Your home may be in danger and you may not even know it. Don’t risk your home and family’s safety by being negligent. Keep reading for useful advice on deterring burglars and making a secure home.

Home security plans have other features along with an alarm that goes off during a break-in. Many can be set for sounding their alarm if anyone enters. If you have little ones wandering about the house, this makes it easy for you to know if they have come in or gone out.

You should always change the locks after purchasing a home. You don’t know how many keys have been handed out previously. Having a locksmith replace the locks will ensure that no strangers have a key. Do the same thing if you misplace your keys.

Ask friends for some advice before choosing home security companies and systems. This will help you to reduce the stress that you have on your search for a good one. Make broad inquiries so that you are able to make a well-informed decision.

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.

Don’t open your door for strangers. Criminals find ways to get people to open doors so they can commit crimes. Make it a rule in your home that you only open your door to people who you were expecting.

Buy fire-resistant building materials. This give your home an extra protection layer. Lowering or eliminating the risk of a fire is an extremely important home security strategy because a fire can cause extreme destruction very quickly.

Make sure your attached garage is 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. You can use a C-clamp to secure the door and prevent it from being opened by strangers.

If you’ve got lots of people you don’t know on your social networks, don’t let them know that you’re going to be on vacation. Although it’s fun to talk about, posting it online makes it more possible for criminals to find out when you’re gone.

Eliminate dead vegetation and wood in the yard in the summer. They are a potential fire hazard during warmer months. Make sure your yard is clean for the sake of your safety – and that of your family!

You should not let anyone inside your home. Be wary of those who come to your door selling products, asking for help, or telling sob stories. Some people may simply be trying to determine whether or not you have a home security installed; if you don’t, they may plan to return later if you are away from your home.

It will not benefit you to be shy. Get to know other people who live next door and others in your neighborhood. Keep an eye on their houses and yards and request that they return the favor. Listen for gossip too. You may end up hearing about things such as odd folks roaming about the neighborhood.

Clear away all the dead and dried out vegetation around your home in the summer. They pose a fire risk. Keeping your plants and bushes trimmed will benefit your family’s safety as well as the appearance of your home.

Those that live in rural area are not as concerned about having their home invaded as those who are located in the city. The risk is still there, so a home security system is vital. Still, there are those who are of the opinion that rural properties are less of a temptation to burglars.

The first step in making your home more secure is to change out your locks. There are many different people who might have keys from your past, and removing the potential of them accessing your home can be a very good idea. Changing locks is not very expensive and should be done within a few hours.

Keep valuables hidden within the walls. You do not need to remove segments from your walls. Your home should have a few pre-cut areas that can be used. For example, place jewelry in an unused electrical outlet.

A skylight is another area that needs to be protected for home security. Skylights are nice to bring extra light into your house, but they are also easy ways for burglars to enter your home. Be sure that the skylights for your home are durable and reliable.

Always lock your home, regardless of how short your trip out is. Surprisingly, lots of burglaries occur because the burglar was able to simply walk in without having to actually break in. They can get a ton of stuff quickly and be long gone before you return.

You could hide some valuables within your walls. This does not mean that you should make alterations to your walls. Take a closer look at your walls and note just how many access points there are already. How about unwiring an electricity socket and using it as cover for a place to stash valuable jewelry?

Keep the wires of your home security system hidden. If the wires are exposed, an intruder can bypass the system by cutting its wires. Don’t let this happen; bury or hide the wires. It will keep your family safer.

Rotten Wood

Motion sensing lights are a good way to increase home security. These lights will keep your property well lit and give you a good idea of who approaches your home. When placed appropriately, no one will be able to break in unannounced.

Be sure to replace rotten wood in the frame of your front door. Rotten wood is easily removed and can give an intruder a way into your home. Be sure and replace rotted wood with fresh wood in order to ensure home safety.

Have a home security company come to your house and come up with a system that best suits your needs. Every house and every family will produce a unique set of security concerns that are best addressed with tailor-made security arrangements. If you have found a company that could cater to your needs, then it is easy to get the security that will make you and your loved ones comfortable.

A simple way to increase your home security is to add motion lights around the house. In the evening, lights will help keep your home safe, and will add little in the way of extra expense. When they are positioned correctly, they make it pretty much impossible for intruders to get to your house unnoticed.

Be sure and keep the outside of your house well lit. Criminals love darkness to help mask their crimes. You should put a light on any area where a person could break in. Over doors, near windows and especially your back yard need to be lit.

When about to sign a contract with any home security firm, read all the small print. There may be hidden expenses involved if you terminate service before the contract term is up, and there may be added equipment fees. You want to avoid as many of these fees as you can, so read everything.

If you come home and see your door ajar, never investigate it alone. This can be dangerous since the intruder might still be on the property. It is best to call the police right away and go to a safe place until the police check your home.

Light up your home’s exterior. Burglars like the cover of darkness to commit their crimes. Install lights in areas that possible criminals can use to enter your home. This includes porches and doorways, the garage, as well as ground floor windows, which can invite an intruder.

The best method to maintain a thief from going into the garage is making sure nobody can see inside. Use a frosted film to cover the windows. This can be purchased at many hardware stores. Do not leave doors open for lengthy periods while you are doing work.

Your pup is a great crime deterrent. Dogs become extremely protective of their families and bark when uneasy. The dog doesn’t have to be huge or even vicious. A small or medium dog will bark to alert you if it is properly trained.

When you purchase an expensive item such as a computer or TV, be sure to take the cardboard box to the recycling center rather than leaving it on your curb for all the world to see. Burglars will notice these boxes and know what kind of valuables you have. Break up the boxes into smaller pieces before you put them near the curb.

Choose an out of the way place to hide your spare key, not the obvious ones. Everyone knows about fake rocks. Anyone looking for your key will look under your doormat. A better plan is to ask someone you trust to keep your extra key in case you need it. If you must keep it elsewhere, be creative with your hiding spot.

Dogs are among the most effective home burglary systems. Dogs are very protective of their turf and usually make noises when something is amiss. A dog with a vicious attitude and large size isn’t necessary. Even tiny dogs that make a ton of noise will deter a potential crime.

Hard-wired home security systems can help you to cut down on costs. Wireless systems, while convenient, will require much more maintenance. Neglecting this maintenance can cause faults in your security system and leave you improperly protected. Additionally, it can be expensive to replace a lot of batteries.

Keep your car registration papers on you at all times. This isn’t smart because that information contains your home address. Hold these documents in person so you know where they are at all times. They have to be accessible in the event you are in an accident or receive a speeding ticket.

Always keep your irreplaceable valuables secure. It is best to keep items such as passports, legal documents, photos and financial records in a spot that is secure. A fireproof floor safe is ideal for this. A better idea could be to store these inside a box outside of your house.

If your kids are not outside, don’t leave toys in your yard. This will clue the thief in that a woman lives in the house. Homes where women live are more targeted since their jewelry is usually more valuable than those of men.

Always lock second story windows. Many folks forget this point and believe that burglars will not bother with those windows. This isn’t true. This is known as a common weak spot, and criminals know all about this.

Avoid having rooms in your house that are visible from the outside. Letting anyone on the street get a look at your possessions will allow would-be thieves to do some literal window shopping. Using curtains or blinds at your windows can help prevent people from seeing inside your house. If you cannot do this, place your valuables in another room.

Criminals are always unpredictable, and it can sometimes be difficult to understand if you and your home are a target for their illegal activities. You should take action to secure your family and your belongings. Take these tips to heart, and continue learning about the best ways to keep your home secure.

Look at home security companies that have more than just security systems. A security expert should tour your home to determine the most effective system for your situation. Some suggestions could include adding deadbolts to doors, trimming shrubbery or adding new window locks. If they truly offer you great advice, they’re worth hiring.