Many people dread the hassle that comes with installing a professional home security system. It is possible, however, to find a stress-free solution. Review these excellent tips for insight on some easy approaches to keep you and your family more secure in your home.

You should always change the locks after purchasing a home. You don’t know the exact number of copies of that key the previous owners have or have handed out. Contact a locksmith to make sure that only you have access to your home. If you lose your keys, you should do the same thing.

Be sure your home appears to always be occupied. You can purchase timers that can control your household electronics such as lights, TVs and radios. This will make it look like someone is home. This is a great way to keep your home safe and avoid burglaries.

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. You need this because you would not want burglars to see these valuable items around in your house. Hide your safe in a place that is hard to get to, like a basement closet or an attic.

You can hide your spare key on your dog. However, this method is only effective if your dog is large, scary, and stays outdoors. Put a key on the dog’s collar so you have access to it when necessary!

Always take time to compare and research before investing in an expensive security system for your home. Each company has different rates for their security system. Get quotes from no less than three companies before choosing the best one.

Get a good safe to store your valuables in your home. This is vital since it means all of your things will be safe if someone breaks in your home. Keep your safe in a hard-to-get-to place, such as a basement closet or your attic.

Don’t overlook your garage as a potential access point for thieves. There is a way to stop thieves from entering your home from the garage. Try putting a C-clamp on your garage door track. This will stop the door from rising if you want to keep it closed.

Compare different systems when looking into home security. Several different firms may offer similar protection for wildly divergent prices. You really owe it to yourself to solicit firm quotes from three different providers before you sit down to pick one.

Check with your local law enforcement agency about home protection plans. Many police departments offer programs that can include home inspections, home security training and more. Your police department will be able to help you find out what is available in your town.

Spare Key

If you have a garage, increase your home security by using it to house your car, rather than just for storage. This will keep thieves from stealing it or harming it. When your car is hidden, it will be hard for intruders to tell if you are home or not.

Don’t just hide your spare key anywhere. Common places to hide a spare key are above your door frame or underneath your doormat. Therefore, thieves are more likely to check these places out first. A better place to keep your key is inside your outside dog’s collar.

If you reside in a small town or rural area, then you might not be as worried about someone breaking into your home as city dwellers may be. Nonetheless, people in the country may be at greater risk due to being far away from neighbors. Some think that there are less burglars in rural areas.

Buy fire resistant flooring, roofing and ceiling. Your home will get added protection, especially if your environment is dry and has power lines. Fire is such a destructive force that it makes excellent sense to reduce fire hazards in your home whenever possible.

You can hide certain valuables within your walls. You do not have to cut pieces out of the walls to do this. Take a closer look at your walls and note just how many access points there are already. For example, you could take the wiring out of an electric socket that is not in use and put your valuable jewelry in there.

When you’re picking out home security equipment and services, don’t forget to ask your friends and family for help. There are likely people you know that have had either good or bad experiences with these companies. Ask around to get lots of advice for making a better choice.

If you’ve just gotten a home, replace every lock. Regardless of how trustworthy you consider the last owners to be, neither you nor they can be sure that there aren’t others out there with keys to those locks. Remember that other families may have lived there before that person as well.

Security System

The number one thing you must do if you’re moving into a new place is have the locks changed. Though the prior occupant may have relinquished their keys, there may be copies out there. If you own, you can have the locks replaced and only you will have had the key.

Regardless of the quality of your home security system, you need to have it checked each year. Get someone from the security firm to inspect it. Many different things can make problems for your security system. You might be unaware of problems that arise in some cases.

Any time you let a stranger into your home that is doing some kind of work, it is best to ask for references. Don’t be afraid of conducting background checks to determine if they have a criminal history. There is no way of knowing whether or not service people are honest, so you should not give them keys to your home.

If you live in a rural area, you may not be as concerned about home break-ins as people who live in the city. People who live in the country may even be more vulnerable because they do not have nearby neighbors. Not everyone believes this, though.

Ask your home security company how long they have been in business before you sign up for service. A long-standing company has a track record in the industry that people can attest to. It’s good to know that the company won’t disappear overnight and leave your home unprotected.

Choose an alarm which monitors other areas outside your doors. The best systems are those that cover windows as well. Each point of entry for your home should be monitored by the system. This will help to keep your family safe.

Have a home security company come to your house and come up with a system that best suits your needs. The needs and wants of each family and the configuration of each home are quite individual. If you find a company that will tailor the plan you choose to your needs, you can get the highest level of security that makes you feel comfortable.

Be certain the wires to your home security system are neither visible nor accessible. Intruders can easily disable your home security system by cutting or unplugging the wires. Make sure the wires are installed inside the walls of your home. This helps keep you and your family safe.

Wireless home security systems are becoming more popular. A wired system might cost less, but they can require extensive rewiring work and may be rendered useless if the power fails. A wireless system is easy to install, and will not become inoperable if your power goes out.

If you purchase big-ticket items, don’t throw their boxes in the trash before trash day. Exposing the box to view ahead of time signals a burglar that he will find this item in your home.

Break down the boxes from your new TV or computer rather than leaving them on the side of the road. These boxes are a signal to burglars that you have something worth stealing. Break down the box, and take it to the local recycling center.

A great way to achieve extra security is to install exterior lighting equipped with motion detectors. These lights not only give off light at night, but can also offer security around your home. By carefully placing them around the outside of your property, you create a perimeter that cannot be breached.

See if your security company only sells equipment, or if they will lease it to you instead. Buying will cost you more initially for the equipment, but will save you a monthly bill. While leasing might be less expensive, it also comes with high monthly fees and contracts. Look at what you can afford, as well as what is offered and make an informed choice.

If you see that the door is open, do not enter the house. This is dangerous because the thief may be right inside. Instead, call the police to inform them of what happened, and wait on them.

Don’t put the registration to your car in your glove box. This isn’t smart because that information contains your home address. Keep them in your wallet or in another safe place like your trunk. They have to be accessible in the event you are in an accident or receive a speeding ticket.

If you do not already have a paper shredder, you may want to think about investing in one. Thieves may look through your garbage for information. If you cannot afford a paper shredder, rip papers up into small pieces.

Avoid keeping your key somewhere expected. It is easy to spot a rock that is fake. Someone is going to look under your doormat. It is best to simply ask a neighbor or trusted friend to hold on to an extra key for you. If this is not possible, think on how you will hide it.

Keep burglars on the outside of your garage by making sure nobody can actually see inside the garage. Cover your windows with frosting; this could be purchased at hardware stores. They prevent people from peeking inside. If you use your garage for working on projects, don’t forget to lock it when you’re through working for the day.

It is not enough to buy an alarm for your home. It needs to connect with the police if a burglar sets it off. The best bet is to invest in an alarm which is centrally monitored so you can be sure that any time it goes off, the police will show up. Don’t rely on anyone else to call.

Using a timer is a great way to make it seem as if you are home when you are on vacation. This is simpler, as you will not have to flip any switches, and you will know the lights will go off and on in your absence.

Indoor locks are nice, but outdoor locks are better. Deadbolts that use keys on both sides are the most secure locks.

You should lock all your windows, even on the second floor. A lot of people forget to lock the windows on the second floor, but intruders will use these windows. Do not underestimate intruders. Many home-security plans neglect this step, and unfortunately, many burglars know this.

Clean your home’s carbonic monoxide detectors and smoke detectors regularly. Lint and dust can accumulate, making them ineffective. These devices could be rendered useless if not properly taken care of.

When you can’t lock your door from the outside, your home isn’t secure. Deadbolts are the best locks. The ones that are key operated on the interior and the exterior are burglar proof.

Criminals really don’t like surveillance cameras. Real burglars do not resemble the ones in the movies. Burglars seldom cover their faces and very few expect anyone to see them. They will likely leave if they notice the cameras and sensors.

Carbon Monoxide

A stranger in need of help is not always a welcome visitor at the front door. In all too many cases, this scenario has led to a home invasion by a duplicitous criminal who is only looking to get easy access. If a stranger needs help, keep the door closed and offer to call the police or an ambulance for them. If you’re not sure what to do, then just call the police.

Regularly clean carbon monoxide and smoke detectors. Lint and dust can accumulate, making them ineffective. Your detectors will be much less effective at protecting the home from carbon monoxide and smoke.

You should change the code of your garage door regularly. This is because all of the units come standard with the same code. Thieves actually travel from home to home seeing if a certain garage door opener will work on each house.

Instead of having a home security system installed, you can take other steps to create a sense of safety for your family. Whether you want to put up a new fence, put some more locks on the door, or purchase a gun, you have quite a few choices. Keep these tips in mind and improve your home’s security.

Use smoke alarms that are interconnected inside your home. The alarms in this type of system are linked together. When one alarm detects smoke, you want ALL of the alarms to go off, not just that one. So, you will feel comfortable knowing that an alarm will reach you should a fire erupt. You can efficiently reduce damages by putting the fire out right away.