There are lots of customers for home security these days. No matter where you live, you probably have a concern in the back of your head about people breaking in. Homes that seem to be easy marks are targets for burglars. If you want to protect your home, read this article to find out more about home security.

Always make your house appear to be occupied. Put timers on the TV, lights and radios. This makes people think you’re home. This is an excellent method for avoiding burglary and keeping your home secure.

Always change the locks after moving into a new home. You don’t know the exact number of copies of that key the previous owners have or have handed out. Call a locksmith as soon as you can for maximum security. This is also the thing to do if you lose the keys.

Buy a safe. Doing so can protect your valuables in the event of a robbery. This safe should be hidden in a location where burglars won’t find it, such as a hole in the wall, the attic, or a basement closet.

Don’t let everyone in your social network know that you are leaving the home unprotected for your vacation trip; especially the people who you aren’t familiar with. Although it’s fun to talk about, posting it online makes it more possible for criminals to find out when you’re gone.

Social networking sites are great for keeping in touch, but post information sparingly. For example, you might avoid broadcasting when you are going out of town, especially if your friends list contains casual acquaintances. There may be a thief within this list and you would have been inviting him straight through your front door!

Do not invite strangers into your home. There are some people who are very convincing and good at getting you to let them into your house. Some will come to your door just to determine how secure it is, and they may return later if they think they can easily enter your home.

Make sure the wires of your home security system are completely hidden. A burglar can easily cut and disconnect wires that are left visible. This makes it much easier for a thief to get inside your home. Keep the wires protected. Your system will be far more effective this way.

Your friends may have some great advice for choosing the right company. They have likely had interactions with home security providers that they can tell you about, saving you time and stress. Sometimes, you may get great advice from the people you know.

If you are throwing away the box an expensive item came in, wait until trash day to put the box out. Having these type of boxes hanging around will give robbers a good idea of what type of merchandise you have inside of your home.

Keep flashlights in your rooms. Power outages are common to all sorts of emergency situations, so having flashlights handy will enable you to maneuver in the dark. Show your children how to use them so everyone in the family is involved.

Listen to your intuition as to whether your system is being installed by a trustworthy home security company. If you don’t feel comfortable with the technician, don’t allow them access to your home. Never be afraid to ask for a new installer or to get an entirely new firm. Remember that every aspect of your home security system should support you in feeling more secure.

Add motion detector lighting to the exterior of your home for increased security. These lights will keep your property well lit and give you a good idea of who approaches your home. When they are positioned correctly, they make it pretty much impossible for intruders to get to your house unnoticed.

When you landscape your house, make it safe. Make sure that there is nothing obstructing your doors and windows. If they can be seen, potential burglars will not be able to use them as hiding places before breaking in. Put landscaping farther away from the house for greater safety.

Do you live outside the city? You might be less worried about home invasions than if you lived in an urban area. Some people think that country folk are mainly targeted since they don’t have nearby neighbors. Still, there are those who are of the opinion that rural properties are less of a temptation to burglars.

The outside of your house should be well lit. Burglars prefer the cover that night provides their criminal activities. Light up the dark spots around your home. This will include doorways, porches, your garage, and ground floor windows that criminals can use.

When standing in the street, can you see your house numbers? In an emergency situation, first responders won’t be able to locate your house quickly if the numbers are hidden or are too small to see clearly. Fortunately, the solution to this is quick, easy and rather cheap once you are aware of the need.

Skylights need to be secure, too. Though skylights bring light into your home and look nice, it is also a very common way for burglars to get into your home. Use heavy-duty hardware to secure your skylights to the roof.

Your pup is a great crime deterrent. Usually, dogs protect their homes and when they sense something is wrong, they bark. A big, vicious guard dog isn’t necessary. Small dogs are noisy and unpredictable and very good at deterring burglars.

You do not want to use spring latch locks. These locks can be opened easily with a credit card. The card is slid into the crevice between the latch and the door, pushing the latch back and springing the lock open. Add a deadbolt to doors with spring-latch locks.

Walls are the perfect place to hide. If you own small valuables that require protection, try hiding them in the walls. You could utilize an electrical outlet, phone jack, or unused switch plate. If there are no unused plates, you can easily install fake ones.

Do not store your car registration documents in your glove compartment. The reason is that anyone who sees them will immediately have your home address. Keep them on you, or another place to hide them. Remember, you do need to be able to access them quickly if you get pulled over by a policeman.

Birth Date

Be cognizant of what others can see when they look in your windows. If you have big windows near your big entertainment system, it can seem like an invitation to thieves. You always want to make sure you keep your valuables covered if they are by a window.

If your door has a numeric keypad lock, never make its password your birth date. Your birth date is pretty easy to come by, especially for seasoned thieves. Use a number you can remember through some trick of memory known only to you, making it difficult for someone else to figure it out.

Hard-wired home security systems can help you to cut down on costs. Wireless security systems are great, but need frequent battery changes. If you neglect battery changes, your system won’t work. Replacing several batteries will quickly add up.

If you have just bought any pricey new goods, never toss the boxes onto the curb prior to the garbage man’s arrival. Doing so is like giving a burglar an invitation to target your home; he or she will know there is something good inside.

Make friends with your neighbors. While much of the information these folks pass around is useless, they’re also the first to pick up on suspicious activity in the neighborhood. Maintaining cordial relations can put you in the loop and give you access to potentially critical security info.

Women are usually targeted for home invasion, particularly if they live alone or live with their kids. Put large, muddy boots on the porch to give the illusion of having a man at home. Burglars should pass on by.

Rotted wood in your door framing should be replaced. The rotten wood will be simple to remove, allowing a thief access to your home. Replace rotted wood with fresh wood to make your home safer.

Although locks that are sealed inside are fine, they won’t be too useful if you cannot lock them from outside. The best lock that you can choose are deadbolt locks, and the ones that have keys on both sides so that it cannot be opened by thieves are the ultimate choice.

Keeping your family safe should be your top priority. No one ever expects crime to strike home. What you’ve read here will help you to prepare. Don’t wait for something to happen. Do something about the security of your house before it’s too late.

Always check references before letting anyone work on your home. Perform a background check to learn about their criminal history, too. You never know if the maid, repairman or contractor you hire is on the up and up, and letting them in or giving them a key could be a fatal mistake.