It’s important that you and your family always feel safe in your home. Whenever the family is away from home, it is important that they home be safe upon their return. You can begin home protection with the advice in this article.

Shop around when looking for a good home security system. Prices can differ a lot among companies for the same type of protection. Ensure you talk to a minimum of three companies to obtain quotes before deciding the one that you believe is best for you.

Is your dog outside when you are away? If so, the dog can be a terrific spot to keep a spare key. Hook your key to the dog’s collar in a place that is shielded from view. If you have a pet that does not trust strangers, this can help you get into your house if needed.

Don’t just hide your spare key anywhere. People will check your doormat and frame first. Think outside the box and put the key someplace unusual, like hidden in your dog’s collar.

Security systems are more than just an alarm. Many systems sound an alert whenever people enter the house. This is a good way to keep track of where your young children are.

Make sure to clear your yard of brush and dead wood in the summertime. These items have a higher chance of catching fire during the hot months. Keep your family and your house protected by regularly clearing out your yard waste.

Make sure you have a safe to keep valuable items in one place. You would hate for your expensive jewelry, personal family belongings, etc. to be stolen in case a burglar breaks into your home. Be sure to put your safe in an out of the way place like the basement, attic or under the floorboards.

Use your garage for your car, not just storage. If your car is locked up inside, it cannot be stolen or vandalized. This can also keep people from knowing your schedule.

Make sure that you hide your spare key in a good spot. People will check your doormat and frame first. Try to find somewhere less obvious.

Put motion-sensor lights into your home. This type of light will come on when they detect motion within a certain distance of your home. These lights will make you aware of, and can also scare off, potential burglars. Make sure you keep fresh light bulbs in your motion activated lights so that they will work correctly.

Shut off phone ringers inside the home if you’re going to be gone for quite a while. If your phone is ringing while you are out, burglars will realize that no one is home, making your home very vulnerable to an attack during your time away.

The fist thing you’ll need to do for home security is to get new locks. If you have boarders, former live-in partners, or others who once had access to your home, this is especially important. It is pretty cheap and the job won’t take more than a few hours.

Always have your security system checked each year. This is a job for professionals; get a security firm to inspect your equipment. Many factors cause issues with security systems like nature and wild animals. There are always ways your home is vulnerable, even if you don’t know it.

People in rural areas are not usually as worried about burglaries as people in cities. Nonetheless, people in the country may be at greater risk due to being far away from neighbors. You need to do some research on the areas where you live to get an idea of how frequent break ins are.

The fist thing you’ll need to do for home security is to get new locks. This could be an ex-spouse or roommate you got into a fight with. This is a very easy process that you can complete within a day.

Lock up your house every time you leave. Most real-world burglars aren’t master lock-breakers; they simply stroll in through a door left carelessly unlocked. It does not take long for thieves to steal your expensive stuff.

When you pick an alarm system, it’s a good idea to get one that provides protection for both doors and windows. It should protect the windows too. Be sure your alarm is secured to them all and that monitoring is in place for every point of entry. This is a way to make sure your family will be safe.

Don’t throw away boxes for expensive or valuable items until the garbage collection day. Having these boxes around for a while will give people an idea of what is inside your house.

Anytime a security installer comes to the house, make sure they display proper identification. Thieves often pose as security company representatives in order to enter homes and look for valuables. This is a danger to your belongings and your family. Caution is always advisable if dangers like this are to be avoided.

Replace rotten wood near door frames. Anyone who wants to get into your home can easily pry away rotted wood and slip right into your home. Wood that is beginning to rot should always be replaced to make sure your home stays safe.

Prior to allowing access to anyone, make sure you are shown proper identification. A background check is also a good idea, so that you know what their criminal history looks like. It is not a good idea to give anyone a key to your home, even contractors or repairmen.

If you allow a security company to come to your house, make sure they appear professional and can present identification. Intruders can easy pass themselves off as an employee of a security company just to get inside your house. This situation presents danger to your home, family and belongings. Take care to steer clear of danger.

You should find out how many years of experience your home security service has. It doesn’t take long for a quality company to prove itself in the security business, and you should look for a track record of satisfied customers and successful work. You’ll find it a lot easier to put your faith in the professionals if you take the time to verify their trustworthiness.

Keeping your house bright and lit at night will deter many crooks. Burglars don’t want to be visible. When your house is well lit, intruders have no place to hide. This makes it hard for them to get things from you. Secure your property by creating a well-lit area.

If you come home and see your door ajar, never investigate it alone. You have no way of knowing whether the thieves are still inside. Request that the police come and have them go in and check it out, before you go in yourself.

Use the Internet to find a reliable home security company. Look at many websites and read customer reviews about the various services. Once you do this, make appointments with the three best companies you find so that you can compare pricing and other important details.

Invest in a high quality paper shredder. Thieves can often be found looking through garbage cans in search of personal information found on bills and credit card slips. Rip important documents in small pieces before throwing them away if you do not have a paper shredder.

As the company that is doing your home security how long they’ve been providing this service. A reliable home security company is one that has a long history in the community and can offer references from satisfied customers. You should not trust a company that does not have a good record with your local Better Business Bureau or few years of experience.

Man’s best friend can be one of the most effective anti-burglary systems. These pets are usually territorial and want to protect their masters. There is no need for a mean, big dog either. Even tinier canines can ward off intruders with enough noise.

For maximum safety, your home needs bright exterior lighting. Criminals like to blend into the shadows, so do your best not to provide too many for them. Install lights in areas where intruders might come. Be sure to consider your front and back porch, garage, ground floor windows and any basement entryway.

Ask your home-security company about what contract lengths they provide to their customers. There are sure to be both good points and bad points about each option. Your bill may be lower with a long-term contract, but you could wind up paying for a service you’re not using if you decide to move. With a shorter contract, you will have a greater level of flexibility. The downside is you will also have larger monthly bills.

If you are planning to be away, and you have someone picking up your mail, ask them to also double-check your door for fliers. Robbers will place these on your door and may invade your home if they are not removed. If the flier stays in place, the burglar knows that the homeowner is out on vacation.

When it comes to expert advice, you now have a plethora of choices at your disposal. Make good use of what you have learned. Continue researching information about home security to provide safety and protection for everything you love.

If you have rooms that are off limits to kids and company, the following is a great solution. There are locks that use a code for entry, rather than a key. They are fairly simple to install, or if you don’t feel comfortable doing so yourself, you can ask your home security company about it.