It is a homeowner’s responsibility to keep their home secure. While an alarm is a good place to start, there are other steps that can be equally effective. Continue reading to see how you might be able to improve your home’s security.

Make sure your home appears occupied. Have electronics and lights with timers and set them to go off at various times. This way it will always look as if someone is home, even when you are away. This will keep people from breaking in.

Be sure your home always looks occupied. You can purchase timers that can control your household electronics such as lights, TVs and radios. This will give your home the appearance of someone being there. This will help safeguard your house to the best of your ability.

Consider using your dog as a place to store your spare key. This only makes sense if your dog is outdoors a lot or you have a pet door. Just place your key on your dog’s collar.

Make sure you trust your house cleaner before you provide them with a key. If they will be there over an hour and you are thinking of giving them your home key, be certain they are honest, reputable and hard-working. Read through their references very carefully, and don’t hesitate to follow up on their references to ensure they actually exist. If your cleaning person comes from a company, check with the BBB.

Home security systems have additional features to just being noise alarms. Many systems can alert you whenever anyone has entered your home. This could be valuable for parents who have small children, making them aware when their kid has closed or opened a door.

Get a good safe to store your valuables in your home. You can’t have your valuable personal items and jewelry out in the open for anyone to see. Your safe should be placed somewhere it is not readily noticeable.

Don’t just hide your spare key anywhere. Too many people put their extra key under the mat in front of their door; burglars know to check there. Instead, try hiding a key on the collar of an outside dog.

You can hide things in your walls. Small items of value can be hidden for safety in your home’s walls. Place them in switch plates, phone jacks or an electric outlet. Anything not used currently makes a good spot for hiding.

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 you may want to let others in on your excitement, it may inadvertently give burglars a heads up to target your property.

Do not be shy. Be friendly with people that live in the neighborhood. Watch their houses, and ask if they’d do the same. Do not ignore gossip either. You never know what sort of security issues you might become privy to.

Do not let people on the street see valuable items in your home. Large windows allow you to keep an eye on who is approaching your home, but keep in mind that potential intruders will be tempted if they can see your valuables. You always want to make sure you keep your valuables covered if they are by a window.

Trust your instincts when it comes to hiring a home security company. If you are hesitant about the company, your gut feeling is especially important. Never hesitate to has for a new technician or even go with a different company altogether. You need to feel secure with the entire process.

You should not hide your spare key under your mat or inside a plant box. While it can help you if you’re locked out, you could be letting intruders inside your home. Burglars are familiar with these hiding spots. A better option is to entrust an honest neighbor with a spare key.

Don’t just consider alarming your doors when you’re considering an alarm system. Your windows should also be protected because burglars can also break into them. Be sure your alarm is secured to them all and that monitoring is in place for every point of entry. With this method, your family will be safer.

Always lock your doors, even if you are just walking down the street. It may be a little surprising, but most burglaries and break-ins happen because the intruder just walks right through an open door. It does not take a long time for a robber to pilfer items worth thousands of dollars.

If you bought any expensive or large items, don’t throw the boxes out until the day trash is scheduled to be removed. Empty boxes might draw the attention of robbers and let everyone know you own new and expensive goods.

Even the wires inside your home are worth something. This is something few homeowners realize until they become victims of wiring theft. The copper in the wiring is valuable and can be stripped off of the outside of the home in a relevantly short period of time. Make sure the wiring is concealed or difficult to access in order to keep this valuable item safe.

Security Company

When allowing a representative from any security company to enter your home, look for someone in uniform and ask to see an identification. Thieves often pose as security company representatives in order to enter homes and look for valuables. This can be risky for you and your belongings. Be careful if you want to avoid danger.

It is important to always have fresh batteries and flashlights handy around the house. This is important for you to be able to see should your power go out or you suffer an emergency. This can come in handy if someone has cut your power and is attempting to break in.

Before allowing someone into your house, be sure to carefully check their references. A background check may also be a good idea. 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.

Think about having a wireless security system for the home installed. While the wired systems are less expensive, they usually mean rather intrusive wiring for your house, which can also go out during power outages. A wireless system is easy to install and to maintain. Besides, you will still be able to count on your wireless system in case of a power outage.

If you are moving into a home that had a previous owner, then you should immediately change the locks. The previous tenant or owner may not have the keys, but you don’t know if they made copies for themselves or others. You can purchase and install locks yourself to make sure only you have the key.

You should be able to put the suggestions provided above to good use in your quest to improve the security of your home. Though it may all seem overwhelming, it is essential if you are to keep your loved ones and belongings secure. With the excellent information presented here, you can do just that.