A lot of people believe security systems require expensive technicians who leave your home a wired mess. Protecting your home is actually very easy. Read the following article for some great tips on how to properly secure your home.
Is your dog outside when you are away? 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. Your dog is an especially good key hiding spot if he doesn’t react well to strangers, since they won’t approach him, but the key will be there if you need it.
TIP! Do you have a dog that stays in your yard when you’re not at home? This pet may be an excellent storing spot for your spare key. Secure the key on the inside of the dog’s collar.
Setting off an alarm during a burglary is just one of the valuable functions a good security system can perform. You can have your system alert you of any movement in certain areas of your home. If you have little ones wandering about the house, this makes it easy for you to know if they have come in or gone out.
Buy a safe and use it to hold all of the valuables in your home. You would hate for your expensive jewelry, personal family belongings, etc. to be stolen in case a burglar breaks into your home. Hide that safe in a difficult-to-reach place like in a closet inside your basement or an attic.
TIP! Buy a safe. This will help to keep your jewelry and other valuables secured in the event of a break in.
Buy a safe. This is important, since you don’t want your valuables exposed to a potential intruder. Keep your safe in a hard-to-get-to place, such as a basement closet or your attic.
You should never give details about your vacations and other plans on social networks. It’s natural to be excited about your trip, but this is as good as throwing out the welcome mat for people who know your home is unoccupied.
TIP! Don’t post information about an upcoming vacation anywhere on the web. It’s natural to be excited about your trip, but this is as good as throwing out the welcome mat for people who know your home is unoccupied.
Don’t post online when you’ll be away from your home. While these platforms are there for sharing, this is announcing to the world that your home is an open target.
Ask friends for some advice before choosing home security companies and systems. They probably have both positive and negative things to tell you, and those comments will help you make your own decision. By asking around, you will gain information about the pros and cons of a variety of options.
TIP! Before agreeing to work with a security company, check with your friends and family for recommendations. It is probable that you will hear some great stories about some companies as well as some not so great stories about others.
Never allow a stranger to enter your home. Even if their story is compelling, they need assistance or want to sell you something. Some people want to enter your home just to see if there is a security system in place. They may be scoping the place to come back when you’re gone.
Turn the ringer off on your telephone if you are going to be away. If the phone continues to ring while you’re gone, this lets an intruder know that the home is empty.
TIP! When you’re going away, turn off your phone ringers. 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.
Use your garage for what it was intended: your car. Keeping your car secured will prevent people from vandalizing it. If you keep your car in the garage instead of in the driveway, it is harder for thieves to know whether you are at home or not.
Never open the door for a stranger. Burglars have many clever ways to convince householders to open the door. Never open the door to anyone you do not know.
TIP! Don’t open your door when strangers are knocking. Burglars have many clever ways to convince householders to open the door.
Regardless of the quality of your home security system, you need to check it annually. Call the company and have them send someone to check it out. A number of things may cause your alarm system to have problems, including mother nature and wild animals. If you aren’t paying attention, you may not be aware of these problems.
Changing the locks is a fundamental part of adding security to the home. Perhaps your roommate left town or you have gone through a messy divorce, and you need to feel that the home is safe. It doesn’t cost much and they can usually show up within a day.
TIP! Changing your locks first can help make your home much more secure. If you have boarders, former live-in partners, or others who once had access to your home, this is especially important.
Changing your locks first can help make your home much more secure. Whether an old roommate left or a relationship ended, changing your locks is a good idea. Most locksmiths can accomplish the job within 24 hours.
Find a home security company you can trust. This goes for the installer, too. There is nothing wrong with asking for a different technician if you’re uneasy. Your security system is supposed to help you, not cause you more stress.
TIP! When choosing a home security firm, trust your instincts. If you are hesitant about the company, your gut feeling is especially important.
Those that live in rural area are not as concerned about having their home invaded as those who are located in the city. However, there is the belief that rural dwellers are more susceptible to break ins simply because there are no nearby neighbors. Some people, though, believe that you will not be at risk for a burglary.
When a security company wants in your home ask for an ID and see if they’re in uniform. Criminals can easily pretend to be from a security firm as a means to gain entry to the house. This can lead to harm befalling your family and possessions. Be cautious to stay away from those potential dangers.
TIP! Before you let security company representatives into your home, check their ID. They might not be who you think they are.
You can hide your valuable items inside your walls. You do not have to damage your walls to keep your valuables safe. Your home should have a few pre-cut areas that can be used. Why not take the guts out of an electrical socket you’re not using? You can convert it into a convenient and covert little wall safe.
Before allowing anyone into your home, check their references carefully. For a relatively small fee, you can also run a background check for their criminal history. There is no way of knowing whether or not service people are honest, so you should not give them keys to your home.
TIP! Don’t let any service people into your home without checking their references completely. Don’t be afraid of conducting background checks to determine if they have a criminal history.
Security System
A simple way to increase your home security is to add motion lights around the house. These lights provide extra light for your home and are very cost efficient. Whenever you properly position these lights, they will make it almost impossible for burglars to sneak in.
TIP! Add motion detector lighting to the exterior of your home for increased security. In the evening, lights will help keep your home safe, and will add little in the way of extra expense.
If you install a security system, make certain to hide the wires well. An intruder can easily disable your security system by cutting the wires. Make sure the wires are installed inside the walls of your home. You’ll be safer.
Before signing up for home security, find out how long they’ve been in business. A long-standing company has a track record in the industry that people can attest to. You can feel confident when you choose a well established, reputable home security company.
TIP! An important part of vetting any security company before you sign a contract with them is finding out how long they’ve been providing security services in your community. Any business with multiple years of history has a proven record in being reliable.
If you have purchased any large and/or expensive items, do not throw the boxes away until the day before the trash man is scheduled to come. Having these boxes outside of your house will give robbers the temptation of robbing your house.
Look into wireless security systems. A wired system might cost less, but they can require extensive rewiring work and may be rendered useless if the power fails. The easy of installation and maintenance when it comes to wireless set-ups makes them the best bet.
TIP! Wireless alarm systems are a great investment. A wired system should be less expensive but you might have to spend your money on getting your home rewired.
Always check references before letting anyone work on your home. Do not hesitate to hire someone to run a background check if you have doubts. Avoid giving keys out to contractors, maids and repairmen.
If you haven’t bought a paper shredder yet, make it a point to do so. Thieves are likely to steal documents that include your personal information if they can find them. You can tear your documents up by hand before disposing of them if a shredder is out of your price range.
TIP! Purchase a paper shredder to prevent your discarded papers from providing burglars with valuable information. Thieves may look through your garbage for information.
Rather than getting a security system put in, there are lots of other things you can do to add protection. Purchasing a firearm, building a fence and acquiring additional locks are all options available to you. Keep this advice in mind when attempting to make your house a more secure place.
If you plan to go away and have asked someone to get the mail, see if they will also remove fliers that may have been left at the door. Some burglars place fliers to see if they’ll be quickly removed. If a flier remains on a front door for a number of days, the burglar knows the homeowner is away.
TIP! If you are going to be out of town for more than a day or so, have someone check your mailbox and door for mail and fliers. Sometimes burglars leave fliers in an attempt to see if anyone is home to remove them.