Learning about home security is something every homeowner really needs to do. There is a ton of information about home security, and it can be hard to sort through it all. By reading this article, you’ll get a good overview of the basics of home security.

Don’t give your keys to a house cleaner unless you totally trust them. Before you give a cleaner full access to your home for extended periods of time, you have to be certain that they’re trustworthy and reliable. Carefully check their references. If applicable, call the BBB to inquire about their reputation.

Keep your most precious belongings inside a safe. This is very important, as you do not want your gold, diamonds and personal items exposed if someone were to break into your house. Hide that safe in a difficult-to-reach place like in a closet inside your basement or an attic.

There are more features to a home alarm system besides making sounds when people break in. Most of them can be programmed to alert you to anyone entering your home. Parents of children can track their kids this way.

If your social networking accounts are filled with folks you do not really know, do not announce vacations on the sites. It’s exciting going to new places and enjoying your time, but you could alert thieves to an empty home that they can easily break into.

If your home has a lot of valuable items inside, then you need to purchase a safe so that all of these items can be kept in a single location. This ensures during a break in that the most important things are not stolen. Hide that safe in a difficult-to-reach place like in a closet inside your basement or an attic.

Talk to people you know for referrals when choosing home security systems. Knowledge of first-hand experiences can be very helpful to you when it comes to making this important decision. By asking around, you will gain information about the pros and cons of a variety of options.

If your social networking accounts are filled with folks you do not really know, do not announce vacations on the sites. Although you may want to let others in on your excitement, it may inadvertently give burglars a heads up to target your property.

Never allow a stranger to enter your home. Even if someone has a good story, requires help or has a great product to sell, ignore them. There are some people who will just come in to see if you have a home security system, and if you do not, they could come back later when you are not home.

Ask friend for any advice they have prior to purchasing a security system or service. You can benefit from the experience of others that have gone before you by paying attention to their recommendations and warnings. Spending a few days asking for reviews is useful in helping you choose correctly.

Don’t open your door if a stranger is on the other side. You never know who they might be, despite their story. Create a rule where you only allow those you’ve invited to your home inside.

If you’re going on a trip for an extended period of time, switch the ringer off on all home phones. This is because a phone that is ringing and ringing can tip of a burglar that nobody is currently home.

Check out your garage to ensure that it is secure. Intruders could easily break into your garage and access your home. However, you can use a C-clamp to help keep the door secure.

Get rid of all of the dead wood and vegetation in your yard during the summer months. This can be a fire hazard, especially if you live in an area with high heat. Be sure all sorts of flammable items are kept under control around your home.

You can hide certain valuables within your walls. You don’t have to cut out pieces of the wall to do this. You can find areas in your walls that are pre-cut and use those. Perhaps you can use an old electricity socket as a place to hide your valuables.

Be brave! Talk to your neighbors and those on your block. You’ll find that friendly neighbors make for a powerful support network. Keep an eye on their properties and they’ll respond in kind. It does not necessarily pay to steer clear of gossip. You may find out helpful information about strangers lurking around.

Security System

Install motion-sensor lights. These lights will come on if someone walks near your house. They help notify you of any movement around your house and deter burglars too. Be sure to keep these lights working, though.

Keep the wires of your home security system hidden. One of the ways an intruder can get around a security system is by disconnecting or cutting the wires. Don’t make it easier for them, so have wires hidden in the house’s walls or buried. This will make you much safer.

It is important that your valuables are not visible from anywhere outside your house. While it may be nice to look out, burglars will see your valuables inside. Keep your windows covered and your belongings private.

Replace all locks in a new house. You don’t really know the people you purchased the house from or all the folks they shared keys with, so don’t place too much trust in the old locks. Aside from that, other people lived in the home even before the ones from whom you purchased the home.

Always lock your house, no matter how briefly you expect to be gone. It may be a little surprising, but most burglaries and break-ins happen because the intruder just walks right through an open door. A thief can steal your most valuable possessions in a short amount of time.

Having a bright and lit-up home at night deters crooks. They don’t want anyone to see them. With a well-lit home, thieves cannot hide or break in unnoticed. So keep those lights on at night for a secure home.

If you purchase big-ticket items, don’t throw their boxes in the trash before trash day. These boxes sitting outside your home serve as a flag for thieves to target your home.

Perform landscaping for your home which enhances your home’s safety. Do not obstruct doors and windows with plants or furniture. This way, no one can hide there if they are attempting to break into your house. Utilize shrubs and trees farther away in order to add beauty to your home while keeping it safe.

Whenever you move to a new dwelling, make certain to get each lock replaced. You have no way of knowing whether the previous homeowner is trustworthy. Keep in mind that other families might have lived with them, too.

Request that prospective security firms design a system specifically for your home. All homeowners and homes differ. You will get the best home security system possible if you use a service willing to work with you to create a tailored system.

The wiring on your house is valuable to burglars. Many people never realize this value until wires are stolen right out of their home. Copper wiring is very valuable and susceptible to being stripped from the outside of your home. Make sure your wiring is hidden or hard to access to keep this valuable property safe.

Never enter your home if you arrive and find the door open. Keep in mind that intruders could still be inside. The best thing to do is call the police and wait for them to arrive before doing anything else.

A paper shredder can be a good security investment. Thieves often find the trash cans to be a gold mine of pertinent information about potential victims. Rip important documents in small pieces before throwing them away if you do not have a paper shredder.

Get a paper shredder. Your trash contains so much personal information a thief would love to have. If you can’t afford to buy a paper shredder, tear your papers up into tiny bits before throwing them away.

If you live with children or others whom who don’t want entering some parts of the house, keys and lock sets aren’t the only option. Each entrance can be fitted with a keyless lock that requires a code to enter. You can install these locks yourself or have them professionally installed.

If someone looks after your house when you’re gone, have them remove fliers from the door. Sometimes burglars leave fliers in an attempt to see if anyone is home to remove them. Fliers that are not removed let the burglar know that the home is vacant.

Do not use spring latch locks on your doors. They give intruders and easy time breaking in, since they can be unlocked with a credit card. Burglars just slip a card between the latch and the door, causing the lock mechanism to open. If your doors sport spring latch locks, add deadbolts to beef up security.

Every homeowner should learn all they can to protect their home. It will take good sense to sift out the helpful information from that not useful to you. It is wise to educate yourself about home security and then put that knowledge to good use.

A house alarm is a great option, as long as you call the cops when it alarms. The only way to ensure this is to use a system that calls the police for you. Neighbors won’t always be home to call.