Intruders might be interested in your valuables, especially if you recently purchased a new car or came home with some new appliances. Upgrading your home security gives you protection from burglars. Read the following suggestions on increasing the safety and security in your home.

Have your dog protect the spare key. If your dog lives outside or is able to come and go through a dog door, this is a viable idea. Just hide a spare house key on the inside of your dog’s collar. Then when you need an extra key, you will be able to access this one.

Your dog can safeguard an extra key. But, this is only effective if your home has a pet door or your dog stays outdoors when you are not home. You could simply put a key onto your dog’s collar, so it is always handy.

When looking to purchase a good home security system, it is best that you look at many companies. Every company offers different pricing. Look at a number of different companies and get at least three quotes before selecting what you feel is the ideal plan for your home.

In the summer, remove vegetation and dead wood from your yard. They are a potential fire hazard during warmer months. Be sure all sorts of flammable items are kept under control around your home.

Ask friends for some advice before choosing home security companies and systems. They have likely had interactions with home security providers that they can tell you about, saving you time and stress. Make broad inquiries so that you are able to make a well-informed decision.

When dealing with a company installing your home security system, it is important that you trust your gut. You should be very picky when it comes to letting people inspect your home. You don’t want to refrain from choosing a different company or technician. The purpose of using the company is to calm your uneasiness, not worsen it.

Your garage needs to be secure. Intruders could easily break into your garage and access your home. 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.

Spare Key

See if your area police department has any home security programs. Several in various jurisdictions have programs which entail providing a home inspection, what protective measures will help your home and even how to engrave valuable items to make them easier to recover. Your police department will be able to help you find out what is available in your town.

Do not hide your spare key under your doormat or in a nearby planter. Remember that you are not the only one who is aware of these sorts of hiding places. 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.

Be more proactive when you are determining the safety of your neighborhood. Converse with those living in your area. Keep on eye on their home and ask neighbors to return the favor. Listen to gossip also. While this is unorthodox, it may clue you into a possible home security threat.

Lock up your house every time you leave. Many burglaries happen because the intruders can just walk right inside. Once a thief is inside, he can steal a lot of valuables in a short amount of time.

Walls are great for hiding things. If you have valuables that are small in size, you may want to hide them within your walls. Just open up an electrical outlet or a phone jack that is not in use. You can easily install fake unused plates.

You should change all the locks if you just bought or rented a new home. Regardless of how trustworthy you consider the last owners to be, neither you nor they can be sure that there aren’t others out there with keys to those locks. There are other people who have lived in the home as well.

Avoid leaving spare keys outside of your home. Though you might think that you’re giving yourself something you could use to get into your house when you’ve lost your keys, you’re actually inviting intruders inside your house. For obvious reasons, experienced burglars know every possible hiding spot. Rather, give the key to a neighbor to hold.

Before allowing someone into your house, be sure to carefully check their references. You should do a background check as well to find out their criminal history. There is no way of knowing whether or not service people are honest, so you should not give them keys to your home.

Your valuables should not be easily seen from outside your home. Large windows allow you to keep an eye on who is approaching your home, but keep in mind that potential intruders will be tempted if they can see your valuables. Always keep your windows covered and do not tempt others by displaying your possessions.

To increase your home’s security, buy some outdoor lights that are motion activated. In the dark hours, these lights will provide the illumination necessary to protect your home and also save money by staying off when they’re not needed. If the lights are positioned correctly on your home, then it makes it much less likely for a burglar to enter.

If you’ve recently moved into a house, get any locks changed out. While the person you bought the home from may seem on the up and up, you have no idea who they really are. If the previous owners have never changed the locks, there could be people out there who owned the house before them and still have keys to your house.

It is a good idea to get some history on any home security companies you are thinking about doing business with. A company with a long history has proved they can survive and provide great service to people. Knowing that you are dealing with a shady company can keep you calm when making this crucial decision.

Replace rotten wood on your door frame. Anyone can gain access to our home by prying away the rotted wood. Find a reliable contractor who can replace the door frame for you.

Consider a surveillance system for your home and property. Installing video cameras, both visible and hidden, are a great way to secure your home. Visible cameras are a deterrent to most intruders, and should they decide to disable them, a hidden camera will continue to capture footage. 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.

If you sign a contract for a security company, read all the fine print first. There may be hidden costs involved that you were not aware of. Avoid as many fees as you can by reading everything.

Can someone standing in the middle of the street see clearly your house numbers? Make sure they are large in case emergency personnel need to find your house. Thankfully, you can easily fix this problem very quickly and cheaply.

Don’t allow your landscaping make it easier for burglars to break into your home. Windows should be free from obstructions like trees, shrubs and fencing. Intruders should have nowhere to hide near your home. Keep this in mind as you design.

Spring Latch

Don’t leave the boxes of any high priced electronics on the curb of your house. If the burglars see the empty boxes, then they will realize you have the items in your home. As a result, they’ll be more likely to break in so they can steal it. Cut the box up and hide the writing when you put it out.

Don’t fit your exterior doors with locks of the spring latch variety. Defeating a spring latch lock is a trivial endeavor; experienced burglars can get through one using nothing more than a credit card. They can put the credit card in between the latch and door to open the lock. Put in a deadbolt for more security if your doors already contain spring latch locks.

If you live alone or with other responsible adults, there is no need to lock off areas of your home to prevent access. Each entrance can be fitted with a keyless lock that requires a code to enter. You can either install these locks by yourself, or have them professionally installed if you are not that handy yourself.

Keep your windows covered if you’re out. Potential intruders will see what you are doing and get an idea of how many valuables you own if you keep your blinds open. They might see something worth breaking in to get. You should keep them closed while you are asleep.

Don’t keep your car registration inside the glove compartment. If someone accesses these documents, they can determine your address. Instead, keep them with you at all times, or hide them somewhere else inside your vehicle. Remember, you do need to be able to access them quickly if you get pulled over by a policeman.

If you must hide your key outside, do not put it someplace obvious. A very obvious location is underneath fake rocks. The first place an intruder will likely look is under the doormat. A better idea is to have a friend or neighbor keep your emergency key. If you can’t, be creative where you put the key.

When it comes to security, sliding doors aren’t very safe. It’s easy to break into a sliding glass door by just lifting it up and shaking it. If you lack a connected security system for such doors, cut a piece of pipe to stick in the door’s channel. This will keep the door closed tight and harder to force open.

Having your home broken into is a reality and possibility that you cannot ignore. You should not become paranoid about home invasions, but keep in mind that you can avoid dangerous situations by protecting yourself. Follow the excellent tips presented here to provide your home, your family and yourself with great security.

Always lock your second and even third floor windows. Many people don’t think about burglars checking these windows. However, this is simply not true. Experienced criminals know exactly where the majority of homeowners let their guards down, and they won’t fail to check for weaknesses like an open window on the second story.