Homeowners need to secure their homes to keep their families safe. Burglaries are common, and probably always will be. Read this article to learn great tips and tricks that will ensure your home and family remains safe from any threat.

If someone comes to clean your home, only give them a key if they’re trustworthy. Be sure to check out the background of any housekeeper you plan to provide with a key to your home. Read through their references very carefully, and don’t hesitate to follow up on their references to ensure they actually exist. If the house cleaner is employed by a company, check with the BBB of your area to determine their reputation.

Be sure that your home is always occupied. You can purchase timers that can control your household electronics such as lights, TVs and radios. This will make it look like someone is home. This can be a terrific method of securing your home and keeping burglars at bay.

Be smart about where you decide to hide spare keys. Hiding it beneath the doormat is very common and most intruders will look there. You should hide it in your dog’s collar.

Make sure that you change the locks once you’ve taken possession of the house. The person who previously owned the home may have made copies of keys. Speak with a locksmith to get a unique lock for your home. Give a key to someone you trust in case you get locked out.

Is your ceiling resistant to fire? What about your flooring or roofing? These materials will protect your home from both internal fires and the spread of fires that start on other properties. Fire prevention should be taken seriously because it can stop a major disaster from happening.

Is your dog outside when you are away? They may provide you with a useful place to hide your key. Find a place to securely fasten the key to your pet’s collar where it’s not visible. This is especially useful if the dog does not take kindly to strangers.

Ask friends for some advice before choosing home security companies and systems. They probably have both positive and negative things to tell you, and those comments will help you make your own decision. Spending a few days asking for reviews is useful in helping you choose correctly.

Buy a safe. This is important, since you don’t want your valuables exposed to a potential intruder. Hide that safe in a difficult-to-reach place like in a closet inside your basement or an attic.

In summer, take care to trim back branches and plants near the house. This can be a fire hazard, especially if you live in an area with high heat. You can prevent disasters by keeping your yard clean.

Check with your local law enforcement agency about home protection plans. These programs may include engraving identification codes on your valuables, home inspections, and advice about home security. Call them up to find out more.

End your shyness. Speak with your neighbors. Ask them to keep an eye on your home, and do the same thing for them. It does not necessarily pay to steer clear of gossip. You could learn important security information, such as if strangers have been lurking around the neighborhood.

Security System

Hide any valuables in wall spaces. No need to damage your walls. You can find areas in your walls that are pre-cut and use those. If you have an electric socket you do not use, hide valuables behind their covers.

Get in the habit of checking your security system regularly. Have a worker from the security company take a look at it. Your security system’s quality can be impacted by numerous factors, such as the weather and wild animals. If you aren’t paying attention, you may not be aware of these problems.

You should not hide your spare key under your mat or inside a plant box. A key that is easily found is a convenience for a burglar, not just for you. Burglars are familiar with these hiding spots. Instead, trust a neighbor to hold your spare key.

It’s a good idea to have motion sensor lights installed. These lights will come on if someone walks near your house. These lights will make you aware of, and can also scare off, potential burglars. Test the bulbs frequently, though.

Make sure that your valuables cannot be seen from outside the home. Large windows at the home’s front can be beautiful, but it can make it easier for criminals to see inside. If your windows face a street, be sure they’re always covered and have your valuables safe.

Trust your instincts when it comes to hiring a home security company. If the installers give you the heebie-jeebies, it’s not a good sign. Don’t hesitate asking for another technician or get another company. The system and the company should put your mind at ease.

You want all wires of an installed security system to be hidden. An intruder can cut the wires if he can find them. Make it hard for intruders and bury the wires or hide them inside your walls, if possible. This way, you will be safer.

Walls can be a great hiding spot. Small valuables fit nicely inside walls. You can use the opening provided by an electrical switch plate or other device that is not being used. You can also just put in a false plate to cover a hiding place.

After bringing home a big-ticket item, such as an appliance or electronic device, avoid leaving the packages on the curb before trash day. Having these boxes around for a while will give people an idea of what is inside your house.

Place your valuables in cut-outs in your walls. You don’t have to damage the walls to do so. Your home should have a few pre-cut areas that can be used. How about unwiring your electric socket and using that as an area to stash your jewelry?

If you need to make the outside of your home secure, you can achieve this relatively inexpensively by installing lights with motion detectors. During the night hours, these lights help light up the outside of your home, which makes them an excellent addition to your home security strategies. In addition, they are very affordable. They also help to keep intruders away, because an intruder does not want to come close to your property if they know they might be spotted.

Hide your security system’s wiring. A burglar can easily cut and disconnect wires that are left visible. Do not make things simple for a burglar, but rather bury all wires or hide them in the wall. This will help to deter intruders that are looking to quickly disable your alarm system.

When you consider a security company, be certain you read the details and fine print of the contract you’re about to sign. There are early termination fees, and there may be fees for extra equipment procured in the future. It’s best to know about these fees in advance so that you can avoid them when possible.

Are you aware that the wires located on the exterior of your house have value? Many people have their wires stripped each year. Copper wiring is very valuable and susceptible to being stripped from the outside of your home. Be sure that you keep all your wiring hidden and make it hard to access.

If you have your home brightly lit, burglars are likely to avoid it. That’s because they want to remain hidden. A well-lit home is like a red flag to a burglar. Make sure the lights stay on to keep your home safe.

Don’t let any service people into your home without checking their references completely. Run a criminal background check on them, as well. You can never be too sure about anyone you hire to enter your home, and giving them access can work against you.

Consider installing a surveillance system. Setting up hidden and visible video cameras is a good way to keep your home secure. If a burglar can see them, they are likely to go away. Many surveillance systems may be easily accessed through a cell phone so that you can check on your house while you’re away.

A good way to scare off intruders is to keep your house lit at nighttime. They prefer not to be seen. Thieves have a hard time stealing things when there are lots of lights around. That’s why it’s a good idea to light your home well for optimum safety.

Don’t leave the boxes of any high priced electronics on the curb of your house. Burglars will instantly take notices of these boxes and what used to be in them, making you an easy burglary target. Cut the boxes up when they are empty.

When you own a home, you must focus on securing it. In this article, you will find excellent information on making your home secure and keeping your family safe. Apply what you have learned to feel more secure in your home.

Don’t fit your exterior doors with locks of the spring latch variety. These locks are easy to break into since they may be opened up with a credit card. Intruders can pick these locks by wedging a credit card in between the latch and the door. If you are already using locks that operate on spring latches, improve your security by adding a deadbolt.