Safety is paramount when you own your own home. Few feelings are worse than seeing your house damaged or, worse, destroyed. Your home holds your memories, your sense of security and represents a major monetary investment. Read this article for tips on keeping your precious asset safe.

Be sure your home always looks occupied. Purchase timers for electronics, lights, radios and TVs so that they will turn on and off at varied intervals. In this way, it will always seem that someone is in your home. This is an excellent technique that helps avoid robberies while keeping the property safe.

Providing a key to the person cleaning your home can be acceptable, but you must be sure they are honest and worthy of your confidence. If you do give out a key to such individuals, be certain you know their reputation for honesty. Check their references fully. If applicable, call the BBB to inquire about their reputation.

Place your spare key securely on your dog’s collar. But, this is only effective if your home has a pet door or your dog stays outdoors when you are not home. Place the alternative key on your dog’s collar in case of an emergency.

Change the locks after buying a new house. Many people may have been given keys by the former owner. Call a locksmith to make sure you’re the only one with access to your home. You should also have your locks changed if you lose your keys.

Buy a safe so you can conceal your valuables in it. This ensures during a break in that the most important things are not stolen. Hide your safe in a hard to find place like the basement or attic.

Don’t post online when you’ll be away from your home. Although you may want to let others in on your excitement, it may inadvertently give burglars a heads up to target your property.

Don’t open your door when strangers are knocking. Many people are devising many different schemes to get into homes and burglarize them. You should only open the door to people you were expecting.

Comparison shop when you are ready to buy a home security system. Prices vary significantly, even for similar levels of protection. Get quotes from several companies before making a decision.

Make sure to clear your yard of brush and dead wood in the summertime. These are vulnerable to fires and put your home in danger. Be sure all sorts of flammable items are kept under control around your home.

Security Systems

It is important to invest in building supplies that are as fire resistant as possible. This will help you protect your home under all circumstances. Fire prevention is paramount.

Your home security system ought to be checked each year. Ask a qualified worker who specializes in security systems to take a look. Many factors cause issues with security systems like nature and wild animals. It’s quite possible for there to be a fault in your system even if you can’t see it.

Ensure that valuables are stored in a hidden area that isn’t visible from outside your home. Large windows allow you to keep an eye on who is approaching your home, but keep in mind that potential intruders will be tempted if they can see your valuables. If you have windows that face the street, always keep them covered and keep your valuables safe.

During the summer, remove all vegetation and dead wood from your yard. These could catch on fire during the summer, especially if you live in a dry area. Keep your yard clear of debris to keep your house safe.

Always lock your house, even if you are only going to be away for a few minutes. Surprisingly, lots of burglaries occur because the burglar was able to simply walk in without having to actually break in. Thieves can steal a lot of valuable stuff in mere minutes.

Rotten wood on door and window frames needs to be repaired. Anyone can gain access to our home by prying away the rotted wood. Replace this old wood if you want to keep your house safe.

Check with the police department in your town for home security tips and advice. Several in various jurisdictions have programs which entail providing a home inspection, what protective measures will help your home and even how to engrave valuable items to make them easier to recover. Discuss these programs with a local police officer to see if they’re available in your area.

Don’t let anyone in your house without knowing their work history and checking their references. Don’t be afraid of conducting background checks to determine if they have a criminal history. Avoid giving keys out to contractors, maids and repairmen.

Now that you’ve reviewed some solid home security advice, you hopefully understand that improving your home’s safety isn’t all that hard. You simply need to educate yourself on home security. Put the ideas mentioned here into practice for a safer future. Don’t neglect anything you read here. Make your home as safe as possible.

Meet with representatives from the security company you are considering to determine if they are trustworthy. You are giving someone unlimited access to your home, so be sure the installer doesn’t give you a bad vibe. If you simply are not comfortable with a company’s technician, request for another technician or simply hire another company. Ultimately, the whole point is for you to have peace of mind.