You’re in the right place if you’re looking to learn something about the topic of home security. You should not settle when it involves something this important. Educating yourself will help you make the right decisions. Read on to learn about the choices you have.

Man’s best friend can also be trusted to secure a spare key. This works with a dog that stays outside or a dog with a pet door. Hide a key inside the collar of your dog in case you need a spare.

Do you have a dog that stays in your yard when you’re not at home? This is a good spot for keeping your spare key. Attach the key to the dog’s collar so that it is hidden from view. This is very effective if your pet is afraid of strangers; therefore, burglars are not very likely to notice the key.

After you buy your new house, get new locks. You never know how many copies of the keys the previous owners made and handed out. Call a locksmith to make sure you’re the only one with access to your home. Be sure to cal a locksmith if you were to lose your keys as well.

Look at the prices for all of the security systems that you are interested in. Wild variations in pricing can exist for similar security products. Get at least 3 quotes from security system companies and compare features and services as well as monthly costs.

Good home security systems sound a loud alarm when breached, and that’s not all. They often even alert you to any time a door is opened. It’s a great feature for parents as they can tell if a child is potentially leaving the house.

Think very carefully about where to hide your spare key. Above a door frame or under a mat are not smart ideas. A better place to keep your key is inside your outside dog’s collar.

The police department in your area may offer a home protection program. Many police departments offer programs that can include home inspections, home security training and more. Get in touch with the department to determine their offerings.

Don’t let strangers enter your house. Even people who claim to need help may be out to harm you. 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.

You have a choice on who installs your security system, don’t be afraid to say no if something doesn’t feel right. You are giving someone unlimited access to your home, so be sure the installer doesn’t give you a bad vibe. You don’t want to refrain from choosing a different company or technician. After all, you’re investing in a system that helps you to feel safe, so make sure the process involved in obtaining that system does the same.

Check out your garage to ensure that it is secure. Intruders can enter your home through an unlocked garage door. However, you can use a C-clamp to help keep the door secure.

Always lock your house, even if you are only going to be away for a few minutes. It may be a little surprising, but most burglaries and break-ins happen because the intruder just walks right through an open door. Thieves can steal a lot of valuable stuff in mere minutes.

Eliminate dead vegetation and wood in the yard in the summer. This sort of thing is a fire hazard in the heat of summer. Clearing your yard keeps your home, belongings and family much safer.

If you bought any big or expensive things, wait until trash day to throw away the boxes. Empty boxes for expensive new gear serve as advertisements to potentials thieves; don’t make it easy for them to spot such tempting targets.

Your home security system ought to be checked each year. This should be performed by a technician from your security company. Mother nature can sneak in and cause many problems. If it’s not visible, you might not even know there’s a problem.

Replace all locks in a new house. Regardless of how you feel about the sellers, you never know someone’s true intentions. If the previous owners have never changed the locks, there could be people out there who owned the house before them and still have keys to your house.

Consider changing your locks as a part of your home security program. Changing the locks will ensure that you are the only one who knows the combination. It is generally cheap and may be done in a little under a day.

If your door is set in a rotted frame, you must replace the frame. Rotten wood can be removed in order to get inside your home. Replace this old wood if you want to keep your house safe.

When dealing with a company installing your home security system, it is important that you trust your gut. You should be very picky when it comes to letting people inspect your home. Ask the company to send a different installer or simply change companies. After all, you’re investing in a system that helps you to feel safe, so make sure the process involved in obtaining that system does the same.

Your flashlights should always be equipped with good, working batteries. Flashlights are critical, and provide you with the freedom to move about as needed. Also show your children how to use them so they can help out in emergencies.

If you reside in a small town or rural area, then you might not be as worried about someone breaking into your home as city dwellers may be. Due to the distance between neighbors, some think rural areas are more likely to have intruders. Still there are those that think that burglars are not as likely to target rural areas.

If you move to a dwelling that has had prior occupants, make sure you get the locks changed. Although other tenants might not have a key anymore, they could have copied it. You can do your own installation to make sure that no one else has a key.

If your home has skylights, don’t neglect to secure them. Skylights are nice to bring extra light into your house, but they are also easy ways for burglars to enter your home. Check that skylights have heavy duty hardware that can stand up under unwanted tampering.

Keeping your home well lit at night can help keep the burglars away. Most intruders avoid anything that could reveal their identity. With a well lit home there is no place for burglars to conceal themselves. If you want to stay secure, keep your house brightly lit.

Don’t put spare keys inside plant boxes or beneath the welcome mat. While you may feel that you are keeping yourself safe by allowing a way in for yourself, you are also allowing everyone else to visit whenever they want. Burglars are well aware of such hiding places. If you have a neighbor you can trust, have them hold your extra key.

As the company that is doing your home security how long they’ve been providing this service. Look for a security company that is well-established and has extensive experience in the industry. Knowing you are not dealing with a fly by night company gives you extra peace of mind when making this important decision.

Always lock your home when you leave it, no matter how soon you plan to return. It is more common than you would believe for a thief to find a home, try the door and walk right in when it’s unlocked. A thief can steal your most valuable possessions in a short amount of time.

Think about a wireless security system for your home. While wireless systems are often cheap, the cost of installation can be sky high. A wireless system is easy to install, and will not become inoperable if your power goes out.

Don’t allow the wires of your home security system to be visible to others. Burglars can easily cut the wires if they are visible. Hide them in the walls or bury them underground to keep people from tampering with them. This will make you much safer.

Keeping a dog provides a great way to boost your home’s defense. Dogs are protective of turf and generally make noise when something is wrong. A common misconception, though, is that you have to have a large animal to be safe. Even small dogs can deter criminals just by making noise when something is afoot.

Can you read your house numbers while in the street? During an emergency crisis, smaller numbers prevent emergency personnel from finding your home quickly. There is a cheap and quick fix if you see an issue.

You want your blinds and curtains closed if you’re away from your 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. If they see something they like, they will then break in. It’s good to have them down at night, too.

If you’ve got guests that you don’t want in particular areas of the home, close the area off so it is not accessible. Get key-less locks that need a code. Either you can install them or home security companies can.

Never keep the registration papers for your vehicle in your glove compartment. This isn’t smart because that information contains your home address. Keep these papers on you or hide them under a seat in your vehicle. They have to be available if the cops pull you over.

Keep your car registration papers on you at all times. If someone accesses these documents, they can determine your address. Keep these papers on you or hide them under a seat in your vehicle. You must have them on hand if the police stop you.

Put in a door that is solid wood or metal. Those are the most durable materials available. These materials make it difficult for a would-be thief to break down the door. It’s a good idea to replace all your exterior doors with more secure ones. It really doesn’t cost a lot.

Think about a security system that is hard-wired if you really have concerns about maintenance costs. As nice as wireless systems can be, the constant charging and battery changes can become tedious and expensive. Also, your home will not be protected if you neglect to use fresh batteries. It’s also very costly to replace a lot of batteries at once.

Investing in a home alarm is great, but only if someone calls the police when it goes off. Purchase a centrally monitored alarm to reap all the security benefits possible. It is not good enough to depend on your neighbors being able to call for you.

If your family room window is facing the street, keep the curtains drawn every night. There is no need to have outsiders looking into your living room. If potential thieves notice any expensive valuables within your home, they might target you. Make sure and minimize what is visible to the public so as to reduce the likelihood of becoming a target.

Common security problems in homes include sliding glass doors. They are easy to unlock, all they require is a bit of lifting and shaking. You have to secure them, so use a piece of pipe in the track. This will help keep the door tightly closed and make it hard to open.

You should be able to take the information you’ve read here to propel yourself forward into the home security realm. Installing the right system and service and having the right knowledge is essential. Make use of the excellent ideas provided here to ensure your home and family’s safety.

The most secure sort of lock is a deadbolt that includes a captive keylock. These have a thumb latch that prevents others from reaching around and opening the lock via a nearby broken window. Always leave your key in the door when you are home so you can leave quickly if you have to.