The market for home security is huge. Burglaries happen everyday no matter where you live. Burglars will usually choose homes that seem relaxed with their security. If you want to avoid becoming a victim, the following tips will help you amp up your home security.

You can hide your spare key on your dog. This approach is useful if your dog is a large breed that lives outdoor, or if your house has a doggy door. Attach the spare key to your dog’s collar. By doing this, you have a handy spare key whenever you need it.

Do you have an outside dog? You could let your dog carry a spare key. Hook your key to the dog’s collar in a place that is shielded from view. This is an especially good idea if your dog doesn’t like strangers, and gives you easy access to get in your home.

Be very cautious about entrusting a maid service with a key to your home. Anyone you give the keys to your home to should be unarguably honest. Read through their references very carefully, and don’t hesitate to follow up on their references to ensure they actually exist. If your cleaning person comes from a company, check with the BBB.

Don’t let any person you don’t completely know into your house. While their story may seem legit, that doesn’t mean it is true. Some criminals will use any reason to gain access to look for security systems and easy entryways into your house.

Good home security systems sound a loud alarm when breached, and that’s not all. The majority of systems are able to be set to put out an alert when any individual enters the home. This is important if you have small kids.

Don’t open your door for strangers. There are people who are going to be convincing, but they can just be professional thieves. Never open the door to anyone you do not know.

Keep your car in the garage. This will help to keep your vehicle safe. Storing your car in the garage will also make it difficult for anyone casing your home to figure out when no one is going to be there.

If your home has a lot of valuable items inside, then you need to purchase a safe so that all of these items can be kept in a single location. You can’t have your valuable personal items and jewelry out in the open for anyone to see. Hide that safe in a difficult-to-reach place like in a closet inside your basement or an attic.

Use motion sensor lights. These lights turn on if someone walks closely to your house. This is a good way of knowing who comes near your home and keeps you safe if you ever come home late. Just remember to change out the bulbs every so often so the lights remain in working order.

Don’t hide an extra key under a rock or in a planter. These are the first places criminals will look when they try to enter your home. Burglars are well aware of these hiding places. You should have a trusted neighbor keep a spare key.

Compare various home security systems when shopping. 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.

If you purchase big-ticket items, don’t throw their boxes in the trash before trash day. Doing so is like giving a burglar an invitation to target your home; he or she will know there is something good inside.

Are you aware that your home’s wires are worth something? Many people have their wires stripped each year. Wiring can be removed from the outside of a home in a heartbeat. Hide the wiring and make it harder to access to prevent this from happening.

Don’t announce your vacation agenda on your social networks. This is especially true if you have lots of unfamiliar “friends”. If you do, burglars will know you’re not home and strike.

If you allow a security company to come to your house, make sure they appear professional and can present identification. Many thieves use this tactic to enter a house. This can put your family and possessions in danger. Be careful to avoid any potential dangers.

Always ask for references before letting a contractor or a maid in your home. Don’t be afraid of conducting background checks to determine if they have a criminal history. You don’t know whether the contractor, maid, or repairman that you’ve hired is trustworthy and handing them your keys could be a costly mistake.

If you will be vacationing for an extended period of time, turn off the ringer on all the phones in your house. When burglars hear phones ringing for an extended period of time in a home, they know that there is no one there to answer.

You and your loved ones deserve to live in a safe and secure home. Crime takes a financial and emotional toll on your family that no insurance will ever cover. Keep this advice handy, and work to make your home more secure. Don’t put it off. Take measures to protect your home while you can.