Many people picture a tedious and annoying process when it comes to securing your home, especially when installation specialists come into your home. Nonetheless, the process doesn’t really need to be difficult. Read the following article for some great tips on how to properly secure your home.

Always have the locks changed when you buy a new home. You cannot be sure of the number of key copies that the former owner gave out. To make sure you are the sole person with access to the home, engage the services of a locksmith. If you lose keys, make sure to do this, too.

Change all of your locks when you move in. There is no way to ascertain how many keys the previous owner handed out. Find a good locksmith who can replace the lock and make a few copies of your key. This is also the thing to do if you lose the keys.

The best home security systems do much more than sound the alarm (literally). Many can be set for sounding their alarm if anyone enters. This could be valuable for parents who have small children, making them aware when their kid has closed or opened a door.

Do not open your door for strangers. Nowadays, thieves are creative when thinking of ways to get homeowners to open a door and let them in. Make a house rule forbidding anyone to open the door for an unexpected visitor.

Secure your garage. A lot of garage owners fret over burglars entering this way, but there are answers. Use a C-clamp to secure the door if it’s off track.

Skylights could be a problem for the safety of your home. While they are an excellent source of natural light, they are also an easy way for thieves to enter your home. Make sure your skylights have reliable, heavy duty hardware in place.

Use your walls as hiding spaces. You do not have to cut pieces out of the walls to do this. You can find areas in your walls that are pre-cut and use those. Consider unwiring an electrical socket that isn’t used and storing your valuable jewelry.

Eliminate dead vegetation and wood in the yard in the summer. They pose a fire risk. Clearing your yard keeps your home, belongings and family much safer.

Lock your home when you leave, even if you don’t think you will be away for long. It may be shocking, but many home invasions and burglaries occur by intruders walking through the front door that was left open. It can be a quick job for a burglar to steal items of great value.

If you’ve bought large or pricy items, avoid throwing out boxes until the day the trash is scheduled for pick-up. They show the world you have money and lots of valuables inside.

Keep your car in your garage if you have one. If your car is locked up inside, it cannot be stolen or vandalized. When your car is hidden, it will be hard for intruders to tell if you are home or not.

Unless you’re moving into a brand-new apartment or home, changing the locks should be one of your top priorities. The person who used to live there may still have a key. You can do your own installation to make sure that no one else has a key.

When you hire a type of home security company, read the contract’s fine print before signing. There may be hidden costs in the event you wish to cancel before the end of the contract. This may also be true if you need more or different equipment in the future. These are costs you’ll want to avoid.

Hide your valuables in the walls. If you own smaller things that need protection, think about keeping them hidden in the walls. You can use phone jacks or electric outlets as hiding spots. If you do not have any unused plates, it is easy to install a false one.

Look online for a reputable home security business. Research the possibilities, check out package options and pricing and analyze customer feedback. Then, you can choose a top three to contact and compare details and pricing.

Your landscaping should be designed based on what will be safest for your home. Don’t provide burglars with cover by planting big shrubs in front of your doors and windows. If they are visible, people won’t be able to hide there while trying to break in. This should be planned in advance for your safety.

After making major (i.e. expensive) purchases, don’t dump the packaging out front if your next scheduled garbage pick-up is several days away. Exposing the box to view ahead of time signals a burglar that he will find this item in your home.

If you do not already have a paper shredder, you may want to think about investing in one. Many thieves sift through trash for personal info and to figure out when you plan to be away. If you can’t afford to buy a paper shredder, tear your papers up into tiny bits before throwing them away.

Equip your home with a system designed for home surveillance. Installing hidden and visible video cameras are great for securing your house. Cameras that can be seen are an excellent tool for preventing most burglars from breaking into your home. However, if they are brave enough to try to disable your cameras, hidden cameras will capture them. Some security systems are accessible via mobile phone, which lets you look in on your house when away.

Were you aware of how valuable your house wires are? People don’t realize this until it is stolen. The wiring contains valuable copper than can be quickly stripped from a home. In order to protect yourself from this risk, make sure wires on your house are difficult to find and hard to access.

A dog is a great alarm system. Dogs are quite protective of their masters and home, and they can display quite a bark if someone comes near the house. You do not need a large, vicious guard dog. Even small dogs can keep intruders away since they don’t want lots of noise when committing crimes.

Spring Latch Locks

Anytime you come home and notice that the door is open whenever you are quite certain you closed it, don’t enter on your own to investigate. You have no way of knowing whether the thieves are still inside. The best thing to do is call the police and wait for them to arrive before doing anything else.

Don’t have spring latch locks installed. They are simple to open if you have 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. If you’ve already got spring latch locks, you can put in a deadbolt for additional security.

When you are out of the house, your drapes and blinds should be fully closed. Leaving the curtains up invites people to peer into your living room. If their eyes fall on something they like, they are going to think about breaking in. Also lower them while you are sleeping.

Think about getting a wireless security system for the home. Wired systems could cost less, but they can also require intrusive electrical work inside your house and can fail when the power goes out. On the other hand, wireless systems use their own power and have easier installations.

Using a timer on lights is a great idea. You will not have to expend as much energy taking care of the lights, but you will still be able to make sure your house is illuminated when you want it to be.

Make sure that your valuables are kept in a secure location. This includes important documents, jewelry and keepsakes. Floor safes are excellent locations for keeping these particular items safe inside your home. You may even choose to store them outside your home in safety deposit box.

If you don’t own a paper shredder, it would be a good idea for you to buy one. Thieves are likely to steal documents that include your personal information if they can find them. If you cannot afford a paper shredder, rip papers up into small pieces.

You can use other ways to boost your home’s safety instead of installing a type of home security system. Between purchasing a firearm, installing more locks or putting a fence up, you have many choices. Remember these tips to make your home more secure.