If you’ve got jewelry, original art or a lot of cash, someone else likely knows about it. Secure your home to prevent theft. Read these tips to make your home a safer place.

You can hide your spare key on your dog. This really only works if you’ve got an outdoor dog or if you’ve got a pet door. Attach the key to your dog’s collar, and it will be handy if you ever need a spare.

Do you let your dog outside when you leave the house? Your dog is an excellent place to hide your spare key. Conceal it in the dog’s collar. This works especially well as storage if your pet isn’t too fond of strangers.

Always change the locks after moving into a new home. You will want to have a unique combination to stay secure. To make sure you are the sole person with access to the home, engage the services of a locksmith. If you lose your keys, you should do the same thing.

Home security systems have additional features to just being noise alarms. They often even alert you to any time a door is opened. Parents of children can track their kids this way.

Does your dog stay outside while you are gone? They may provide you with a useful place to hide your key. Hook your key to the dog’s collar in a place that is shielded from view. This works especially well as storage if your pet isn’t too fond of strangers.

When you decide to purchase a home alarm system, make sure you comparison shop. Prices for home security systems can vary and they do not all offer the same services. Get quotes from several companies before making a decision.

Comparison shop when you are ready to buy a home security system. Prices for home security systems can vary and they do not all offer the same services. Get quotes from several companies so that you can get the best price for your home security system.

Keep your car in your garage. If your car is locked up inside, it cannot be stolen or vandalized. Storing your car in the garage will also make it difficult for anyone casing your home to figure out when no one is going to be there.

If there are people you don’t know that have access to your social media sites, then you don’t want to let all of them know you’re on vacation. It’s great to see new places and take a lot of photos, but posting them while still overseas lets thieves know your home is empty.

Put motion sensor lights around your house. If someone enters their proximity, they will light automatically. The lights will notify you of motion and also deter would be burglars. Just remember and change out the light bulbs whenever necessary.

Rid the outside of your home from dead wood, vegetation and overgrowth during the summertime. These are vulnerable to fires and put your home in danger. Keep your yard clear of debris to keep your house safe.

Switch 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. Changing the locks can typically be done very cheaply and quickly.

Always change the locks if you have someone move out of your home. Maybe you had a roommate move out or have a disgruntled ex-lover, changing the locks is the best way to keep yourself safe. It’s generally cheap can can take less than a day to do.

When dealing with companies that install home security systems, it’s important to trust your gut. If you are hesitant about the company, your gut feeling is especially important. Ask the company to send a different installer or simply change companies. You want your new system to protect you, not be the way the thief gets into your home.

Compared to city dwellers, you might feel more safe in your rural home. Some people think that country folk are mainly targeted since they don’t have nearby neighbors. Others hold that burglars are not as likely to target rural areas.

Don’t forget about the skylights when securing your home. Intruders could use skylights to enter your home. Be certain that skylights in your home can be locked securely.

Understand certain safety precautions when it comes to having skylights for your home. Skylights are nice to bring extra light into your house, but they are also easy ways for burglars to enter your home. Use heavy-duty hardware to secure your skylights to the roof.

Don’t just consider alarming your doors when you’re considering an alarm system. The best systems are those that cover windows as well. Attach the alarm to each window and ask for monitoring for them. This helps ensure your family stays safe.

Your valuables should not be easily seen from outside your home. It may be great to have large windows with a view, but this means that people can look in. If your house has street-facing windows, make sure they are always covered and your make sure your valuables are hidden away.

Replace all locks in a new house. While the person that previously had the home may seem okay, you don’t know who they actually are. Bear in mind that other people may have lived in the home before the previous owner.

Do not choose a home alarm system that monitors only your doors. It should protect the windows too. Attach the alarm to each window and ask for monitoring for them. This is the pinnacle of safety.

It’s smart to use the Internet when you are looking for a good security company for your home. Research the possibilities, check out package options and pricing and analyze customer feedback. After that, choose your top three for consultations.

You don’t need to rely on keys to prevent entry to certain areas of your home. There are locks that use a code for entry, rather than a key. You can even install it yourself.

Make sure your home’s exterior is well lit. Nothing is as attractive to a burglar as a dark, deeply-shadowed house. Be sure all vulnerable exterior areas of your home are equipped with good lighting. This includes doorways and porches, the garage, and windows on ground floors which may invite intruders.

Inquire as to the different lengths of contracts offered by your security company. You will probably find there are many pros and cons associated with each different contract. A long contract may lock you in even if you choose to sell the house or want to stop the services, but it can result in a lower bill every month. A short contract will avoid this, but may be more costly.

When your door is found ajar when you get home, call the police. The thief may remain inside. Call the authorities and let them take care of the situation.

If your door has a numeric lock, make sure the combination isn’t your birthday. Your birthday is readily available for burglars to find. Try making the number one that can be remembered by doing a match equation in order to remember that equation instead.

If you are out of town for awhile, ask a friend to take a look at your door for any fliers. Robbers will place these on your door and may invade your home if they are not removed. If the flier is not taken down, the burglar assumes the homeowner is not in town.

If you have an established routine for turning your lights on and off, consider investing in a timer. A timer will prevent the need of flipping the switch. In addition, it will help ensure the lights keep turning themselves on and off when you are not home. This will help deter potential burglars.

Garage Door

Devote extra security to your irreplaceable possessions. Items such as family photos, passports, legal documents, expensive jewelry and financial records need to be placed at a secure location. Keeping such valuables under lock and key (in a floor safe, for example) is a good way to provide the extra protection they need. If you want to be very secure, you can put it in safety deposit boxes at your bank.

Keep burglars on the outside of your garage by making sure nobody can actually see inside the garage. If your garage door has windows, make sure they have a frosted coating. This is easy to find at any major hardware store, and installation is a breeze. Also keep your garage door closed whenever possible, especially if you will be stepping away from it for an extended period of time.

If you have a door that isn’t solid wood or metal, change it for either one. Durability is key. If a thief tried to kick the door, he would not be successful in doing so. Replace outside doors as quickly as possible.

Can you read your house numbers while in the street? If you need assistance, emergency vehicles may not locate your home in a timely manner if the numbers don’t stand out. Luckily, this is an issue that can be fixed quickly.

Many people avoid the neighborhood busybody, but try getting on their good side. They will let you know if they see someone suspicious near your home. If you make friends with them, it’ll be like having another set of eyes watching your home.

Dogs make a great security system. Dogs are protective of turf and generally make noise when something is wrong. It doesn’t need to be a huge dog either. Even a small dog will deter intruders, who do not want a lot of noise when they commit their crimes.

Deadbolts with captive keylocks are the best locks on the market. This makes it impossible to open the lock from the outside because of the thumb latch. When at home, leave your key in this kind of lock for easy egress in the event of fire.

Find out about the various lengths of contracts your chosen home security company has on offer. These lengths can be both good and bad. Longer contracts may offer more affordable monthly payments; however, it may be hard to cancel that contract should you decide to change services or sell your house. Shorter contracts offer greater freedom, but may be more expensive each month.

When buying a security system, aim to buy one from the company instead of through a re-seller. Re-sellers are after making a profit; therefore, they don’t have your best interests in mind. When you go through the company, they will offer a guarantee and won’t charge extra fees.

Be prepared for the worst contingency when it comes to criminal threats. You do not need to live in fear, but you must be cautious. Remember these tips so you can increase the security of your home to protect your family.

You don’t want to have toys lying around in your yard if your children aren’t using them. From playthings in the yard, potential thieves can deduce that there’s likely a mother living in the house. Women have expensive jewelry more often than men.