If you live alone and are a woman, you may be particularly concerned about home security. You don’t have to be afraid anymore, particularly because there are things you can do to feel safe. Keep reading to discover some really great home security tips and advice. Place your spare key securely on your dog’s collar.
If you live alone and are a woman, you may be particularly concerned about home security. You don’t have to be afraid anymore, particularly because there are things you can do to feel safe. Keep reading to discover some really great home security tips and advice.
Place your spare key securely on your dog’s collar. This can be done if your dog can come outside. 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.
Your home should always look like it is occupied. You can purchase inexpensive timers that will control different electronics and lights in your home. This helps to create the illusion that someone is presently at home. This is an effective deterrent against burglars.
Only allow maids and cleaning services to have a key to the house if they are known to be trustworthy. Be sure to check out the background of any housekeeper you plan to provide with a key to your home. Be sure to make sure their references check out. If you’re hiring from a company, call the BBB for more information.
Home security systems offer other triggering features besides having an alarm sound. The majority of systems will give an audible alert when someone enters the house. This could be valuable for parents who have small children, making them aware when their kid has closed or opened a door.
Use your dog as the protector of your spare key. Outdoor dogs or pet doors make this possible. Latch the key on his collar and voila–you have a spare key available!
Is your ceiling resistant to fire? What about your flooring or roofing? This helps protect your home when you dwell in a more dry climate. Fire prevention should be taken seriously because it can stop a major disaster from happening.
Beware giving keys to your maid unless the service has your absolute trust. If you plan on giving them the key so that they can work in your home for over an hour, make sure that they’re reputable, hardworking, and honest. Make sure you check references. If you are using a cleaning firm, make sure it has an excellent Better Business Bureau rating.
Determine what sort of home protection services or programs the local police department has to offer. There are plenty of things that can be done, from a safety walk to cataloging expensive items to help protect your investment and your family. Talk with local police to see if they offer these programs.
Use exterior lights that have motion sensors. This type of light will come on when they detect motion within a certain distance of your home. They help notify you of any movement around your house and deter burglars too. Just remember and change out the light bulbs whenever necessary.
Don’t let any person you don’t completely know into your house. Remember that intruders have a lot of experience with tricking people. Some will come to your door just to determine how secure it is, and they may return later if they think they can easily enter your home.
Change your locks if someone you don’t trust moves out of your home. Changing the locks will ensure that you are the only one who knows the combination. This is a very easy process that you can complete within a day.
A skylight is another area that needs to be protected for home security. Though skylights bring light into your home and look nice, it is also a very common way for burglars to get into your home. Use heavy-duty hardware to secure your skylights to the roof.
If your garage is attached to your house, make it secure. Some people are concerned about burglars entering through an attached garage. Simply attach a C-clamp near the roller on the door track.
You can hide things in your walls. If you own small valuables that require protection, try hiding them in the walls. Place them in switch plates, phone jacks or an electric outlet. You can easily install fake unused plates.
Be brave! Speak with your neighbors. Ask them to look after your home, and in return, look out for theirs. Pay attention to gossip as well. You may hear valuable information regarding security, such as if any strangers have been hanging around.
Avoid leaving spare keys outside of your home. Though you may think you are giving yourself a way into your home if you lose your key, you are actually inadvertently inviting intruders into your home. Any thief knows all the typical hiding spots. Rather, keep your spare keys with a neighbor you trust.
Even if you only plan to be gone for a very short time, lock your house. Surprisingly, lots of burglaries occur because the burglar was able to simply walk in without having to actually break in. A thief could steal all your valuables in only a few minutes.
Do you live out in the country? If so, you might not be as worried about burglars breaking in as those people in the city are. On a different note, some people believe homeowners in more rural areas are more likely to experience robberies because of the lack of nearby neighbors. Some people think burglaries are less prevalent in rural parts.
Change all of the locks in your new residence. The previous owner may be perfectly respectable, but you can’t know that for sure. There are other people who have lived in the home as well.
If someone from the security company comes to your home, ask to see their ID before allowing them in. Thieves may say they are from a certain company to get into your home. Intruders could disguise themselves as home security representatives to inspect your current security system. Make sure you are as cautious as you can be.
Skylights need to be secure, too. Skylights are great for making a home brighter, but they can make it easier for burglars to access the house. Use heavy-duty hardware to secure your skylights to the roof.
Get some professional assistance by asking a home security company to come to your house and work up a plan for a customized security system. Each situation is different. When you choose a company that pays close attention to detail in creating your home security plan, you will feel very secure.
There’s an easy way to secure interior doors (if there are areas you want to keep housemates and children out of) without obliging you to carry a key-ring around at all times. Instead, use a numeric keypad. They are fairly simple to install, or if you don’t feel comfortable doing so yourself, you can ask your home security company about it.
Flashlights in your home should always have newer batteries if your power goes out. The flashlights are important because they make you able to get around the house in an emergency. Make sure your whole family knows where to find them and how to operate them.
Talk to your security company about the contract; in particular, inquire about the various contract lengths that are available to you. There are usually pros and cons in each contract. Long contracts are cheaper every month, but can outlast your stay in the home. If you want more freedom, it is best to purchase a more expensive but shorter contract.
Be sure to close your curtains at night in rooms that face the street. You want to avoid having people peek in the windows. Someone who can peer into your home may decide that your valuables are ripe for the taking. Keep your valuables out of sight and you’ll make yourself less of a target for crime.
You can add a great deal of security to your home by installing a system of motion activated exterior lighting. 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. By carefully placing them around the outside of your property, you create a perimeter that cannot be breached.
Motion sensitive lighting can be provided by your security company. Some do, and installing these lights means your property will be illuminated if anyone walks nearby. This can offer you additional safety as you are entering your home, and it can also deter an intruder.
Securing your house doesn’t mean you’ve got to go through pricey installs and waiting on slow companies to get the work done right. There are many things you can do on the cheap that will scare criminals off. Apply these tips and make your home a safer place for you and your family.
Whenever seeking out home-security companies, the Internet can be a valuable resource, so utilize it. The sites of the companies themselves will provide you with details about their services, testimonials from their customers, and pricing information. With that information, you can make your appointments with the top three companies you’ve chosen so that you can compare pricing and look at specific monitoring and plans.
){kind=link}