You need to keep your home safe, whether you rent or you own. Perhaps you are unsure of the steps necessary to secure your home. Read on to find out! Keep reading to learn what you can do.

You should always make sure your home looks like its occupied. Have electronics and lights with timers and set them to go off at various times. This makes it look as though people are home no matter what. This is a simple way to improve your home’s safety and make it less attractive to criminals.

Don’t ever let it be apparent that there is no one at home. Use timers to make electronic devices and lights turn on and off at intervals. This gives off the appearance that someone is home. It is also another way to secure your home.

Only give your house key to a professional house cleaner if you trust them. Make sure they are honest, reputable and hardworking. It is best to do a reference check on them. If you’re hiring from a company, call the BBB for more information.

Put 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. You could simply put a key onto your dog’s collar, so it is always handy.

Do you let your dog outside when you leave the house? This pet may be an excellent storing spot for your spare key. You can attach your key to your dog’s collar in order to keep the key hidden. If your dog is suspicious of strangers, you have found a good hiding place for your key.

It is crucial that you change the locks as soon as you move into a new residence. You have no clue how many people were given keys by the former owner. To make sure you’re the only person that can get into your home, contact a locksmith. Make sure you do the same thing if you lose your keys sometime.

Talk to people you know about their security systems. Other people will probably have personal experience with these companies that are either good or bad. They can share their experiences with you, which will greatly assist you in making the best decision. Keep asking to get the advice that will help you make the right choice.

Do you allow your dog to stay in your yard while you are away? They can help you with your spare key. Find a place to securely fasten the key to your pet’s collar where it’s not visible. This works very well if you have a pet that is not very fond of strangers. You will get the access you need without having to worry about your safety.

If you’ve got a garage, boost home security just by using it for only a car instead of storage. You will not have to worry about thieves taking your car if it is inside your garage. 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.

Home security systems are able to do more than just sounding the alarm whenever you have an intruder. Many systems sound an alert whenever people enter the house. This is a good way to know if your small child has opened a door or closed it.

When having a company install your security system, you must trust your feelings. This is especially true if you are uneasy with those who are installing the actual system. Ask the company to send a different installer or simply change companies. The system and the company should put your mind at ease.

It’s important to comparison shop for alarm systems. Some companies offer comparable levels of protection that can be priced very differently. Be certain to obtain multiple quotes prior to making your choice.

Skylights could be a problem for the safety of your home. They look great and provide light, but also are another access point. Your skylights need durable and reliable hardware for true protection.

If you want to have a spare key close to your house in order to prevent lockouts, make sure you give its hiding place some careful thought. The doormat is too obvious of a place to hide it, as robbers will look there first. You could hide the key with your dog on the collar.

Do not choose a home alarm system that monitors only your doors. Burglars can gain entry through your windows as well. Be sure your alarm is secured to them all and that monitoring is in place for every point of entry. Doing this will help ensure the safety of your home and loved ones.

Make sure the ringer on any phones in your home is turned off when you leave for vacation. A constantly ringing phone lets thieves know that you are not home and could increase the chances of you getting robbed.

If you are moving into a home that had a previous owner, then you should immediately change the locks. Though the prior occupant may have relinquished their keys, there may be copies out there. You can also put the locks on yourself so you can be sure no one else has a key.

You should always lock up your house, even if you’re only planning to be gone for a short time. In a lot of cases, home intruders enter through unlocked doors. A thief can steal your most valuable possessions in a short amount of time.

When you hire a security firm, be certain to review all contracts carefully. There are sometimes fees if you break a contract or need additional equipment. You should avoid these fees as much as you can; therefore, you need to know of their existence.

If you are moving into a new home, change the locks right away. You do not want anyone to have a copy of the key. You can also put the locks on yourself so you can be sure no one else has a key.

Having light on in your home at night will scare crooks away. They want to avoid being seen. If your home is well lit, thieves won’t have any place to hide, so they may not want to steal anything from you. Make sure the lights stay on to keep your home safe.

Carefully check the references of everyone before allowing them to enter your home. It wouldn’t hurt to also perform a background check. You can’t know for sure about the integrity of people you hire, and blindly giving them access to your home can be a huge mistake.

Invest in a high quality paper shredder. Thieves often dig through garbage to obtain personal data that will help them enter the house. If you can’t get a paper shredder, try ripping papers into smaller pieces.

Always enlist the powers of online research to help you make a smart choice when it comes to home security companies. Check out different websites, and read through package details and customer testimonials. After narrowing down your top five choices, you can then take the next step by contacting each one.

Make sure that whoever is getting your mail while you are on vacation also retrieves any fliers left on the door. Some intruders will place a flyer at your home to see if the flyer is removed immediately or not. By your neighbor taking the flyer, it appears as if you got it yourself.

Security Company

The best method of preventing a burglar from breaking into your garage is preventing people from seeing inside. Frost your windows with film bought at a hardware store. Also, do not leave doors open.

Ask the home security company about how long they’ve been running prior to signing up. Find a home security company that has a good reputation and many years of experience to get excellent service. When you know that you’re dealing with a company of some repute, you can feel more at ease making that decision.

If you live with children or others whom who don’t want entering some parts of the house, keys and lock sets aren’t the only option. Instead, key-less key code locks can work just as well. Install them yourself or get a local home security company to do that.

You should think about getting a home security system that is wireless. While wireless systems are often cheap, the cost of installation can be sky high. Also, you will have a very easy time installing them.

You shouldn’t keep your car registration documents inside the glove box. This isn’t smart because that information contains your home address. You should keep them on your person, or find another place in your vehicle to hide them. However, make sure you have them in case you were to get pulled over by the cops.

If you plan to go away and have asked someone to get the mail, see if they will also remove fliers that may have been left at the door. Burglars have been known to put these up, waiting to see if they are removed or not. If the flier is not taken down, the burglar assumes the homeowner is not in town.

Hard-wired home security systems can help you to cut down on costs. Sure, wireless options are easier to use, but they consume battery power quickly. If you neglect to switch out the batteries regularly, your security system won’t function properly. Batteries can be very expensive to change.

If your door has a numeric keypad, don’t use your birthday as the password. Your birth date is pretty easy to come by, especially for seasoned thieves. Use a password that you can remember but that no one else will be able to guess.

If your lights are generally turned off at roughly the same time, consider using a timer. This is simpler, as you will not have to flip any switches, and you will know the lights will go off and on in your absence.

If your lights are generally turned off at roughly the same time, consider using a timer. The automatic timer will keep the lights going on and off on schedule, so a thief will not be able to tell when you are away. Even when you are at home, the timer is convenient because it saves you from having to remember to turn on the lights.

A sliding glass door is not very safe. They are easily unlocked just by lifting and shaking. A piece of pipe or wood (e.g. a hefty broomstick) cut to the proper length and used to block the door channel can provide affordable security if you don’t have an alarm system. This jams the door so it just can’t open.

Hopefully now you better understand how to secure your house and belongings. Don’t waste any more time. Allow these tips to get you started on the path to creating a more secure home. You will sleep better at night knowing you have taken these important steps!

Indoor locks are nice, but outdoor locks are better. Use a deadbolt which has a key on the outside and inside for the best security.