As a homeowner, you must do everything possible to keep your family safe. Regretfully, home invasions are common. Listen to this articles tips to ensure that your home is safe from potential threats.

Some home security systems have additional security features besides sounding an alarm to deter a burglar. 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.

Any time you buy a new home, have the locks changed. There is no telling how many key copies were made and given out by a previous owner. To make sure your home can only be accessed by you, enlist the help of a locksmith. Make sure you do the same thing if you lose your keys sometime.

When you set out to purchase home security equipment, remember to comparison shop. Several different firms may offer similar protection for wildly divergent prices. You really owe it to yourself to solicit firm quotes from three different providers before you sit down to pick one.

Only provide your house cleaner with a key if you trust him or her implicitly. If they will be there over an hour and you are thinking of giving them your home key, be certain they are honest, reputable and hard-working. It is best to do a reference check on them. If you’re hiring from a company, call the BBB for more information.

If you want to have a spare key close to your house in order to prevent lockouts, make sure you give its hiding place some careful thought. People will check your doormat and frame first. You could hide the key with your dog on the collar.

Home security systems have additional features to just being noise alarms. Many can be set for sounding their alarm if anyone enters. This is useful for parents who have small kids, as it helps keep them from leaving the house.

Buy housing materials that are fire resistant. This will make your home more safe, especially if you are in a dry climate that has many power lines. Investing in fire-resistant materials will help you save a lot since a fire can cause extensive damage.

Keep your most precious belongings inside a safe. This ensures during a break in that the most important things are not stolen. The safe should be kept hidden in a basement or attic.

If you will be away from your house for an extended period of time, turn the ringers off for all your phones. A ringing phone that goes unanswered may signal to a burglar that nobody is home.

If you will be gone for an extended period, turn the ringers off on all telephones in the home. A ringing phone that goes unanswered may signal to a burglar that nobody is home.

Do not open your door for strangers. Burglars are getting creative, and they will do anything they can to gain access to your home. Make it a rule in your home that you only open your door to people who you were expecting.

If you do not reside in a big city, you may not worry as much about home burglaries. Some people think that the people out in the country without neighbors are actually at a much greater risk. Others feel rural residents have a lower risk of being burglarized.

Check out your garage to ensure that it is secure. There is a way to stop thieves from entering your home from the garage. You can use a C-clamp to stop the door from being opened.

Hide any valuables in wall spaces. It is not necessary to cut out pieces from your wall. Many places around your house have areas that are already pre-cut. What about un-wiring an electrical socket which isn’t used to utilize as a cover to hide your jewelry?

Use your garage for your car, not just storage. This will help to keep your vehicle safe. This will also make it more difficult for burglars to track when you away from home.

Don’t ever put your spare key under your doormat or in a planter. You might think that you are providing yourself a safe way into the house if you misplace your keys, but you are really inviting attackers inside. Rest assured, thieves have a good idea about these hiding places. Instead, trust a neighbor to hold your spare key.

Change your locks if someone you don’t trust moves out of your home. Changing the locks will ensure that you are the only one who knows the combination. It is pretty cheap and the job won’t take more than a few hours.

Choose an alarm which monitors other areas outside your doors. The best systems are those that cover windows as well. Every single entry point needs to have monitoring on it. This is the pinnacle of safety.

After installing a security system in your home, make sure any wires are hidden. Many intruders bypass a security system by cutting the wires. This is why it is so important to make sure all your wires are well hidden. This helps keep you and your family safe.

If you purchase big-ticket items, don’t throw their boxes in the trash before trash day. Letting such packaging sit out will signal to criminals that there are good things to be found in your house.

If you make a large purchase, like a big screen television, don’t simply set the box out in front of your home. They show the world you have money and lots of valuables inside.

Replace all locks in a new house. You really don’t know much about the people who sold you the home, regardless of how competent they may seem. You should also keep in mind that other people may have lived in the home before the previous homeowner.

Check someone’s references carefully before letting them come into your home. Perform a background check to learn about their criminal history, too. You can never be too sure about anyone you hire to enter your home, and giving them access can work against you.

Carefully check the references of everyone before allowing them to enter your home. Be sure to perform a background check and look for any criminal history that might be in evidence. You can never be too sure about anyone you hire to enter your home, and giving them access can work against you.

Inquire with your home security service as to how long they’ve been in business. Companies that have been around for years have shown that they know the industry and that their services are reliable and great enough for recommendations. You should not trust a company that does not have a good record with your local Better Business Bureau or few years of experience.

Due to all of the threats your home is vulnerable to, every homeowner needs to work to ensure the safety of it. This article is full of excellent ideas on how to protect your home from virtually any threat. Implement all these ideas in order to get the most out of your home security efforts.

Don’t leave the boxes of any high priced electronics on the curb of your house. Burglars will instantly take notices of these boxes and what used to be in them, making you an easy burglary target. Break up the boxes into smaller pieces before you put them near the curb.