Securing one’s home is a step all homeowners should take, but some people don’t bother with it. All it takes to secure one’s home is a certain amount of knowledge. Read the information in this article to identify the best security system for your home.

Have your dog protect the spare key. This is only true if yours in an outdoor dog, or your house is equipped with a doggie door. Just hide a spare house key on the inside of your dog’s collar. Then when you need an extra key, you will be able to access this one.

When you buy a new house, change the locks. You have no way of knowing how many folks might have keys to your house. Hire a locksmith so that you can be sure you are the only person who can access your home. Give a key to someone you trust in case you get locked out.

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. Ensure you talk to a minimum of three companies to obtain quotes before deciding the one that you believe is best for you.

Do not give the key to your home to your cleaning person unless you are certain they are worthy of your trust. Be sure any home cleaner you give your key to is trustworthy and reputable. Ask for references and check them thoroughly. If you hire a cleaner from a company, then you should check the company with the BBB.

You should invest in fire-resistant roofing, flooring and ceiling. This will help you protect your home under all circumstances. Preventing fires is the best way to deal with them.

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. A safe is the best way to protect your diamonds, gold and important documents. Keep the safe hidden somewhere remote.

Make sure the ringer on any phones in your home is turned off when you leave for vacation. This is because a phone that is ringing and ringing can tip of a burglar that nobody is currently home.

Before agreeing to work with a security company, check with your friends and family for recommendations. There are likely people you know that have had either good or bad experiences with these companies. Make sure to ask neighbors for advice too.

You never want to open up a door to a stranger without proper identification. Nowadays, people invent many stories of why they should come in. For instance, they may say they need to call a mechanic or the police. However, their true intent is to rob you. Enforce a rule within your house that no one opens the door to unexpected people.

In the summer, remove all the dead trees from your yard. Due to the heat, these items in your yard are more likely to catch on fire. As a result, your home could be caught on fire. Keep your family and your house protected by regularly clearing out your yard waste.

See if your local police department offers any home inspection or other protection programs. Your local police department will help you with preventive measures, inspect your home and show you how to mark your valuables so they can easily be found. Get in touch today.

Do not let people on the street see valuable items in your home. Large windows let in light and give you a great view outside, but that works both ways. Always keep your windows covered and do not tempt others by displaying your possessions.

Try not to have a shy attitude. Speak with your neighbors and friends in the area. Look out for their property, and see if they will look out for yours. You shouldn’t neglect gossip. You never know what sort of security issues you might become privy to.

Always lock your home, even if you plan on coming back within a few minutes. Most break-ins and burglaries occur because a door is left open and an intruder just walks in. They can get a ton of stuff quickly and be long gone before you return.

Use your wall spaces to hide your valuables. You don’t have to damage the walls to do so. Find a place where there is already a hole to get in through. How about unwiring your electric socket and using that as an area to stash your jewelry?

Replace all locks in a new house. It may seem as if the former owners of the home are honest, but really you don’t know much about them. People may have lived in the home before those owners, too.

Keep valuables out of sight of windows. You might enjoy large windows so you can see out, but just remember that makes it easier for those burglars to see inside your home as well. Windows facing the street need to be covered to keep inside possessions safe.

Door Frame

When moving into a house, ensure that each lock has been replaced. Regardless of how you feel about the sellers, you never know someone’s true intentions. There are other people who have lived in the home as well.

If there is any rotted wood around your door frame, replace it. Rotten wood can be removed in order to get inside your home. Replace the rotting door frame with a new one and keep your home much safer.

Any time you let a stranger into your home that is doing some kind of work, it is best to ask for references. A background check is also a good idea, so that you know what their criminal history looks like. You can never be certain if the contractor, repairman, maid, etc. that you hire to do services in your home is honest. If you let these people in without knowing anything about them, you could experience significant losses.

Moving into an apartment or home that you’ve lived in should involve changing the locks first to maker them safer. You do not want anyone to have a copy of the key. You can also put the locks on yourself so you can be sure no one else has a key.

If you’re hiring a company for home security, be sure to read any fine print before you sign that contract. There could be fees for terminating the contract early or acquiring additional equipment down the road. If you can’t avoid these types of fees, you should at least be aware of them.

Landscape around your home with an eye to safety. Don’t obstruct windows or doors with shrubs, plants, fences or trees. If you have them visible, people can’t hide in those areas while they try to break in. Put these features at a greater distance from your house; let beauty also complement safety.

Talk to any companies you’re considering hiring to install a security system about how long the company has been around. Many years of service bode well for the company’s performance. It also ensures they’re not a fly-by-night firm.

It is a good idea to get some history on any home security companies you are thinking about doing business with. It doesn’t take long for a quality company to prove itself in the security business, and you should look for a track record of satisfied customers and successful work. It’s good to know that the company won’t disappear overnight and leave your home unprotected.

Are the numbers of your home visible from the street? If you need assistance, emergency vehicles may not locate your home in a timely manner if the numbers don’t stand out. Thankfully, you can right this wrong cheaply and quickly.

You should find a home security company that will inspect your home and put together a customized 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. When you don’t want to compromise in any way on the safety and security of your home, a custom-built system is usually the way to go.

A dog is an excellent burglary deterrent system. Dogs are quite protective of their masters and home, and they can display quite a bark if someone comes near the house. There is no need for a mean, big dog either. As long as he is noisy when strangers approach, he’s a great addition to the security of your home.

Before checking out security systems for your home, think about your personal security and safety needs. They aren’t the right fit for everyone. In some situations, having a good dog and/or learning some self defense may be all that you really need to feel safe. Think about your risk factor when making a decision.

If you live with children or others whom who don’t want entering some parts of the house, keys and lock sets aren’t the only option. Use a code-access lock for any door you don’t want others opening. Either you can install them or home security companies can.

Wireless Systems

If you have a numeric keypad on your door as your lock, don’t make the password your birthday. Anyone can get your birthdate off mail or your Facebook page and will therefore have access to your home. Think instead of a more creative way to keep track of your code.

Look into wireless security systems. While wireless systems are often cheap, the cost of installation can be sky high. Wireless systems are much easier to install, and they can work independently of your home’s power.

Replace your doors with some that are solid wood or metal. These doors hold really good. This makes it much more difficult for a burglar to kick in the door and break in. You ought to be able to get new exterior doors fairly cheaply, so make this a priority.

If you plan to be away and you have another person collecting your mail, have them double check your front door for fliers. This is a way people who are casing out your house can tell whether you are home or not. If a flier remains on a front door for a number of days, the burglar knows the homeowner is away.

Intruders might be interested in the wiring of your home. Electrical components and wiring has copper, which is worth a good bit of money. Making sure that none of your wiring is exposed can help to deter those who are interested in stealing your copper wiring and piping.

A dog is an excellent burglar alarm. These pets are usually territorial and want to protect their masters. You don’t have to have a huge, violent guard dog, though. Even small dogs can deter criminals just by making noise when something is afoot.

Always change the keys and locks on a new home. Regardless of whether you are renting or buying, you should either re-key the locks yourself, or request that your landlord take care of it for you.

Home security is a topic of vital importance but one about which not everybody knows a great deal. This topic needs to be the number one priority for all who want to keep their family safe and protected. Hopefully, you’ve learned what you need to know from this article and can now put the information to use.

Don’t have any visible rooms in your home. If people can see a computer or large TV outside your house, thieves can also see it. You need to seriously consider having both blinds and curtains so that things you have inside are not seen. If you can’t do that, don’t keep your valuables in the peripheral rooms of your home.