Every homeowner needs to take action to protect their homes. You might think that getting an alarm is enough; however, there are many other strategies as well. Continue reading for some expert tips on making your home a safer place.

Home security systems have different kinds of features that can sound an alarm when someone breaks into your house. Many can be set for sounding their alarm if anyone enters. This is a good way to know if your small child has opened a door or closed it.

Do you have an outdoor dog? He or she is actually a great place to store your spare key. Secure the key on the inside of the dog’s collar. This works very well if you have a pet that is not very fond of strangers. You will get the access you need without having to worry about your safety.

You should never give details about your vacations and other plans on social networks. Although you may want to let others in on your excitement, it may inadvertently give burglars a heads up to target your property.

There are more features to a home alarm system besides making sounds when people break in. Many systems can be used to go off whenever anyone enters your home. This is important to parents who have small children, because they will want to know if the children have opened a door.

Your friends may have some great advice for choosing the right company. Knowledge of first-hand experiences can be very helpful to you when it comes to making this important decision. Making a great choice is important, so this advice will come in handy.

If you retain a space key for when you get locked out, consider the place you hide it carefully. Never put a spare key under a doormat or above a door jam. You could hide the key with your dog on the collar.

Don’t let strangers into your home. Criminals find ways to get people to open doors so they can commit crimes. Establish a rule where you and your family only open the door for expected visitors.

If you will be gone for an extended period, turn the ringers off on all telephones in the home. 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 secure your attached garage. People often worry about people getting in through attached garages, but you have a solution. Simply attach a C-clamp near the roller on the door track.

It is always best to not let people in that just show up out of the blue. Even if they tell you a sob story about needing help, this warning remains true. Some people will simply knock on your door to see whether or not there is a security system installed, and if there isn’t, they may target you later when you’re away.

Use your garage for your car, not just storage. Keeping the car in the garage can keep thieves from vandalizing or stealing it. Hiding your car away from plain view is a good way to keep intruders from knowing when you are at home or not.

You should be able to put the suggestions provided above to good use in your quest to improve the security of your home. Although it can seem like a hassle, it’s worth protecting your family. You can do exactly that with these tips.

You need to have your security system checked once a year. Your security company should send a representative to check your system. 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. You may not even know there is a problem if it is not visible.