Even though home security means a great deal to virtually every homeowner, many of them are woefully under educated on the subject. Therefore, the best method of keeping your home safe is by educating yourself on the matter. Give this section a read for tips on home security.

Once you buy a house, switch out the locks. You have no clue how many people were given keys by the former owner. To make sure you have the only access to the home, hire a locksmith. Make sure you do the same thing if you lose your keys sometime.

Use your garage for your car, not just storage. 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.

Do you have an outside dog? If so, you can use your dog to hide your spare key. You can attach your key to your dog’s collar in order to keep the key hidden. This is the perfect place to store a spare key, especially if your dog doesn’t care for strangers.

You need to go with your gut instinct when it comes to negotiating and dealing with a home security installation company. This is especially important when it comes to the company employees who will be installing your system. If you simply are not comfortable with a company’s technician, request for another technician or simply hire another company. Your security system is supposed to help you, not cause you more stress.

Home security systems are able to do more than just sounding the alarm whenever you have an intruder. The majority of systems are able to be set to put out an alert when any individual enters the home. Parents riding herd on small children will be thankful for this feature which makes it harder for kids to sneak outside without supervision.

People who live rurally often don’t think about home security. The risk is still there, so a home security system is vital. That said, stranger things have happened.

Purchase a safe to lock all of the extremely valuable items in your home in one place. You would hate for your expensive jewelry, personal family belongings, etc. to be stolen in case a burglar breaks into your home. Keep your safe in a hard-to-get-to place, such as a basement closet or your attic.

Don’t forget about the skylights when securing your home. Intruders could use skylights to enter your home. The hardware that secures your skylights should be sturdy and durable.

Turn off your phone’s ringer when you go on vacation. A loud ring that goes unanswered can alert people to the fact that you aren’t home. This makes you more likely to be the victim of a burglary.

If you make a large purchase, like a big screen television, don’t simply set the box out in front of your home. Having these boxes outside of your house will give robbers the temptation of robbing your house.

Eliminate dead vegetation and rotting wood from the yard each summer. They are a potential fire hazard during warmer months. Keep your yard clear of debris to keep your house safe.

Be sure to replace all of the old locks as soon as you move into a new domicile. Regardless of how you feel about the sellers, you never know someone’s true intentions. And, other people could have lived in the home previously to them as well.

Check with your local law enforcement agency about home protection plans. They often offer home inspections, seminars and even the ability to purchase items. If your police department does not offer these programs, find a private security company.

Replace rotten wood near door frames. Anyone who wants to get into your home can easily pry away rotted wood and slip right into your home. Find a reliable contractor who can replace the door frame for you.

When selecting an alarm set-up, think about getting one that protects not just the doors in your home. Windows need to be monitored too. Therefore, ensure the windows have an attached alarm. All potential entry points should have an alarm. This is just one more thing you can do to protect your home.

Make sure your flashlights have charged batteries and are found throughout your home. This is important for you to be able to see should your power go out or you suffer an emergency. Train your kids how to use flashlights so that all members of the family can contribute.

When you purchase big, expensive items be sure to break down the boxes and take them to the recycling center yourself. These boxes sitting outside your home serve as a flag for thieves to target your home.

One of the best things you can do to protect your home at night is to deter intruders with plenty of exterior lighting. They do not want to be seen. If your home is well lit, thieves won’t have any place to hide, so they may not want to steal anything from you. Keep lights on in the evening for a safer home.

Were you aware that your home’s wires are valuable? Often homeowners are unaware of this fact until they find that their wiring has been stolen. Copper wiring is very valuable and susceptible to being stripped from the outside of your home. Hide the wiring and make it harder to access to prevent this from happening.

When you landscape your house, make it safe. Do not obstruct doors and windows with plants or furniture. If they can be seen, people will not hide there and attempt a break-in. Plan features like these further from your home to have a safe, beautiful design.

Buy flashlights with strong batteries and make sure there is one in each room in case of power outages. Flashlights are critical, and provide you with the freedom to move about as needed. Teach everyone in your home to use the flashlights so all family members can see and help each other.

Use a wireless security system. While a wired system is more affordable, it also requires more extreme modifications of your home’s existing wiring. This could be a potential problem in the event that your power goes out. Systems that operate in a wireless environment can be easier to manage and are not as likely to cause extensive rewiring issues.

Screen the references of anyone who would have access to your house. Do not hesitate to hire someone to run a background check if you have doubts. It is not a good idea to give anyone a key to your home, even contractors or repairmen.

If you don’t own a paper shredder, get one. Thieves are likely to steal documents that include your personal information if they can find them. If you cannot afford a paper shredder, rip papers up into small pieces.

A good way to scare off intruders is to keep your house lit at nighttime. They don’t want visibility. Good lighting in your home means that crooks have no hiding places. Keep lights on during the night.

Install a surveillance system in your home. This will allow you to see who is around your house. If a burglar can see them, they are likely to go away. Many surveillance systems will allow you to access them through your cell phone; therefore, you can ensure your home is safe even when you’re gone.

Whenever you are landscaping your home, you should consider safety. Doors and windows should not be obstructed by trees, plants or shrubs. No one can easily break into a window which everyone can see. Keep this in mind as you design.

See if your security company only sells equipment, or if they will lease it to you instead. It may be more expensive to buy equipment at the outset; however, you may save money in the long run if you are free from monthly payments. Leasing is cheaper, but there may be hidden fees and contracts. Look at both of these to see what works for you.

Ask the home security company about how long they’ve been running prior to signing up. A long-standing company has a track record in the industry that people can attest to. It can ease your mind when you know you’re not doing business with a company that might not be around tomorrow.

You need to take your car registration documents out of your car. This isn’t smart because anyone can reads them can see where you live. You should make sure to keep them on you, or store them somewhere safe in your car. Remember, you do need to be able to access them quickly if you get pulled over by a policeman.

Do not store your car registration in your glove box. These valuable documents provide criminals with information about your home location. You should keep them on your person, or find another place in your vehicle to hide them. Make sure you can easily and quickly access them in the event that a police officer pulls you over.

If your door has a numeric keypad lock, never make its password your birth date. Your birthday is readily available for burglars to find. Make it something that is unique and that you can remember.

Keep your most valuable possessions secure. Photos, passports, important documents and heirlooms should be kept where they can’t be stolen or damaged. A floor safe is a great place to keep these items within the home. For added safety, place them in a safety deposit box at your bank.

If you have valuable items that cannot be replaced, you must keep them under lock and key. Irreplaceable valuables, including financial records, family photos, legal documents, passports, etc., should be secured at all times. Keeping such valuables under lock and key (in a floor safe, for example) is a good way to provide the extra protection they need. Or, a better idea, is to place them in a deposit box outside of your home.

Sliding glass doorways can pose security hazards. Intruders can easily unlock these doors by simply lifting and shaking. If a security system isn’t attached to these doors, then insert pipe to place into the door channel. This holds the door firmly in position. Even if the lock is broken, the door will still be held closed.

If you have windows that are open to the street, be sure and cover them at night. Don’t tempt others to look in your windows. If someone has the intention to burglarize your neighborhood, you would not want him to see your belongings and target your house. Be discreet about what the public can see and you can reduce your chances of getting burglarized.

Lock all of your windows that on the second floor of your home. Most people don’t think about someone entering the home from the second floor. This could not be further from the truth. A burglar will attempt to get in any way they can.

Many homeowners understand the importance of home security. Still, there is a lack of understanding regarding how to achieve personal security for homes and loved ones. Hopefully, the article you’ve just read has given you some ideas with regards to home security.

Be sure to get deadbolt locks with captive key-locks. The devices are equipped with thumb latches that prevent people from reaching around to open the lock via a an adjacent broken window. Only leave the key in the door when you are home, just in case of an emergency.