A safe home is the only place worth living in. When they venture out, it needs to remain safe and secure for when they return. Begin protecting your home by reading the excellent information presented here.

The best home security systems do much more than sound the alarm (literally). They can be programmed to alert the homeowner if a person enters the home. This isn’t just for burglars; parents with young children can also use it as a valuable tool to know when their child has come inside.

Buy ceiling, roofing and flooring which is resistant to fire. This ensures your home won’t be a tinderbox. Lowering or eliminating the risk of a fire is an extremely important home security strategy because a fire can cause extreme destruction very quickly.

Make sure you have a safe to keep valuable items in one place. This is vital since it means all of your things will be safe if someone breaks in your home. Be sure to put your safe in an out of the way place like the basement, attic or under the floorboards.

Don’t use social media to announce that you will be gone for an extended period of time. If you do, burglars will know you’re not home and strike.

Never allow str4angers to enter your house. This includes a salesperson or people looking for help. Some people want to enter your home just to see if there is a security system in place. They may be scoping the place to come back when you’re gone.

Turn off ringers on land line phones while you are on vacation. Intruders might be attracted by a phone that rings constantly without anyone picking up.

During the summer, remove all vegetation and dead wood from your yard. This sort of thing is a fire hazard in the heat of summer. Keeping your plants and bushes trimmed will benefit your family’s safety as well as the appearance of your home.

Never allow any strangers into your home. Even if someone has a good story, requires help or has a great product to sell, ignore them. Some people will knock on your door simply to see whether you have a security system.

The first step in making your home more secure is to change out your locks. Perhaps your roommate left town or you have gone through a messy divorce, and you need to feel that the home is safe. It is inexpensive, and most locksmiths will be available for next day appointments.

You never want to open up a door to a stranger without proper identification. You have no way of knowing if the stranger on the other side of the door wishes to do you harm. Keep a hard, fast rule that says you only open the door for invited guests in order to keep your family safe.

You have a choice on who installs your security system, don’t be afraid to say no if something doesn’t feel right. This is very true when you feel uneasy about the person installing the system. You don’t want to refrain from choosing a different company or technician. After all, the point of the system itself is to help you feel more at ease.

Get rid of all of the dead wood and vegetation in your yard during the summer months. Due to the heat, these items in your yard are more likely to catch on fire. As a result, your home could be caught on fire. Always clear the yard to ensure safety.

If you’re in a rural place, you might not be as worried about break-ins as those that are in the city. With neighbors so far away, it may seem like a tiny risk. Some think that there are less burglars in rural areas.

Is your garage used for storage? Consider removing those items and keeping your car there instead. It will be far more secure against thieves. If your car is locked up inside, it cannot be stolen or vandalized. This can also keep people from knowing your schedule.

Your home may be equipped with skylights, and if so you must not neglect them in your security planning. Although a skylight can bring light into one’s home and look good, it’s also a common entrance way for burglars. Having heavy duty, reliable hardware is best when it comes to skylights.

Hide any valuables in wall spaces. You don’t have to damage the walls to do so. Find a place where there is already a hole to get in through. For example, place jewelry in an unused electrical outlet.

The walls of your home make for great hiding spots. You can hide small valuables inside the walls. You could use a phone jack, electrical outlet or a switch plate. A security store will sell fake plates you can install anywhere.

Lock the house, even if just going away for a short time. It may be a little surprising, but most burglaries and break-ins happen because the intruder just walks right through an open door. It can be a quick job for a burglar to steal items of great value.

Regardless of how long you plan on being away from your home, always lock all the doors and windows whenever you leave. In a lot of cases, home intruders enter through unlocked doors. It does not take long for thieves to steal your expensive stuff.

Replace rotten wood on your door frame. Anyone who wants to get into your home can easily pry away rotted wood and slip right into your home. Always replace rotting wood with fresh wood immediately to keep your house strong and secure.

Purchase flashlights that have good batteries, and keep them in every room in your home in case the power goes out. Having a well-charged flashlight on hand is very beneficial in case of emergency. Your whole family should be trained on the proper use and maintenance of flashlights.

Always get references from anyone you are considering hiring to do work inside your home. You need to do background checks in order to find out about their criminal history. You do not know if the people you hire are trustworthy, so do not give them a key to your home.

If the front door is open when you get home, resist the temptation to go in alone to find the reason. Your home and the area surrounding it may still be in danger. Just contact the police and sit tight until they arrive.

Ask the home security companies to visit your home and design a system tailored to your needs. The needs and wants of each family and the configuration of each home are quite individual. Most companies will create an individual plan to meet your needs so you can have a high level of security to assure your peace of mind.

If you haven’t bought a paper shredder yet, make it a point to do so. Thieves can use this information to figure out your schedule and determine the best time to break in. If you can not afford to purchase a paper shredder, just rip the paper into smaller pieces.

Now after reading the above article, you have a myriad of good quality ideas to help you secure your home. Make good use of what you have learned. Learning all you can about home security will enable you to protect both your possessions and your family.

Don’t let anyone peek into your garage. Frosted windows will keep a burglar from being able to see inside. The material needed to do this can be found at home improvement stores. Do not keep your door open long enough for people to get an idea of what you own.