Safety should be priority number one for a homeowner. Burglaries are common, and probably always will be. The article below has the home security information you need to keep your family safe.

Protect your spare key by using your dog. This really only works if you’ve got an outdoor dog or if you’ve got a pet 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.

Put your spare key on your dog. This only makes sense if your dog is outdoors a lot or you have a pet door. You could simply put a key onto your dog’s collar, so it is always handy.

Do you keep your dog outdoors when you go out? Store the spare key with them. Put the key on the dog’s collar. Especially if pets don’t like strangers, this can be a useful way for having easy access to your house.

Spare Key

A home security system has other features in addition to sounding an alarm when there is a break-in. Many systems can be used to go off whenever anyone enters your home. This isn’t just for burglars; parents with young children can also use it as a valuable tool to know when their child has come inside.

Is your dog outside even if you are away? You could let your dog carry a spare key. You can attach your key to your dog’s collar in order to keep the key hidden. This is the perfect place to store a spare key, especially if your dog doesn’t care for strangers.

If you want to have a spare key close to your house in order to prevent lockouts, make sure you give its hiding place some careful thought. Placing a key above a door or under a doormat is quite obvious! One idea is to hide your key inside the collar of your outdoor dog.

If you keep a spare key outside to prevent yourself from being locked-out, think carefully about where you hide it. Hiding it beneath the doormat is very common and most intruders will look there. You could hide the key with your dog on the collar.

You should never give details about your vacations and other plans on social networks. There may be a thief within this list and you would have been inviting him straight through your front door!

Use your garage for your car, not just storage. Keeping your car secured will prevent people from vandalizing it. Hiding your car from plain view will also keep potential intruders from tracking when you are home and when you aren’t.

You should mute your land line phone if you are going on a vacation. If your phone is ringing while you are out, burglars will realize that no one is home, making your home very vulnerable to an attack during your time away.

Be more proactive when you are determining the safety of your neighborhood. Talk to your neighbors and those on your block. Watch their homes and ask them if they’ll watch yours as well. Pay attention to gossip. You may hear valuable information regarding security, such as if any strangers have been hanging around.

Talk to the police department in your area to see what safety programs they have. Home inspections or engraving identifiers can help protect you. Discuss the possibility of this sort of program with your police department.

A wall is a great hiding place. If you own small valuables that require protection, try hiding them in the walls. Repurpose phone jacks and electrical outlets as tiny wall safes. If you’re using all your outlets, you can install phony ones.

You should not be shy. Engage your neighbors in conversation. Ask them to keep an eye on your home, and do the same thing for them. Don’t discount what sounds like idle gossip. This might provide you with some valuable information, at times related to security, including information about potential strangers who you might not want near your home.

Be on the lookout for rotten wood anywhere near your doors or windows. Rotting wood is easy to remove and take apart if someone is trying to get in. Replace this old wood if you want to keep your house safe.

You never want people to be able to see your valuables from outside of your home. 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. Always keep your windows covered and do not tempt others by displaying your possessions.

Carefully check the references of everyone before allowing them to enter your home. Do not hesitate to hire someone to run a background check if you have doubts. You can’t know for sure about the integrity of people you hire, and blindly giving them access to your home can be a huge mistake.

Regardless of how long you plan on being away from your home, always lock all the doors and windows whenever you leave. This is often a surprise, but the majority of burglaries are due to someone just waltzing right into an unlocked home. A burglar can steal a lot of expensive stuff in a short amount of time.

Always use online resources to identify the very best home security firm. Read through official websites for different companies and look for reviews written by customers. You’ll find it easy to narrow your choice down to three top contenders; your next step is to arrange to meet each of them to discuss your specific security needs.

If you purchase big-ticket items, don’t throw their boxes in the trash before trash day. Empty boxes for expensive new gear serve as advertisements to potentials thieves; don’t make it easy for them to spot such tempting targets.

Keep safety at the forefront when landscaping your property. There should be no plants or greenery in front of doors or windows. If they are visible, people won’t be able to hide there while trying to break in. Plan these features for further away from your home.

Take advantage of the Internet while comparing your home security options. Browse through different websites and seek out customer reviews about different services and packages. Once you do this, make appointments with the three best companies you find so that you can compare pricing and other important details.

Before signing up for home security, find out how long they’ve been in 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.

Always keep your home’s exterior well lit. A burglar prefers to sneak around in the dark, and a well lit house is always a deterrent. Be sure and have a light next to any entry point in your home. This includes doorways, windows, and your garage.

Security System

Wireless security systems are the next generation in protection. Wired systems could cost less, but they can also require intrusive electrical work inside your house and can fail when the power goes out. A wireless system is easy to install, and will not become inoperable if your power goes out.

Before you go shopping for a home security system, take a moment to think about your specific situation and unique requirements. A home security system is a good idea; however, it is not the perfect solution for every home. Some neighborhoods may do better with self-defense classes or having a dog, while others may require the best home security technology you can get. Understand completely the risks and rewards in order to make an informed purchase decision.

Anytime you make a new electronics purchase, keep the boxes off the curb until the very last minute. Burglars can see these and they know that you have them in your home, increasing your chances of a break-in. Cut the boxes and wait until the garbage truck comes to put them outside.

If you think something looks odd when you get back home, don’t go inside. This is very dangerous due to the fact that the thief can still be inside your property. Instead, you should call 911 and wait in a safe location for the police to arrive.

Can you see the number of your house from the street? Make sure they are large in case emergency personnel need to find your house. Luckily, you can fix this quickly and cheaply if you see there’s a problem.

If you don’t own a paper shredder, it would be a good idea for you to buy one. Thieves can get lots of information simply by looking through your trash. If a shredder is too expensive, at least tear relevant paperwork into small bits.

Ask your security company about the lengths of contract they offer. There are sure to be both good points and bad points about each option. A long term contract should have a lower monthly rate but it also requires you to commit for a long period of time. A shorter term allows for flexibility, but it might be expensive.

Make sure that your garage is not visible from the outside in. Use frosted, adhesive backed plastic to cover the windows. You can purchase this at a home improvement store. Also, don’t leave your door open for long periods of time when you work there.

You should always keep your blinds and curtains closed. Intruders can look into your house if the blinds are up. They may break in if they see things they like. You ought to keep them drawn while you are asleep.

Do not put electronic boxes in the front of your house. Burglars pay attention to this, and it will make them want to break in and get the items. When you have emptied the boxes, make sure you cut them up.

Avoid making the password your birth date for numeric locks. Your birthdate can be found on Facebook or pieces of mail and you have given entry into your home. Rather, try and make your combination the answer to an equation so that you only need to remember an equation instead of an actual series of numbers.

A great security system for your home is a dog. Dogs are quite protective of their masters and home, and they can display quite a bark if someone comes near the house. Your dog doesn’t have to be a big, burly attack dog. Even tinier canines can ward off intruders with enough noise.

Make sure you have the curtains drawn if your windows are faced toward the street. It’s best to discourage peeping toms. If criminals can clearly view what’s going on in your house, it makes it easier for them to commit crimes. Be careful about how much others can see.

There is no need to have keyed locks on interior doors. There are key-less locks that open with a push-button security code. Either you can install them or home security companies can.

If your door isn’t either metal or solid wood, replace it with one that is. Those are the most durable materials available. The heavier sturdy doors make it much harder for an intruder to gain access to your home. Replacing doors is not very expensive and should make a real difference.

Steer clear of locks with spring latches. These type of lock is the easiest lock to pick, it could even be opened by a credit card. Wedging the card into the door crack can cause the lock to release. If you’ve already got spring latch locks, you can put in a deadbolt for additional security.

Find out if your alarm company offers lighting with motion sensors. This is often an option from a good company. Motion sensitive lighting turns on when a person approaches your home in the dark. Motion sensitive lighting can scare off an intruder and allow you to safely enter your home.

Many things can be threats to your home, which is why you need a good security system. The article below has some great ideas with regards to home security. Utilize all of these ideas to maximize your home’s safety.

A home alarm system is a great investment, but it only works if someone notifies the authorities when it sounds. Get an alarm that is centrally monitored to ensure that when it sounds, the police arrive. After all, your neighbors might not make that call just because they hear your alarm.