Arming yourself with home security knowledge is something everyone should do. It is necessary, though, to sort through the large volumes of information that exist on the subject. Start with this article and go on from there.

Home security systems have additional features to just being noise alarms. Most of them can be programmed to alert you to anyone entering your home. For families with young children, this is excellent for alerting when a child has entered or left the house.

Why not give your trusted dog the job of holding onto your spare key? In order to make this work, your dog either needs to stay outside or have access to a pet door. Attach the key to your dog’s collar, and it will be handy if you ever need a spare.

Use a safe to protect your valuables. This ensures during a break in that the most important things are not stolen. Keep your safe in a hard-to-get-to place, such as a basement closet or your attic.

Home security systems aren’t just about sounding alarms. Many systems can be used to go off whenever anyone enters your home. This is a good way to know if your small child has opened a door or closed it.

Hide your spare key in a place where no one would think to look for it. Avoid cliched hiding places like over the door frame or beneath the doormat. Experienced criminals will check these places immediately. Try hiding your key on a lawn statue or in a potted plant.

Do not post on your social media accounts regarding when you will be away on vacation. This can indicate that your home will be free and vulnerable during the time.

Buy fire resistant flooring, roofing and ceiling. This is a good way to protect your home against fires, for instance if you live near power lines or in a dry area. Stopping fire hazards is a key precaution to take since the damage it causes can be considerable.

When you’re going away, turn off your phone ringers. A home phone that rings and rings is a good way for a potential thief to know if anyone is home.

It doesn’t matter how much money you spent, you should have an annual test. Make certain the security company you choose provides for regular inspections. A number of things may cause your alarm system to have problems, including mother nature and wild animals. Sometimes it is very difficult to see the problem if you don’t know where it is.

Don’t allow a complete stranger to come in your home. Burglars are getting creative, and they will do anything they can to gain access to your home. Never open the door to anyone you do not know.

Motion-sensor lights can alert you of a robbery before it even happens. These lights will come on if someone walks near your house. They will notify you of any movement and can deter any possible burglars since they like remaining inconspicuous. Don’t forget to replace the bulbs when they burn out.

In summer, take care to trim back branches and plants near the house. This sort of thing is a fire hazard in the heat of summer. Keep these cleared away regularly to maintain your home’s safety and to keep it in good shape.

If you do not reside in a big city, you may not worry as much about home burglaries. People who live in the country may even be more vulnerable because they do not have nearby neighbors. Still there are those that think that burglars are not as likely to target rural areas.

If you have a garage, increase your home security by using it to house your car, rather than just for storage. It won’t be vandalized or stolen this way. Besides, intruders will have a hard time determining whether or not you are home if you keep your car inside your garage.

Don’t forget about the skylights when securing your home. Skylights are a wonderful addition to any home, but they also tend to be weak spots that intruders take advantage of. Make sure that you use safety hardware when the skylights are installed and maintained.

A secure hiding place can be created in a wall. Small valuables fit nicely inside walls. Simply take advantage of an unused switch plate, electrical outlet, or phone jack. If you have no unused plates, you can easily install false ones.

The walls are a perfect hiding place. Small valuables fit nicely inside walls. Just access unused switch plates, outlets or phone jacks. If you’re using all your outlets, you can install phony ones.

Consider hiding valuables within your walls. You needn’t tear down your walls to do this. There are many spots in your home that already have areas that are pre-cut. An unused outlet can be taken apart, and the space used to create a tiny hidden safe.

Don’t hide an extra key under a rock or in a planter. Though you may think you are giving yourself a way into your home if you lose your key, you are actually inadvertently inviting intruders into your home. Thieves are familiar with these hiding spots. Try having your trustworthy neighbors hold spare keys.

Always lock your house, even if you are only going to be away for a few minutes. Break-ins are often the result of unlocked windows and doors. Thieves can steal a lot of valuable stuff in mere minutes.

Criminals often pick houses where they can see the valuables inside. 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. You always want to make sure you keep your valuables covered if they are by a window.

The number one thing you must do if you’re moving into a new place is have the locks changed. Although the previous owner should not have a key, there is no way for you to know this. You can also put the locks on yourself so you can be sure no one else has a key.

The alarm system you choose should protect more than just the doors to your home. Each window represents a possible entry for your thief. Every single entry point needs to have monitoring on it. With this method, your family will be safer.

Security Company

If you’ve bought large or pricy items, avoid throwing out boxes until the day the trash is scheduled for pick-up. Having these boxes around for a while will give people an idea of what is inside your house.

When allowing a representative from any security company to enter your home, look for someone in uniform and ask to see an identification. Potential burglars can easily claim they are security company representatives so that they can enter your home. This leads to danger. Be careful to avoid this sort of danger.

Keep a flashlight with good batteries in every room of your home, just in case you lose power. They will help you get around in case your entire home is dark. 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.

Think about safety when designing your home. Don’t provide burglars with cover by planting big shrubs in front of your doors and windows. These types of places provide the perfect cover for prowlers. For a beautiful yard that’s also safe, keep the landscaping separated from the house.

Before letting a home security representative inside, ask for identification. Thieves can pass themselves as workers, which can end up in a robbery of your home. Intruders could disguise themselves as home security representatives to inspect your current security system. Be cautious to stay safe.

Ask the home security company about how long they’ve been running prior to signing up. Companies that have been around for years have shown that they know the industry and that their services are reliable and great enough for recommendations. You get better peace of mind if you deal with someone you know you can trust for the long haul.

Get some professional assistance by asking a home security company to come to your house and work up a plan for a customized security system. Everyone has specific needs and wants when dealing with the security of their house, belongings and family. By locating the company that will create the best plan for you, you will be assured you are receiving the best possible home security.

If you get home and see the door is slightly open, don’t go inside by yourself to investigate. This can be quite dangerous because the burglar may still be on your property. You should call the cops and then wait for them before you do anything else.

If you don’t own a paper shredder, it would be a good idea for you to buy one. Many thieves sift through trash for personal info and to figure out when you plan to be away. You could also simply take care to tear up your discarded papers.

See if your firm gives you the choice of leasing and/or buying security equipment. While you will pay more to buy, you don’t have to keep paying for it month after month. Sometimes it’s more affordable to begin with a lease, even though a continued lease may be costly in terms of ongoing higher monthly fees. Look into both choices to know which one is better for your personal circumstances.

Keep your curtains pulled tight when you are away from home. If they remain up, criminals will have no problem seeing right into the house. If their eyes fall on something they like, they are going to think about breaking in. Curtains and blinds should be drawn shut while you are asleep.

Every homeowner needs to learn about home security. It will take good sense to sift out the helpful information from that not useful to you. Keep these tips handy, so you can refer back to them as you proceed to make your home more secure.

Take to your security company, and find out if they have motion activated lights. Many companies offer this, and it causes the lights on the outside of your home to go on as soon as someone approaches an entry way. This provides added security when you enter the premises and can be a great burglar deterrent.