There is a sizable market for home security options. No matter where your home is, there is always a burglary somewhere each day. Thieves pick houses that appear to be easy targets. To keep your home safe, read the tips in the following article and apply them.

You can hide your spare key on your dog. But, this is only effective if your home has a pet door or your dog stays outdoors when you are not home. You can purchase a special collar that will hold your spare key, so when you forget your keys your dog can let you in.

Spare Key

Home security systems do more than sounding an alarm in case of a break in. The majority of systems will give an audible alert when someone enters the house. This is a good way to keep track of where your young children are.

Consider using your dog as a place to store your spare key. This can be done if your dog can come outside. Store a spare key within your dogs collar so you always have access to your home.

Ask friend for any advice they have prior to purchasing a security system or service. This will help you to reduce the stress that you have on your search for a good one. Therefore, ask everyone you can in order to obtain the most advice. With thorough advice, the best decision can be made.

Shut off phone ringers inside the home if you’re going to be gone for quite a while. A ringing phone that goes unanswered may signal to a burglar that nobody is home.

Skylights should be secure. Skylights have a good function, but unfortunately they also often provide a way for a burglar to enter. Be certain that skylights in your home can be locked securely.

Don’t allow a complete stranger to come in your home. Burglars are getting creative, and they will do anything they can to gain access to your home. Create a rule where you only allow those you’ve invited to your home inside.

Walls are excellent hiding spots. If you own smaller things that need protection, think about keeping them hidden in the walls. All you have to do is place them behind any unused phone jack, electrical outlet or switch plate. If there are no unused plates, you can easily install fake ones.

No matter how good your security system is, it should be checked annually. The security company should have a specialist come to look at it. A number of things may cause your alarm system to have problems, including mother nature and wild animals. You may not know there’s an issue if you can’t see it.

Even if you’re not going to be gone long, keep your home locked. It may shock you to know this, but a lot of intruders get inside homes through open doors. It doesn’t take long for a thief to steal thousands of dollars worth of stuff.

Don’t be shy. Talk to your neighbors. Watch their homes for suspicious activity and get their word that they will do the same thing for you. Never neglect gossip. You could learn important security information, such as if strangers have been lurking around the neighborhood.

When you pick an alarm system, it’s a good idea to get one that provides protection for both doors and windows. Intruders can enter through your windows too. Be certain they are also alarmed and monitored. They are the most effective.

Security System

You want all wires of an installed security system to be hidden. A burglar will simply cut the wires if he can see them. Make it hard for a burglar to avoid your detection. This will make you much safer.

When dealing with a company installing your home security system, it is important that you trust your gut. If the installers make you feel uncomfortable, heed your feelings. Make sure that the installer has experience installing your type of security system. Your security system is supposed to help you, not cause you more stress.

If you move to a dwelling that has had prior occupants, make sure you get the locks changed. Even if you’ve gotten a key from the previous owner or tenant, there could still be a lot of people out there who have keys to your home. It’s easy to install locks, so you can just purchase them at the home improvement store and swap them out to be sure you have the only keys.

Don’t forget skylights when doing a security sweep for your home. Intruders could use skylights to enter your home. Be certain that skylights in your home can be locked securely.

Having a bright and lit-up home at night deters crooks. They do not want to be seen. With a well lit home there is no place for burglars to conceal themselves. Keep your lights turned on during the night.

Hide your valuables in the walls. You should think about hiding certain small valuables within your walls. Just access unused switch plates, outlets or phone jacks. Anything not used currently makes a good spot for hiding.

Your home’s exterior needs to be well lit. Criminals like to blend into the shadows, so do your best not to provide too many for them. Light up the dark spots around your home. This can include garages, doorways, porches, and even near any windows on the ground floor.

Do not hide your spare key under your doormat or in a nearby planter. These are the first places criminals will look when they try to enter your home. For obvious reasons, experienced burglars know every possible hiding spot. The wisest course of action is to leave a spare key with a trusted friend or a reliable neighbor.

A wireless security system could be a good option. While wired systems may seem cheaper, they need your home to be rewired and they can fail due to a power outage. Systems that operate in a wireless environment can be easier to manage and are not as likely to cause extensive rewiring issues.

Always check references before letting anyone work on your home. Don’t be afraid of conducting background checks to determine if they have a criminal history. Anyone you bring into your home to work could be your worst enemy.

If you don’t own a paper shredder, get one. You would be surprised at how often thieves look through trash to find personal information to find out when you will be away from home so they can break in. If you cannot afford a paper shredder, rip papers up into small pieces.

Ask your security provider about their history in the business. Any business with multiple years of history has a proven record in being reliable. Whenever you know you aren’t doing business with a fly-by-night company, you will be more assured your home is protected.

The best way to keep a burglar out of your garage is to ensure no one can see inside. Use frosted, adhesive backed plastic to cover the windows. You can purchase this at a home improvement store. Don’t leave doors open for long lengths of time when working there.

The best method to maintain a thief from going into the garage is making sure nobody can see inside. Frost your windows with film bought at a hardware store. Don’t leave doors open for long lengths of time when working there.

The glove compartment is bad place to store important documents like your car’s registration. These valuable documents provide criminals with information about your home location. Instead, carry them with you or find a more secure location in your car. However, make sure you have them in case you were to get pulled over by the cops.

A good home security system is very important for your family. You never know when a criminal might strike. You should apply the tips you just read to protect your home. Don’t waste another minute. Make sure you do something about it before something happens!

Consider a hard-wired security system if you are concerned about ongoing maintenance costs. As nice as wireless systems can be, the constant charging and battery changes can become tedious and expensive. If you neglect battery changes, your system won’t work. It can be expensive to replace a ton of batteries.