What is a safe and secure home worth? Do you think home security companies are too expensive? Are you seeking inexpensive home security solutions? They do exist, and they are much more cost-effective than you may think. You can find some cheap, easy ideas in this article.

Use your dog as the protector of your spare key. This works with a dog that stays outside or a dog with a pet door. Attach the spare key to your dog’s collar. By doing this, you have a handy spare key whenever you need it.

Don’t give the keys to your home to a professional cleaner unless you trust them completely. 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. Be sure to make sure their references check out. If the person is an employee of a firm, call your local BBB to check their reputation.

After you purchase a new home, change the locks. The person who previously owned the home may have made copies of keys. Find a good locksmith who can replace the lock and make a few copies of your key. Do the same thing if you happen to misplace a key.

Never allow a stranger to enter your home. Even if their story is compelling, they need assistance or want to sell you something. Some criminals will come in, case your house and then come back when you are away.

Turn the ringers off on all your phones if you will be away for a prolonged period of time. A ringing phone that goes unanswered may signal to a burglar that nobody is home.

Do not open your door for anyone you don’t know. You never know who they might be, despite their story. Make it a rule in your home that you only open your door to people who you were expecting.

Avoid opening the door if you don’t know who is standing on the other side. Many people are devising many different schemes to get into homes and burglarize them. Create a rule where you only allow those you’ve invited to your home inside.

In summer, take care to trim back branches and plants near the house. They pose a fire risk. Keep your family and your house protected by regularly clearing out your yard waste.

Eliminate dead vegetation and wood in the yard in the summer. Due to the heat, these items in your yard are more likely to catch on fire. As a result, your home could be caught on fire. Clear yard regularly to maintain your house safe.

Put up motion activated lighting. These kinds of lights will pop right on when they detect motion near your home. Not only will you know that someone is out there, it will also deter burglars because they want to be inconspicuous. Test the bulbs frequently, though.

Always have your security system checked each year. Make certain the security company you choose provides for regular inspections. The weather and animals are two things that may cause havoc on your home’s security system. You might be unaware of problems that arise in some cases.

Do you have skylights? If so, you should keep them in mind when protecting your home. While they are there to let light in, if you do not care for it properly it could also let in a thief. Skylights need to be installed correctly and safely, with hardware that will keep intruders out.

Don’t put extra keys under doormats or in planters. While it may seem like a convenient way to give you access to your home, intruders are aware of this practice. Potential burglars know the usual hiding places. Rather, give your spare key to a neighbor or friend that you trust.

Keep valuables hidden within the walls. You needn’t tear down your walls to do this. There are lots of places around the home that have pre-cut areas that you can use. Perhaps you can use an old electricity socket as a place to hide your valuables.

Even if you’re not going to be gone long, keep your home locked. This is often a surprise, but the majority of burglaries are due to someone just waltzing right into an unlocked home. Thieves can make off with large amounts of valuable merchandise very quickly.

You cannot have a home security system unless it is affordable to you. If the higher-end options are out of reach, at the very least deploy some economic options and tricks. This piece has offered lots of good home security ideas. They may be the best defense and worth the cost.

The wiring outside of your home can be valuable. Lots of people fail to appreciate this until they are hit by thieves. The copper wiring can be stripped and be turned in for money. To protect this expensive asset, hide your wires or make them hard to get to.