If you own your home, you need to learn about home security. However, there is a lot of information out there on this topic, so it may seem overwhelming at first. Start with this article and go on from there.

Do not forget to secure the garage attached to your home. People often worry about people getting in through attached garages, but you have a solution. Try putting a C-clamp on your garage door track. This will stop the door from rising if you want to keep it closed.

Be very cautious about entrusting a maid service with a key to your home. Be sure any home cleaner you give your key to is trustworthy and reputable. Check references thoroughly. If the house cleaner is employed by a company, check with the BBB of your area to determine their reputation.

End your shyness. Introduce yourself to your neighbors. Keep an eye on their houses and yards and request that they return the favor. You never want to ignore gossip. You may hear valuable information regarding security, such as if any strangers have been hanging around.

Do you have a dog that stays in your yard when you’re not at home? If so, you can use your dog to hide your spare key. Put it on their collar. Especially if pets don’t like strangers, this can be a useful way for having easy access to your house.

An extremely important tactic for keeping your home safe is changing out the locks. 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. Most locksmiths can accomplish the job within 24 hours.

Is your ceiling resistant to fire? What about your flooring or roofing? This can provide additional safety to the home, particularly in dry regions. It’s best to prevent a fire before it starts.

Don’t think you’re not at risk just because you don’t live in a big city. There are differences between large cities and homes located in the countryside. That said, stranger things have happened.

Don’t allow a complete stranger to come in your home. Burglars have many clever ways to convince householders to open the door. You should make sure you only open the door to your home for people that you know and are expecting.

Use the spaces in your home’s walls to store valuables. You don’t need to cut out segments of your walls by the way. There are many places in your home that are pre-cut and available. For instance, consider using an electricity socket that is unused, and stash your precious jewelry in there.

Annual check-ups are important for alarm systems. Get a security comapny tech to check it. There are many things that can reduce the quality of your system. Sometimes it is very difficult to see the problem if you don’t know where it is.

Replace all the locks in your newly purchased home. 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.

Try not to have a shy attitude. Speak with your neighbors. Keep an eye on their houses and yards and request that they return the favor. You shouldn’t neglect gossip. You may stumble across valuable security information, like if someone has noticed a stranger lurking around the neighborhood.

The wires that are on your house are very valuable. Some intruders could strip your home of every bit of copper. Copper, found in many wires, can be removed in little time, and is worth quite a bit of money. Hide the wiring and make it harder to access to prevent this from happening.

Conceal valuable spaces within your walls. This does not mean that you should make alterations to your walls. There are many locales that are already around your home. How about unwiring your electric socket and using that as an area to stash your jewelry?

Rotten wood on door and window frames needs to be repaired. Anyone who wants to get into your home can easily pry away rotted wood and slip right into your home. Replace any wood that has begun to rot with new wood so that your house stays safe.

You can add a great deal of security to your home by installing a system of motion activated exterior lighting. In the dark hours, these lights will provide the illumination necessary to protect your home and also save money by staying off when they’re not needed. If strategically placed, motion detectors ensure that it’s difficult for intruders to break into your home sight unseen.

Alter the locks and the keys when you change homes. Although the previous owner should not have a key, there is no way for you to know this. You can even buy and install the locks yourself so you know that you are the only one with a key.

Every homeowner needs to know all there is about securing their home. But, it can be hard to figure out what is true and what is false. Thus, it is wise to review the above information anytime you need advice about how to protect your home.

If you’re hiring a company for home security, be sure to read any fine print before you sign that contract. There might be hidden costs or other things you should know about. Be aware of these particular fees so you can steer clear of them.