There should be nowhere as safe as your home. The home should be secure when they leave and come back. You can get really good advice and a host of quality tips in the following article, and if you want to know how to protect your home then keep reading.

Make sure your home appears occupied. Keep your radio, TV and lights on timers. This helps to create the illusion that someone is presently at home. It is also another way to secure your home.

Your flooring and roofing should be fire resistant. This helps protect your home when you dwell in a more dry climate. You can enhance home safety with excellent fire precautions.

Is your dog kept outside when you are away? Use him or her to help hide your spare key! You can attach your key to your dog’s collar in order to keep the key hidden. This is quite effective if your pet does not respond well to strangers.

Keep your car in your garage if you have one. If your car is in your garage there is less of a chance to vandalize or steal it. Keeping your car out of sight is also a good way to prevent intruders from determining whether or not you are home.

Make sure that you hide your spare key in a good spot. Above doors or under doormats are much too common to hide them and potential criminals will check them first. A better place to keep your key is inside your outside dog’s collar.

Go with your gut when choosing a home security company to install a system. If the installers make you feel uncomfortable, heed your feelings. You can decide to use a different company, or ask for a different person to install it. Remember that every aspect of your home security system should support you in feeling more secure.

Consider the advice of your friends when selecting your home security company. There are likely people you know that have had either good or bad experiences with these companies. Taking a little time to listen can make you a much better decision maker when it comes to home security.

Get creative and hide valuables inside your walls. You don’t have to cut pieces out of the walls. Many places around your house have areas that are already pre-cut. For example, you could take the wiring out of an electric socket that is not in use and put your valuable jewelry in there.

Keep your car in the garage. This will keep thieves from stealing it or harming it. This can also keep people from knowing your schedule.

Regardless of how long you think you’ll be gone, make sure to lock your doors. It might shock you to learn that most break-ins occur due to unlocked doors. A thief can take plenty of valuables in minutes.

Get to know your neighbors. Speak with your neighbors. Ask them to watch your home if you are on vacation. It does not necessarily pay to steer clear of gossip. It is often a good way to find out about security issues, such as strangers in the neighborhood.

While an alarm system or other security measures can make your home much safer, you must be sure that your security wiring isn’t exposed. An intruder can cut the wires or disconnect them and avoid the system. This makes it much easier for a thief to get inside your home. Keep the wires protected. This will make you much safer.

Find a home security company you can trust. This is particularly true if you feel uncomfortable with a company you are dealing with. Never hesitate to has for a new technician or even go with a different company altogether. Remember, the new security apparatus is meant to make you feel safe and secure.

If you bought any expensive or large items, don’t throw the boxes out until the day trash is scheduled to be removed. Exposing the box to view ahead of time signals a burglar that he will find this item in your home.

Hide your valuables in the walls. If you have small valuables you want to protect, consider hiding them inside your walls. All you have to do is place them behind any unused phone jack, electrical outlet or switch plate. If you use all of them, you can always have fake ones installed.

Your flashlights should always be equipped with good, working batteries. Flashlights are very important, as they will give you the ability to move around in the event of an emergency. Make sure everyone in your family knows where the flashlights are.

When you purchase big, expensive items be sure to break down the boxes and take them to the recycling center yourself. Empty boxes for expensive new gear serve as advertisements to potentials thieves; don’t make it easy for them to spot such tempting targets.

Make sure to ask for identification for any home security company representative. Many thieves use this tactic to enter a house. This situation presents danger to your home, family and belongings. Be deliberate in preventing hazards.

Change all of the locks in your new residence. Even though the person who sold your home to you may seem honest, you simply can’t know for certain. There are other people who have lived in the home as well.

Having your home lit up and bright at night is a great deterrent to crooks. These crooks do not wish to be noticed or seen. A well-lit home will make it hard for intruders to hide and take your valuables without being detected. This makes it a good idea to keep the lights on.

Prior to allowing access to anyone, make sure you are shown proper identification. Conduct background checks if necessary. It is impossible to know if the newly hired maid or one time repairman might be a crook unless you check them out. Providing them with your key might be the biggest mistake you’ve ever made.

If you see that the door is open, do not enter the house. This can be very dangerous because the thief could still be inside. Instead, wait outside until the police come, after calling them on your cell phone.

Make sure a surveillance system is part of your home security system. Adding video cameras on the property can be a good idea. A visible video camera acts as a warning to an intruder. If the intruder disables the visible camera, the hidden camera will document it! Some security systems are accessible via mobile phone, which lets you look in on your house when away.

Wireless security systems are the next generation in protection. A wired system is probably less expensive, but wires are a hassle. Systems that operate in a wireless environment can be easier to manage and are not as likely to cause extensive rewiring issues.

Are you able to see the numbers on your house from your street? If the numbers aren’t legible, police may drive right by. Fortunately, this is something that can be corrected quickly and cheaply.

A paper shredder can be a good security investment. Thieves are likely to steal documents that include your personal information if they can find them. Rip paper into tiny pieces if you can’t afford to purchase a paper shredder.

Inquire as to the different lengths of contracts offered by your security company. There are usually pros and cons in each contract. Longer contracts may create a lower bill per month, but you you could maintain those monthly expenses if you discontinue service or sell the home. There’s more freedom with a contract that’s shorter, but the monthly payments may be higher.

Don’t neglect your garage when it comes to home security. Frosted windows will keep a burglar from being able to see inside. The material needed to do this can be found at home improvement stores. Don’t leave your front door unlocked or standing open when you are working in the garage or yard.

Don’t fit your exterior doors with locks of the spring latch variety. Spring latch locks are the easiest locks to gain entry with, as they can be opened with a simple credit card. The lock can be triggered to open by simply wedging the card in the lock. A deadbolt should be added for security purposes if you have locks that are spring latch.

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. There are key-less locks that open with a push-button security code. You can have keyless locks installed by a security company or you can do it yourself.

Inquire into both purchase and lease options for your security system. You can avoid interest rates by buying the security system right away. While leasing might be less expensive, it also comes with high monthly fees and contracts. Find out which will work best for your needs.

Never make the password to your keypad your birthday. Your birth date is pretty easy to come by, especially for seasoned thieves. Use a password that you can remember but that no one else will be able to guess.

Avoid storing car registration in your glove compartment. 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. They have to be accessible in the event you are in an accident or receive a speeding ticket.

If you are looking for expert advice, this article provides lots of it. Make good use of what you have learned. The tips provided here can help you make the decisions you need to move forward to secure your home as well as your peace of mind.

Do not hide your key in obvious places. Rocks that aren’t real are easy to notice. Someone is going to look under your doormat. A friend or neighbor can be a much better key holder than an inanimate object. When this isn’t an option, you should at least use your imagination when choosing a hiding place.