Arming yourself with home security knowledge is something everyone should do. How can you figure out what you need to learn? This article will help you figure out the most important parts to remember.

When you buy a new home, be sure to have the locks changed. The person who previously owned the home may have made copies of keys. Having a locksmith replace the locks will ensure that no strangers have a key. This is also a good idea in the event that you misplace your keys.

Talk to people you know about their security systems. Your friends have gone through both bad and good experiences and they will be able to share them with you. Sometimes, you may get great advice from the people you know.

Do you keep your dog outside when you aren’t home? This is where you can put your spare key. Find a place to securely fasten the key to your pet’s collar where it’s not visible. Your dog is an especially good key hiding spot if he doesn’t react well to strangers, since they won’t approach him, but the key will be there if you need it.

Your garage needs to be secure. Often people are concerned that burglars can enter the home via the attached garage . Happily, there is a solution to this problem. If your garage door happens to lift on a track, using a C-clamp can help. the C-clamp prevents the door from opening if it’s tightened on the track close to the roller.

Buy a small home safe that you can use to keep your valuables in. This is essential, because you would never want valuable jewelry and other items to be seen by intruders. Hide your safe in a place that is hard to get to, like a basement closet or an attic.

Install motion-sensor lights. Lights like these will automatically turn on whenever someone is near them. Motion-sensitive lights will alert you to movement and deter people who want to break into your home. Make sure you regularly change the light bulbs to ensure they continue to work properly.

Don’t let people into your house that you don’t know. Even if this stranger has a believable story or is trying to sell you something, do not let them in. These people might want to actually do you harm or could be casing out your house for a future break-in.

Skylights should be secure. Skylights are excellent for beauty and light, but it’s easy for burglars to gain access to your home through them. Having heavy duty, reliable hardware is best when it comes to skylights.

Your garage needs to be secure. Lots of people are afraid that burglars will be able to break into their garage, which will result in them breaking into the home. Thankfully, you can prevent this. Using a C-clamp on the garage door will prevent it from opening by staying on the door’s track.

Always lock your home, even if you plan on coming back within a few minutes. It may be a little surprising, but most burglaries and break-ins happen because the intruder just walks right through an open door. A thief can take plenty of valuables in minutes.

Home protection program details may be available at your police station. Many have quite a few helpful programs that you take, like on self-defense or other things related to your home. Call and see what is available.

Replace all locks in a new house. The old owners may seem nice, but you don’t know everything about them. Also, there have likely been other owners of the home, and you don’t know them either.

Regardless of the type of home security system you choose, be sure to have regular inspections and maintenance performed. Get someone from the security firm to inspect it. Mother Nature and wild animals can also cause issues with your home security system. If you don’t see the problem, you may remain unaware of it.

If you move to a place that was occupied before, you should change the locks right away. They previous occupants may have made copies of the keys. You can even buy and install the locks yourself so you know that you are the only one with a key.

Try not to have a shy attitude. Speak to your neighbors. Agree to watch each other’s homes while you are away. Don’t ignore any gossip either. You may learn some great information about security, such as if any strangers have been hanging around.

If you allow a security company to come to your house, make sure they appear professional and can present identification. It is easy for potential thieves to present themselves as representatives of a company in order to gain access to your home. This means peril for what you own as well as your loved ones. Be careful if you want to avoid danger.

Use motion sensor lights. The motion sensors turn on the lights whenever anyone approaches your home. The lights will notify you of motion and also deter would be burglars. Do not forget to change a bulb when it burns out.

If you’re hiring a company for home security, be sure to read any fine print before you sign that contract. There may be hidden expenses involved if you terminate service before the contract term is up, and there may be added equipment fees. Avoid as many fees as you can by reading everything.

Conceal valuable spaces within your walls. No need to damage your walls. Take a closer look at your walls and note just how many access points there are already. What about un-wiring an electrical socket which isn’t used to utilize as a cover to hide your jewelry?

A good way to scare off intruders is to keep your house lit at nighttime. They wish to avoid detection. A well-lit home will make it hard for intruders to hide and take your valuables without being detected. Keep your home lit up all night long.

Avoid placing spare keys under door mats or in plant boxes. A key that is easily found is a convenience for a burglar, not just for you. Intruders know about the usual hiding spots. Rather, keep your spare keys with a neighbor you trust.

Consider your security risk and safety needs before purchasing home security systems. You might find that an alarm isn’t necessary at all. Some neighborhoods would feel be safe enough if you knew basic self defense or had a large dog. See to it that you understand the risks involved in making these purchasing decisions.

Don’t give outside people the ability to see into your home. Large windows at the home’s front can be beautiful, but it can make it easier for criminals to see inside. You should cover any windows that are facing the street so your valuables will be safe.

If you don’t own a paper shredder, get one. Thieves may look through your garbage for information. You could also simply take care to tear up your discarded papers.

Keep a flashlight with good batteries in every room of your home, just in case you lose power. Power outages are common to all sorts of emergency situations, so having flashlights handy will enable you to maneuver in the dark. Make sure each member of your family knows where the flashlights are and how to operate them.

If someone looks after your house when you’re gone, have them remove fliers from the door. Burglars often put fliers on the door to see if the owner removes them. If the fliers isn’t removed, the criminal knows that no one is home.

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. Motion detection lights will turn on as soon as something or someone enters your yard. Whenever you properly position these lights, they will make it almost impossible for burglars to sneak in.

Safeguarding your home is one of the most important things any homeowner can do. Unfortunately, separating the good information from the chaff can be quite a job. This means that this article will help you if you need advice about maintaining your home’s safety.

Be sure to read all of the fine print to any contracts you plan on signing for a security company. There are early termination fees, and there may be fees for extra equipment procured in the future. You want to try to avoid these fees whenever possible, so make sure you are aware of them.