Every homeowner must maximize efforts to secure his home. If you think an alarm system is the only option for securing your home, you are wrong; there are many other choices. The article below will explain.

Your dog can keep your spare house key for you. But, this is only effective if your home has a pet door or your dog stays outdoors when you are not home. Keep a spare key around the dog’s collar.

Home security systems aren’t just about sounding alarms. The majority of systems are able to be set to put out an alert when any individual enters the home. This is great for parents that have small children so that they know when their kids open or close doors.

Once you buy a house, switch out the locks. You don’t know how many keys have been handed out previously. Have a locksmith install a brand new lock. You should also do this if your keys ever get lost.

Turn the ringer off on your telephone if you are going to be away. If the phone rings without you there, burglars will suspect that you’re not home, and that can make your home a target for an attack while you’re gone.

Make sure you have a safe to keep valuable items in one place. A safe is the best way to protect your diamonds, gold and important documents. Conceal the safe in an out-of-the-way and not easily accessible spot, such as an attic or a basement area.

Motion sensor lights are a great investment. These lights will come on if someone walks near your home. They will signal movement to you but will also serve as deterrents to the thieves. Make sure you keep fresh light bulbs in your motion activated lights so that they will work correctly.

Do you have skylights? If so, you should keep them in mind when protecting your home. While they are an excellent source of natural light, they are also an easy way for thieves to enter your home. Keep them secure with heavy duty hardware that closes them off to potential thieves.

Make sure to use caution when deciding if and where to hide an extra key outside of your home. Too many people put their extra key under the mat in front of their door; burglars know to check there. One good place to hide a spare key is in the collar of a dog that does not take kindly to strangers.

Even if you’re not going to be gone long, keep your home locked. Break-ins are often the result of unlocked windows and doors. It does not take a long time for a robber to pilfer items worth thousands of dollars.

Are you aware that the wires located on the exterior of your house have value? People often don’t think about this until they have it stolen from their home. It does not take much time to strip off the expensive copper wires from the exterior of your house. Hide the wiring and make it harder to access to prevent this from happening.

Be sure your roof, floors, and ceiling are fire resistant. This ensures your home won’t be a tinderbox. Preventing fires is the best way to deal with them.

Flashlights Handy

It is important to always have fresh batteries and flashlights handy around the house. Power outages are common to all sorts of emergency situations, so having flashlights handy will enable you to maneuver in the dark. Teach everyone in your home to use the flashlights so all family members can see and help each other.

Don’t make a habit of giving strangers access to your home. This includes a salesperson or people looking for help. Some people will knock on your door simply to see whether you have a security system.

If your home isn’t new, replace the locks. While you may trust those who lived there before you, you have no idea who lived there before them. It is possible to purchase and put in locks on your own so you can be assured you have the only keys.

The outside of your house should be well lit. Thieves like to commit crimes when no one can see. Install some outside lights so you can see everything outside. This means by the garage, in the doorways, around windows and much more.

Talk to your local police department about what they offer. They may offer things such as home inspections, engraving tool loans, and other guidance about securing your house. Contact your local police department to find out if they offer this type of program.

This article should have made it possible for you to have a safe home. Though it may all seem overwhelming, it is essential if you are to keep your loved ones and belongings secure. The tips you’ve just read can help make this a reality.