Something terrible can occur when it is least expected. Don’t risk your home and family’s safety by being negligent. Read this article for some great tips on making your home a safe haven that will deter criminals from entering.

Buy fire-resistant building materials. Having your home built with fire resistant materials will help safeguard your home in case it catches fire. You can enhance home safety with excellent fire precautions.

Do you keep your dog outdoors when you are away from home? Your pet might just be the perfect place to stash a spare key to your home. Secure the key on the inside of the dog’s collar. If your dog is suspicious of strangers, you have found a good hiding place for your key.

Shut off the ringer for all of the telephones in your home if you are planning to go on vacation for a long time. If your phone is ringing while you are out, burglars will realize that no one is home, making your home very vulnerable to an attack during your time away.

Don’t let any person you don’t completely know into your house. It is essential you do not do this, even if the stranger gives you a convincing story or states they need your assistance. Some will come to your door just to determine how secure it is, and they may return later if they think they can easily enter your home.

Comparison shopping is essential when seeking a security system for the home. Different companies can provide equivalent levels of service and security, but their prices can vary wildly. Get at least 3 quotes from security system companies and compare features and services as well as monthly costs.

Try installing motion-sensor lights. These are lights that turn on whenever any living thing gets too close to your home. This lets you know something is moving and also drives off criminals. Get in the habit of checking and replacing the bulbs as necessary to ensure the lights remain effective.

Do you have skylights? If so, you should keep them in mind when protecting your home. While they are there to let light in, if you do not care for it properly it could also let in a thief. Keep them secure with heavy duty hardware that closes them off to potential thieves.

Turn off your phone’s ringer when you go on vacation. A burglar might hear your phone ring and ring and ring, then realize that you are not home to answer it.

Walls are excellent hiding spots. If you own small valuables that require protection, try hiding them in the walls. Just use an unwired electric plug, light switch or phone box. You can also install a fake one.

Spare Key

It is always best to not let people in that just show up out of the blue. Even if this stranger has a believable story or is trying to sell you something, do not let them in. This is the first rule of keeping your home secure.

Do not hide your spare key under your doormat or in a nearby planter. These are the first places criminals will look when they try to enter your home. Burglars always know just where to look. A better option is to entrust an honest neighbor with a spare key.

Make sure all the wood around your doors is in great shape. Anybody wanting to break into your house can just pry off rotted wood and get inside. Keep your home secure by replacing rotted wood with fresh timber.

You should not be shy. It is important to communicate with others who also live in your area. Watch their homes and ask them if they’ll watch yours as well. Pay attention to gossip as well. You might hear helpful information, for instance if strangers have been hanging around.

Purchase flashlights that have good batteries, and keep them in every room in your home in case the power goes out. They give you and your family the opportunity to move around should the electricity go out. Be sure everyone in your family is aware of the location of emergency flashlights.

To increase your home’s security, buy some outdoor lights that are motion activated. In the evening hours, this lighting can provide extra security and an economical way to light your front entrance way when you arrive. Intruders will not be able to sneak into your home if you place your motion detector in the right spot.

Install motion-sensor lights. The lights will be triggered when someone gets too close to the house. Motion-sensitive lights will alert you to movement and deter people who want to break into your home. Just remember to change out the bulbs every so often so the lights remain in working order.

When choosing between security companies, read everything on the contract. They sometimes have hidden costs if you let go of them prior to the contract expiring. If you can’t avoid these types of fees, you should at least be aware of them.

Keep safety at the forefront as you landscape. You should not let plants and shrub block your doors and windows. Intruders should have nowhere to hide near your home. This will give your home additional safety.

An extremely important tactic for keeping your home safe is changing out the locks. It might be that you have an angry ex-roommate or a bitter ex-partner, so changed locks will boost your security. It is usually inexpensive and can be done in less than 24 hours.

Before you go shopping for a home security system, take a moment to think about your specific situation and unique requirements. Although automated electronic systems are powerful, they’re not necessarily the cost-effective solution for every home. Some neighborhoods would feel be safe enough if you knew basic self defense or had a large dog. Ensure that you have considered all your options before making a final decision.

Look into wireless security systems. It may cost less to get a wired system; however, rewiring to accommodate the system may be difficult. Additionally, power outages may negatively impact your system. Wireless systems are easier to install and maintain, and they do not rely on the power in your home to work correctly.

If you reside in a small town or rural area, then you might not be as worried about someone breaking into your home as city dwellers may be. Others think that living in the country is more risky than other areas because houses are so far apart. That said, stranger things have happened.

You don’t need to rely on keys to prevent entry to certain areas of your home. It is possible to have locks that require just codes, not keys. You can install these locks yourself or have them professionally installed.

There is no knowing what a criminal is thinking, so you’ll never know if your dwelling is a target. Don’t be in denial, do what it takes to be safe. The information you’ve just reviewed can be a vital first step in improving the security of your home.

Walls are great for hiding items. You can hide small valuables in your walls. All you need is a wall opening you’re not using (something like a phone jack, electrical box, or switch plate). If you do not have any unused plates, it is easy to install a false one.