Keeping your family and your home sage is a common concern. Sad to say, home burglaries, fires and damage caused by natural disaster are quite common. Continue reading to educate yourself on home-security strategies to keep your home and loved ones safe from all potential threats.

It is important for your home to always look lived in. You can buy timers to have radios, TVs, lights and other electronics go off and on at different times. This will make your home look like someone is in it. That means burglars will pass right by.

After you purchase a new home, change the locks. You’re not aware of any copies that have been made by the previous owners of the house. To ensure that you are the only one who has access to your house, call a locksmith. Do the same thing if you misplace your keys.

You should always change the locks after purchasing a home. You cannot be sure of the number of key copies that the former owner gave out. Find a good locksmith who can replace the lock and make a few copies of your key. Also, if you ever lose your keys, do the same.

Consider the advice of your friends when selecting your home security company. This will help you to reduce the stress that you have on your search for a good one. Ask around so that you can have the advice that you need to make a good choice.

During the summer, remove all vegetation and dead wood from your yard. As the summer heat rolls in, there is a higher chance that these can catch on fire, putting your home at risk. Regularly clear away your yard to keep your home in good standing and safe for your family.

Your garage should be as secure as your home. Intruders could easily break into your garage and access your home. Get a C-clamp to secure your garage door if it is mounted on a track.

Put motion sensor lights around your house. When a person approaches your home, the lights will blaze. These lights will make you aware of, and can also scare off, potential burglars. However, make sure to put in fresh bulbs every now and then.

Clear away all the dead and dried out vegetation around your home in the summer. When summer heats up, such debris can catch fire. Keep these cleared away regularly to maintain your home’s safety and to keep it in good shape.

Change your locks if someone you don’t trust moves out of your home. Whether you have a roommate who is about to move out, or a relationship that has run its course, it is a good idea change your locks. Changing the locks can typically be done very cheaply and quickly.

Store your car in the garage if you have it. Keeping your car in your house will deter intruders from vandalizing or stealing it. This can also keep people from knowing your schedule.

No matter how soon you plan to return home, you should lock your doors. It is more common than you would believe for a thief to find a home, try the door and walk right in when it’s unlocked. A thief can take plenty of valuables in minutes.

The fist thing you’ll need to do for home security is to get new locks. As time passes, keys end up getting into the wrong hands. It is usually inexpensive and can be done in less than 24 hours.

Make sure your home’s exterior is well lit. Criminals like to blend into the shadows, so do your best not to provide too many for them. Install lighting anywhere a possible intruder might break in. Some examples include first story windows, garages, doorways and porches.

Don’t forget to secure your skylights too. Although skylights provide your home with a lot of light, it is also very helpful for burglars to break in. Make sure that you use safety hardware when the skylights are installed and maintained.

Think about getting a home security system that is wireless. Systems that are wired are cheaper, but they need unattractive wiring inside your home and may malfunction when you have a power outage. Wireless options are easy to install, need less maintenance and are not dependent on the home’s power source.

The walls are a perfect hiding place. If you need to protect expensive items in your home, put them inside the walls. You can use phone jacks or electric outlets as hiding spots. If you don’t have unused plates, it’s easy to put in a fake one.

Invest in a good paper shredder. Thieves can often be found looking through garbage cans in search of personal information found on bills and credit card slips. If you can’t afford to buy a paper shredder, tear your papers up into tiny bits before throwing them away.

When selecting an alarm set-up, think about getting one that protects not just the doors in your home. Burglars can gain entry through your windows as well. Be certain they are also alarmed and monitored. This is the pinnacle of safety.

If someone looks after your house when you’re gone, have them remove fliers from the door. Crafty burglars will leave fliers on homes, and check to see if they’re being removed as a means for determining whether or not the home is vacant. If the flier isn’t removed, the burglar knows the homeowner isn’t there.

Be sure to replace all locks on a home you have bought. While the person you bought the home from may seem on the up and up, you have no idea who they really are. Bear in mind that other people may have lived in the home before the previous owner.

It is a good idea to invest in video surveillance for your home security system. Video cameras are a great deterrent. Visible cameras can scare intruders, and hidden ones can catch them in the act. You can often view these feeds over the Internet, too.

If you are moving into a home that had a previous owner, then you should immediately change the locks. The previous tenant or owner may not have the keys, but you don’t know if they made copies for themselves or others. This will help safeguard that there is no one else with your key.

Put the boxes of any expensive electronic items in your trash can so would-be burglars won’t know see them. Don’t advertise that you have expensive new equipment! Remember to cut up the boxes when they’re emptied.

To increase your home’s security, buy some outdoor lights that are motion activated. These lights provide extra light for your home and are very cost efficient. Intruders will not be able to sneak into your home if you place your motion detector in the right spot.

Is your street number on your house visible from the street? If an emergency happens, the police can’t get to the home as quick if your numbers are obscured in any way or are too small. Fortunately, it doesn’t require much to fix this problem.

Be sure to read all of the fine print to any contracts you plan on signing for a security company. Look out for hidden charges and surprises, especially if you need to cancel the contract early. Try avoiding these fees when you can so that you know about them.

A great protection against burglars is owning a dog. They are protective of their home and owner and will alert you if someone is on your property. Your dog doesn’t have to be a big, burly attack dog. Small dogs also have the ability to scare away burglars who definitely don’t want lots of ruckus when they appear.

You need to get a good home surveillance system. Video cameras are a great deterrent. Cameras that can be clearly seen have a powerful deterrent effect, while concealed cameras are difficult or impossible for intruders to disable. 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.

Don’t use spring-latch locks. They are simple to open if you have a credit card. Intruders can pick these locks by wedging a credit card in between the latch and the door. If you have already installed spring latch locks, consider adding a deadbolt for even more security.

If you have roommates or kids who you do not want in certain areas of the house, you do not have to lock the doors and carry around a ton of keys. You can have key-less locks which require a code. Either you or a security company can install them.

Your security company might give you the option to lease and eventually buy your security equipment. Buying it may cost more, but this means there are no monthly charges. The cost of leasing is lower at first but adds up over time. Evaluate both alternatives and choose the best option for yourself.

Always keep your shades, curtains and blinds closed when you are not at home. If you leave them open, potential burglars can look in and case the joint. It could be enticing to break in if they notice something that’s nice. You ought to turn the curtains down if you are sleeping as well.

Never make the password to your keypad your birthday. Your birthday is readily available for burglars to find. Choose a math equation and make the answer your code, and make sure to keep the equation in mind.

Ask whether companies offer options to lease or buy your security equipment. It might cost more at first when buying the equipment, but you don’t have the extra cost each month. The initial cost of leasing may seem low, but you may be required to sign a long term contract and it may carry a higher monthly fee. Look into both choices to know which one is better for your personal circumstances.

Think about a security system that is hard-wired if you really have concerns about maintenance costs. The wireless ones are convenient, however, they need multiple battery sets that must be changed frequently. If you neglect to switch out the batteries regularly, your security system won’t function properly. It can also be pretty expensive to replace batteries.

You need to take your car registration documents out of your car. If someone accesses these documents, they can determine your address. Ideally, you should carry your registration in your wallet or bag. If you must leave them in the car, pick a less obvious hiding place. However, make sure you have them in case you were to get pulled over by the cops.

Using a timer on lights is a great idea. This makes your life a bit easier, and it means that your lights will still be lit even if you are away from long periods of time.

Many things can affect the safety of your home, and it’s important that you consider many different things. The article you’ve just read contains numerous tips on how to keep your home safe, regardless of the treat. Make use of these tips to keep your home secure at all times.

Replace flimsy doors with doors made of solid wood or metal. These doors hold. A burglar trying to kick in such a door is going to be in for some pain. Make sure to replace exterior doors for the cheapest amount possible.