If you own a home, you should learn how to protect yourself. You need not read copious amounts of material, however! The information from this article can help you establish the things you need to do and help you implement a home security plan.

Place your spare key securely on your dog’s collar. If your dog lives outside or is able to come and go through a dog door, this is a viable idea. Latch the key on his collar and voila–you have a spare key available!

Only give your house key to a professional house cleaner if you trust them. If you do give out a key to such individuals, be certain you know their reputation for honesty. Ask for references and check them thoroughly. If the person is an employee of a firm, call your local BBB to check their reputation.

Any time you buy a new home, have the locks changed. You will want to have a unique combination to stay secure. To ensure that you are the only one who has access to your house, call a locksmith. Do the same thing if you misplace your keys.

Provide the house key to your professional house cleaner, but only if you fully trust them. If they need the keys and plan on being in there for more than an hour, try to ensure that they are honest, hardworking, and reputable. Carefully check their references. If you are using a cleaning firm, make sure it has an excellent Better Business Bureau rating.

Keep your jewelry, vital documents and other expensive items in a safe. This ensures during a break in that the most important things are not stolen. Hide that safe in a difficult-to-reach place like in a closet inside your basement or an attic.

It’s important to shop around before you settle on the right security system for your home. Most companies have different price schemes for the the same general level of protection. Before choosing which company to go with, ask for quotes from a minimum of three companies.

Spare Key

Fire-resistant building materials are the way to go, both inside and outside the home. This adds an extra layer of protection to your home, especially if you live in a very dry area with power lines. You can enhance home safety with excellent fire precautions.

Carefully consider where you hide your outside spare key. Placing a key above a door or under a doormat is quite obvious! For a better solution, try tucking your spare key into your dog’s collar, provided you have an outside dog.

Get advice from your friends before selecting a provider for home security. It is probable that you will hear some great stories about some companies as well as some not so great stories about others. This can save you the hassle of having to research everything on your own. Be sure you seek out advice by asking those people.

Ask friend for any advice they have prior to purchasing a security system or service. 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.

During the summer, remove all vegetation and dead wood from your yard. This sort of thing is a fire hazard in the heat of summer. Keep your family and your house protected by regularly clearing out your yard waste.

Do not be shy. Talk to your neighbors. You’ll find that friendly neighbors make for a powerful support network. Keep an eye on their properties and they’ll respond in kind. Don’t ignore any gossip either. It is often a good way to find out about security issues, such as strangers in the neighborhood.

You should not let anyone inside your home. Even people who claim to need help may be out to harm you. There are people that just want to go into your home to see if you’ve got a type of home security system, and if they see that you don’t, they’ll return when you’re not home.

A skylight is another area that needs to be protected for home security. While they are there to let light in, if you do not care for it properly it could also let in a thief. Having heavy duty, reliable hardware is best when it comes to skylights.

Walls can be a great hiding spot. Jewelry and other small items can be protected very well when placed in hiding places in your walls. Any phone jack or electrical outlet that isn’t being used is a great place to hide valuables. You can also just put in a false plate to cover a hiding place.

If your garage is attached to your home, always keep it secure. Intruders can enter your home through an unlocked garage door. Use a C-clamp to secure the door if it’s off track.

Make sure the wires of your home security system are completely hidden. If the wires are exposed, an intruder can bypass the system by cutting its wires. Hide them in the walls or bury them underground to keep people from tampering with them. It will keep your family safer.

Make sure that the person analyzing your home for a home security system is who he says. It is very common for thieves to pretend to be company reps in order to get into your home. This is dangerous for your family and your possessions. Use caution to stay out of danger.

If you’ve got skylights, don’t neglect them when ensuring your home’s security. Although skylights provide your home with a lot of light, it is also very helpful for burglars to break in. Your skylights should have strong components that can withstand tampering.

Check someone’s references carefully before letting them come into your home. For a relatively small fee, you can also run a background check for their criminal history. You can’t always be sure that maids, service workers or contractors are honest, and therefore giving out keys can be a big error.

Always go over the small print on contracts offered by your home security company. You may find fees appear unexpectedly, including excessive costs for ending your contract early. You are going to want to avoid these kinds of hidden fees, so know about them up front.

The wires that are on your house are very valuable. Many people do not realize this until a crook steals it off of their home. The reason they are valuable is because of their copper. A burglar can easily strip off your wires from the outside of your home very quickly. Be sure that you keep all your wiring hidden and make it hard to access.

Keep your outdoor areas well lit. Burglars prefer the cover that night provides their criminal activities. Make sure to have lights anywhere an intruder might enter. This can include garages, doorways, porches, and even near any windows on the ground floor.

It is a good idea to invest in video surveillance for your home security system. Installing hidden and visible video cameras is great for securing a home. Cameras that can be clearly seen have a powerful deterrent effect, while concealed cameras are difficult or impossible for intruders to disable. You can sometimes access security systems using your cell phone, keeping you informed on the go.

Keep a flashlight with good batteries in every room of your home, just in case you lose power. Having a well-charged flashlight on hand is very beneficial in case of emergency. This can come in handy if someone has cut your power and is attempting to break in.

Keep blinds, shades, and curtains closed when you’re not home. Potential intruders will see what you are doing and get an idea of how many valuables you own if you keep your blinds open. They’re going to want to get in your house if they can see items they want. Close your drapes or blinds while you are asleep, too.

Don’t keep your car registration inside the glove compartment. This isn’t smart because anyone can reads them can see where you live. Hide them somewhere else in the car, or carry them with you. They should be close, though, since you’ll need them if you get pulled over.

If you hire a security company, read any fine print. There may be some hidden fees, or a need to buy more equipment later. You’ll want to avoid any surprises so be sure and read your contract carefully.

Safeguarding your home is one of the most important things any homeowner can do. Unfortunately, sorting out the good information from the bad can be difficult. It’s great to remember this information if you need to become more knowledgeable about home security.