Homeowners needs to take the right steps to protect their families. But, home invasions are very common these days, just as much other damage is, like floods and fires. Keep reading this piece to find out what it takes to make your home secure.

Let a house cleaner have your keys only if they can provide you with references so you can verify their trustworthiness. Make sure they are honest, reputable and hardworking. Check their references fully. If applicable, call the BBB to inquire about their reputation.

Provide the house key to your professional house cleaner, but only if you fully trust them. You need to ensure that they are honest and reputable according to references before you have handed over the key. Check the housekeeper’s references very carefully. If the house cleaner is employed by a company, check with the BBB of your area to determine their reputation.

Does your dog stay outside while you are gone? They may provide you with a useful place to hide your key. Hook your key to the dog’s collar in a place that is shielded from view. This is a good way to ensure easy home access, especially if your pet does not associate well with strangers.

Buy a safe. Doing so can protect your valuables in the event of a robbery. Hide your safe in a hard to find place like the basement or attic.

Buy a safe to keep all of your valuables in one place at home. This will keep your stash of diamonds, gold and other valuable items out of view and inaccessible to burglars. Keep the safe hidden in a hard-to-find location like an attic or a basement closet.

When you’re picking out home security equipment and services, don’t forget to ask your friends and family for help. Other people will probably have personal experience with these companies that are either good or bad. They can share their experiences with you, which will greatly assist you in making the best decision. Make broad inquiries so that you are able to make a well-informed decision.

If you’re going on a trip for an extended period of time, switch the ringer off on all home phones. If your phone rings and is not being answered, criminals will realize that you’re away.

Turn off ringers on land line phones while you are on vacation. A home phone that rings and rings is a good way for a potential thief to know if anyone is home.

Put up motion activated lighting. They’ll flip on when people walk within a certain distance of your house. Not only will you know that someone is out there, it will also deter burglars because they want to be inconspicuous. However, make sure to put in fresh bulbs every now and then.

When summer comes around, eliminate all vegetation and dead wood from your yard. As the summer heat rolls in, there is a higher chance that these can catch on fire, putting your home at risk. Keeping your plants and bushes trimmed will benefit your family’s safety as well as the appearance of your home.

When it comes to securing your home, start by changing your locks. 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 have skylights, do not neglect them when making sure your home is secure. Although skylights provide your home with a lot of light, it is also very helpful for burglars to break in. Fix your skylights so they cannot be accessed as an entry point by intruders.

A skylight is another area that needs to be protected for home security. Although skylights provide your home with a lot of light, it is also very helpful for burglars to break in. Keep them secure with heavy duty hardware that closes them off to potential thieves.

You should always lock up your house, even if you’re only planning to be gone for a short time. Most real-world burglars aren’t master lock-breakers; they simply stroll in through a door left carelessly unlocked. A thief can take plenty of valuables in minutes.

Keep your most valuable possessions inside your walls. No need to damage your walls. There should be pre-cut spaces throughout your home that will suffice. For example, you might remove the cover of an electrical outlet, disconnect the wires, and use the space to hide small valuables.

Don’t let anyone in your house without knowing their work history and checking their references. Don’t be afraid of conducting background checks to determine if they have a criminal history. 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.

Don’t put your extra key under you doormat, in a planter, or in a cleverly disguised false rock. These are the first places criminals will look when they try to enter your home. Burglars are familiar with these hiding spots. Instead, have a trustworthy neighbor hold on to your spare key.

You can make your home safer by investing in some motion detectors and outside lights. At night, not only will these lights be handy to light up areas around your home,they are also a cost-effective and efficient security addition. Intruders will not be able to sneak into your home if you place your motion detector in the right spot.

Ensure that valuables are stored in a hidden area that isn’t visible from outside 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. Cover all street-facing windows.

Safety should be kept in mind when you are planning your landscape. You should not let plants and shrub block your doors and windows. If they can be seen, people will not hide there and attempt a break-in. Put these features at a greater distance from your house; let beauty also complement safety.

Keep flashlights in your rooms. Flashlights are critical, and provide you with the freedom to move about as needed. Teach everyone in your home to use the flashlights so all family members can see and help each other.

Consider your own personal safety needs and security risks before exploring home security systems. Some systems aren’t necessary for some, while others may have a need for them. In some particular neighborhoods, classes for self defense or acquiring a dog may be the best option. However, the newest home security technology may be the best protection in other regions. Be sure to assess the risk level you face before making big decisions.

Having your house lit up during the night is a good way to scare intruders. Burglars don’t want to be visible. If your home is well lit, thieves won’t have any place to hide, so they may not want to steal anything from you. Keep those lights shining brightly at night.

If you don’t have a paper shredder, you might want to buy one. Thieves can often be found looking through garbage cans in search of personal information found on bills and credit card slips. You could also simply take care to tear up your discarded papers.

You need to make sure you’re making use of the Internet when looking at different home security companies. The sites of the companies themselves will provide you with details about their services, testimonials from their customers, and pricing information. Put together a list of the different home security companies you want to know more about and give them a call.

Can someone standing in the middle of the street see clearly your house numbers? The police will find it difficult to locate your home quickly if your address numbers are difficult to see. Thankfully, you can right this wrong cheaply and quickly.

Consider home security and safety when you are planning your landscaping. You should have a clear view out of all your windows and an unobstructed path to any doors. If these things can be seen by the naked eye, they won’t offer hiding places to potential criminals. Plan your home with safety in mind.

When you’re dealing with a security company that provides you with significant equipment to install, ask about the benefits and drawbacks of buying versus leasing. Although purchasing the equipment will likely cost you more money initially, this cost will only occur one time. It won’t be a cost you have to pay for every month. While leasing might be less expensive, it also comes with high monthly fees and contracts. Think about both options before making a decision.

If you arrive home and you see that your door is ajar, never enter to investigate on your own. This is dangerous since the thief may still be on your property. Just contact the police and sit tight until they arrive.

The glove compartment is bad place to store important documents like your car’s registration. Anyone having access to this information can see where you live. Ideally, you should carry your registration in your wallet or bag. If you must leave them in the car, pick a less obvious hiding place. They’ll always need to be close by in the event you get pulled over.

Dogs make a great security system. Dogs are quite protective of their masters and home, and they can display quite a bark if someone comes near the house. It doesn’t need to be a huge dog either. A small or medium dog will bark to alert you if it is properly trained.

If your family room window is facing the street, keep the curtains drawn every night. You don’t need to have an invitation to people through your window. If potential burglars see the valuable possessions inside your home, they may make your house their next target. Make sure and minimize what is visible to the public so as to reduce the likelihood of becoming a target.

Never place a key in an obvious spot. Fake rocks are very easy to spot. The first place a person will look is a doormat. A better idea is to have a friend or neighbor keep your emergency key. If you have no choice but to hide a spare key, apply some inventive, out-of-the-box thinking when you do it.

Due to the threats that can harm a home, every homeowner can make sure their home is safe. After reading this article, you should know what steps to take to secure your home. Use the ideas you’ve read to help you make your home much safer.

A sliding glass door can make your home less secure. You can easily unlock them by shaking and lifting them. Place a pipe in the door crevice to keep the door secure. This will keep the door closed tight and harder to force open.