No matter if you rent or own, you want to be safe. Do you know how to secure your residence? Learn how to protect your home by reading this article.

Do not give the key to your home to your cleaning person unless you are certain they are worthy of your trust. If you do give your housekeeper a key or plan on doing so, it is imperative that they are honest and upstanding. Make sure you check references. If you’re hiring from a company, call the BBB for more information.

Keep your most precious belongings inside a safe. Doing so can protect your valuables in the event of a robbery. Hide your safe in a hard to find place like the basement or attic.

Is your dog outside when you are away? Store the spare key with them. Simply put the key onto your dog’s collar so that robbers cannot locate it. This works very well if you have a pet that is not very fond of strangers. You will get the access you need without having to worry about your safety.

You should mute your land line phone if you are going on a vacation. A ringing phone that goes unanswered may signal to a burglar that nobody is home.

Keep your jewelry, vital documents and other expensive items in a safe. This will keep your stash of diamonds, gold and other valuable items out of view and inaccessible to burglars. Keep the safe hidden somewhere remote.

Secure your garage. Many people worry about burglars getting into their attached garage and then entering their home, but there is a fix. You can use a C-clamp to stop the door from being opened.

You should invest in fire-resistant roofing, flooring and ceiling. Your home will get added protection, especially if your environment is dry and has power lines. Preventing fires is the best way to deal with them.

Keep your car in your garage. Keep the car within the garage will make sure no one harms or steals it. When your car is hidden, it will be hard for intruders to tell if you are home or not.

It can be a good idea to only leave one ringer on in your home when you are away. 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.

Don’t be shy. Meet your neighbors. Keep an eye on their houses and yards and request that they return the favor. Do not ignore gossip either. You may hear valuable information regarding security, such as if any strangers have been hanging around.

Do not open your door for strangers. You never know who they might be, despite their story. Keep a hard, fast rule that says you only open the door for invited guests in order to keep your family safe.

Use the spaces in your home’s walls to store valuables. Don’t make it obvious by cutting out big chunks of drywall. Many areas in your house are already accessible for this purpose. Perhaps you can use an old electricity socket as a place to hide your valuables.

In the summer, remove vegetation and dead wood from your yard. These items have a higher chance of catching fire during the hot months. You can prevent disasters by keeping your yard clean.

Make sure the wires of your home security system are completely hidden. You do not want the wires exposed for easy manipulation. Don’t make it easier for them, so have wires hidden in the house’s walls or buried. This will add security.

Be sure to keep your car in your garage rather than filling your garage with stored belongings. In this way, your car will be safer. A car kept locked in a garage is much less likely to be stolen or damaged. This will also make it more difficult for burglars to track when you away from home.

Unless you’re moving into a brand-new apartment or home, changing the locks should be one of your top priorities. Although the tenant before might have turned their key in, they might still have a duplicate key. You can install locks yourself to make sure you’re the only one who has a key.

Purchase an alarm system that has a few “bells and whistles;” you don’t just need protection for your doors. Each window represents a possible entry for your thief. Attach an alarm to every one of them, and make sure all entry points are monitored. The safety of your family will be ensured.

Before allowing someone into your house, be sure to carefully check their references. Try doing a background check to look at their criminal history. You don’t know whether the contractor, maid, or repairman that you’ve hired is trustworthy and handing them your keys could be a costly mistake.

Obtain flashlights with solid batteries, and ensure they are kept in all the rooms of your home in the event of a power outage. These items will help you remain safe when there is no electricity. Also show your children how to use them so they can help out in emergencies.

Motion sensitive lights are an inexpensive way to increase your home’s security. These lights will keep your property well lit and give you a good idea of who approaches your home. By carefully placing them around the outside of your property, you create a perimeter that cannot be breached.

Change the locks on any new place you move into. Previous tenants may have given the keys back to the landlord, but it is always possible to make copies of keys. You can purchase locks and install them yourself to ascertain that only you have a key.

Keeping your house bright and lit at night will deter many crooks. Thieves don’t want to be visible. A well-lit home will make it hard for intruders to hide and take your valuables without being detected. If you want to stay secure, keep your house brightly lit.

Find out how long a company has been in operation before signing a home security contract. Companies with a long history can give you the best service for many years. You get better peace of mind if you deal with someone you know you can trust for the long haul.

Your home’s exterior needs to be well lit. Dark houses invite burglars who prefer to operate under cover of darkness. Motion sensor lights can work great because they can also alert you when someone does come onto the property. This includes doorways and porches, the garage, and windows on ground floors which may invite intruders.

Have your home security company inspect your home and suggest safety improvements. Everyone has different needs, and your security system should be designed to protect your home and family. The right company will make you feel more safe and secure in your home.

If you don’t own a paper shredder already, you might want to get one. You will be astonished at how burglars find important information from loose paper that they could use to break into your house. If a shredder is too expensive, at least tear relevant paperwork into small bits.

The outside of your house should be well lit. Burglars love to operate in the dark. You should put a light on any area where a person could break in. This includes porches and doorways, the garage, as well as ground floor windows, which can invite an intruder.

Consider a surveillance system for your home and property. Adding video cameras on the property can be a good idea. If a burglar can see them, they are likely to go away. Some security systems can be accessed with cell phones, so you can check on your house while you are away.

Put the boxes of any expensive electronic items in your trash can so would-be burglars won’t know see them. When burglars see these boxes, they will know you have them inside your home, making it more likely for them to break in. Break them down and put them in a bag or take them to a recycling center.

There’s an easy way to secure interior doors (if there are areas you want to keep housemates and children out of) without obliging you to carry a key-ring around at all times. You may have locks without keys that need a code. You can have your home security company install it for you, or you can do it yourself.

Can you see the number of your house from the street? If you need assistance, emergency vehicles may not locate your home in a timely manner if the numbers don’t stand out. This is a very easy issue to have rectified.

Avoid keeping your key somewhere expected. Everyone knows about fake rocks. Many people also know to check under the welcome mat. It is probably best to find someone you trust to hold a key for you. If you have no choice but to hide a spare key, apply some inventive, out-of-the-box thinking when you do it.

Always close your curtains, especially if a passerby can easily look in your windows. Don’t let anyone see inside. If potential thieves see valuable items inside your house, they may target your house. Minimize your chances of burglary by minimizing what in your home is visible to the public.

It is now time to take action and find a good home security system. Don’t waste any time and allow these ideas to go to waste. These ideas will no doubt help you come up with a few of your own. Knowing your home is secure can really help to give you peace of mind.

Find out if your alarm company offers lighting with motion sensors. A lot of companies provide this, and it makes the exterior lights in your home turn on immediately when someone approaches any entry way. This is a great way to protect the outside of your home.