Do you know anything about home security? If you are having trouble making the decision on home security, you should do some more research. This investment might be pricey, but it gives you peace of mind and security to those you live with.

Don’t just hide your spare key anywhere. Never put a spare key under a doormat or above a door jam. Instead, try hiding a key on the collar of an outside dog.

Be sure your home appears to always be occupied. Use timers to make electronic devices and lights turn on and off at intervals. This helps to create the illusion that someone is presently at home. It is also another way to secure your home.

If your social networking accounts are filled with folks you do not really know, do not announce vacations on the sites. You may be very excited about your impending vacation, but there is no need to let potential burglars know when you will be gone.

Once you buy a house, switch out the locks. It’s important to know everyone who has a key to your home. Changing the locks will give you peace of mind that you and your family are the only ones who have access to your home. If you lose keys, make sure to do this, too.

If you will be away from your house for an extended period of time, turn the ringers off for all your phones. A constantly ringing phone can signal to a burglar that the house is vacant, making it an easy target for their criminal activities.

If you need to leave a key for a maid service, make sure that that whoever cleans your house is professional and trustworthy. When giving your house cleaner the key to your home, you need to be sure that they are reputable and honest. Check the housekeeper’s references very carefully. If the cleaner is from a firm, try calling the local BBB to find out about the firm’s reputation.

Do not allow anyone you do not know into your home. Even if someone has a good story, requires help or has a great product to sell, ignore them. These people might want to actually do you harm or could be casing out your house for a future break-in.

Home security systems offer other triggering features besides having an alarm sound. You can have your system alert you of any movement in certain areas of your 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.

During summer, remove your landscape’s dead vegetation and wood. As things heat up in the summer, items may catch on fire and threaten your home. Regularly clear away your yard to keep your home in good standing and safe for your family.

If you have an extensive online presence that includes a lot of people you don’t know too well, avoid announcing upcoming vacations. While it is exciting to go to a new place and have a good time, you are letting thieves know that your house will be empty and they can come right in.

See if your local police department offers any home inspection or other protection programs. There are many that offer programs that include items, such as home inspection, how to use engraving tools to mark code numbers to identify valuables if yours are stolen, and protective measures advice. Your police department will be able to help you find out what is available in your town.

Turn the ringer off on your telephone if you are going to be away. A phone which rings forever is a sign to burglars that you’re not there.

End your shyness. Get to know other people who live next door and others in your neighborhood. You’ll find that friendly neighbors make for a powerful support network. Keep an eye on their properties and they’ll respond in kind. Don’t ignore any gossip either. You might hear helpful information, for instance if strangers have been hanging around.

Use your garage for your car and not for storage. Keeping the car in the garage can keep thieves from vandalizing or stealing it. Hiding your car from plain view will also keep potential intruders from tracking when you are home and when you aren’t.

Motion sensor lights on the exterior of your home is a great idea. These lights turn on if someone walks closely to your house. Then you will know someone is present, and if the person is a burglar, he or she will be very likely to turn around and leave. Replace bulbs regularly and check the sensors once a month.

Motion-sensor lights can alert you of a robbery before it even happens. They will illuminate your property if they sense any movement near your home. Not only will they notify you of movement, they will also deter potential burglars, as thieves want to remain as inconspicuous as possible. But keep in mind that the bulbs to the security light should be routinely changed to ensure that the deterrent system functions properly.

Walls are excellent hiding spots. Concealing small valuables in your walls is an easy and highly effective way to protect them. Use an old switch plate, outlet or phone jack. You can also install a fake one.

No one should be able to see your valuables from outside. If you have big windows near your big entertainment system, it can seem like an invitation to thieves. If you’ve got street facing windows, be sure and keep them covered.

Don’t allow the wires of your home security system to be visible to others. If the wires are exposed, an intruder can bypass the system by cutting its wires. This makes it much easier for a thief to get inside your home. Keep the wires protected. It will keep your family safer.

Hide your security system’s wiring. Burglars can easily cut the wires if they are visible. Make sure the wires are installed inside the walls of your home. This makes it much less likely that your system will be compromised.

If there is any rotted wood around your door frame, replace it. An intruder can simply pry away that rotted wood and enter your home. Always replace rotting wood with fresh wood immediately to keep your house strong and secure.

Even the wires inside your home are worth something. This is something few homeowners realize until they become victims of wiring theft. The copper component of wiring is very valuable and may be stripped from the outside of your home in a fairly short amount of time. Be sure that your wiring is concealed or difficult to access in order to keep your wires safe.

Look online for a reputable home security business. Review different websites and review comments from previous customers. 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.

If your home isn’t new, replace the locks. Although other tenants might not have a key anymore, they could have copied it. You can change the locks yourself if you’re feeling really industrious.

When standing in the street, can you see your house numbers? Small or obscured numbers can make it difficult for emergency personnel to locate your home. This is a project any homeowner can tackle.

Always get references from anyone you are considering hiring to do work inside your home. For a relatively small fee, you can also run a background check for their criminal history. There is no way of knowing whether or not service people are honest, so you should not give them keys to your home.

Your precious pooch is one of your best home security weapons. Dogs naturally protect their homes and they make lots of noise when things go wrong. You will get good results even if you do not have a large or vicious dog. Small dogs even scare off intruders as they don’t like anything to make noise when breaking into a home.

One relatively inexpensive way to add an extra layer of protection to your home is to install motion sensor lights for the exterior of your home. These lights are not only handy when you get home late, they also help deter criminals from entering your home. With good positioning and properly set motion detectors, intruders will not be able to sneak up on your home unnoticed.

Don’t get spring latch locks. These type of lock is the easiest lock to pick, it could even be opened by a credit card. The card is slid into the crevice between the latch and the door, pushing the latch back and springing the lock open. Add a deadbolt to doors with spring-latch locks.

Whenever seeking out home-security companies, the Internet can be a valuable resource, so utilize it. Take a look at various websites and read over customer testimonials and details about various packages. Then you can schedule an appointment for a home visit to discuss which package is best for you and what it will cost.

You want your blinds and curtains closed if you’re away from your home. If they remain up, criminals will have no problem seeing right into the house. They may break in if they see things they like. You should have the windows covered when you’re asleep.

You should think about getting a home security system that is wireless. A wired system is probably less expensive, but wires are a hassle. The easy of installation and maintenance when it comes to wireless set-ups makes them the best bet.

Think about getting a hard-wired home security system if maintenance costs are an issue for you. While there is a greater level of convenience if you go wireless, there is also a requirement that several batteries be changed, sometimes multiple times a year. Not replacing the batteries keeps your system from working properly. It can also be pretty expensive to replace batteries.

Are you feeling a bit better informed on the subject of home security? If you know more, you will be more prepared in terms of making your decisions. Keep the tips that you’ve read in mind as you get started with your choice today.

Replace flimsy doors with doors made of solid wood or metal. This sort of door will deter intruders. A burglar trying to kick in such a door is going to be in for some pain. A strong exterior door is a good investment, (they’re very durable!) so make sure all of your home’s doors are tough.