It is up to you as a homeowner to make sure you keep your home safe. There are a wide range of security solutions available to you, depending on your circumstances. Read on for some excellent ideas on keeping your home secure.

Protect your spare key by using your dog. Really this works only if you have a pet door or if your dog is an outdoor dog. Put a key on the dog’s collar so you have access to it when necessary!

Your home should looked occupied all the time. Put timers on the TV, lights and radios. This will give the appearance that someone is at your house at all times. This is a simple way to improve your home’s safety and make it less attractive to criminals.

It is a good idea to replace all the locks on the new home you buy. You don’t know who might have a key. To make sure you’re the only person that can get into your home, contact a locksmith. If you lose keys, make sure to do this, too.

Spare Key

Only allow maids and cleaning services to have a key to the house if they are known to be trustworthy. Make sure you know they are legitimate before giving out the key. Check the housekeeper’s references very carefully. Call the Better Business Bureau to see if their firm is well-reviewed.

Place the spare key that you make on your dog. Really this works only if you have a pet door or if your dog is an outdoor dog. Simply attach a spare key to your dog’s collar (in a secure and non-visible place, of course) so that you’ll be able to retrieve it if you need it.

Do you keep your dog outside if you leave the home? Use him or her to help hide your spare key! Stash the key on the pup’s collar to keep it out of sight. If your dog is suspicious of strangers, you have found a good hiding place for your key.

Buy fire resistant flooring, roofing and ceiling. This will add an extra protection layer for your house, particularly if you live near power lines or in a dry location. Because of the amount of damage fires can cause, it is important to protect your home from them.

There are more features to a home alarm system besides making sounds when people break in. Most systems could sound an alarm when someone enters the home. This is important to parents who have small children, because they will want to know if the children have opened a door.

Don’t open your door if a stranger is on the other side. Criminals can be endlessly inventive when it comes to generating a convincing story to force their way into your home. No matter how sympathetic the story, remember that it could all be a put-on. Make it a rule in your home that you only open your door to people who you were expecting.

Secure your garage. There is a solution for people that are worried about burglars going into their home through an attached garage. If the garage door lifts via a track, you can use a C-clamp to stop your door from opening at the hands of intruders.

Attached Garage

Determine what sort of home protection services or programs the local police department has to offer. There are plenty of things that can be done, from a safety walk to cataloging expensive items to help protect your investment and your family. Talk with local police to see if they offer these programs.

You need to be sure the attached garage of yours is secure. Many people worry about burglars getting into their attached garage and then entering their home, but there is a fix. If your garage door happens to lift on a track, using a C-clamp can help. the C-clamp prevents the door from opening if it’s tightened on the track close to the roller.

Make sure to have your home inspection system maintained on at least an annual basis. Call the company and have them send someone to check it out. The weather and animals are two things that may cause havoc on your home’s security system. If it’s not visible, you might not even know there’s a problem.

You should clean your yard of vegetation and dead wood. They pose a fire risk. Keep these cleared away regularly to maintain your home’s safety and to keep it in good shape.

Rural areas are just as prone to break-ins as cities. On a different note, some people believe homeowners in more rural areas are more likely to experience robberies because of the lack of nearby neighbors. Some people think burglaries are less prevalent in rural parts.

It’s a good idea to have motion sensor lights installed. These lights will turn on if anyone walks too closely to your home. Not only will you know that someone is out there, it will also deter burglars because they want to be inconspicuous. Just remember that you must change the bulbs often in order to keep the lights working in order.

If you have skylights, do not neglect them when making sure your home is secure. Though skylights bring light into your home and look nice, it is also a very common way for burglars to get into your home. Fix your skylights so they cannot be accessed as an entry point by intruders.

Don’t forget to secure your skylights too. They look great and provide light, but also are another access point. Fix your skylights so they cannot be accessed as an entry point by intruders.

Use the space in walls to store your prized possessions. This doesn’t necessarily involve chopping up your walls, either. Many places around your house have areas that are already pre-cut. Perhaps you could deactivate a few unused electrical sockets to use as a place to store stuff.

Be cognizant of what others can see when they look in your windows. Large windows at the home’s front can be beautiful, but it can make it easier for criminals to see inside. If your windows face a street, be sure they’re always covered and have your valuables safe.

When installing your home security system, make sure to hide the wires. An intruder can easily disable your security system by cutting the wires. Hide them in the walls or bury them underground to keep people from tampering with them. You’ll be safer.

Be certain the wires to your home security system are neither visible nor accessible. You don’t want a burglar to get access to them and disable your system. Make it hard for intruders and bury the wires or hide them inside your walls, if possible. Your safety will increase.

Ask for ID before letting anyone into your home. Intruders can easy pass themselves off as an employee of a security company just to get inside your house. This proves rather dangerous for both your family and also your valuables. Be cautious to stay away from those potential dangers.

If you are moving into a new home, change the locks right away. Even if you’ve gotten a key from the previous owner or tenant, there could still be a lot of people out there who have keys to your home. If you own, you can have the locks replaced and only you will have had the key.

Think about what you need to feel safe before considering security systems. While alarm systems are great, they aren’t necessary for every family. Sometimes you may just want to invest in a dog or self-defense classes. Know the risks so that you can make a better decision.

When searching for methods of improving your home’s security, a great, inexpensive method of doing this is purchasing exterior lights with installed motion detectors. Motion detection lights will turn on as soon as something or someone enters your yard. Intruders will not be able to sneak into your home if you place your motion detector in the right spot.

A wireless home security system could be just the option you are looking for. A wired system is probably less expensive, but wires are a hassle. Wireless options are easy to install, need less maintenance and are not dependent on the home’s power source.

Having read this article, you now know what it takes to create a safe and secure home. It may seem overwhelming right now, but it must be done. Let the advice you’ve received here help.

Shred any documents and junk mail that contains identifying information. Many thieves sift through trash for personal info and to figure out when you plan to be away. You can also simply tear papers with personal information into small bits before you discard them.