Do you know much about home security systems? If you’re lost when making this decision, you must learn more about it. The cost of securing your home can be high, so read on to find out more about affordable solutions.

Always make your house appear to be occupied. Buy timers so that lights, radios, TVs and all other electronics turn on and off at various times. Potential intruders will stay away from your home if they believe someone is inside. This will keep people from breaking in.

It is important for your home to always look lived in. You could purchase timers and have your TVs, lights, radios and other types of electronics to go on at various times. In this way, it will always seem that someone is in your home. This is a simple way to give people up to no good think that you are home.

Your dog could carry a spare key for you. Of course, your dog has to be an outdoor dog (or you at least need to have a doggy door) for this to work. Just hide a spare house key on the inside of your dog’s collar. Then when you need an extra key, you will be able to access this one.

Let a house cleaner have your keys only if they can provide you with references so you can verify their trustworthiness. If you plan to give them a key so they can clean in your home while you are away, ensure they are reputable and honest. Check references thoroughly. If you hire a cleaner who works for a company, speak with your local BBB about the company’s reliability.

Annual check-ups are important for alarm systems. Get someone from the security firm to inspect it. There are many things that can reduce the quality of your system. If it’s not visible, you might not even know there’s a problem.

Look at the prices for all of the security systems that you are interested in. Prices vary significantly, even for similar levels of protection. Make sure you get quotes from at least three companies before you decide on which one you think is the best option.

Install lights that use a motion-sensor. If someone enters their proximity, they will light automatically. They will signal movement to you but will also serve as deterrents to the thieves. Get in the habit of checking and replacing the bulbs as necessary to ensure the lights remain effective.

A spare key must be carefully hidden and not in the obvious spots that a person might think. Doormats and door frames are predictable places that burglars will always check. Try hiding your key somewhere more unique, like your outside dog’s collar.

When having a company install your security system, you must trust your feelings. This is particularly true if you’re uneasy with those that install your actual system. Don’t hesitate to request a different technician or to hire a new company altogether. The system and the company should put your mind at ease.

Police Department

Your home may be equipped with skylights, and if so you must not neglect them in your security planning. Skylights are a great addition to any home, but they are also tempting entryways for crooks. Keep them secure with heavy duty hardware that closes them off to potential thieves.

Consult with your police department to find out about good programs for home protection. The police can offer you some great advice, help you engrave valuables and even come check out your home. Contact your local police department to find out if they offer this type of program.

Be sure your expensive belongings are not visible from the home’s exterior. Having large windows in front of your home may be a great way to see what is happening outside, but it can also give crooks a view inside your home. You always want to make sure you keep your valuables covered if they are by a window.

Use your garage for your car and not for storage. This will keep it away from thieves and vandals. Keeping your car out of sight is also good for thwarting burglars’ attempts to determine when you are likely to be away from home.

Do you know how valuable the wires within your home are? Often homeowners are unaware of this fact until they find that their wiring has been stolen. A skilled intruder could remove all the copper from your home within less than an hour. This is why the wiring should be hidden or difficult to get to.

Annual check-ups are important for alarm systems. Get someone from the security firm to inspect it. Many different things can make problems for your security system. The problem might not be obvious to you, though.

Replace rotted wood that surrounds your door frame. Rotted wood can be easily removed by thieves. Find a reliable contractor who can replace the door frame for you.

Be brave! Speak with your neighbors. Keep watch of their homes when they are away, and ask if they will return the favor. It does not necessarily pay to steer clear of gossip. You could learn important security information, such as if strangers have been lurking around the neighborhood.

You can make your home safer by investing in some motion detectors and outside lights. At night, not only will these lights be handy to light up areas around your home,they are also a cost-effective and efficient security addition. If they are positioned correctly outside of your home, your motion detectors can make it impossible for strangers to sneak around.

Use your walls as hiding spaces. This doesn’t necessarily involve chopping up your walls, either. You can find areas in your walls that are pre-cut and use those. Perhaps you can use an old electricity socket as a place to hide your valuables.

Criminals are much less likely to target your home if it’s well lit. These crooks do not wish to be noticed or seen. When you have a well-lit home, crooks won’t be able to hide and it will be hard for them to break in undetected. Keep your lights turned on during the night.

Be sure your expensive belongings are not visible from the home’s exterior. While having huge windows may be good for letting in light and viewing what is outside, it also gives potential thieves a good look in your own home. Keep your curtains drawn to keep your valuable items safe.

The areas outside your home should be kept well lit. Criminals like to blend into the shadows, so do your best not to provide too many for them. So it’s smart to put a light in typically darker corners around your home. Be sure to consider your front and back porch, garage, ground floor windows and any basement entryway.

You want an alarm system that protects more than your doors. Windows offer easy access to a potential thief. The alarm and monitoring system should be set for all windows and doors. Do this to keep you and your family safe.

If you plan to be away and you have another person collecting your mail, have them double check your front door for fliers. Burglars have been known to put these up, waiting to see if they are removed or not. If the flier is not removed, it’s easy for a burglar to suspect that the owner is away.

When installing your home security system, make sure to hide the wires. Easily-accessible security wiring is a definite weak point in your home’s protection; the best alarm system in the world is useless if it’s easily disabled. This is why it is so important to make sure all your wires are well hidden. You will be much more safe.

Your dog is a great tool for protecting your home from intruders. Man’s best friend is very territorial and makes a lot of noise during anything happening out of the ordinary. There is no need for a mean, big dog either. Small dogs are noisy and unpredictable and very good at deterring burglars.

Do you feel better now that you’re more knowledgeable about home security? This added knowledge will help you make a better decision when choosing a system. Once you know more about home security, start comparing different products and making changes to your habits so you can protect your home and your family.

There’s an easy way to secure interior doors (if there are areas you want to keep housemates and children out of) without obliging you to carry a key-ring around at all times. Some locks will allow you to punch in a code to gain access to the room. You can either install these locks by yourself, or have them professionally installed if you are not that handy yourself.