Your home should be a place where you and your family can feel safe. You want to make sure your family is safe when they return home after going out. Reading the advice in this article will give you a great start in securing your home.

Do not give the key to your home to your cleaning person unless you are certain they are worthy of your trust. Anyone you give the keys to your home to should be unarguably honest. Check the housekeeper’s references very carefully. If the cleaner has been sent by a company, call the Better Business Bureau to check on the company’s reputation.

Why not give your trusted dog the job of holding onto your spare key? This can be done if your dog can come outside. Place a spare key on the collar, and when you really need a spare, you know where to go!

Some home security systems have additional security features besides sounding an alarm to deter a burglar. The majority of systems will give an audible alert when someone enters the house. If you have little ones wandering about the house, this makes it easy for you to know if they have come in or gone out.

When you buy a new home, be sure to have the locks changed. The previous owners or tenants might have made several copies of the key. To make sure you are the sole person with access to the home, engage the services of a locksmith. Be sure to cal a locksmith if you were to lose your keys as well.

Look at the prices for all of the security systems that you are interested in. Prices vary greatly in regards to the same protection for each company. Make sure you get quotes from at least three companies before you decide on which one you think is the best option.

Buy a small home safe that you can use to keep your valuables in. This is important, since you don’t want your valuables exposed to a potential intruder. Conceal the safe in an out-of-the-way and not easily accessible spot, such as an attic or a basement area.

If you have a lot of unfamiliar people on you social networking accounts, avoid letting everyone know you will be going on vacation. While it is exciting to go to a new place and have a good time, you are letting thieves know that your house will be empty and they can come right in.

Buy ceiling, roofing and flooring which is resistant to fire. This adds more protection to a house, especially if you’re in a dry area with some power lines. Preventing a fire hazard is one of the safest precautions that you can take due to the level of destruction that it can cause.

Turn the ringers off on all your phones if you will be away for a prolonged period of time. A ringing phone that goes unanswered may signal to a burglar that nobody is home.

Don’t open up your door for someone who is a stranger. There are many different tactics that crooks use to enter homes, and a common way is simply to walk up to the door and ask for help. Establish a rule where you and your family only open the door for expected visitors.

Avoid being shy. Speak to your neighbors. Watch their houses, and ask if they’d do the same. Pay attention to gossip. You may end up hearing about things such as odd folks roaming about the neighborhood.

In the summer, remove vegetation and dead wood from your yard. These can quickly become fire hazards when hit by direct sunlight, placing your house at risk. Clearing your yard keeps your home, belongings and family much safer.

An extremely important tactic for keeping your home safe is changing out the locks. As time passes, keys end up getting into the wrong hands. It is inexpensive, and most locksmiths will be available for next day appointments.

If your house has a garage, keep the car there, not just your junk. It won’t be vandalized or stolen this way. When your car is hidden, it will be hard for intruders to tell if you are home or not.

Find a home security company you can trust. If the installers give you the heebie-jeebies, it’s not a good sign. It’s your home, and you are free to hire any company you like. The purpose of using the company is to calm your uneasiness, not worsen it.

Don’t forget skylights when doing a security sweep for your home. As nice as they look, they’re a prime target for thieves. Make sure your skylights have reliable, heavy duty hardware in place.

Don’t think you’re not at risk just because you don’t live in a big city. On a different note, some people believe homeowners in more rural areas are more likely to experience robberies because of the lack of nearby neighbors. That said, stranger things have happened.

Avoid placing spare keys under door mats or in plant boxes. You might think this protects you against being locked out of your home, but it also gives intruders access to your home. Thieves are aware of these hiding spots. Rather, give the key to a neighbor to hold.

Hide the wires of your home security system. Exposed wires make it easy for an intruder to cut them and disable the alarm. This is why it is so important to make sure all your wires are well hidden. This will make you much safer.

Flashlights in your home should always have newer batteries if your power goes out. Flashlights are critical, and provide you with the freedom to move about as needed. Train your kids how to use flashlights so that all members of the family can contribute.

The wires that are on your house are very valuable. Most people are unaware of this fact until a burglar takes it from their house. Copper wiring is quite valuable, and it’s quick and easy for criminals to strip it right off the outside of your house! That’s why it’s important to hide your wiring, or make it hard for criminals to have access to it.

Unless you’re moving into a brand-new apartment or home, changing the locks should be one of your top priorities. Even if the tenants turned their keys in, they may have made copies. If you own, you can have the locks replaced and only you will have had the key.

If your home isn’t new, replace the locks. Previous tenants may have given the keys back to the landlord, but it is always possible to make copies of keys. You can purchase and install locks yourself to make sure only you have the key.

Ask a home security company to come to your house and design a security system that is perfect for your needs. Every family is different, and so your security needs will be unique. A custom set-up will make sure you’re as safe as can be.

Before letting someone from a security company into a house, get some sort of official identification. It is simple for a thief to pose as a representative of your home security company as a means of gaining access to your house. This is dangerous to your valuables and your family. Be cautious to stay safe.

Keep the outside areas of your home well lit. Criminals love darkness to help mask their crimes. Motion sensor lights can work great because they can also alert you when someone does come onto the property. This includes doorways and porches, the garage, and windows on ground floors which may invite intruders.

One relatively inexpensive way to add an extra layer of protection to your home is to install motion sensor lights for the exterior of your home. These lights are not only handy when you get home late, they also help deter criminals from entering your home. They also help to keep intruders away, because an intruder does not want to come close to your property if they know they might be spotted.

Never place empty boxes for expensive items out on the curb. Burglars will see those boxes and realize that there are valuable things in your home for them to get. Cut the boxes up when they are empty.

Having light on in your home at night will scare crooks away. They don’t want visibility. When your home is lit well, the crooks have nowhere to hide, making it difficult for them to steal from you undetected. If you want to stay secure, keep your house brightly lit.

See if your security company only sells equipment, or if they will lease it to you instead. Purchasing your equipment may cost more in the beginning, but this is a one-time cost which does not recur. Leasing is cheaper, but there may be hidden fees and contracts. Think about both options before making a decision.

If you purchase a new TV or computer, don’t leave empty boxes from your purchases on the curb. Burglars pay attention to this, and it will make them want to break in and get the items. Break down the box, and take it to the local recycling center.

If you have a numeric keypad on your door as your lock, don’t make the password your birthday. A thief can easily find this information out. Use a random number instead.

Find out about the various lengths of contracts your chosen home security company has on offer. There are benefits and drawbacks to each. Longer contracts may create a lower bill per month, but you you could maintain those monthly expenses if you discontinue service or sell the home. Shorter contracts likely allow you more flexibility with exiting the plan; however, you will probably have a larger monthly bill.

Replace any non-metal or non-wood door immediately. These doors hold really good. If a burglar were to try and kick his way inside, he would have a lot of difficulty doing so. It is easy and affordable to replace all of your home’s exterior doors, so ensure you do this immediately.

Make sure that your key is in a hidden place. It is easy to find fake rocks. A doormat is obvious, and a burglar is sure to look there. It’s best to ask a trusted friend or even a neighbor to hold the extra key. This will reduce the chances of a burglary.

Indoor locks are nice, but outdoor locks are better. One of the most secure locks is a deadbolt that has a key to lock it from both sides of the door and cannot be opened by an intruder.

If you are concerned about the cost of maintaining your security system, then you may find that a hard-wired solution is a good option. As nice as wireless systems can be, the constant charging and battery changes can become tedious and expensive. If you do forget to have them changed, the system will not work right. Replacing several batteries will quickly add up.

Big, scary dogs are great security. Anyone who breaks into your home wouldn’t want to be attacked. A big dog can be a great burglar deterrent for your home.

Inquire about motion sensing lights from your security service. Most companies will offer this service, and it illuminates the outside of the house whenever there is any movement. Motion sensitive lighting can scare off an intruder and allow you to safely enter your home.

Many times folks have knocked on doors seeking assistance, only to kick in the door aggressively when the homeowner answers. If a stranger asks for help, keep the door closed and tell them you’ll request help. If you are afraid, simply contact the police.

Always lock all your windows, even the ones on the second floor. This is most often overlooked by a lot of people due to the fact that they don’t think a burglar will check them. However, this is actually not how it goes. This is a common weak spot in most people’s home security, and thieves are very aware of this.

Now that you have read this article, you have the knowledge you need to protect your home. How are you going to use it in your home? Keep reading to learn about how to protect your home and the people you love.

While a lock that can be secured inside are good, it is useless if you cannot also lock it after you are outside. Therefore, a deadbolt is a great selection; it will make things very difficult for a burglar.