Are you in search of the perfect plan for protecting your home and family? That is wise, because you can never be cautious enough about your house. Use every option at your disposal to ensure the safety of your home. This article is a great start.

Do you keep your dog outside if you leave the home? Your pet might just be the perfect place to stash a spare key to your home. Conceal it in the dog’s collar. This is the perfect place to store a spare key, especially if your dog doesn’t care for strangers.

Always make your house appear to be occupied. Have electronics and lights with timers and set them to go off at various times. This will give your home the appearance of someone being there. This is a great way to keep your home safe and avoid burglaries.

Purchase a safe to lock all of the extremely valuable items in your home in one place. This is essential, because you would never want valuable jewelry and other items to be seen by intruders. Be sure to put your safe in an out of the way place like the basement, attic or under the floorboards.

Spare Key

Comparison shopping is essential when seeking a security system for the home. Prices for home security systems can vary and they do not all offer the same services. Get a quote from several companies before making a final decision.

Carefully consider where you hide your outside spare key. Never put a spare key under a doormat or above a door jam. For a better solution, try tucking your spare key into your dog’s collar, provided you have an outside dog.

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. Under the doormat or above the door frame are all too common spaces that will be checked first by potential intruders. Try hiding your key on a lawn statue or in a potted plant.

Buy housing materials that are fire resistant. This adds an extra layer of protection to your home, especially if you live in a very dry area with power lines. You can enhance home safety with excellent fire precautions.

Seek recommendations from friends and family when choosing a security company or system. It is probable that you will hear some great stories about some companies as well as some not so great stories about others. This can save you the hassle of having to research everything on your own. Make broad inquiries so that you are able to make a well-informed decision.

Do not open your door for anyone you don’t know. People are coming up with all sorts of ways to convince people to open their door to them, with the intent of committing burglary or worse. Be sure that everyone in your home knows not to open the door to strangers and unexpected visitors.

When planning to go away for a holiday, be sure to turn off the ringers on your home phones. A ringing phone that goes unanswered may signal to a burglar that nobody is home.

In the summer, remove vegetation and dead wood from your yard. This can be a fire hazard, especially if you live in an area with high heat. Keeping your plants and bushes trimmed will benefit your family’s safety as well as the appearance of your home.

It is important that you check your home security system periodically, at least once a year. Make certain the security company you choose provides for regular inspections. Your security system’s quality can be impacted by numerous factors, such as the weather and wild animals. If it’s not visible, you might not even know there’s a problem.

Keep your car in your garage if you have one. Keep the car within the garage will make sure no one harms or steals it. When your car is hidden, it will be hard for intruders to tell if you are home or not.

Switch 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. It is inexpensive, and most locksmiths will be available for next day appointments.

Annual check-ups are important for alarm systems. Get someone from the security firm to inspect it. There are many reason why a home security system can have problems, and it might be the weather or wild animals that cause it to malfunction. The problem might not be obvious to you, though.

If you’ve got skylights, don’t forget about it when it comes to home security. Skylights are commonly used by thieves to enter a home. Make sure that you use safety hardware when the skylights are installed and maintained.

Motion sensor lights on the exterior of your home is a great idea. These lights will come on if someone walks near your home. Then you will know someone is present, and if the person is a burglar, he or she will be very likely to turn around and leave. Replace bulbs regularly and check the sensors once a month.

Don’t leave the packaging from any electronics or expensive purchases sitting on the curb until trash day. Having these type of boxes hanging around will give robbers a good idea of what type of merchandise you have inside of your home.

The first step in making your home more secure is to change out your locks. Whether an old roommate left or a relationship ended, changing your locks is a good idea. You can change the locks in a single day, and the hardware is not very costly.

Before allowing any security company reps to come into your home, make sure they have on a uniform and they have valid ID. They might not be who you think they are. This situation presents danger to your home, family and belongings. Act cautiously to avoid potential dangers.

Always lock your home, even if you plan on coming back within a few minutes. It might shock you to learn that most break-ins occur due to unlocked doors. It doesn’t take long for a thief to steal thousands of dollars worth of stuff.

Checking out security firms online is a great idea. Look at many websites and read customer reviews about the various services. Also find other companies to get quotes from as well.

Keep your home’s exterior areas illuminated well. Burglars like committing crimes in the darkness. The most important parts of your home to light are all of its potential access points. Make sure your porch, garage, doorways and windows are well lit.

As you work on your home’s landscape, don’t forget about safety. Windows should be free from obstructions like trees, shrubs and fencing. If they can be seen, people will not hide there and attempt a break-in. Plan features like these further from your home to have a safe, beautiful design.

It might be time to get yourself a paper shredder if you haven’t already gotten one. Thieves often dig through garbage to obtain personal data that will help them enter the house. Rip your important papers up before throwing them away if you can’t get a shredder.

Before you think about home security, consider personal security and safety. Although they can be very helpful, security systems aren’t always necessary. Some individuals are more comfortable with a canine alarm, while other people enjoy the feeling of security that a sophisticated alarm system can bring. Be aware of your risks to make an intelligent purchasing decisions.

If you’re planning to be out of your home for a period of time, have a neighbor remove any fliers placed on your door. Burglars have been known to put these up, waiting to see if they are removed or not. If the flier is not moved, they know that the occupant is not around or on vacation.

Look into wireless security systems. Systems that are wired can be a little cheaper, but may need significant reworking of your home’s electrical wiring and can fail in a power outage. Wireless systems are easier to install and maintain, and they do not rely on the power in your home to work correctly.

If you live with children or others whom who don’t want entering some parts of the house, keys and lock sets aren’t the only option. Instead, key-less key code locks can work just as well. Many home security companies will install these, and there are also do it yourself kits available.

Do not use spring latch locks. Just one credit card can get a burglar access to your home. Intruders simply wedge a credit card between the door and latch, triggering the lock to open. If you have spring latches already installed, consider adding deadbolts too.

If you are away, pull your shades closed. When they’re open, it would be easy to see no one is there. If they notice something valuable, they’re more likely to invade your home. You ought to turn the curtains down if you are sleeping as well.

You need to take your car registration documents out of your car. It is not smart, because anyone can know your address. Keep them on you or hide them somewhere else in your vehicle. You still need to have them close in case you are pulled over.

If you must hide a key, hide it somewhere unusual. Is anybody really fooled by those fake rocks? Not likely. Doormats are generally the first spot a person would look. It’s better to have a friend, neighbor or relative keep a spare set of keys for you. If that option isn’t available to you, be creative with your hiding spots.

If you always turn your lights on or off at the same time, use a timer. This makes it easy for you because you do not have to turn the switch. It also makes the lights go off and on even if you are not at home.

Consider a hard-wired security system if you are concerned about ongoing maintenance costs. As nice as wireless systems can be, the constant charging and battery changes can become tedious and expensive. Forgetting to change out the batteries leaves you insecure. Also, having to replace batteries on a regular basis can quickly become costly.

Always store your irreplaceable valuables in a secure place. Passports, jewelry and expensive electronics must be secured at all times. A floor safe is a great place to keep these items within the home. Or, a better idea, is to place them in a deposit box outside of your home.

There is no way to completely eliminate all threats to your home. Do the best you can, but keep in mind that there are no flawless security systems. Starting with these tips is a great beginning. Use all these tips to protect your family and your home.

If your family room window is facing the street, keep the curtains drawn every night. Don’t let anyone see inside. If possible burglars see your valuables, they may see your home as the next target. Be discreet about what the public can see and you can reduce your chances of getting burglarized.