If you have questions about home security, read on for some excellent answers. It can be tough to make this type of expensive decision. There’s no better way to prepare for this buying decision than to educate yourself thoroughly on the topic first.

Spare Key

Place your spare key securely on your dog’s collar. Outdoor dogs or pet doors make this possible. Store a spare key within your dogs collar so you always have access to your home.

Your dog could carry a spare key for you. But, this is only effective if your home has a pet door or your dog stays outdoors when you are not home. Latch the key on his collar and voila–you have a spare key available!

Hide your spare key in a place where no one would think to look for it. Intruders will more than likely check under your doormat or above your door frame. Try hiding the key in your outside dog’s collar.

Be sure your roof, floors, and ceiling are fire resistant. This will add an extra protection layer for your house, particularly if you live near power lines or in a dry location. Preventing a fire hazard is one of the safest precautions that you can take due to the level of destruction that it can cause.

If you will be vacationing for an extended period of time, turn off the ringer on all the phones in your house. A phone which rings forever is a sign to burglars that you’re not there.

Don’t allow a complete stranger to come in your home. Burglars have many clever ways to convince householders to open the door. Make a house rule forbidding anyone to open the door for an unexpected visitor.

Never allow any strangers into your home. Remember that intruders have a lot of experience with tricking people. Some people may simply be trying to determine whether or not you have a home security installed; if you don’t, they may plan to return later if you are away from your home.

Secure your garage. 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.

Is your garage used for storage? Consider removing those items and keeping your car there instead. It will be far more secure against thieves. This will help to keep your vehicle safe. Besides, intruders will have a hard time determining whether or not you are home if you keep your car inside your garage.

Don’t open your door if a stranger is on the other side. Folks are always thinking up new schemes to get people to open the door so that they can commit their crimes. Make a house rule forbidding anyone to open the door for an unexpected visitor.

Go with your gut when choosing a home security company to install a system. If the installers make you feel uncomfortable, heed your feelings. It’s your home, and you are free to hire any company you like. After all, the point of the system itself is to help you feel more at ease.

Do not hide your spare key under your doormat or in a nearby planter. A key that is easily found is a convenience for a burglar, not just for you. Thieves are tricky, diabolical, and familiar with any and every hiding place. The wisest course of action is to leave a spare key with a trusted friend or a reliable neighbor.

Be sure to secure your attached garage. Lots of people are afraid that burglars will be able to break into their garage, which will result in them breaking into the home. Thankfully, you can prevent this. If the garage door lifts via a track, you can use a C-clamp to stop your door from opening at the hands of intruders.

Always lock your home, regardless of how short your trip out is. It might shock you to learn that most break-ins occur due to unlocked doors. A thief can steal lots of stuff in a little amount of time.

Are you aware of the fact that your home wiring is worth money? Often homeowners are unaware of this fact until they find that their wiring has been stolen. The copper component of wiring is very valuable and may be stripped from the outside of your home in a fairly short amount of time. In order to protect yourself from this risk, make sure wires on your house are difficult to find and hard to access.

If you’ve got a garage, boost home security just by using it for only a car instead of storage. Keeping your car inside will deter thieves from stealing or vandalizing it. Hiding your car from plain view will also keep potential intruders from tracking when you are home and when you aren’t.

Plug a rechargeable flashlight into an outlet in each room of your house in the event of power outage. Power outages are common to all sorts of emergency situations, so having flashlights handy will enable you to maneuver in the dark. Also show your children how to use them so they can help out in emergencies.

You can make your home safer by investing in some motion detectors and outside lights. These lights not only give off light at night, but can also offer security around your home. This is a great way to deter prowlers and potential intruders at night.

Make sure to have your home inspection system maintained on at least an annual basis. Ask a qualified worker who specializes in security systems to take a look. Your security system’s quality can be impacted by numerous factors, such as the weather and wild animals. If you aren’t paying attention, you may not be aware of these problems.

Prior to purchasing a security system, think about what you need it for. Generic systems aren’t for everyone. Some neighborhoods may do better with self-defense classes or having a dog, while others may require the best home security technology you can get. Make sure you understand your risks so you can make wise purchasing decisions.

If you get home and notice an open door, do not go in to see what has happened. This can be quite dangerous because the burglar may still be on your property. Just contact the police and sit tight until they arrive.

Use the space in walls to store your prized possessions. You do not need to remove segments from your walls. Many places around your house have areas that are already pre-cut. Consider unwiring an electrical socket that isn’t used and storing your valuable jewelry.

Can you see the number of your house from the street? If the numbers aren’t legible, police may drive right by. Thankfully, you can easily fix this problem very quickly and cheaply.

Valuable Items

Whenever you move to a new dwelling, make certain to get each lock replaced. The previous owner may be perfectly respectable, but you can’t know that for sure. Aside from that, other people lived in the home even before the ones from whom you purchased the home.

If the living room window in your home is facing the street, you must keep the curtains closed. People who can peek through your windows might find your home inviting. If valuable items can be seen from outside your home, it is an open invitation to burglars. Make sure your valuable items cannot be seen from the outside of your home.

It is always best to go with a solid heavy wooden door, or a metal door for extra security. Durability is key. Few people can kick down such a door. You are probably able to replace your exterior doors for a small price, so do that soon.

Even the wires inside your home are worth something. Many people have their wires stripped each year. Copper wiring is very valuable and susceptible to being stripped from the outside of your home. Be sure to hide your wires or make sure they are hard to get to.

Investing in a home alarm is great, but only if someone calls the police when it goes off. Having it centrally monitored is your best bet. An isolated alarm that just wakes up your neighbors is far less reliable, especially after a few false alarms.

If you have paid close attention to facts presented to you, you should be prepared to make your choice. You must know how important this is and how it involves maintaining your family’s safety inside the home. Use the information in this article to make the best decision possible.

You should have several flashlights and batteries in all your rooms. If the power goes out, you will be able to see everything. Teach your children how to properly use flashlights.