Do you want to get a top notch security system? Make sure you have thought this decision through before making a potentially expensive purchase! The tips below will help you make the decision.
Be smart about where you decide to hide spare keys. Avoid cliched hiding places like over the door frame or beneath the doormat. Experienced criminals will check these places immediately. One good place to hide a spare key is in the collar of a dog that does not take kindly to strangers.
TIP! Don’t just hide your spare key anywhere. Never put a spare key under a doormat or above a door jam.
Setting off an alarm during a burglary is just one of the valuable functions a good security system can perform. Many systems can alert you whenever anyone has entered your home. It’s a great feature for parents as they can tell if a child is potentially leaving the house.
Be sure your roof, floors, and ceiling are fire resistant. This give your home an extra protection layer. Stopping fire hazards is a key precaution to take since the damage it causes can be considerable.
TIP! Buy housing materials that are fire resistant. This is a good way to protect your home against fires, for instance if you live near power lines or in a dry area.
Buy a safe and use it to hold all of the valuables in your home. If an intruder breaks into your home, at least these valuables will be secure. Keep the safe hidden somewhere remote.
You should mute your land line phone if you are going on a vacation. A phone which rings forever is a sign to burglars that you’re not there.
TIP! Turn off ringers on land line phones while you are on vacation. A constantly ringing phone lets thieves know that you are not home and could increase the chances of you getting robbed.
Buy fire resistant roofing, flooring and ceiling materials. This ensures your home won’t be a tinderbox. Lowering or eliminating the risk of a fire is an extremely important home security strategy because a fire can cause extreme destruction very quickly.
Never allow str4angers to enter your house. Even if they tell you a sob story about needing help, this warning remains true. This person might just be casing the joint to see if there is home security equipment.
TIP! Don’t make a habit of giving strangers access to your home. Even if someone has a good story, requires help or has a great product to sell, ignore them.
You should not be shy. Speak with your neighbors and friends in the area. Watch their houses, and ask if they’d do the same. Never neglect gossip. You never know what sort of security issues you might become privy to.
Keep your car in your garage if you have one. Keeping your car secured will prevent people from vandalizing it. Keeping your car out of sight is also good for thwarting burglars’ attempts to determine when you are likely to be away from home.
TIP! Keep your car in the garage. You will not have to worry about thieves taking your car if it is inside your garage.
Have lights that sense motion. The motion sensors turn on the lights whenever anyone approaches your home. You will receive advance warning of any potential issues, and a would-be intruder will probably be scared off. Remember that the bulbs need to be changed so that the lights keep working.
Motion sensor lights are a great investment. They’ll flip on when people walk within a certain distance of your house. You will receive advance warning of any potential issues, and a would-be intruder will probably be scared off. Don’t forget to replace the bulbs when they burn out.
TIP! Install lights that have motion sensors. They’ll flip on when people walk within a certain distance of your house.
Security System
The fist thing you’ll need to do for home security is to get new locks. This could be an ex-spouse or roommate you got into a fight with. It is pretty cheap and the job won’t take more than a few hours.
TIP! Security starts with new locks. Perhaps you aren’t sure who owned the home before you or maybe an old roommate has a key and never returned it.
When dealing with a company installing your home security system, it is important that you trust your gut. This is especially true if you are uneasy with those who are installing the actual system. Never be afraid to ask for a new installer or to get an entirely new firm. Your security system is supposed to help you, not cause you more stress.
Rural areas are just as prone to break-ins as cities. Nonetheless, people in the country may be at greater risk due to being far away from neighbors. However, understand that regardless of where you live, a theft can occur anywhere. Therefore, you need to be prepared.
TIP! Rural areas are just as prone to break-ins as cities. Others think that living in the country is more risky than other areas because houses are so far apart.
If you do not reside in a big city, you may not worry as much about home burglaries. There are differences between large cities and homes located in the countryside. Some people, though, believe that you will not be at risk for a burglary.
You can hide your valuable items inside your walls. You do not have to cut pieces out of the walls to do this. Many spots are already cut that can be used for this purpose. You could removed the wiring from an electric socket that you aren’t using, and stash jewelry inside it.
TIP! Use your wall spaces to hide your valuables. This doesn’t require tearing into your walls, of course.
Do you have skylights? If so, you should keep them in mind when protecting your home. While they are nice and help with lighting, they also provide the burglars help with access to your home. Be certain to have skylights that incorporate strong, durable hardware.
Be cognizant of what others can see when they look in your windows. Large windows let in light and give you a great view outside, but that works both ways. If you’ve got street facing windows, be sure and keep them covered.
TIP! Do not let people on the street see valuable items in your home. Large windows at the home’s front can be beautiful, but it can make it easier for criminals to see inside.
The walls of your home make for great hiding spots. You can hide small, valuable items inside the walls of your home. Place them in switch plates, phone jacks or an electric outlet. Anything not used currently makes a good spot for hiding.
Lock your home when you leave, even if you don’t think you will be away for long. It is more common than you would believe for a thief to find a home, try the door and walk right in when it’s unlocked. It doesn’t take long for a thief to steal thousands of dollars worth of stuff.
TIP! Always lock your home, regardless of how short your trip out is. Many home thefts start with the thief simply walking in an unlocked door or window.
Keep the wires of your home security system hidden. An intruder can cut the wires or disconnect them and avoid the system. Don’t make it easier for them, so have wires hidden in the house’s walls or buried. That will make you safer.
Hide your security system’s wiring. Intruders can disable a system if they see the wires. This makes it much easier for a thief to get inside your home. Keep the wires protected. This way, you will be safer.
TIP! You want all wires of an installed security system to be hidden. A burglar will simply cut the wires if he can see them.
You should have several flashlights and batteries in all your rooms. Having a well-charged flashlight on hand is very beneficial in case of emergency. Make sure everyone in your family knows where the flashlights are.
If you make a large purchase, like a big screen television, don’t simply set the box out in front of your home. Having these boxes nearby can tell robbers what kind of merchandise you’ve got in your house.
TIP! If you bought any expensive or large items, don’t throw the boxes out until the day trash is scheduled to be removed. Having these boxes around for a while will give people an idea of what is inside your house.
Change the locks on any new place you move into. The previous tenants may have returned the keys, but they could have a copy. You might even install new locks yourself so that you know you have the only keys.
A paper shredder can be a good security investment. Thieves often find the trash cans to be a gold mine of pertinent information about potential victims. If you don’t have a paper shredder, tear the papers up.
TIP! If you don’t own a paper shredder, it would be a good idea for you to buy one. Thieves may look through your garbage for information.
Get some professional assistance by asking a home security company to come to your house and work up a plan for a customized security system. Every person has specific needs and wants when dealing with securing your family, home, and items. Working with a business that will look out for your specific interests will help you be much safer at home.
Discuss various contracts offered by any home security provider you are exploring. Compare the pros and cons of different options. A longer contract might give you a lower monthly bill, but you could be stuck with those monthly costs if you sell your home or decide to discontinue services. Short contracts leave you with freedom, but also a larger bill.
TIP! Ask the security company about various contract lengths. Compare the pros and cons of different options.
If you don’t have a paper shredder, you might want to buy one. Your trash contains so much personal information a thief would love to have. If a shredder is too expensive, at least tear relevant paperwork into small bits.
Spring latch locks are not a good option. Spring latch locks are the easiest locks to gain entry with, as they can be opened with a simple credit card. A card can be placed between the latch and the door, and this will open it. If you have spring latches already installed, consider adding deadbolts too.
TIP! Try to stay away from spring latch locks. These are the easiest for criminals to open with a credit card.
If you are out of town for awhile, ask a friend to take a look at your door for any fliers. Burglars often put fliers on the door to see if the owner removes them. By your neighbor taking the flyer, it appears as if you got it yourself.
If you keep a spare key outside, make sure it is not kept in an obvious location. Is anybody really fooled by those fake rocks? Not likely. The thief will check under the mat before anything else. It is best to simply ask a neighbor or trusted friend to hold on to an extra key for you. If you have no choice but to hide a spare key, apply some inventive, out-of-the-box thinking when you do it.
TIP! If you must hide your key outside, do not put it someplace obvious. It is easy to spot a fake rock.
You might have decided that a security system for your home is the best solution. The case might be that you need to change the way things are done around your house. Research your options to find the best solution for your family.
Never make the password to your keypad your birthday. Your date of birth can be obtained through Facebook or your mail. Rather, use a number that can be determined through an equation that you can remember instead.
TIP! If you’ve got a type of numeric keypad on the front door, don’t use your birthday as the password. Your birthdate can be found on Facebook or pieces of mail and you have given entry into your home.