Read this article to learn how to protect your home and family. This is a crucial decision in your life, so it is important to have this information on hand. To make a wise choice, you need solid information.

Use a safe to protect your valuables. This is vital since it means all of your things will be safe if someone breaks in your home. The safe should be kept hidden in a basement or attic.

Your home should looked occupied all the time. Invest in timers to automatically turn on and off any electronics at various times. This will make your home appear as if someone is there. This helps you keep your house burglar-free.

Never allow any strangers into your home. There are some people who are very convincing and good at getting you to let them into your house. Some criminals will use any reason to gain access to look for security systems and easy entryways into your house.

Your dog can safeguard an extra key. This only makes sense if your dog is outdoors a lot or you have a pet door. Hide a key inside the collar of your dog in case you need a spare.

Don’t open your door when strangers are knocking. There are people who are going to be convincing, but they can just be professional thieves. You should only open the door to people you were expecting.

Once you buy a house, switch out the locks. You will want to have a unique combination to stay secure. Changing the locks will give you peace of mind that you and your family are the only ones who have access to your home. You should also do this if your keys ever get lost.

Install motion-sensor lights. These lights will come on if someone walks near your house. They help notify you of any movement around your house and deter burglars too. Replace bulbs regularly and check the sensors once a month.

Secure your garage. There is a way to stop thieves from entering your home from the garage. Try putting a C-clamp on your garage door track. This will stop the door from rising if you want to keep it closed.

Switch your locks. Changing the locks will ensure that you are the only one who knows the combination. This is a very easy process that you can complete within a day.

Police Department

Use your wall spaces to hide your valuables. No need to damage your walls. There are many places in your home that are pre-cut and available. An unused outlet can be taken apart, and the space used to create a tiny hidden safe.

Talk to your local police department about what they offer. Some police departments offer things like code numbers to help find your valuables should they get stolen. Ask your police department to see if these types of programs are available.

After bringing home a big-ticket item, such as an appliance or electronic device, avoid leaving the packages on the curb before trash day. Empty boxes might draw the attention of robbers and let everyone know you own new and expensive goods.

Avoid coming across as overly shy. Converse with those living in your area. Keep watch of their homes when they are away, and ask if they will return the favor. Don’t ignore the gossip. You can learn of important security information, including if strangers have been lurking.

Use the Internet to find a reliable home security company. Read through official websites for different companies and look for reviews written by customers. Then, you can choose a top three to contact and compare details and pricing.

Any program to improve the security of your home should begin with complete replacement of your door locks. Maybe you’ve had a roommate leave or a bitter ex-lover, so changing the locks can keep you safer. Most locksmiths can accomplish the job within 24 hours.

Inquire with your home security service as to how long they’ve been in business. A company that has been in business for several years has shown that they can sustain in this industry and proven they provide reliable services that people recommend. Realizing you at involved with a stable firm will give you a sense of calm that is important.

Once you’ve moved to a new house, make it a priority to replace all locks. While the person you bought the home from may seem on the up and up, you have no idea who they really are. Keep in mind that there may have been residents prior to that person too.

Make sure your home’s exterior is well lit. Burglars like using darkness to hide. Motion sensor lights can work great because they can also alert you when someone does come onto the property. Don’t forget that this includes ground-level windows as well as doors, garages, and porches.

Are you aware of the fact that your home wiring is worth money? A lot of people do not know this until a thief steals them from the house. The wiring has copper and is easy to be quickly taken off a home. In order to protect yourself from this risk, make sure wires on your house are difficult to find and hard to access.

If you will be away from your home, arrange to have whoever is collecting your mail to also pick up fliers placed inside your door. This is a way people who are casing out your house can tell whether you are home or not. Fliers that are not removed let the burglar know that the home is vacant.

Carefully check the references of everyone before allowing them to enter your home. For a relatively small fee, you can also run a background check for their criminal history. You can’t always be sure that maids, service workers or contractors are honest, and therefore giving out keys can be a big error.

A great way to deter criminals from getting into the garage is to make sure nobody sees inside it. 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. Don’t leave doors open for long lengths of time when working there.

When you landscape your house, make it safe. Don’t obstruct windows or doors with shrubs, plants, fences or trees. Do not give robbers a chance to hide in any area. Plan features like these further from your home to have a safe, beautiful design.

If you purchase an expensive item, get rid of the box rather than allowing it to sit outside your home. Burglars will notice these boxes and know what kind of valuables you have. Remember to cut up or break down those boxes and take them to the recycling center.

Your home’s exterior needs to be well lit. Burglars like committing crimes in the darkness. Light up the dark spots around your home. Having these outdoor lights installed can really work as a deterrent to criminals who are considering your house.

Inquire into both purchase and lease options for your security system. Buying will cost you more initially for the equipment, but will save you a monthly bill. While leasing might be less expensive, it also comes with high monthly fees and contracts. Find out which will work best for your needs.

Arrange for someone to pick up your mail and remove any fliers from your door if you are out of town. This is a way people who are casing out your house can tell whether you are home or not. If the flier is not removed, they will know you are not home.

If you want to hide your house key, find a spot that is not obvious. If you place it under a rock, a good robber will find it. Another obvious location is underneath the doormat. This will be one of the first places that a burglar will look for your spare key. The best idea is just to ask a friend or neighbor to hang on to a key for you. When this isn’t an option, you should at least use your imagination when choosing a hiding place.

If you have paid close attention to facts presented to you, you should be prepared to make your choice. You must know how important this is and how it involves maintaining your family’s safety inside the home. Apply your new knowledge to make certain things stay safe.

Make sure that your valuables are kept in a secure location. This may include things like pictures of your children, heirloom jewelry or birth certificates. Floor safes make for great places to hide such items. It is even better to rent a safe deposit container for absolute security.