Making sure your home is secure seems a huge task. It’s not necessary for that work to be expensive or hard. If you read the tips that follow, it can be simpler and cheaper than what you thought.

Your dog can safeguard an extra key. In order to make this work, your dog either needs to stay outside or have access to a pet door. Attach the key to your dog’s collar, and it will be handy if you ever need a spare.

Shut off phone ringers inside the home if you’re going to be gone for quite a while. If your phone is ringing while you are out, burglars will realize that no one is home, making your home very vulnerable to an attack during your time away.

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. Potential intruders could get a good idea of when you will be gone by monitoring what you share on social networks.

Check with the police department in your town for home security tips and advice. They often offer home inspections, seminars and even the ability to purchase items. These programs can make a big difference to the security of your home, and they may just be a phone call away.

During summer, remove your landscape’s dead vegetation and wood. When summer heats up, such debris can catch fire. Clear yard regularly to maintain your house safe.

Walls are excellent hiding spots. If you need to protect expensive items in your home, put them inside the walls. You could use a phone jack, electrical outlet or a switch plate. If you haven’t got any plates that are unused, simply install a false switch plate.

Install lights that have motion sensors. The motion sensors turn on the lights whenever anyone approaches your home. You will be alerted to movement, but most importantly, it will deter burglars or at least make you aware of their presence. Be sure to keep these lights working, though.

Make sure that none of your valuables can be seen from the outside. Large front windows are great, but they also allow others to peer into your home. Keep your curtains drawn to keep your valuable items safe.

If you live more out in the country, you may think that you’re not at risk. Due to the distance between neighbors, some think rural areas are more likely to have intruders. Still there are those that think that burglars are not as likely to target rural areas.

When you choose an alarm system, pick one that offers protection that goes beyond the doors. Your windows are also points of entry for burglars. Be certain they are also alarmed and monitored. This is a way to make sure your family will be safe.

You can hide your valuable items inside your walls. You needn’t tear down your walls to do this. There are many spots in your home that already have areas that are pre-cut. For example, place jewelry in an unused electrical outlet.

Prior to allowing access to anyone, make sure you are shown proper identification. Be sure to perform a background check and look for any criminal history that might be in evidence. It is not a good idea to give anyone a key to your home, even contractors or repairmen.

When choosing an alarm system, consider one that offers protection for more than just your doors. The best systems are those that cover windows as well. The alarm and monitoring system should be set for all windows and doors. This is a way to make sure your family will be safe.

When hiring a home security company, make sure to read the fine print on the contract you are signing. There could be fees for terminating the contract early or acquiring additional equipment down the road. You can easily avoid these fees if you do your research.

When moving into a house, ensure that each lock has been replaced. You really don’t know much about the people who sold you the home, regardless of how competent they may seem. There are other people who have lived in the home as well.

Whenever you are landscaping your home, you should consider safety. There should be no plants or greenery in front of doors or windows. If they are visible, people won’t be able to hide there while trying to break in. Have your landscape several feet away from your house for better safety.

Are you aware that your home’s wires are worth something? People don’t realize this until it is stolen. Copper, found in many wires, can be removed in little time, and is worth quite a bit of money. Hide your wiring to secure it.

Research how long a security company has been in the business before contracting with them. It doesn’t take long for a quality company to prove itself in the security business, and you should look for a track record of satisfied customers and successful work. You can feel confident when you choose a well established, reputable home security company.

Flashlights in your home should always have newer batteries if your power goes out. Flashlights are critical, and provide you with the freedom to move about as needed. If you have kids, teach them how to properly use the flashlights so everyone in the family can help out during a power outage.

If you arrive home and you see that your door is ajar, never enter to investigate on your own. This can be very dangerous because the thief could still be inside. Call the police, then wait until they get there to do anything else.

Before you let any strangers enter your home, be sure you look over their references. For a relatively small fee, you can also run a background check for their criminal history. There is no way of knowing whether or not service people are honest, so you should not give them keys to your home.

Consider a surveillance system for your home and property. Both hidden and visible video cameras can help keep your home safe. Visible cameras deter many intruders, but if they disable the cameras that they can see, your hidden camera can record the action. Some security systems are accessible via mobile phone, which lets you look in on your house when away.

Never place empty boxes for expensive items out on the curb. Burglars will see these boxes and recognize that there are new valubles in your house. When you empty the boxes, cut them up and throw them away so that burglars do not see them.

Ask the security company about various contract lengths. They all likely have different benefits and downsides. You might pay less each month for longer contracts, but it has its deterrents as well. Shorter contracts likely allow you more flexibility with exiting the plan; however, you will probably have a larger monthly bill.

Are your house numbers visible from the street? Small or obscured numbers can make it difficult for emergency personnel to locate your home. Luckily, this is an issue that can be fixed quickly.

Spring Latch Locks

Inquire as to the different lengths of contracts offered by your security company. There are of course pros and cons for each contract. Long contracts may cost less each month, but it could leave you with a larger bill if you decide to end your service. Shorter contracts have more freedom, but the monthly costs could be higher.

Don’t get spring latch locks. They give intruders and easy time breaking in, since they can be unlocked with a credit card. An intruder has only to press the card into the doorjamb between latch and the door and the lock will pop open. If your doors sport spring latch locks, add deadbolts to beef up security.

Do not purchase spring latch locks. These locks are easy to break into since they may be opened up with a credit card. This is achieved by sliding the card into the space between the latch and the door. This causes the lock to click open. If you have spring latches already installed, consider adding deadbolts too.

Now that a wealth of home security information has been made available to you, go out and make your house a little safer. Begin making changes where you live. The end result will be a comfortable home that offers your family peace of mind from morning until night. You should now be able to sit back and relax.

If you are away, pull your shades closed. If they remain up, criminals will have no problem seeing right into the house. They may break in if they spot something that they like. Close your drapes or blinds while you are asleep, too.