Having a secure home is something you surely take seriously and something you don’t want to forget about. Looking around you may feel overwhelmed by all that you need to do. This article provides some valuable advice that can help lead you down a path to a more secure home.

Don’t give the keys to your home to a professional cleaner unless you trust them completely. If you plan on giving them the key so that they can work in your home for over an hour, make sure that they’re reputable, hardworking, and honest. Check their references very carefully. If they work for a firm, call the local Better Business Bureau to find out that firm’s reputation.

Why not give your trusted dog the job of holding onto your spare key? This will only be ideal if you have a dog door or an outdoor dog. You can purchase a special collar that will hold your spare key, so when you forget your keys your dog can let you in.

Do you have an outdoor dog? Store the spare key with them. Attach the key to the dog’s collar so that it is hidden from view. If your dog is suspicious of strangers, you have found a good hiding place for your key.

Compare various home security systems when shopping. Several different firms may offer similar protection for wildly divergent prices. Be certain to obtain multiple quotes prior to making your choice.

When placing your spare key outside for emergencies, give careful consideration to where you put it. Doormats and door frames are predictable places that burglars will always check. A possible solution is to attach a key to your outdoor dog’s collar.

Don’t post online when you’ll be away from your home. It’s exciting going to new places and enjoying your time, but you could alert thieves to an empty home that they can easily break into.

Buy fire resistant roofing, flooring and ceiling materials. This helps protect your home when you dwell in a more dry climate. Stopping fire hazards is a key precaution to take since the damage it causes can be considerable.

If you’ve got a garage, make sure to use it for your car rather than extra storage space. This will help to keep your vehicle safe. Hiding your car away from plain view is a good way to keep intruders from knowing when you are at home or not.

Make sure to clear your yard of brush and dead wood in the summertime. You risk a house fire if that sits there during the heat of the summer and catches fire. Keep these cleared away regularly to maintain your home’s safety and to keep it in good shape.

Be outgoing. Speak with your neighbors. Keep watch of their homes when they are away, and ask if they will return the favor. Listen to gossip also. You may stumble across valuable security information, like if someone has noticed a stranger lurking around the neighborhood.

There’s no security system so durable that it can go without regular maintenance and inspections. Have yours checked out once a year. Ask a qualified worker who specializes in security systems to take a look. There are many things that can reduce the quality of your system. Sometimes it is very difficult to see the problem if you don’t know where it is.

Don’t forget skylights when doing a security sweep for your home. Skylights have a good function, but unfortunately they also often provide a way for a burglar to enter. Your skylights need durable and reliable hardware for true protection.

Go with your gut when you invite a home security company representative into your house. This goes for the installer, too. If you are unsure, contact the security company to make sure that the installer was actually sent by them. Your security system is supposed to help you, not cause you more stress.

You could hide some valuables within your walls. You don’t need to cut out segments of your walls by the way. There are many locales that are already around your home. Consider unwiring an electrical socket that isn’t used and storing your valuable jewelry.

Lock your home at all times to err on the side of caution. Surprisingly, lots of burglaries occur because the burglar was able to simply walk in without having to actually break in. They can get a ton of stuff quickly and be long gone before you return.

When choosing an alarm system, consider one that offers protection for more than just your doors. The best systems are those that cover windows as well. Have alarms installed for each window and any other entry point. With this method, your family will be safer.

Before you let anyone into your house, thoroughly check their references. Do not hesitate to hire someone to run a background check if you have doubts. Avoid giving keys out to contractors, maids and repairmen.

If you make a large purchase, like a big screen television, don’t simply set the box out in front of your home. If you leave the boxes out all week, it lets people know what type of items you have in your home.

Keep safety at the forefront when landscaping your property. 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. Utilize shrubs and trees farther away in order to add beauty to your home while keeping it safe.

Be sure to replace all locks on a home you have bought. Regardless of how you feel about the sellers, you never know someone’s true intentions. There are other people who have lived in the home as well.

Think about having a wireless security system for the home installed. While systems with wires are cheaper, you have to rewire your home and worry about power outages. A wireless system is easy to install and to maintain. Besides, you will still be able to count on your wireless system in case of a power outage.

Always go over the small print on contracts offered by your home security company. There could be fees for terminating the contract early or acquiring additional equipment down the road. You’ll want to avoid any surprises so be sure and read your contract carefully.

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. Rip your important papers up before throwing them away if you can’t get a shredder.

Arrange for someone to pick up your mail and remove any fliers from your door if you are out of town. Thieves will drop off flyers to see if home owners are away. Intruders can get a good idea of what your schedule is like or figure out that you are on vacation if the flyer stays on your door for a long time.

When you are away on vacation have a house sitter bring in your mail and any flyers and newspapers that accumulate in front of your house. Sometimes burglars leave fliers in an attempt to see if anyone is home to remove them. A flier that hangs around for days on end lets burglars know that there’s no one in the home.

When standing in the street, can you see your house numbers? It is important for the authorities to find your address in the event of an emergency. Fortunately, the solution to this is quick, easy and rather cheap once you are aware of the need.

Put up video surveillance. You can make a huge difference in your home’s security by putting in cameras whether they’re concealed or out in the open. Intruders can be deterred to visible cameras, but hidden cameras are better if criminals damage the other cameras. Nowadays, you can track your surveillance on your own cell phone.

Your dog is a great tool for protecting your home from intruders. Dogs protect your home by barking if something is wrong. There is no need for a guard dog. Any size dog will drive criminals away, as the barking will be too much noise for them to be stealthy.

Do not put electronic boxes in the front of your house. If thieves see these type of boxes outside your home, they may want to break in to steal the items. Remember to cut up or break down those boxes and take them to the recycling center.

Inquire as to the different lengths of contracts offered by your security company. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. Longer contracts may create a lower bill per month, but you you could maintain those monthly expenses if you discontinue service or sell the home. A shorter contract gives you more freedom, but it may cost you more per month.

Don’t hide your key somewhere obvious. Everybody knows about fake rocks. Doormats are generally the first spot a person would look. The best idea is just to ask a friend or neighbor to hang on to a key for you. If you can’t do that, you must think creatively to find a good place to keep a spare key.

You should never use your birthday as the password for your numeric keypad. Your birth date is pretty easy to come by, especially for seasoned thieves. Think of a number which is the answer to a mathematical question so you can just remember the answer to the question.

Do you turn the lights on and off during the same time period? If so, consider a timer. This helps the lights stay on and continue to switch even when you’re away from your home.

Think about getting a hard-wired system if you have concerns about maintenance issues. Wireless systems are convenient, but they require multiple sets of batteries that have to be changed out on a regular basis. Forgetting to change out the batteries leaves you insecure. In addition, replacing multiple batteries can be expensive.

If your door is not solid wood or metal, replace it! These doors hold really good. A burglar trying to kick in such a door is going to be in for some pain. It should be possible for you to find replacements for all of your doors for a good price, so do it right away.

Always lock your second story windows. A lot of people forget to lock the windows on the second floor, but intruders will use these windows. However, this is actually not how it goes. Many home-security plans neglect this step, and unfortunately, many burglars know this.

A house alarm is a great option, as long as you call the cops when it alarms. Having it centrally monitored is your best bet. It is not good enough to depend on your neighbors being able to call for you.

Be sure to get deadbolt locks with captive key-locks. They have a thumb latch, making it impossible for someone to break the window, reach in and turn them. If you are home, have a key inside the lock so you can easily exit if a fire breaks out.

Sliding glass doors are a big security problem in many homes. They are easily unlocked just by lifting and shaking. If you lack a connected security system for such doors, cut a piece of pipe to stick in the door’s channel. This keeps the door wedged closed so that it is harder to pry open.

Women are usually targeted for home invasion, particularly if they live alone or live with their kids. Make it seem as if there is a man living in your home by putting large mud boots on your porch and a man’s hat in your car. This can deter criminals from going into your home.

Deadbolts are the best locks you can install, as they have captive keylocks. Deadbolts have thumb latches that prevent people from reaching around them to open it. When at home, leave your key in this kind of lock for easy egress in the event of fire.

A safer home will bring you peace of mind. There is no doubt about this. The best home security methods are not always obvious. We hope this article has given you some insight into planning the best home security measures for your home.

Regardless of how much you trust your new home’s previous occupants, your first order of business after moving in is to get the locks replaced or re-keyed. Find a locksmith to replace the lock or talk to your landlord.