Women living alone who are not comfortable with some form of self protection must learn all they can about home security. Rather than living in fear, you can take some steps to help protect you and your family. Read on to discover many tips to help on home security.

Any time you buy a new home, have the locks changed. This is because you really have no idea who has keys, and therefore access to your home. Having a locksmith replace the locks will ensure that no strangers have a key. Also, you can contact a locksmith if you ever misplace your keys.

Your home should always look like it is occupied. You can purchase timers that can control your household electronics such as lights, TVs and radios. This way, your house will always look occupied. This is great for keeping a home safer from burglaries.

If you retain a space key for when you get locked out, consider the place you hide it carefully. Under the doormat or above the door frame are all too common spaces that will be checked first by potential intruders. An example would be to attach a key to your dog’s collar, if he stays outdoors.

Good home security systems sound a loud alarm when breached, and that’s not all. The majority of systems are able to be set to put out an alert when any individual enters the home. Parents riding herd on small children will be thankful for this feature which makes it harder for kids to sneak outside without supervision.

Consider the advice of your friends when selecting your home security company. They have likely had interactions with home security providers that they can tell you about, saving you time and stress. Ask a number of people to get a several different opinions.

Buy a safe for very valuable items in the house so you can keep them inside a single location. This ensures during a break in that the most important things are not stolen. This safe should be hidden in a location where burglars won’t find it, such as a hole in the wall, the attic, or a basement closet.

Never let a stranger inside. Remember that intruders have a lot of experience with tricking people. 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 have an extensive online presence that includes a lot of people you don’t know too well, avoid announcing upcoming vacations. Although it’s fun to talk about, posting it online makes it more possible for criminals to find out when you’re gone.

Motion sensor lights are a great investment. If someone enters their proximity, they will light automatically. They help notify you of any movement around your house and deter burglars too. Just remember that you must change the bulbs often in order to keep the lights working in order.

Never allow a stranger to enter your home. Even if their story is compelling, they need assistance or want to sell you something. There are people that just want to go into your home to see if you’ve got a type of home security system, and if they see that you don’t, they’ll return when you’re not home.

When having a company install your security system, you must trust your feelings. If the men who come to your home to do the installation seem untrustworthy, you can change your mind. Make sure that the installer has experience installing your type of security system. After all, the point of the system itself is to help you feel more at ease.

You should never open your door to someone you do not know. Criminals find ways to get people to open doors so they can commit crimes. Make it a rule in your home that you only open your door to people who you were expecting.

Don’t put your extra key under you doormat, in a planter, or in a cleverly disguised false rock. You might think that you are providing yourself a safe way into the house if you misplace your keys, but you are really inviting attackers inside. Thieves aren’t stupid and also know common hiding spots. Give it to a neighbor you trust instead.

Before doing anything else, install new locks in your home. If you have boarders, former live-in partners, or others who once had access to your home, this is especially important. This is a very easy process that you can complete within a day.

Keep your home security system’s wires under cover. Exposed wires make it easy for an intruder to cut them and disable the alarm. Make it hard for a burglar to avoid your detection. Your system will be far more effective this way.

Don’t put extra keys under doormats or in planters. You may believe you are making life easier for yourself, but you may just be giving thieves simple access to your house. Thieves are aware of the best hiding spots. Rather, give the key to a neighbor to hold.

The wiring outside of your home can be valuable. Many people have their wires stripped each year. Experienced criminals can make a decent amount of money quickly by stripping copper wiring off of houses in order to sell it at a scrapyard. To keep the wiring safe, be sure that the wire is hidden from view.

Ensure that valuables are stored in a hidden area that isn’t visible from outside your home. Large windows let in light and give you a great view outside, but that works both ways. You should cover any windows that are facing the street so your valuables will be safe.

When searching for methods of improving your home’s security, a great, inexpensive method of doing this is purchasing exterior lights with installed motion detectors. These lights not only give off light at night, but can also offer security around your home. This is a great way to deter prowlers and potential intruders at night.

Do you know how valuable the wires within your home are? Some intruders could strip your home of every bit of copper. It does not take much time to strip off the expensive copper wires from the exterior of your house. In order to protect yourself from this risk, make sure wires on your house are difficult to find and hard to access.

Whenever seeking out home-security companies, the Internet can be a valuable resource, so utilize it. Go through different websites and investigate testimonials about different companies and packages. Once you do this, make appointments with the three best companies you find so that you can compare pricing and other important details.

Checking out security firms online is a great idea. Research the possibilities, check out package options and pricing and analyze customer feedback. After narrowing down your top five choices, you can then take the next step by contacting each one.

Make sure your home’s exterior is well lit. Criminals love darkness to help mask their crimes. Make sure to have lights anywhere an intruder might enter. Over doors, near windows and especially your back yard need to be lit.

You don’t need expensive equipment in order to keep your home secure. Many easier, cheaper methods exist that can make a big difference. Keep these tips in mind to feel safer in your home.

A paper shredder can be a good security investment. 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. Cutting the papers into small pieces with a pair of scissors is another option.