Any homeowner should be doing everything they can to ensure their family’s safety. Home invasions can be quite common, as well as natural disasters that damage houses. This article will show you a few ways to keep yourself safe.

Consider using your dog as a place to store your spare key. But, this is only effective if your home has a pet door or your dog stays outdoors when you are not home. Hide a key inside the collar of your dog in case you need a spare.

Do you have an outside dog? If so, the dog can be a terrific spot to keep a spare key. Secure the key on the inside of the dog’s collar. If your dog is suspicious of strangers, you have found a good hiding place for your key.

When looking for a system to secure your home, do comparison shopping. You would be surprised to see that the prices are much different for each company, even though it’s for the same type of protection. Make sure to obtain quotes from a minimum of three companies prior to deciding on a final one.

Be sure your roof, floors, and ceiling are fire resistant. This helps protect your home when you dwell in a more dry climate. Preventing a fire is important since it can cause a lot of damage.

When you decide to purchase a home alarm system, make sure you comparison shop. Different companies can provide equivalent levels of service and security, but their prices can vary wildly. Make sure to obtain quotes from a minimum of three companies prior to deciding on a final one.

Do not post on your social media accounts regarding when you will be away on vacation. Though trips are always fun to talk about, you may be doing little more than telling burglars the best times to visit your house.

When summer comes around, eliminate all vegetation and dead wood from your yard. This sort of thing is a fire hazard in the heat of summer. Be sure all sorts of flammable items are kept under control around your home.

If your social networking accounts are filled with folks you do not really know, do not announce vacations on the sites. If you do, burglars will know you’re not home and strike.

Install lights that have motion sensors. If someone enters their proximity, they will light automatically. Motion-sensitive lights will alert you to movement and deter people who want to break into your home. However, make sure to put in fresh bulbs every now and then.

The fist thing you’ll need to do for home security is to get new locks. Whether an old roommate left or a relationship ended, changing your locks is a good idea. It doesn’t cost much and they can usually show up within a day.

Do not invite strangers into your home. This includes a salesperson or people looking for help. Some people will knock on your door simply to see whether you have a security system.

Whenever you move to a new dwelling, make certain to get each lock replaced. You really don’t know much about the people who sold you the home, regardless of how competent they may seem. Keep in mind that other people may have lived in the home prior to the seller.

If you are moving into a new home, change the locks right away. Although it’s normal for owners / tenants to surrender their keys when they leave, there’s no way of knowing who else might have copies. You can install locks yourself to make sure you’re the only one who has a key.

Do not be shy. Speak with your neighbors. By knowing the people in your neighborhood, you can rest a little easier knowing that people are looking out for each other. Don’t discount what sounds like idle gossip. You will learn a lot from your neighbors, including details about recent break ins in the area and the shady individuals they noticed.

If you scheduled an appointment for a member of the security company to come to your house, ask them to show you some identification first. It is easy for potential thieves to present themselves as representatives of a company in order to gain access to your home. This is dangerous to your valuables and your family. Take care to steer clear of danger.

If you get home and the door is open, don’t go in. This is dangerous since the thief may still be on your property. Call the cops and let them do the initial walk through.

Don’t forget to secure your skylights too. Intruders could use skylights to enter your home. Your skylights should have strong components that can withstand tampering.

Get a paper shredder. Thieves can use this information to figure out your schedule and determine the best time to break in. Rip important documents in small pieces before throwing them away if you do not have a paper shredder.

Always request that your house or pet sitter remove fliers from your door. Robbers will place these on your door and may invade your home if they are not removed. Intruders can get a good idea of what your schedule is like or figure out that you are on vacation if the flyer stays on your door for a long time.

Use your wall spaces to hide your valuables. It is unnecessary cut space into your wall. Find a place where there is already a hole to get in through. What about un-wiring an electrical socket which isn’t used to utilize as a cover to hide your jewelry?

If you’ve got guests that you don’t want in particular areas of the home, close the area off so it is not accessible. There are key-less locks that open with a push-button security code. Install them yourself or get a local home security company to do that.

Ask your home-security company about what contract lengths they provide to their customers. There are usually pros and cons in each contract. Longer contracts can lower your monthly bill; however, you may have to continue paying the bill even if you move or discontinue with their services. A shorter term allows for flexibility, but it might be expensive.

Avoid leaving spare keys outside of your home. Though you might think that you’re giving yourself something you could use to get into your house when you’ve lost your keys, you’re actually inviting intruders inside your house. For obvious reasons, experienced burglars know every possible hiding spot. Give it to a neighbor you trust instead.

You should not keep your auto registration papers in the glove compartment. Anyone with access to your car can find out where you live, so it is not a smart thing to do. Keep these papers on you or hide them under a seat in your vehicle. They must still be easily accessible should you be stopped by police.

Birth Date

Look for an alarm system that does more than protect your doors. All windows can be entry spots for thieves. The alarm and monitoring system should be set for all windows and doors. Do this to keep you and your family safe.

If your door has a numeric keypad lock, never make its password your birth date. Your birth date is easy information to obtain. Rather, try and make your combination the answer to an equation so that you only need to remember an equation instead of an actual series of numbers.

Due to all of the threats your home is vulnerable to, every homeowner needs to work to ensure the safety of it. The article you’ve just read contains numerous tips on how to keep your home safe, regardless of the treat. Use each idea to give your home maximum security.

If you are moving into a new home, change the locks right away. Although the previous owner should not have a key, there is no way for you to know this. If you own, you can have the locks replaced and only you will have had the key.