It is a good idea to be as informed as possible when it comes to home security. This should not be a hasty decision. Think long and hard about creating a safe home for your family.

Keep your most precious belongings inside a safe. This is very important, as you do not want your gold, diamonds and personal items exposed if someone were to break into your house. Keep the safe hidden in a hard-to-find location like an attic or a basement closet.

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 appear that someone is home. This will help safeguard your house to the best of your ability.

When looking for a system to secure your home, do comparison shopping. Wild variations in pricing can exist for similar security products. Make sure you get quotes from at least three companies before you decide on which one you think is the best option.

Spare Key

Security systems are more than just an alarm. The majority of systems are able to be set to put out an alert when any individual enters the home. This could be valuable for parents who have small children, making them aware when their kid has closed or opened a door.

Don’t just hide your spare key anywhere. Above doors or under doormats are much too common to hide them and potential criminals will check them first. One good place to hide a spare key is in the collar of a dog that does not take kindly to strangers.

Your flooring and roofing should be fire resistant. This can provide additional safety to the home, particularly in dry regions. Fire prevention is paramount.

Buy a safe to keep all of your valuables in one place at home. This is important, since you don’t want your valuables exposed to a potential intruder. Conceal the safe in an out-of-the-way and not easily accessible spot, such as an attic or a basement area.

Don’t allow anyone you don’t know to look into your house. Do not give in, even if a person uses a convincing story, asks for help or says they are selling something. There are some people who will just come in to see if you have a home security system, and if you do not, they could come back later when you are not home.

Motion-sensor lights can alert you of a robbery before it even happens. These lights will turn on if anyone walks too closely to your home. The lights will notify you of motion and also deter would be burglars. Replace bulbs regularly and check the sensors once a month.

If you have an extensive online presence that includes a lot of people you don’t know too well, avoid announcing upcoming vacations. While these platforms are there for sharing, this is announcing to the world that your home is an open target.

Listen to your intuition as to whether your system is being installed by a trustworthy home security company. This is definitely the case if you’re not quite sure about the actual installation people. Never be afraid to ask for a new installer or to get an entirely new firm. Remember that every aspect of your home security system should support you in feeling more secure.

Skylights need to be secure, too. Skylights are a wonderful addition to any home, but they also tend to be weak spots that intruders take advantage of. Use heavy-duty hardware to secure your skylights to the roof.

Get rid of all of the dead wood and vegetation in your yard during the summer months. These can quickly become fire hazards when hit by direct sunlight, placing your house at risk. Clear your yard often if you want to prevent a fire from starting.

You can hide your valuable items inside your walls. You don’t need to cut out segments of your walls by the way. Take a closer look at your walls and note just how many access points there are already. For example, place jewelry in an unused electrical outlet.

Avoid leaving spare keys outside of your home. While you may feel that you are keeping yourself safe by allowing a way in for yourself, you are also allowing everyone else to visit whenever they want. Thieves aren’t stupid and also know common hiding spots. Rather, give your key to a neighbor you find trustworthy.

Is your garage used for storage? Consider removing those items and keeping your car there instead. It will be far more secure against thieves. If your car is locked up inside, it cannot be stolen or vandalized. This will also make it more difficult for burglars to track when you away from home.

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 could steal all your valuables in only a few minutes.

Don’t just consider alarming your doors when you’re considering an alarm system. Intruders can enter through your windows too. Therefore, ensure the windows have an attached alarm. All potential entry points should have an alarm. They are the most effective.

The walls are a perfect hiding place. You can hide small valuables inside the walls. You can use the opening provided by an electrical switch plate or other device that is not being used. If you do not have any unused plates, it is easy to install a false one.

If you’ve recently moved into a house, get any locks changed out. It may seem as if the former owners of the home are honest, but really you don’t know much about them. Aside from that, other people lived in the home even before the ones from whom you purchased the home.

Look online for a reputable home security business. Go through different websites and investigate testimonials about different companies and packages. Once you have selected a few potential home security providers, set appointments to interview them and find out what they have on offer.

Don’t put your extra key under you doormat, in a planter, or in a cleverly disguised false rock. Keeping a spare key is convenient but intruders will have access to your home if your key is too easy to find. Burglars are well aware of these hiding places. Rather, give your key to a neighbor you find trustworthy.

Always keep your home’s exterior well lit. Burglars prefer the cover that night provides their criminal activities. Install lights in areas where intruders might come. Some examples include first story windows, garages, doorways and porches.

Think about what you need to feel safe before considering security systems. Although these systems can protect you and your family, not everybody needs them. In certain areas, it may be just as useful to learn self defense or buy a dog, whereas other places may require added measures. Before you sink a lot of money into your home’s security, make sure that you’re properly addressing your particular risks.

If you make a large purchase, like a big screen television, don’t simply set the box out in front of your home. Letting such packaging sit out will signal to criminals that there are good things to be found in your house.

If you don’t own a paper shredder already, you might want to get one. A thief looking through your discarded papers can find a lot of information you do not want them to have. They may even learn your schedule, so they can burgle your home while you are away. Cutting the papers into small pieces with a pair of scissors is another option.

Now that you are finished with the article, you know a little more about protecting your home. There is no point in going blindly into home security. You want to make sure that you adequately protect you and your family. Take the ideas discussed here under advisement as you assess your own security needs.

If you allow a security company to come to your house, make sure they appear professional and can present identification. Thieves may say they are from a certain company to get into your home. This means peril for what you own as well as your loved ones. Be careful if you want to avoid danger.