You should always feel concerned about your home’s security. You can never tell if and when a burglar will attempt to put in an appearance. Keep reading to find out how you can make your home much more safe.

Make your home look occupied at all times. You could purchase timers and have your TVs, lights, radios and other types of electronics to go on at various times. This gives off the appearance that someone is home. That means burglars will pass right by.

After you purchase a new home, change the locks. The previous owners or tenants might have made several copies of the key. Get a locksmith in right away. Also, if you ever lose your keys, do the same.

Hide your spare key in a place where no one would think to look for it. The doormat is too obvious of a place to hide it, as robbers will look there first. Try hiding the key in your outside dog’s collar.

If your home has a lot of valuable items inside, then you need to purchase a safe so that all of these items can be kept in a single location. This ensures during a break in that the most important things are not stolen. Put the safe somewhere difficult to get to, like the attic.

Aim to purchase fire-resistant ceilings, roofs and floors. This is a good way to protect your home against fires, for instance if you live near power lines or in a dry area. Lowering or eliminating the risk of a fire is an extremely important home security strategy because a fire can cause extreme destruction very quickly.

When looking for a system to secure your home, do comparison shopping. Different companies can provide equivalent levels of service and security, but their prices can vary wildly. Get at least 3 quotes from security system companies and compare features and services as well as monthly costs.

Keep your most valuable possessions inside your walls. You don’t have to cut pieces out of the walls. There are many locales that are already around your home. Why not take the guts out of an electrical socket you’re not using? You can convert it into a convenient and covert little wall safe.

If you want to have a spare key hidden outside of your home, hide it carefully. Above a door frame or under a mat are not smart ideas. You could hide the key with your dog on the collar.

It is important to always have fresh batteries and flashlights handy around the house. They will help you get around in case your entire home is dark. Make sure each member of your family knows where the flashlights are and how to operate them.

Don’t announce your vacation agenda on your social networks. This is especially true if you have lots of unfamiliar “friends”. You may be very excited about your impending vacation, but there is no need to let potential burglars know when you will be gone.

If you want to make your house even more secure, a cheap way to do that is to buy outside lights with motion detectors. At night, not only will these lights be handy to light up areas around your home,they are also a cost-effective and efficient security addition. If you position motion detectors properly, it is very hard for someone to sneak onto the property.

Don’t allow anyone you don’t know to look into your house. Even people who claim to need help may be out to harm you. Some people will knock on your door simply to see whether you have a security system.

When about to sign a contract with any home security firm, read all the small print. You may find fees appear unexpectedly, including excessive costs for ending your contract early. These are costs you’ll want to avoid.

In the summer, remove all the dead trees from your yard. They are a potential fire hazard during warmer months. Be sure all sorts of flammable items are kept under control around your home.

Don’t allow your landscaping make it easier for burglars to break into your home. Your doors and windows should not be obstructed by shrubs or fences. If they can be seen, there will be no place to hide. Keep landscaping away from your house for safety reasons.

Check with the police department in your town for home security tips and advice. There are many that offer programs that include items, such as home inspection, how to use engraving tools to mark code numbers to identify valuables if yours are stolen, and protective measures advice. Speak with the police in your area to see if they have these things.

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. There are always going to be unique things about your home as well as your specific needs, so make sure you think about these things. If there is a company that can come up with a customized plan, you will get what you really need.

Security System

Consider all of your individual security needs before looking into any alarm systems. You might find that an alarm isn’t necessary at all. In some situations, having a good dog and/or learning some self defense may be all that you really need to feel safe. Be aware of your risks to make an intelligent purchasing decisions.

Regardless of the quality of your home security system, you need to have it checked each year. Make certain the security company you choose provides for regular inspections. A number of factors can cause problems with your security system, including wild animals and mother nature. You might not even discover these problems if they aren’t easily sighted.

Can someone standing in the middle of the street see clearly your house numbers? If an emergency happens, the police can’t get to the home as quick if your numbers are obscured in any way or are too small. Happily, it’s quick and easy to fix this problem.

Walls are great for hiding things. Keep small, valuable items inside the walls of your home. You can use phone jacks or electric outlets as hiding spots. Anything not used currently makes a good spot for hiding.

Inquire whether a security company offers variable contract lengths. Each will have its own pros and some cons, too. The longer the contract, the lower your monthly bill, but if you move or become dissatisfied, you are stuck with the monthly fee. Shorter contracts offer greater freedom, but may be more expensive each month.

If you buy expensive electronics or appliances, throw the packages away the day that your trash pickup occurs. Doing so is like giving a burglar an invitation to target your home; he or she will know there is something good inside.

Keep your windows covered if you’re out. Potential intruders will see what you are doing and get an idea of how many valuables you own if you keep your blinds open. If they see something they like, they will then break in. Also lower them while you are sleeping.

Are you aware that the wires located on the exterior of your house have value? Often homeowners are unaware of this fact until they find that their wiring has been stolen. Wiring can be removed from the outside of a home in a heartbeat. Hide the wiring and make it harder to access to prevent this from happening.

If you’ve got a keypad to lock your door, do not make a password which is obvious. It is easy for anybody to learn your birthday, which makes it easy for them to access the house. Rather, try and make your combination the answer to an equation so that you only need to remember an equation instead of an actual series of numbers.

Rotted Wood

An automatic device can control your lights, turning them on and off at the time you set. This makes it easy for you because you do not have to turn the switch. It also makes the lights go off and on even if you are not at home.

Rotted wood in your door framing should be replaced. Rotted wood can be easily removed by thieves. Keep your home secure by replacing rotted wood with fresh timber.

Ask the security company whether or not that have motion sensitive lighting. Some do, and installing these lights means your property will be illuminated if anyone walks nearby. This provides added security when you enter the premises and can be a great burglar deterrent.

If you have your home brightly lit, burglars are likely to avoid it. They do not desire to be seen. By minimizing dark and shady areas, you are taking away a potential burglar’s hiding spots. Keep lights on during the night.

Having a burglar alarm is really good, but it is only good if the police is alerted when it sets off. Purchase a centrally monitored alarm to reap all the security benefits possible. An isolated alarm that just wakes up your neighbors is far less reliable, especially after a few false alarms.

One effective home security trick you can use is by installing outdoor motion sensor lights. Burglars like using darkness to hide. Install some outside lights so you can see everything outside. This includes doorways and porches, the garage, and windows on ground floors which may invite intruders.

Sliding patio doors present a security problem in many homes. They can be simply unlocked with a lift and a shake. If a security system isn’t attached to these doors, then insert pipe to place into the door channel. This helps keep your door closed and makes it not easy to open.

Think about what you need to feel safe before considering security systems. Although these systems can protect you and your family, not everybody needs them. 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. Know what you want and make your decisions based on that.

Women are targeted for robbery more often, particularly if they have children or they live alone. Place large, muddy boots at your doorstep so it looks like a big, burly fellow lives there. Criminals will think twice before breaching your security.

Equip your home with a system designed for home surveillance. Video cameras are an excellent way to keep your home safe. Visible cameras can scare intruders, and hidden ones can catch them in the act. There are surveillance systems that you can access and check by cell phone.

Indoor locks are nice, but outdoor locks are better. Deadbolts are the best option. Double key locks are good as well, since burglar can’t easily open them.

Don’t use your birth date as the password for your security alarm. Personal information, such as a birthday can be acquired on the Internet. If you use this as your password, you may make it easy for a burglar to rob you. Use a random number instead.

If your home has a lot of exterior wiring, you could be inviting criminals to take advantage of you. Copper wiring is worth a lot today. Hiding electrical wiring can stop intruders from stealing copper, preventing you from having to pay repair costs.

Women are much more likely to be targeted for a home invasion, especially if they live by themselves or with children. Place large, muddy boots at your doorstep so it looks like a big, burly fellow lives there. This keeps those criminals away for sure.

There have been many instances where someone has knocked on a door to say they need help, and then upon the owner answering the door, the person busts in and starts wreaking havoc. If a stranger knocks on your door, do not open the door to help them. If they need a phone, tell them you will make the call for them. If you feel uncomfortable, dial the police department.

It is better to purchase your home security system directly from the company. Resellers just want to make money off your purchase, but they don’t give guarantees. If you get your product from the company, you will avoid a ton of fees.

The smoke alarms you use should all be connected to each other. This type of alarm is linked with others in the same system. Because of this, one alarm being set off, causes all to go off. This provides you with a greater level of fire security and improves your response time in the event of a real fire. The sooner you know about hazards such as fire, the more quickly you can eliminate the danger.

Be realistic – prepare for the worst. Always be prepared for the unexpected. If you make use of the advice you’ve just read, you should be able to make your home into a safer and more secure environment for your family.

If your shed contains a ladder, make sure the shed stays locked. You might as well issue an invitation to a burglar to come in your second floor windows if you leave the ladder out. Keep anything similar locked up, like trash containers, building supplies and exterior sheds.