Your house must be a safe haven for you and your family at all times. When they venture out, it needs to remain safe and secure for when they return. The best way to start out in protecting your home and its contents is by reading this article for the best advice available.

Make sure your home appears occupied. You can purchase inexpensive timers that will control different electronics and lights in your home. This will give your home the appearance of someone being there. This should help you make your home safer and not attract the attention of potential intruders.

Is your dog outside when you are away? This is where you can put your spare key. You can attach your key to your dog’s collar in order to keep the key hidden. Especially if your dog is not very friendly, this will help keep your key safe.

If you need to leave a key for a maid service, make sure that that whoever cleans your house is professional and trustworthy. Make sure they are honest, reputable and hardworking. Check out their references thoroughly. If your cleaning person comes from a company, check with the BBB.

When you set out to purchase home security equipment, remember to comparison shop. You would be surprised to see that the prices are much different for each company, even though it’s for the same type of protection. Get a quote from several companies before making a final decision.

Buy a safe. This is essential, because you would never want valuable jewelry and other items to be seen by intruders. Conceal the safe in an out-of-the-way and not easily accessible spot, such as an attic or a basement area.

Don’t just hide your spare key anywhere. It is very common for homeowners to hide them under a mat or above the framing of their door, and intruders know this. You should hide it in your dog’s collar.

If you keep a spare key outside to prevent yourself from being locked-out, think carefully about where you hide it. Above a door frame or under a mat are not smart ideas. You should hide it in your dog’s collar.

When it comes to securing your home, start by changing your locks. Anyone from an old roommate to a former tenant could have access to your home if you leave the old locks in place. You can change the locks in a single day, and the hardware is not very costly.

Social networking sites are great for keeping in touch, but post information sparingly. For example, you might avoid broadcasting when you are going out of town, especially if your friends list contains casual acquaintances. Potential intruders could get a good idea of when you will be gone by monitoring what you share on social networks.

Don’t forget skylights when doing a security sweep for your home. Skylights are excellent for beauty and light, but it’s easy for burglars to gain access to your home through them. Your skylights need durable and reliable hardware for true protection.

Home protection program details may be available at your police station. Many have quite a few helpful programs that you take, like on self-defense or other things related to your home. Contact the police department to see if they have something similar.

Hiding Places

Regardless of the quality of your home security system, you need to check it annually. Ask someone who works at the security company to do a maintenance check. There are many reason why a home security system can have problems, and it might be the weather or wild animals that cause it to malfunction. The problem might not be obvious to you, though.

Avoid placing spare keys under door mats or in plant boxes. Remember that you are not the only one who is aware of these sorts of hiding places. Burglars are well aware of such hiding places. A better solution is to give your key to a neighbor you trust.

Walls make the perfect hiding spot. Small valuables fit nicely inside walls. All you have to do is place them behind any unused phone jack, electrical outlet or switch plate. If you don’t have unused plates, it’s easy to put in a fake one.

A simple way to increase your home security is to add motion lights around the house. At night, the lights will keep things bright round the house, but they are also efficient and cost-effective ways to help your security. When placed appropriately, no one will be able to break in unannounced.

If you buy expensive electronics or appliances, throw the packages away the day that your trash pickup occurs. If you leave the boxes out all week, it lets people know what type of items you have in your home.

If you hire a security company, read any fine print. There are early termination fees, and there may be fees for extra equipment procured in the future. You’ll want to avoid any surprises so be sure and read your contract carefully.

If you are moving in your new home, ensure all the old locks are replaced. While the person you bought the home from may seem on the up and up, you have no idea who they really are. Also, there have likely been other owners of the home, and you don’t know them either.

The Internet is your friend when searching for a home security company, so you should use it wisely. Look at various sites and read customer testimonials, along with details on various packages. Also find other companies to get quotes from as well.

Keep flashlights in your rooms. Power outages are common to all sorts of emergency situations, so having flashlights handy will enable you to maneuver in the dark. Teach your children how to use the flashlights so that everyone in your household can help.

Talk to any companies you’re considering hiring to install a security system about how long the company has been around. A long-standing company has a track record in the industry that people can attest to. It’s good to know that the company won’t disappear overnight and leave your home unprotected.

If you’re going to hire a company that provides home security, read everything in the contract before you sign it. There could be hidden costs if you were to quit your service prior to the expiration date of the contract, or you decide to add additional equipment later. You are going to want to avoid these kinds of hidden fees, so know about them up front.

The outside of your house should be well lit. Nothing is as attractive to a burglar as a dark, deeply-shadowed house. Install lights in areas where intruders might come. All doors, porches, garages and windows should be well lit.

Whenever seeking out home-security companies, the Internet can be a valuable resource, so utilize it. Many websites offer reviews, recommendations, and detailed pricing information. Make appointments with the three best companies, and take the time to go over the details and compare them.

If someone looks after your house when you’re gone, have them remove fliers from the door. Crafty burglars will leave fliers on homes, and check to see if they’re being removed as a means for determining whether or not the home is vacant. If the flier is not removed, it’s easy for a burglar to suspect that the owner is away.

Don’t limit security to the inside of your home; the outside needs attention too. The doors and windows of your home should not be obstructed by trees, fences or shrubs. With areas like these visible, there will be no hiding while attempting a break-in. Landscaped features should be set further away for safety, yet keeping beauty in mind.

Ask about different contract lengths that your home security company may offer. Each likely has its benefits and drawbacks. With a longer contract, your monthly payment is likely to be lower. The downside is you might be stuck for a longer period of time if you decide you don’t like the service or want to move. If you want more freedom, it is best to purchase a more expensive but shorter contract.

An important part of vetting any security company before you sign a contract with them is finding out how long they’ve been providing security services in your community. Any business with multiple years of history has a proven record in being reliable. You can feel confident when you choose a well established, reputable home security company.

Inquire into both purchase and lease options for your security system. Purchasing your equipment may cost more in the beginning, but this is a one-time cost which does not recur. Leasing is often less expensive, but it may involve contracts and higher monthly fees. Check out both options to discover the best one for you. The option that’s best for one person may not be best for another.

Think about a wireless security system for your home. Systems that are wired are cheaper, but they need unattractive wiring inside your home and may malfunction when you have a power outage. Wireless systems tend to be easier for installation and maintenance, and they will not go out if your power does.

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.

Discuss various contracts offered by any home security provider you are exploring. Each will have its own pros and some cons, too. Long contracts may cost less each month, but it could leave you with a larger bill if you decide to end your service. Shorter contracts offer greater freedom, but may be more expensive each month.

Always keep your valuables secure. Important legal documents and passports, family photos, expensive jewelry and financial records should always be protected. Floor safes may come in handy for this purpose. For ultimate security, of course, such items can be kept in an off-site location like a bank’s safe deposit boxes.

You do not want to use spring latch locks. These locks can be opened easily with a credit card. This isn’t a difficult maneuver either. Put in a deadbolt for more security if your doors already contain spring latch locks.

Women are usually targeted for home invasion, particularly if they live alone or live with their kids. Consider displaying large boots outside your home to make others think that you have a man living in your home. This will make burglars think twice about breaking in.

Women living alone or with only children are easy targets for home invasion. Keep some shoes on your porch to make potential intruders think a man lives here. This should keep most intruders away.

Locks from the inside can be helpful, but it’s not real useful if you are unable to lock your door from the outside. The best lock is a deadbolt and those that have keys for the inside and outside can prevent burglars from opening them.

Don’t purchase your home security system from a re-seller. Resellers only want to make the most money they can, and they don’t necessarily guarantee their products. Dealing with the company directly can help ensure that your system will be installed and serviced correctly.

You know a good bit more about securing your home. Are you ready to put your newly found knowledge to use? Keep researching the ever changing topic of home protection so that you can always stay on top of security issues in and around your home.

The wiring on the outside of your home can draw burglars in. Copper is quite valuable. Therefore, you should keep your wires concealed so that thieves are not able to strip away the copper, resulting in you spending a lot on repair costs.