Surely, you know how important it is to keep your dwelling safe. A damaged home can leave your family devastated. Besides being a valuable possession in its own right, your home is also the stage upon which you live your life. Continue reading to learn tips that can keep your home and family safe.

Make sure that you hide your spare key in a good spot. Too many people put their extra key under the mat in front of their door; burglars know to check there. An example would be to attach a key to your dog’s collar, if he stays outdoors.

Don’t give your keys to a house cleaner unless you totally trust them. You should not let cleaners have your keys if you feel like you cannot trust them, or if they will be working in your home while you are away. Check out their references thoroughly. If you hire a cleaner who works for a company, speak with your local BBB about the company’s reliability.

Be sure to keep your car in your garage rather than filling your garage with stored belongings. In this way, your car will be safer. Keep the car within the garage will make sure no one harms or steals it. When it is in hiding, people won’t know if you’re home.

Remember to have an annual inspection of your home security system. Ask a home security employee to give it a look. Mother nature can sneak in and cause many problems. You may not know there’s an issue if you can’t see it.

Home security systems have different kinds of features that can sound an alarm when someone breaks into your house. Many systems can be used to go off whenever anyone enters your home. For families with young children, this is excellent for alerting when a child has entered or left the house.

Whenever you are selecting a home security company, make sure you go with your gut feelings. This is particularly true if you feel uncomfortable with a company you are dealing with. You should not hesitate to ask if you can work with a different representative or find a different company if you are not comfortable. After all, the point of the system itself is to help you feel more at ease.

Don’t think you’re not at risk just because you don’t live in a big city. Interestingly, many think those living in rural areas are actually more susceptible to break-ins since neighbors may not live close by. You need to do some research on the areas where you live to get an idea of how frequent break ins are.

Buy a safe. If an intruder breaks into your home, at least these valuables will be secure. Put the safe somewhere difficult to get to, like the attic.

The walls are a perfect hiding place. This is a great way to hide jewelry, for example. You can use phone jacks or electric outlets as hiding spots. If you have no unused plates, you can put in a fake one.

Alter the locks and the keys when you change homes. Previous tenants may have given the keys back to the landlord, but it is always possible to make copies of keys. You can purchase and install locks yourself to make sure only you have the key.

Don’t open your door for strangers. Criminals can be endlessly inventive when it comes to generating a convincing story to force their way into your home. No matter how sympathetic the story, remember that it could all be a put-on. You should make sure you only open the door to your home for people that you know and are expecting.

Keeping your house bright and lit at night will deter many crooks. Intruders will avoid being noticed. When your house is well lit, intruders have no place to hide. This makes it hard for them to get things from you. Keep those lights shining brightly at night.

Invest in a high quality paper shredder. Thieves often dig through garbage to obtain personal data that will help them enter the house. If paper shredders don’t fit into your budget, you can manually rip up important documents yourself.

Don’t overlook your garage as a potential access point for thieves. People often worry about people getting in through attached garages, but you have a solution. You can use a C-clamp to stop the door from being opened.

A dog is an excellent burglary deterrent system. Man’s best friend is very territorial and makes a lot of noise during anything happening out of the ordinary. Keeping a huge and ferocious canine is not necessary. Even small dogs can keep intruders away since they don’t want lots of noise when committing crimes.

Don’t keep your car registration in the glove box of your car. Anyone with access to your car can find out where you live, so it is not a smart thing to do. Keep them in your wallet or in another safe place like your trunk. Keep them close to you in case you get pulled over.

You should clean your yard of vegetation and dead wood. This can be a fire hazard, especially if you live in an area with high heat. Clear your yard often if you want to prevent a fire from starting.

If you want to hide your house key, find a spot that is not obvious. A fake rock or flower pot are simply too easy to guess. Doormats are the first place people look at. It is best to simply ask a neighbor or trusted friend to hold on to an extra key for you. Otherwise, you should be more creative when it comes to hiding your key.

Don’t use your birth date as the password for your security alarm. Your birthday is readily available for burglars to find. Think of a number which is the answer to a mathematical question so you can just remember the answer to the question.

If you have a garage, increase your home security by using it to house your car, rather than just for storage. If your car is locked up inside, it cannot be stolen or vandalized. Hiding your car away from plain view is a good way to keep intruders from knowing when you are at home or not.

Irreplaceable Valuables

Always keep your irreplaceable valuables secure. Irreplaceable valuables, including financial records, family photos, legal documents, passports, etc., should be secured at all times. A floor safe can keep these items safe. For ultimate security, of course, such items can be kept in an off-site location like a bank’s safe deposit boxes.

You should regularly check your home security system, regardless of how reliable you believe it is. A security professional should visit to help with the testing process. Your security system’s quality can be impacted by numerous factors, such as the weather and wild animals. There are always ways your home is vulnerable, even if you don’t know it.

There are many simple ways to safeguard your home effectively. Starting with a great knowledge is key. To make your home safer, use the advice from this article. Be sure to follow all of the advice presented here for optimum security.