare key outside for emergencies, give careful consideration to where you put it. Doormats and door frames are predictable places that burglars will always check. Think outside the box and put the key someplace unusual, like hidden in your dog’s collar.

Buy fire resistant flooring, roofing and ceiling. This give your home an extra protection layer. Because of the amount of damage fires can cause, it is important to protect your home from them.

TIP! Is your ceiling resistant to fire? What about your flooring or roofing? This adds more protection to a house, especially if you’re in a dry area with some power lines. Fire is such a destructive force that it makes excellent sense to reduce fire hazards in your home whenever possible.

Your flooring and roofing should be fire resistant. This will give your home added security. Fire prevention is paramount.

If you will be gone for an extended period, turn the ringers off on all telephones in the home. A constantly ringing phone lets thieves know that you are not home and could increase the chances of you getting robbed.

TIP! Turn the ringers off on all your phones if you will be away for a prolonged period of time. A constantly ringing phone can signal to a burglar that the house is vacant, making it an easy target for their criminal activities.

If you have a lot of unfamiliar people on you social networking accounts, avoid letting everyone know you will be going on vacation. There may be a thief within this list and you would have been inviting him straight through your front door!

You never want to open up a door to a stranger without proper identification. People you do not know could have bad intentions or want to get an idea of how many valuable objects you own. Only open the door for people you are expecting.

TIP! Don’t open your door when strangers are knocking. Criminals find ways to get people to open doors so they can commit crimes.

If your garage is attached to your home, always keep it secure. It is possible for an intruder to get in the garage and then gain access to the house; however, you can do something about it. Place a C-Clamp on the door track near the roller. This will prevent the door from lifting.

End your shyness. Talk to your neighbors. Watch out for their homes, and ask them to do the same for you. Pay attention to gossip. You could learn important security information, such as if strangers have been lurking around the neighborhood.

TIP! Be more proactive when you are determining the safety of your neighborhood. Talk to the people who live in your neighborhood.

Get in the habit of checking your security system regularly. This is a job for professionals; get a security firm to inspect your equipment. There are many things that can reduce the quality of your system. You may not be able to tell there is an issue by yourself.

Switch your locks. There are many different people who might have keys from your past, and removing the potential of them accessing your home can be a very good idea. Most locksmiths can accomplish the job within 24 hours.

TIP! Consider changing your locks as a part of your home security program. Whether you have a roommate who is about to move out, or a relationship that has run its course, it is a good idea change your locks.

Skylights need to be secure, too. They look great and provide light, but also are another access point. Make sure that you use safety hardware when the skylights are installed and maintained.

Skylights could be a problem for the safety of your home. Although a skylight can bring light into one’s home and look good, it’s also a common entrance way for burglars. Be certain that skylights in your home can be locked securely.

TIP! Your home may be equipped with skylights, and if so you must not neglect them in your security planning. Skylights are excellent for beauty and light, but it’s easy for burglars to gain access to your home through them.

Lock the house, even if just going away for a short time. A lot of times, burglaries happen due to carelessness. A burglar can steal a lot of expensive stuff in a short amount of time.

Once you’ve moved to a new house, make it a priority to replace all locks. Regardless of how you feel about the sellers, you never know someone’s true intentions. And, other people could have lived in the home previously to them as well.

TIP! Just moved in? Time for new locks! Regardless of how you feel about the sellers, you never know someone’s true intentions. Remember that different families might have dwelt there before this person.

Make sure all the wood around your doors is in great shape. An intruder could pry the rotten wood easily to open the door. Replace the rotting door frame with a new one and keep your home much safer.

Obtain flashlights with solid batteries, and ensure they are kept in all the rooms of your home in the event of a power outage. These items will help you remain safe when there is no electricity. Make sure each member of your family knows where the flashlights are and how to operate them.

TIP! Get flashlights with good batteries, and have them in each room in case you lose power. It is extremely important that you have flashlights because they allow you to move around easier in the dark, which is especially useful in an emergency.

You should have several flashlights and batteries in all your rooms. Flashlights are critical, and provide you with the freedom to move about as needed. Make sure each member of your family knows where the flashlights are and how to operate them.

When a security company wants in your home ask for an ID and see if they’re in uniform. It is very common for thieves to pretend to be company reps in order to get into your home. This is a danger to your belongings and your family. Use caution to stay out of danger.

TIP! Before you let a security company representative enter your home, make sure they are in uniform, and don’t hesitate to ask them for identification. They might not be who you think they are.

Use the Internet when you are seeking a new home security company. Many websites feature reviews, testimonials, and package details from home security services. After that, choose your top three for consultations.

If you need to make the outside of your home secure, you can achieve this relatively inexpensively by installing lights with motion detectors. 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. By carefully placing them around the outside of your property, you create a perimeter that cannot be breached.

TIP! A simple way to increase your home security is to add motion lights around the house. In the evening, lights will help keep your home safe, and will add little in the way of extra expense.

Landscape around your home with an eye to safety. All doors and windows must be unobstructed by shrubs, trees, fences, or plants. If criminals know you can see them, they are less likely to break in. Landscaped features should be set further away for safety, yet keeping beauty in mind.

Have a home security company come to your house and come up with a system that best suits your needs. There are always going to be unique things about your home as well as your specific needs, so make sure you think about these things. If you have found a company that could cater to your needs, then it is easy to get the security that will make you and your loved ones comfortable.

TIP! Have a home security company come to your house and come up with a system that best suits your needs. The needs and wants of each family and the configuration of each home are quite individual.

Request that prospective security firms design a system specifically for your home. Every house and every family will produce a unique set of security concerns that are best addressed with tailor-made security arrangements. The right company will make you feel more safe and secure in your home.

Keeping thieves from the contents of your garage can be as simple as making sure they can’t easily look inside. If your garage door has windows, make sure they have a frosted coating. This is easy to find at any major hardware store, and installation is a breeze. Also, avoid leaving the door open for prolonged periods of time.

TIP! The best method to maintain a thief from going into the garage is making sure nobody can see inside. Frost your windows with film bought at a hardware store.

Wireless System

Don’t use spring-latch locks. These type of lock is the easiest lock to pick, it could even be opened by a credit card. All they have to do is wedge the card between the latch and door, then wiggle it. A deadbolt should be added for security purposes if you have locks that are spring latch.

TIP! Do not buy spring latch locks. Spring latch locks are the easiest locks to gain entry with, as they can be opened with a simple credit card.

Think about getting a wireless security system for the home. While systems with wires are cheaper, you have to rewire your home and worry about power outages. A wireless system is easy to install and to maintain. Besides, you will still be able to count on your wireless system in case of a power outage.

If you must hide your key outside, do not put it someplace obvious. Fake rocks are particularly simple to spot. The first place a person will look is a doormat. A better plan is to ask someone you trust to keep your extra key in case you need it. If that isn’t possible, think outside the box when you hide it.

TIP! Don’t hide keys in obvious areas. If you place it under a rock, a good robber will find it.

Don’t leave empty boxes for big-ticket purchases outside on your curb. This will show that you have expensive equipment in your home. Break them down and put them in a bag or take them to a recycling center.

Draw the blinds at night in whatever room of your home faces the street. You want to avoid having people peek through the window. Burglars may see something valuable, which will tempt them to steal. Lock everything up and shade your windows to stay discreet.

TIP! 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.

Dogs are an excellent way to protect your home. They generally bark when someone comes close to their property. A common misconception, though, is that you have to have a large animal to be safe. Even small dogs can deter criminals just by making noise when something is afoot.

Put in a door that is solid wood or metal. Metal or solid wood doors cannot be broken. If a thief tried to kick the door, he would not be successful in doing so. It shouldn’t be too expensive to replace all exterior doors, so do it immediately.

TIP! If your door is not made out of solid wood or metal, you should replace it. Doors made of metal or wood are much sturdier than those that aren’t.

There is no telling when an intruder may break into your home. Rather than hoping this will not be a problem for you, make your home safer. Let this article be your inspiration to secure your home better.

Ask the security company you hire whether they have lights with motion sensors. These lights go on when something moves outside. You will find your entrances are well-lit and safe, as will intruders.

TIP! Does your security firm offer lights with motion sensors? Many companies do offer this and it makes lights outside the home turn on just as soon as a person approaches them. This further protects you from having unwanted guests enter your home.