The home security industry is huge. Thievery happens in any locale, no matter how nice it appears. Burglars generally target houses that appear lax in their security measures. To keep your home safe, read the tips in the following article and apply them.

Do you have an outside dog? This pet may be an excellent storing spot for your spare key. Attach your key to your dog’s collar, ensuring that it can’t be seen. Especially if your dog is not very friendly, this will help keep your key safe.

Do you keep your dog outside if you leave the home? You might consider leaving your spare key with your dog. Attach the key inside their collar and make sure it can’t be seen. Especially if your dog is not very friendly, this will help keep your key safe.

Home security systems do more than sounding an alarm in case of a break in. Most security systems can facilitate alarm sounds anyone enters. This is great for parents that have small children so that they know when their kids open or close doors.

Invest in a safe in order to secure very valuable items. This is essential, because you would never want valuable jewelry and other items to be seen by intruders. Put the safe somewhere difficult to get to, like the attic.

Before selecting any home-security company, talk to your friends to see who they suggest. Knowledge of first-hand experiences can be very helpful to you when it comes to making this important decision. Spending a few days asking for reviews is useful in helping you choose correctly.

Seek recommendations from friends and family when choosing a security company or system. Most will be willing to share their likes, loves and loathes, especially as they realize how important it is to you. Ask a few different people to help you make the best choice.

If you have an attached garage, make sure it is secure. A lot of garage owners fret over burglars entering this way, but there are answers. You can use a C-clamp to secure the door and prevent it from being opened by strangers.

Don’t forget about the skylights when securing your home. Intruders could use skylights to enter your home. Be sure that the skylights for your home are durable and reliable.

If you’ve got a garage, boost home security just by using it for only a car instead of storage. A car kept locked in a garage is much less likely to be stolen or damaged. When it is in hiding, people won’t know if you’re home.

Always lock your house, even if you are only going to be away for a few minutes. Most burglars gain entry to a home through an unlocked door. Thieves can steal thousands worth of your belongings very quickly.

Walls are great for hiding things. Small items of value can be hidden for safety in your home’s walls. Target any unused phone jacks or electrical outlets for an easy hiding spot. You can also install a fake one.

The alarm system you choose should protect more than just the doors to your home. It should protect the windows too. Make sure you have a monitored alarm on every one of them. Doing this will help ensure the safety of your home and loved ones.

Don’t put your extra key under you doormat, in a planter, or in a cleverly disguised false rock. These are the first places criminals will look when they try to enter your home. Thieves are familiar with these hiding spots. Rather, keep your spare keys with a neighbor you trust.

If you have purchased any large and/or expensive items, do not throw the boxes away until the day before the trash man is scheduled to come. These types of items are appealing to thieves, and you may as well put a sign in your yard inviting them to steal yours.

When selecting an alarm set-up, think about getting one that protects not just the doors in your home. All of your windows are possible entry points for a thief too. Be sure your home alarm covers all entry points into your home. Do this to keep you and your family safe.

Buy flashlights with strong batteries and make sure there is one in each room in case of power outages. Flashlights are key because they allow you to move around if an emergency should arise. Train your kids how to use flashlights so that all members of the family can contribute.

Replace rotten wood on your door frame. It is simple for a robber to pry away rotting wood and enter your home. Replace the rotting door frame with a new one and keep your home much safer.

To increase your home’s security, buy some outdoor lights that are motion activated. At night, not only will these lights be handy to light up areas around your home,they are also a cost-effective and efficient security addition. If positioned correctly on the exterior of your home, the motion detectors make it virtually impossible for an intruder to sneak onto your property.

Always use online resources to identify the very best home security firm. You should look at testimonials from customers and different information you can find. You’ll find it easy to narrow your choice down to three top contenders; your next step is to arrange to meet each of them to discuss your specific security needs.

Keep safety in mind when doing landscaping. Your doors and windows should not be obstructed by shrubs or fences. This makes it where people can’t hide in different nooks and crevices. Plan these features for further away from your home.

Ask your security provider about their history in the business. It doesn’t take long for a quality company to prove itself in the security business, and you should look for a track record of satisfied customers and successful work. You get better peace of mind if you deal with someone you know you can trust for the long haul.

Before signing up for home security, find out how long they’ve been in business. You can be sure that an established company has a good track record of providing solid and reliable service. You’ll find it a lot easier to put your faith in the professionals if you take the time to verify their trustworthiness.

Get some professional assistance by asking a home security company to come to your house and work up a plan for a customized security system. Everyone has specific wants and needs when it comes to securing their home, family and belongings. Doing this helps you get the best security you can get from the company, helping you to relax.

Keep your garage shut and locked so burglars can’t peek inside. Use frosting to cover the garage window, so people cannot peer inside. Also, avoid leaving the door open for prolonged periods of time.

If you plan to be away and you have another person collecting your mail, have them double check your front door for fliers. Some burglars place fliers to see if they’ll be quickly removed. If a flier remains on a front door for a number of days, the burglar knows the homeowner is away.

If you purchase an expensive item, get rid of the box rather than allowing it to sit outside your home. If thieves see these type of boxes outside your home, they may want to break in to steal the items. Cut up the boxes when they’re empty.

Anytime you make a new electronics purchase, keep the boxes off the curb until the very last minute. Burglars pay attention to this, and it will make them want to break in and get the items. Remember to cut up or break down those boxes and take them to the recycling center.

Don’t use your birthday as the passcode for a keypad lock. Your birth date is pretty easy to come by, especially for seasoned thieves. You should choose a number no one else will be able to guess and change it regularly.

Don’t use spring-latch locks. This type of lock is extremely easy to break. Anyone with a credit card can do it. They can put the credit card in between the latch and door to open the lock. If you have spring latches already installed, consider adding deadbolts too.

If your door isn’t either metal or solid wood, replace it with one that is. Durability is key. If a thief tried to kick the door, he would not be successful in doing so. It shouldn’t be too costly to replace your exterior doors, so go do it.

If you aren’t at the house, keep the windows and curtains closed. You don’t want potential thieves knowing you are gone. Leaving the curtains up invites people to peer into your living room. If they spot an item they’re interested in, they will most likely try to enter. These should also be kept down while you’re sleeping.

Investing in a home alarm is great, but only if someone calls the police when it goes off. The best bet is to invest in an alarm which is centrally monitored so you can be sure that any time it goes off, the police will show up. The neighbors will not always call.

Ask if your company offers options to both buy and lease your security equipment. Buying equipment may be initially more expensive, but cheaper in the longer term. On the other hand, while leasing is more expensive overall, it can get you a better system if you don’t have funds available immediately. Compare these two options before making your decision.

Sliding glass doors pose large security issues in homes. These can become unlocked very easy by burglars. Without a security system to protect your home, you should shove a pipe or rod behind the sliding door–between the sliding half of the door and the door frame–to brace it against the frame. This will keep the door closed tight and harder to force open.

Do not store your car registration in your glove box. This is not wise since anyone who has access to them will know where you live. 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. They should be close, though, since you’ll need them if you get pulled over.

Home security is an extremely important topic. No one ever expects crime to strike home. Keep in mind the excellent advice provided here and utilize them to ensure your home is safe. Start doing some research right away. Do something about your home security before it is too late.

Don’t use your birth date as the password for your security alarm. Anyone can get personal information online which they can use to access your home. Think instead of a more creative way to keep track of your code.