Home Security 101: Top Tips That’ll Keep You Safe

March 13, 2020 - Comment

Are you looking for ideas to protect your home? That is wise, because you can never be cautious enough about your house. You should use many different strategies in order to keep your home safe. Continue reading to learn some excellent security strategies you can utilize in your own home. A home security system has

Are you looking for ideas to protect your home? That is wise, because you can never be cautious enough about your house. You should use many different strategies in order to keep your home safe. Continue reading to learn some excellent security strategies you can utilize in your own home.

A home security system has other features in addition to sounding an alarm when there is a break-in. They can actually be set to chime whenever a monitored door is opened. This is important to parents who have small children, because they will want to know if the children have opened a door.

TIP! Home security systems have different kinds of features that can sound an alarm when someone breaks into your house. Most systems could sound an alarm when someone enters the home.

Spare Key

Buy a safe so you can conceal your valuables in it. This is very important, as you do not want your gold, diamonds and personal items exposed if someone were to break into your house. Keep your safe in a hard-to-get-to place, such as a basement closet or your attic.

TIP! Make sure you have a safe to keep valuable items in one place. This is important, since you don’t want your valuables exposed to a potential intruder.

Place the spare key that you make on your dog. But, this is only effective if your home has a pet door or your dog stays outdoors when you are not home. Latch the key on his collar and voila–you have a spare key available!

Your friends may have some great advice for choosing the right company. Others may have had bad and good experiences that they share with you so that you may be able to save time and stress. Sometimes, you may get great advice from the people you know.

TIP! Ask your friends for advice before you choose a home security system or company. Your friends have gone through both bad and good experiences and they will be able to share them with you.

Home security systems offer other triggering features besides having an alarm sound. The majority of systems will give an audible alert when someone enters the house. This is a valuable safety feature for parents of small children since they know if their child has exited the home.

Use your garage for your car and not for storage. Having the car in the garage will prevent it from getting broken into or stolen. It will also keep any intruders from knowing when you’re home.

TIP! Use your garage for your car and not for storage. This will keep it away from thieves and vandals.

Buy housing materials that are fire resistant. This can provide additional safety to the home, particularly in dry regions. Fire prevention should be taken seriously because it can stop a major disaster from happening.

There’s no security system so durable that it can go without regular maintenance and inspections. Have yours checked out once a year. A security professional should visit to help with the testing process. There are any number of problems that can cause malfunctions in your security system, from weather damage to animal activity. You may not even know there is a problem if it is not visible.

TIP! There’s no security system so durable that it can go without regular maintenance and inspections. Have yours checked out once a year.

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. Establish a rule where you and your family only open the door for expected visitors.

Changing your locks first can help make your home much more secure. Has a roommate or ex-lover moved out recently? If so, then you need to change out the locks in order to keep you and your home safe. It is pretty cheap and the job won’t take more than a few hours.

TIP! You need to change our locks as your first step to ensuring your safety. Not everyone who leaves your house will leave happy, and a fresh set of locks will protect you from both former residents and acquaintances of your own looking to cause mischief.

Car Inside

Don’t think you’re not at risk just because you don’t live in a big city. Nonetheless, people in the country may be at greater risk due to being far away from neighbors. Some think rural areas see less burglary.

TIP! Rural areas are just as prone to break-ins as cities. Some think residents of the country are even more vulnerable because there are no close neighbors.

You should always park your car inside your garage instead of using your garage to store some belongings. Keeping the car inside is a good way to keep criminals from stealing or harming it. Hiding it will help to deter people from tracking the times you aren’t there.

You can hide your valuable items inside your walls. You needn’t tear down your walls to do this. There should be pre-cut spaces throughout your home that will suffice. What about un-wiring an electrical socket which isn’t used to utilize as a cover to hide your jewelry?

TIP! You can hide certain valuables within your walls. This does not mean that you should make alterations to your walls.

Use the space in walls to store your prized possessions. It is unnecessary cut space into your wall. Find a place where there is already a hole to get in through. Why not take the guts out of an electrical socket you’re not using? You can convert it into a convenient and covert little wall safe.

Make sure your home’s exterior is well lit. Criminals like to blend into the shadows, so do your best not to provide too many for them. Add lights to any areas you believe are potential entry points for burglars. Having these outdoor lights installed can really work as a deterrent to criminals who are considering your house.

TIP! Always keep your home’s exterior well lit. Dark houses invite burglars who prefer to operate under cover of darkness.

If you bought any big or expensive things, wait until trash day to throw away the boxes. Letting such packaging sit out will signal to criminals that there are good things to be found in your house.

Consider all of your individual security needs before looking into any alarm systems. Though such systems can be terrific for many, not everyone really needs one. Some individuals are more comfortable with a canine alarm, while other people enjoy the feeling of security that a sophisticated alarm system can bring. Understanding your neighborhood, risks and budget constraints can help you to make the best choices.

TIP! What do you need to personally feel safe? While alarm systems are great, they aren’t necessary for every family. You could, for instance, invest in an alarm system, some outside lights, adopt a dog or take some self-defense classes.

If you’ve recently moved into a house, get any locks changed out. Regardless of how you feel about the sellers, you never know someone’s true intentions. Keep in mind that other people may have lived in the home prior to the seller.

Think about getting a wireless security system for the home. While the wired systems are less expensive, they usually mean rather intrusive wiring for your house, which can also go out during power outages. On the other hand, wireless systems use their own power and have easier installations.

TIP! A wireless home security system could be just the option you are looking for. While wired systems may seem cheaper, they need your home to be rewired and they can fail due to a power outage.

The wiring on your house is valuable to burglars. Many people never realize this value until wires are stolen right out of their home. It does not take much time to strip off the expensive copper wires from the exterior of your house. To keep the wiring safe, be sure that the wire is hidden from view.

If a friend picks up your mail while you’re away, have them check for fliers on your door. Crafty burglars will leave fliers on homes, and check to see if they’re being removed as a means for determining whether or not the home is vacant. If a flier remains on a front door for a number of days, the burglar knows the homeowner is away.

TIP! If you are going to be out of town for more than a day or so, have someone check your mailbox and door for mail and fliers. Canny burglars will often produce and distribute their own fliers so that they can see whether or not anyone takes them down.

Be sure to replace rotten wood in the frame of your front door. Home invaders interested are able to pry off any rotted wood to get inside. Wood that is beginning to rot should always be replaced to make sure your home stays safe.

Put in a surveillance system. Placing hidden and visible video cameras is a good way to keep your home secure. Visible cameras have a deterrent effect, and if they are disabled, hidden cameras can capture the events that unfold. Find a security system that gives you the option to view the video feed from your phone so you can check on your home at anytime.

TIP! Make sure a surveillance system is part of your home security system. Setting up hidden and visible video cameras is a good way to keep your home secure.

Purchase flashlights that have good batteries, and keep them in every room in your home in case the power goes out. Having a well-charged flashlight on hand is very beneficial in case of emergency. Teach your children how to properly use flashlights.

Speak with your security company about contract lengths and any options available. Each probably has its own set of positives and negatives. A long contract may lock you in even if you choose to sell the house or want to stop the services, but it can result in a lower bill every month. There’s more freedom with a contract that’s shorter, but the monthly payments may be higher.

TIP! Inquire whether a security company offers variable contract lengths. They all likely have different benefits and downsides.

Always ask for references before letting a contractor or a maid in your home. A background check is also a good idea, so that you know what their criminal history looks like. Anyone you bring into your home to work could be your worst enemy.

Ask whether or not your home security company gives you the option to lease and/or buy your equipment. You’ll spend less money in the long-run if you buy the equipment outright. Leasing is a good way to avoid the initial expense, but you will have to pay monthly fees. Look into both choices to know which one is better for your personal circumstances.

TIP! Inquire with your company if they allow both leases and purchases of equipment. Buying outright costs a lot more in the beginning, but one time costs might lower or eliminate some monthly fees that add up over time.

Ask your security provider about their history in the business. A long-standing company has a track record in the industry that people can attest to. It also ensures they’re not a fly-by-night firm.

Never hide keys in obvious locations. Everyone knows about fake rocks. Anyone looking for your key will look under your doormat. Instead, you should keep your spare keys with a trusted neighbor. If that isn’t an option, be creative with a hiding spot.

TIP! Avoid keeping your key somewhere expected. A fake rock or flower pot are simply too easy to guess.

Have a home security company come to your house and come up with a system that best suits your needs. Everyone has different needs, and your security system should be designed to protect your home and family. Most companies will create an individual plan to meet your needs so you can have a high level of security to assure your peace of mind.

Deadbolts that have captive keylocks are the most secure locks to get. Deadbolts have thumb latches that prevent people from reaching around them to open it. If you are home, have a key inside the lock so you can easily exit if a fire breaks out.

TIP! Deadbolts are the best locks for your doors because they contain captive keylocks. This makes it impossible to open the lock from the outside because of the thumb latch.

Unhappily, all homes are subject to security breaches. However, what you can do is make sure you’ve done what you can to provide adequate protection. In this article you have been presented with some great ideas for home security. Now go ahead and start making the changes you need to make to better secure your home.

Though inside locks are great, they do little if they cannot also be locked externally. Therefore, a deadbolt is a great selection; it will make things very difficult for a burglar.

TIP! While locks which are sealed up on the inside are dandy, if you can’t lock it from the outside, it won’t be of much use. Deadbolts are the best option.