Do you feel overwhelmed just thinking about home security systems? Do you have very little idea where to begin? If you answered “yes” to the previous questions, you simply need to learn more about home security in general. Read on to learn everything you need to know about home security.

Your dog can actually safeguard a spare key. In order to make this work, your dog either needs to stay outside or have access to a pet door. Simply attach a spare key to your dog’s collar (in a secure and non-visible place, of course) so that you’ll be able to retrieve it if you need it.

Make your home look occupied at all times. Buy timers that will make your TVs, radios and other electronics turn on and turn off at various times. This will make it look like someone is home. This will help safeguard your house to the best of your ability.

Always change the locks after moving into a new home. You have no way of knowing how many folks might have keys to your house. Find a good locksmith who can replace the lock and make a few copies of your key. Do the same thing if you happen to misplace a key.

Have your dog protect the spare key. This will come in handy if your dog is outdoors most of the time or if it can go outside through a pet door. Place the alternative key on your dog’s collar in case of an emergency.

Always take time to compare and research before investing in an expensive security system for your home. Several different firms may offer similar protection for wildly divergent prices. Ensure you talk to a minimum of three companies to obtain quotes before deciding the one that you believe is best for you.

Valuable Items

The materials of your home should be fire resistant. This adds an extra layer of protection to your home, especially if you live in a very dry area with power lines. Fire prevention is paramount.

Buy a safe for very valuable items in the house so you can keep them inside a single location. You need this because you would not want burglars to see these valuable items around in your house. The safe should be situated in an inconspicuous area of your home.

When planning to go away for a holiday, be sure to turn off the ringers on your home phones. If a burglar keeps hearing your phone ring, they’ll know the home is not occupied, making it more likely for a break-in to occur.

Before selecting any home-security company, talk to your friends to see who they suggest. You can learn a lot from people who have already dealt with these companies. Taking a little time to listen can make you a much better decision maker when it comes to home security.

Always change the locks if you have someone move out of your home. Whether you just bought your home or someone just moved out that you were living with, this is an important step to any new situation. Changing locks is not very expensive and should be done within a few hours.

If you do not know the person at your door, don’t open it. People often think of ways to trick others into letting them in so they can steal from them. Make a house rule forbidding anyone to open the door for an unexpected visitor.

If you have skylights, do not neglect them when making sure your home is secure. They look great and provide light, but also are another access point. Check that skylights have heavy duty hardware that can stand up under unwanted tampering.

If you have a garage, increase your home security by using it to house your car, rather than just for storage. This will help to keep your vehicle safe. This can also keep people from knowing your schedule.

Hide valuables in spaces in your walls. No need to damage your 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.

Walls make the perfect hiding spot. You can hide small valuables inside the walls. Simply take advantage of an unused switch plate, electrical outlet, or phone jack. You can easily install fake unused plates.

You should always lock up your house, even if you’re only planning to be gone for a short time. Break-ins are often the result of unlocked windows and doors. It can be a quick job for a burglar to steal items of great value.

Make sure that your valuables cannot be seen from outside the home. While having huge windows may be good for letting in light and viewing what is outside, it also gives potential thieves a good look in your own home. If your house has street-facing windows, make sure they are always covered and your make sure your valuables are hidden away.

Be certain your wires are hidden, if you have installed a security system in your home. Intruders can get around security systems and into a home by cutting the wires. You don’t want to help them by doing this, so make sure you have the wires within the walls. This will make you much safer.

Potential Entry Points

If you are throwing away the box an expensive item came in, wait until trash day to put the box out. Letting such packaging sit out will signal to criminals that there are good things to be found in your house.

A good home security system monitors all entry points to your home. Windows are all potential entry points for burglars. Therefore, ensure the windows have an attached alarm. All potential entry points should have an alarm. This is just one more thing you can do to protect your home.

Before allowing someone into your house, be sure to carefully check their references. Try doing a background check to look at their criminal history. You never know if the maid, repairman or contractor you hire is on the up and up, and letting them in or giving them a key could be a fatal mistake.

Replace all locks in a new house. As nice as the previous person may seem, you don’t really know them. Don’t forget that there were likely other owners and residents in the house before the last set.

A great way to achieve extra security is to install exterior lighting equipped with motion detectors. During the night hours, these lights help light up the outside of your home, which makes them an excellent addition to your home security strategies. In addition, they are very affordable. With good positioning and properly set motion detectors, intruders will not be able to sneak up on your home unnoticed.

Plug a rechargeable flashlight into an outlet in each room of your house in the event of power outage. The flashlights are important because they make you able to get around the house in an emergency. Show your children how to use them so everyone in the family is involved.

Whenever seeking out home-security companies, the Internet can be a valuable resource, so utilize it. You should look at testimonials from customers and different information you can find. Also find other companies to get quotes from as well.

When a security company wants in your home ask for an ID and see if they’re in uniform. Posing as a security professional is an excellent way for an experienced thief to get inside your house and plan a less-friendly return visit. This can lead to harm befalling your family and possessions. Caution is always advisable if dangers like this are to be avoided.

It might be time to get yourself a paper shredder if you haven’t already gotten one. Thieves may look through your garbage for information. If a shredder is too expensive, at least tear relevant paperwork into small bits.

Any time you let a stranger into your home that is doing some kind of work, it is best to ask for references. Be sure to perform a background check and look for any criminal history that might be in evidence. You can’t always be sure that maids, service workers or contractors are honest, and therefore giving out keys can be a big error.

Don’t get spring latch locks. Just one credit card can get a burglar access to your home. Intruders can just wedge the credit card in between the latch and the door, causing it to open. Put in a deadbolt for more security if your doors already contain spring latch locks.

Motion sensing lights are a good way to increase home security. At night, the lights will keep things bright round the house, but they are also efficient and cost-effective ways to help your security. If positioned correctly on the exterior of your home, the motion detectors make it virtually impossible for an intruder to sneak onto your property.

If you have an established routine for turning your lights on and off, consider investing in a timer. This helps the lights stay on and continue to switch even when you’re away from your home.

Get a custom-designed plan that fits your needs by having the security company do a site visit in your home. Different people require different plans. When you choose a company that pays close attention to detail in creating your home security plan, you will feel very secure.

Ask the security company whether or not that have motion sensitive lighting. A lot of companies provide this, and it makes the exterior lights in your home turn on immediately when someone approaches any entry way. This will make you more safe as you walk up to your house, and it can keep intruders away.

Do you have a more realistic concept of home security systems? Take the tips and advice you’ve read here with you as you get started devising your plan to bring home security into your family’s home. By taking all your options into consideration you can be sure that you are as safe as you can possibly be.

A lot of people try avoiding the neighborhood gossip. Try to listen to them when you need to. These individuals are aware when anything suspicious happens in the neighborhood and can alert you if strangers have been hanging around. If you remain in their good graces, then, you have a better chances of finding out valuable information.