If you are a homeowner, you realize the necessity of security. Few feelings are worse than seeing your house damaged or, worse, destroyed. Your home is more than your biggest investment, it is a place where you build memories. Keep reading for ways to make sure your home remains protected.

Be sure your home always looks occupied. Timers can be used to turn lights and televisions on and off when required. This way, your house will always look occupied. It is also another way to secure your home.

Does your dog remain outside while you’re gone? He or she is actually a great place to store your spare key. Attach your spare key inside the collar of your dog. If your dog is suspicious of strangers, you have found a good hiding place for your key.

Do you have an outdoor dog? You might consider leaving your spare key with your dog. Find a place to securely fasten the key to your pet’s collar where it’s not visible. Especially if pets don’t like strangers, this can be a useful way for having easy access to your house.

Home security systems aren’t just about sounding alarms. Many systems sound an alert whenever people enter the house. This is important to parents who have small children, because they will want to know if the children have opened a door.

It’s important to comparison shop for alarm systems. Prices for home security systems can vary and they do not all offer the same services. You really owe it to yourself to solicit firm quotes from three different providers before you sit down to pick one.

Compare different systems when looking into home security. Some companies offer comparable levels of protection that can be priced very differently. Make sure to obtain quotes from a minimum of three companies prior to deciding on a final one.

Before agreeing to work with a security company, check with your friends and family for recommendations. 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.

The materials of your home should be fire resistant. This helps protect your home when you dwell in a more dry climate. Stopping fire hazards is a key precaution to take since the damage it causes can be considerable.

If you own a garage, be sure to use it to place your car, as opposed to using it as a storage. This will keep it away from thieves and vandals. Hiding it will help to deter people from tracking the times you aren’t there.

Shut off phone ringers inside the home if you’re going to be gone for quite a while. A ringing phone that goes unanswered may signal to a burglar that nobody is home.

When choosing a home security firm, trust your instincts. This is very true when you feel uneasy about the person installing the system. You don’t want to refrain from choosing a different company or technician. You need to feel secure with the entire process.

Don’t let strangers into your home. Nowadays, thieves are creative when thinking of ways to get homeowners to open a door and let them in. Make it a habit to only open your home’s door to people you were expecting.

If you have skylights, do not neglect them when making sure your home is secure. Although a skylight can bring light into one’s home and look good, it’s also a common entrance way for burglars. Your skylights need durable and reliable hardware for true protection.

Secure your garage. Lots of folks are concerned about burglars gaining access to the garage and then the home, but this can be addressed. If your garage lifts up on a track, try using a C-clamp. This will prevent your door from opening up if the clamp is close to its roller.

Keep valuables hidden within the walls. It is not necessary to cut out pieces from your wall. Take a closer look at your walls and note just how many access points there are already. Remove the wires from an electric socket you do not use so you can hide your valuable jewelry.

Keep your car in your garage. Keeping the car in the garage can keep thieves from vandalizing or stealing it. Additionally, if your car is put away, burglars will not be able to tell whether or not you are home.

Never place a spare key in a plant box or under your welcome mat. You may believe you are making life easier for yourself, but you may just be giving thieves simple access to your house. Thieves are tricky, diabolical, and familiar with any and every hiding place. The wisest course of action is to leave a spare key with a trusted friend or a reliable neighbor.

When dealing with companies that install home security systems, it’s important to trust your gut. This goes for the installer, too. If you simply are not comfortable with a company’s technician, request for another technician or simply hire another company. After all, you’re investing in a system that helps you to feel safe, so make sure the process involved in obtaining that system does the same.

Be sure to replace all of the old locks as soon as you move into a new domicile. You don’t really know the people you purchased the house from or all the folks they shared keys with, so don’t place too much trust in the old locks. Don’t forget that there were likely other owners and residents in the house before the last set.

A wall is a great hiding place. Small items of value can be hidden for safety in your home’s walls. Just take advantage of the phone jack, electrical outlet or unused switch plate. A security store will sell fake plates you can install anywhere.

Buy flashlights with strong batteries and make sure there is one in each room in case of power outages. The flashlights are important because they make you able to get around the house in an emergency. Show your children how to use them so everyone in the family is involved.

Be sure to replace all of the old locks as soon as you move into a new domicile. While the person you bought the home from may seem on the up and up, you have no idea who they really are. Keep in mind that other people may have lived in the home prior to the seller.

If you arrive home and you see that your door is ajar, never enter to investigate on your own. A thief might still be in there, which could put you in danger. Your best bet is to call the cops and wait until they arrive before you do anything else.

Get a custom-designed plan that fits your needs by having the security company do a site visit in your home. Everyone has specific wants and needs when it comes to securing their home, family and belongings. You’ll get the best protection by using a company that can tailor a plan to your requirements.

It’s a good idea to install a surveillance system in your home. Placing hidden and visible video cameras is a good way to keep your home secure. Visible cameras are a deterrent to most intruders, and should they decide to disable them, a hidden camera will continue to capture footage. Find a security system that gives you the option to view the video feed from your phone so you can check on your home at anytime.

Keep your home’s exterior areas illuminated well. Burglars tend to commit crimes at night. Install lighting anywhere a possible intruder might break in. Consider all your doors, porches, patios, decks, garages and all ground-level windows.

The best method of preventing a burglar from breaking into your garage is preventing people from seeing inside. Add some frosted glass panes to your windows to keep strangers from looking inside. Also, don’t leave your door open for long periods of time when you work there.

What do you need to personally feel safe? While these systems could be good for protecting your family, they aren’t for everyone. Some neighborhoods feel more safe than others, but a good security system definitely makes you feel more safe. Be sure to assess the risk level you face before making big decisions.

Take extra measures to keep valuables that cannot be replaced secure. This can include items like important photos, passports, pricey jewelry, and legal documents. Purchase a safe with a lock to store all of these items. What is even better is the safe deposit box at your bank.

Always request that your house or pet sitter remove fliers from your door. Burglars sometimes tack these up and watch to see whether or not they are removed. If it stays where they put it, they will know you are on vacation.

Become chummy with your nosey neighbor. If there are unfamiliar people hanging around, the busybodies in your neighborhood will notice. If you are friendly with them, it increases the chances of them alerting you right away.

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If you are female and live by yourself, you are a major target. Consider putting some large, dirty boots on your porch so that it looks like the man of the house is home. This will give criminals second thoughts and make your home a less tempting target.

Do not purchase spring latch locks. This type of lock is extremely easy to break. Anyone with a credit card can do it. They can put the credit card in between the latch and door to open the lock. If your doors have locks that are spring latch, add a deadbolt for extra security.

Locks inside are great, but you must be able to lock your home from the outside as well. Use a deadbolt which has a key on the outside and inside for the best security.

Do not make a number-code password your birthday or other obvious number. Your birth date is easy information to obtain. Use a number you can remember through some trick of memory known only to you, making it difficult for someone else to figure it out.

Dog owners, especially those with large, tough pets, have a leg up in the home security game. A barking dog will keep most intruders away. You should consider adopting a large dog that can be trained to protect you and your family.

Set up a timer to turn your lights off and on at regular intervals. This is simpler for you to avoid flipping the switch and can make the lights turn off and on even if you’re gone a long time.

Refrain from buying a security system from a re-seller. Resellers just want to make money off your purchase, but they don’t give guarantees. Whenever you buy straight from the company, you are assured you are paying the right price and that the equipment will cater to your needs.

As stated in this piece, making sure your house is safe need not be tough. You just have to know some good ideas concerning home security. Use these ideas to boost your home’s security. Don’t neglect these tips because you could use them to ensure your house’s safety.

The wiring on the outside of your home can draw burglars in. Found in electrical equipment, copper can be bought at a high price. Hiding your wiring will thwart robbers from removing the copper and leaving the bill with you for the extensive repair costs.