Having a secure home is something you surely take seriously and something you don’t want to forget about. Unfortunately, it can often be tough to know where to begin. Read this article to learn some very helpful strategies to help you get started.

Be very cautious about entrusting a maid service with a key to your home. Only select service people who are totally trustworthy. Carefully check their references. If your cleaning person comes from a company, check with the BBB.

Be sure that your home is always occupied. There are timers you can use to make electronics turn on and off at random times. This makes people think you’re home. This is just one of the many precautions you can take to secure your home.

There are more features to a home alarm system besides making sounds when people break in. Many systems can alert you whenever anyone has entered your home. Parents riding herd on small children will be thankful for this feature which makes it harder for kids to sneak outside without supervision.

It is a good idea to replace all the locks on the new home you buy. There is no telling how many key copies were made and given out by a previous owner. To ensure that you are the only one who has access to your house, call a locksmith. Also, if you lose your keys, change the locks.

Don’t just hide your spare key anywhere. The doormat is too obvious of a place to hide it, as robbers will look there first. For a better solution, try tucking your spare key into your dog’s collar, provided you have an outside dog.

Talk to people you know about their security systems. They have likely had interactions with home security providers that they can tell you about, saving you time and stress. Spending a few days asking for reviews is useful in helping you choose correctly.

Don’t let strangers into your home. Burglars are getting creative, and they will do anything they can to gain access to your home. Establish a rule where you and your family only open the door for expected visitors.

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.

It is important that you check your home security system periodically, at least once a year. The security company should have a specialist come to look at it. There are many things that can be problematic with regards to home security systems, like wayward wild animals and the environment. If the problem isn’t visible, you may be unaware of it.

Never allow a stranger to enter your home. There are some people who are very convincing and good at getting you to let them into your house. There are some people who will just come in to see if you have a home security system, and if you do not, they could come back later when you are not home.

It’s a good idea to have motion sensor lights installed. If someone enters their proximity, they will light automatically. Not only will they notify you of movement, they will also deter potential burglars, as thieves want to remain as inconspicuous as possible. Remember to keep working bulbs in them at all times.

Be sure to keep your car in your garage rather than filling your garage with stored belongings. In this way, your car will be safer. Protect your car from vandals by keeping it in the garage. This can also keep people from knowing your schedule.

The first thing to do is get your locks changed out. Anyone from an old roommate to a former tenant could have access to your home if you leave the old locks in place. It is inexpensive, and most locksmiths will be available for next day appointments.

Rural areas are just as prone to break-ins as cities. The risk is still there, so a home security system is vital. Others think that rural places have less of a chance of being targets for burglars.

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. Letting such packaging sit out will signal to criminals that there are good things to be found in your house.

Walls are great for hiding things. You can hide small valuables in your walls. Repurpose phone jacks and electrical outlets as tiny wall safes. If there are no unused plates, you can easily install fake ones.

Inquire with your home security service as to how long they’ve been in business. A long-standing company has a track record in the industry that people can attest to. You may not feel as safe if you opt to go with a company that has not been in business for long or that does not have a stable history.

Do not let people on the street see valuable items in your home. Though it is nice to have big windows to get a great view of the outdoors, it is also easier for burglars to look into your home. You always want to make sure you keep your valuables covered if they are by a window.

Consider buying a paper shredder for your home. You will be astonished at how burglars find important information from loose paper that they could use to break into your house. You can also simply tear papers with personal information into small bits before you discard them.

The wiring on your house is valuable to burglars. Many people are not aware of this until they are stolen from their home. Copper is expensive and most wiring is composed of it, so stripping it is a great way for crooks to make a quick buck. Be sure to hide your wires or make sure they are hard to get to.

Don’t leave the boxes of any high priced electronics on the curb of your house. A burglar may see the box and decide to target you as a result. Break down the box, and take it to the local recycling center.

Equipping each room in your house with a reliable flashlight (charged with good batteries, of course!) is an excellent safety investment. It is extremely important that you have flashlights because they allow you to move around easier in the dark, which is especially useful in an emergency. Keep in mind that your family might be separated during a power outage, and make sure you children know where to find and how to use your flashlights.

Keeping people out of various areas of your home does not have to involve using multiple locks and keys. Code or fingerprint enabled keyless entry locks are a great solution. You can have keyless locks installed by a security company or you can do it yourself.

Any time you let a stranger into your home that is doing some kind of work, it is best to ask for references. For a relatively small fee, you can also run a background check for their criminal history. There is no way of knowing whether or not service people are honest, so you should not give them keys to your home.

Inquire about different choices for contract lengths available from the home security provider. There are likely pros and cons to each. Longer contracts may offer more affordable monthly payments; however, it may be hard to cancel that contract should you decide to change services or sell your house. With a shorter contract, you will have a greater level of flexibility. The downside is you will also have larger monthly bills.

Keep your home’s exterior well lit. Nothing is as attractive to a burglar as a dark, deeply-shadowed house. Install lights by each and every entryway to your home. This extends to doorways, porches, garages and lower windows.

Do not use locks with spring latches. Just one credit card can get a burglar access to your home. Intruders simply use a credit card inside the latch, making the lock open. If this is the kind of lock on your doors, strongly consider adding a deadbolt for safety.

If you get home and notice an open door, do not go in to see what has happened. This can be a dangerous scenario, as the criminal might still be present. Request that the police come and have them go in and check it out, before you go in yourself.

Avoid storing car registration in your glove compartment. If someone steals your car, this will tell them where you live too. You should keep them on your person, or find another place in your vehicle to hide them. If a cop pulls you over, you will need them anyway.

Try to stay away from spring latch locks. These locks are easy to pick, and it can be done with an ordinary credit card. A card can be placed between the latch and the door, and this will open it. If you have spring latches already installed, consider adding deadbolts too.

Are you worried about the costs of ongoing maintenance? Then, consider using a security system that is hard-wired. Systems that are wireless are convenient, but the batteries required can be cumbersome. If you neglect to switch out the batteries regularly, your security system won’t function properly. It’s also very costly to replace a lot of batteries at once.

If you want to live with peace of mind, then you know you have to see to the security of your home. There is no doubt about it. Learning all you can about home security will assure you have a safe home and peace of mind.

You should invest in a timer to turn lights on and off at regular times. This can simplify your life, but it also makes your home appear lived in if you are away.