All homeowners should do all they can to keep their homes and families safe. Unfortunately, burglaries are becoming more and more common these days, and there are also other things to consider such as flood and fires. This article contains information on protecting your home, property and family.

Make your house look occupied all the time. Invest in timers to automatically turn on and off any electronics at various times. This gives off the appearance that someone is home. This is a great way to keep your home safe and avoid burglaries.

Be sure your home always looks occupied. You can purchase inexpensive timers that will control different electronics and lights in your home. Potential intruders will stay away from your home if they believe someone is inside. This can be a terrific method of securing your home and keeping burglars at bay.

Buy a safe. You can’t have your valuable personal items and jewelry out in the open for anyone to see. The safe should be situated in an inconspicuous area of your home.

Spare Key

Before doing anything else, install new locks in your home. This could be an ex-spouse or roommate you got into a fight with. You can change the locks in a single day, and the hardware is not very costly.

Your dog can actually safeguard a spare key. Really this works only if you have a pet door or if your dog is an outdoor dog. Keep a spare key around the dog’s collar.

Your risks of being the target of home intruders really doesn’t depend on the area in which you live. Interestingly, many think those living in rural areas are actually more susceptible to break-ins since neighbors may not live close by. Others feel rural residents have a lower risk of being burglarized.

Let a house cleaner have your keys only if they can provide you with references so you can verify their trustworthiness. Before you give a cleaner full access to your home for extended periods of time, you have to be certain that they’re trustworthy and reliable. Carefully check their references. If the person is an employee of a firm, call your local BBB to check their reputation.

Don’t put extra keys under doormats or in planters. While it may seem like a convenient way to give you access to your home, intruders are aware of this practice. Burglars always know just where to look. Try having your trustworthy neighbors hold spare keys.

If you want to have a spare key close to your house in order to prevent lockouts, make sure you give its hiding place some careful thought. Doormats and door frames are predictable places that burglars will always check. One good place to hide a spare key is in the collar of a dog that does not take kindly to strangers.

Were you aware that your home’s wires are valuable? People often don’t think about this until they have it stolen from their home. Copper, found in many wires, can be removed in little time, and is worth quite a bit of money. Be sure that your wiring is concealed or difficult to access in order to keep your wires safe.

Buy fire-resistant building materials. This adds more protection to a house, especially if you’re in a dry area with some power lines. Fire prevention is paramount.

Replace rotten wood near door frames. If a person wants to enter your home, rotted wood can easily be pried away. Replace the rotting door frame with a new one and keep your home much safer.

Before selecting a security firm, ask for recommendations. Your loved ones likely have dealt with this situation before. Making a great choice is important, so this advice will come in handy.

A great way to achieve extra security is to install exterior lighting equipped with motion detectors. 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. If strategically placed, motion detectors ensure that it’s difficult for intruders to break into your home sight unseen.

Don’t open your door when strangers are knocking. Burglars have many clever ways to convince householders to open the door. Make sure everyone in your house knows not to open the door unless they know the person standing outside.

Look online for a reputable home security business. Browse through different websites and seek out customer reviews about different services and packages. Then, you can set appointments to make price and service comparisons before you choose.

Your garage should be as secure as your home. There is a way to stop thieves from entering your home from the garage. Place a C-Clamp on the door track near the roller. This will prevent the door from lifting.

It is a good idea to get some history on any home security companies you are thinking about doing business with. A company with a long history has proved they can survive and provide great service to people. When you know that you’re dealing with a company of some repute, you can feel more at ease making that decision.

Get rid of all of the dead wood and vegetation in your yard during the summer months. These can pose a fire hazard due to heat and storms with lightning. Always clear the yard to ensure safety.

If there are areas of your home you want to keep locked off, you do not need keys. You can instead get key-less locks that work using a code. These can be installed either by you, or a home security company.

People in rural areas are not usually as worried about burglaries as people in cities. Nonetheless, people in the country may be at greater risk due to being far away from neighbors. Some people think burglaries are less prevalent in rural parts.

Ask your home-security company about what contract lengths they provide to their customers. Each likely has its benefits and drawbacks. Long contracts are cheaper every month, but can outlast your stay in the home. Shorter contracts mean more freedom along with higher costs.

Don’t forget about the skylights when securing your home. Skylights are a great addition to any home, but they are also tempting entryways for crooks. Skylights need to be installed correctly and safely, with hardware that will keep intruders out.

Don’t use spring-latch locks. These are the easiest for criminals to open with a credit card. A thief only needs to skip the credit card in between the lock to make it open. If you have already installed spring latch locks, consider adding a deadbolt for even more security.

Many things can affect the safety of your home, and it’s important that you consider many different things. This article is full of excellent ideas on how to protect your home from virtually any threat. Use these ideas to boost your home’s safety.

You want your blinds and curtains closed if you’re away from your home. If they remain up, criminals will have no problem seeing right into the house. If they see something they like, they will then break in. You ought to turn the curtains down if you are sleeping as well.