Don’t make assumptions about who does or who doesn’t know about the expensive items in your home. Securing your home requires protection from burglars and other invaders. The following article will give you some great home security tips to help make your home a more secure place.

After you buy your new house, get new locks. You cannot be sure of the number of key copies that the former owner gave out. Changing the locks will give you peace of mind that you and your family are the only ones who have access to your home. If you lose keys, make sure to do this, too.

It’s important to shop around before you settle on the right security system for your home. The prices can vary a great deal for the same level of protection from company to company. Get quotes from no less than three companies before choosing the best one.

Do you allow your dog to stay in your yard while you are away? This is where you can put your spare key. Attach your key to your dog’s collar, ensuring that it can’t be seen. This is an especially good idea if your dog doesn’t like strangers, and gives you easy access to get in your home.

In summer, take care to trim back branches and plants near the house. As things heat up in the summer, items may catch on fire and threaten your home. Keep these cleared away regularly to maintain your home’s safety and to keep it in good shape.

Good home security systems sound a loud alarm when breached, and that’s not all. They can be programmed to alert the homeowner if a person enters the home. 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.

Use your garage for what it was intended: your car. If your car is in your garage there is less of a chance to vandalize or steal it. Besides, intruders will have a hard time determining whether or not you are home if you keep your car inside your garage.

Buy a small home safe that you can use to keep your valuables in. If a burglar enters your home, he or she will have a hard time making off with your possessions. Hide the safe in a very hard to reach place like the attic or a closet in the basement.

Do you live outside the city? You might be less worried about home invasions than if you lived in an urban area. Some think residents of the country are even more vulnerable because there are no close neighbors. Still, there are those who are of the opinion that rural properties are less of a temptation to burglars.

Buy housing materials that are fire resistant. 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.

Don’t forget about the skylights when securing your home. Skylights have a good function, but unfortunately they also often provide a way for a burglar to enter. Use heavy-duty hardware to secure your skylights to the roof.

Don’t let any person you don’t completely know into your house. No matter what the excuse the person presents, keep them from entering your home. Some people just want to know if there is a security system so they can plan on coming back later or not.

Always lock your home, even if you plan on coming back within a few minutes. Many burglaries happen because the intruders can just walk right inside. It does not take a long time for a robber to pilfer items worth thousands of dollars.

Do not let people on the street see valuable items in your home. A big front window gives you a good view; however, it also gives burglars a good view of the interior of your house. Keep your curtains drawn to keep your valuable items safe.

Are you aware of the fact that your home wiring is worth money? People don’t realize this until it is stolen. The wiring has copper and is easy to be quickly taken off a home. This is why the wiring should be hidden or difficult to get to.

Keep the wires of your home security system hidden. Intruders can easily disable your home security system by cutting or unplugging the wires. Keep the wires hidden in the walls or underground to keep intruders from getting in. Keep yourself safe.

If you move to a dwelling that has had prior occupants, make sure you get the locks changed. They previous occupants may have made copies of the keys. You can purchase the locks and install them yourself to ensure you’re the only person that has a key.

Be on the lookout for rotten wood anywhere near your doors or windows. Home invaders interested are able to pry off any rotted wood to get inside. Replace dead wood with thick, firm pieces to maintain a high level of security.

See how long the home security company has been around before you make any decisions. Companies who have been around for years will show that they have what it takes to succeed. In addition, it proves that they provide people with reliable services they can depend on. You should not trust a company that does not have a good record with your local Better Business Bureau or few years of experience.

Before you let any strangers enter your home, be sure you look over their references. It wouldn’t hurt to also perform a background check. You can’t always be sure that maids, service workers or contractors are honest, and therefore giving out keys can be a big error.

Consider buying a paper shredder for your home. You would be surprised at how often thieves look through trash to find personal information to find out when you will be away from home so they can break in. If you can’t afford to buy a paper shredder, tear your papers up into tiny bits before throwing them away.

Motion sensitive lights are an inexpensive way to increase your home’s security. Nighttime security lights are affordable and effective in terms of security and handy in terms of visibility and safety. If positioned correctly on the exterior of your home, the motion detectors make it virtually impossible for an intruder to sneak onto your property.

Always request that your house or pet sitter remove fliers from your door. Robbers will place these on your door and may invade your home if they are not removed. A flier that hangs around for days on end lets burglars know that there’s no one in the home.

When seeking out home security firms, the Internet is an indispensable tool. The sites of the companies themselves will provide you with details about their services, testimonials from their customers, and pricing information. After narrowing down your top five choices, you can then take the next step by contacting each one.

A dog is a great home security alarm. Canines are notoriously protective of their family and domicile. Keeping a huge and ferocious canine is not necessary. Small dogs also help, because intruders don’t want people to notice the barking.

Your home’s exterior needs to be well lit. Nothing is as attractive to a burglar as a dark, deeply-shadowed house. Put a light anywhere where an intruder can enter your home. This can include the garage, doorways, porches and other areas which invite an intruder in.

Don’t have spring latch locks installed. These are very easy to pick by simply using a credit card. Wedging the card into the door crack can cause the lock to release. A deadbolt should be added for security purposes if you have locks that are spring latch.

Think about what you need to feel safe before considering security systems. While these systems are great and can help protect your family, they are not necessary for everyone. In some neighborhoods, it may be better for you to have a dog, or even take self defense classes in order to protect yourself. Make sure you understand your risks so you can make wise purchasing decisions.

Be prepared for the worst contingency when it comes to criminal threats. Perpetual fear is not some place you want to live, so take precautions. Keep this advice in mind to provide you and your family with protection.

For improved security, put your home under video surveillance. Video camera installation can effectively make your home secure. Visible cameras scare intruders while a hidden camera could capture footage. As an added security bonus, most modern systems will allow you to monitor your cameras remotely (via cell phone) for round-the-clock protection.