It is up to homeowners to take proactive steps to ensure the safety of the home and its inhabitants. Sadly. burglaries are all too common, as are fires and floods. Continue reading to educate yourself on home-security strategies to keep your home and loved ones safe from all potential threats.

If you have an extensive online presence that includes a lot of people you don’t know too well, avoid announcing upcoming vacations. Although your first instinct is to share the news about an upcoming trip that excites you, the info may well fall into the hands of people who’d be interested in burglarizing your home while you’re away.

Your faithful dog makes a great hiding spot for a spare key. This will come in handy if your dog is outdoors most of the time or if it can go outside through a pet door. Keep a spare key around the dog’s collar.

Don’t let people into your house that you don’t know. 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.

If you need to leave a key for a maid service, make sure that that whoever cleans your house is professional and trustworthy. Before you give a cleaner full access to your home for extended periods of time, you have to be certain that they’re trustworthy and reliable. It is best to do a reference check on them. If it is a known company, check with your local BBB.

You never want to open up a door to a stranger without proper identification. There are people who are going to be convincing, but they can just be professional thieves. Enforce a rule within your house that no one opens the door to unexpected people.

Do you have an outdoor dog? They can help you with your spare key. Conceal it in the dog’s collar. Especially if pets don’t like strangers, this can be a useful way for having easy access to your house.

It doesn’t matter how much money you spent, you should have an annual test. A security professional should visit to help with the testing process. A number of factors can cause problems with your security system, including wild animals and mother nature. If you aren’t paying attention, you may not be aware of these problems.

Buy a safe and use it to hold all of the valuables in your home. This is important, since you don’t want your valuables exposed to a potential intruder. Keep the safe hidden somewhere remote.

Motion sensor lights are a great investment. When a person approaches your home, the lights will blaze. You will receive advance warning of any potential issues, and a would-be intruder will probably be scared off. Test the bulbs frequently, though.

Consider the advice of your friends when selecting your home security company. Your friends have gone through both bad and good experiences and they will be able to share them with you. Be sure you seek out advice by asking those people.

The first step in making your home more secure is to change out your locks. Perhaps your roommate left town or you have gone through a messy divorce, and you need to feel that the home is safe. It is not expensive and you can do it in less than a day.

Install lights that use a motion-sensor. These lights will come on if someone walks near your home. This is a good way of knowing who comes near your home and keeps you safe if you ever come home late. Do not forget to change a bulb when it burns out.

Whenever you are selecting a home security company, make sure you go with your gut feelings. You should be very picky when it comes to letting people inspect your home. If you simply are not comfortable with a company’s technician, request for another technician or simply hire another company. At the end of the day, your efforts are so that you feel more comfortable.

Rural Residents

Do you live outside the city? You might be less worried about home invasions than if you lived in an urban area. People who live in the country may even be more vulnerable because they do not have nearby neighbors. Then again, others think rural areas are not as much of a target.

If you live in a rural area, you may not be as concerned about home break-ins as people who live in the city. Some people feel that rural residents lead riskier lives because they are far away from neighbors. Others feel rural residents have a lower risk of being burglarized.

Walls are the perfect place to hide. Keep small, valuable items inside the walls of your home. Use an old switch plate, outlet or phone jack. A security store will sell fake plates you can install anywhere.

Hide your valuables in the walls. You can hide small valuables inside the walls. You can use phone jacks or electric outlets as hiding spots. You can easily install fake unused plates.

It is not a good idea to hide a spare key on your property. Though you may think you are giving yourself a way into your home if you lose your key, you are actually inadvertently inviting intruders into your home. Thieves are aware of these hiding spots. Instead, give your extra key to a neighbor whom you trust.

Be sure your valuables are not visible from the outside of your house. Open curtains allow people to see inside your home and see exactly what you have. If you have windows that face the street, always keep them covered and keep your valuables safe.

No one should be able to see your valuables from outside. It is wise to invest in coverings for large windows that can give criminals a large view of your home. By reducing visibility into your home, you protect your belongings, safety, and you improve the interior beauty of your home.

Purchase flashlights that have good batteries, and keep them in every room in your home in case the power goes out. These items will help you remain safe when there is no electricity. Teach your children how to properly use flashlights.

You want an alarm system that protects more than your doors. Your windows are easy entry points for crooks too. Therefore, ensure the windows have an attached alarm. All potential entry points should have an alarm. This helps ensure your family stays safe.

If you are entering a house that has already been occupied, you should first change your locks. Even though the previous tenant may have turned in their key, you never know if they have a copy. You might even purchase and install your own locks so that you are assured of having the only keys.

Replace rotted wood that surrounds your door frame. Anyone can gain access to our home by prying away the rotted wood. Replace wood that is starting to rot with fresh new wood to keep your home as safe as possible.

Motion-sensitive exterior lighting is a must. These lights will keep your property well lit and give you a good idea of who approaches your home. By carefully placing them around the outside of your property, you create a perimeter that cannot be breached.

Screen the references of anyone who would have access to your house. Be sure to perform a background check and look for any criminal history that might be in evidence. You might not know that the maid or contractor entering your home is a crook, and this could be a very bad mistake.

You need to make sure you’re making use of the Internet when looking at different home security companies. Look at various sites and read customer testimonials, along with details on various packages. Then, you can choose a top three to contact and compare details and pricing.

If you are seeking home safety ideas that are simple and inexpensive, you should buy outdoor lights with motion sensors. In the dark hours, these lights will provide the illumination necessary to protect your home and also save money by staying off when they’re not needed. If positioned correctly on the exterior of your home, the motion detectors make it virtually impossible for an intruder to sneak onto your property.

You should find a home security company that will inspect your home and put together a customized system. Everyone has different needs, and your security system should be designed to protect your home and family. A good company will tailor your security plan to the needs of you and your family.

The Internet is your friend when searching for a home security company, so you should use it wisely. Take a look at various websites and read over customer testimonials and details about various packages. With that information, you can make your appointments with the top three companies you’ve chosen so that you can compare pricing and look at specific monitoring and plans.

If you get home and the door is open, don’t go in. This is dangerous because the thief may be right inside. It is best to call the police right away and go to a safe place until the police check your home.

Think about your personal security needs before you purchase a home security system. Although automated electronic systems are powerful, they’re not necessarily the cost-effective solution for every home. Depending on your neighborhood and your household, you might well be better served by a reliable guard dog or self-defense training than by high-tech gadgetry. See to it that you understand the risks involved in making these purchasing decisions.

If you don’t have a paper shredder, you might want to buy one. You’d be shocked at how many times thieves search trash looking for personal documents to see when you’re not home so that they can get into your home. If a shredder is too expensive, at least tear relevant paperwork into small bits.

You should not enter your home if you find the door ajar. The thief may remain inside. Instead, call 911 and report a possible break-in.

From the road, are your house numbers visible? Make sure they are large in case emergency personnel need to find your house. Luckily, you can fix this quickly and cheaply if you see there’s a problem.

Keep your garage shut and locked so burglars can’t peek inside. Frost your windows so people cannot look inside your home. Also, do not leave doors open.

If you have an established routine for turning your lights on and off, consider investing in 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.

Never place a key in an obvious spot. An easily moved object close to the door is the first place a burglar will look. Doormats, too. A safer option is entrusting a neighbor or one of your most trusted friends to keep your spare key. If that isn’t an option, be creative with a hiding spot.

Keep your most valuable possessions secure. Passports, financial records, jewelry, photos or legal documents should be locked away. Keeping such valuables under lock and key (in a floor safe, for example) is a good way to provide the extra protection they need. For added safety, place them in a safety deposit box at your bank.

If you’re worried about how you’re going to be able to maintain a wireless system, you may want to opt for a wired one instead. Sure, wireless options are easier to use, but they consume battery power quickly. You might forget to change out the batteries, which will result in your system not operating as it should. What you spend on batteries, additionally, can really add up!

Clean out all carbon monoxide and smoke detectors. Lint and dust can build up and make them less sensitive. Thus, it is important to clean your detectors periodically.

Buy security systems from a company over someone reselling it. People reselling it care more about money than the product. Dealing with the company means there will be no extra fees, and they will service your equipment whenever you need.

Due to the numerous threats that can damage a home, it is important for every homeowner to do all they can to ensure their home’s safety. The ideas in this article will keep your residence protected. Use the above tips to make your home more secure.

The wiring on the outside of your home can draw burglars in. Electrical wires contain copper, which is extremely valuable. Conceal it to make sure thieves don’t get their hands on it, and you can save a lot of money.