You need to keep your home safe, whether you rent or you own. You may not be sure what kinds of things you can do to better secure your living space, which is why this article is here! Make sure you save this article after you are done so that you can keep referring it throughout your decision making process.

Do you allow your dog to stay in your yard while you are away? He or she is actually a great place to store your spare key. Put it on your dog’s collar, making sure it is hidden. This is a good way to ensure easy home access, especially if your pet does not associate well with strangers.

Your dog can actually safeguard a spare key. This will come in handy if your dog is outdoors most of the time or if it can go outside through a pet door. Store a spare key within your dogs collar so you always have access to your home.

If your home has a lot of valuable items inside, then you need to purchase a safe so that all of these items can be kept in a single location. This is vital, as you want to safeguard your valuable items in case of home burglary. Hide that safe in a difficult-to-reach place like in a closet inside your basement or an attic.

Do not give the key to your home to your cleaning person unless you are certain they are worthy of your trust. If you plan to give them a key so they can clean in your home while you are away, ensure they are reputable and honest. Do a background check on them. If you’re hiring from a company, call the BBB for more information.

Turn off your phone’s ringer when you go on vacation. If your phone rings and is not being answered, criminals will realize that you’re away.

Do you have an outside dog? Your pet might just be the perfect place to stash a spare key to your home. Stash the key on the pup’s collar to keep it out of sight. Especially if your dog is not very friendly, this will help keep your key safe.

Take advantage of any and all security resources your local police force makes available to homeowners. Your local police department will help you with preventive measures, inspect your home and show you how to mark your valuables so they can easily be found. Contact your local police department to find out if they offer this type of program.

Invest in a safe in order to secure very valuable items. This is vital since it means all of your things will be safe if someone breaks in your home. Be sure to put your safe in an out of the way place like the basement, attic or under the floorboards.

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. If your car is in your garage there is less of a chance to vandalize or steal it. Additionally, if your car is put away, burglars will not be able to tell whether or not you are home.

Compare various home security systems when shopping. You would be surprised to see that the prices are much different for each company, even though it’s for the same type of protection. Get quotes from no less than three companies before choosing the best one.

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. Many different things can make problems for your security system. If you don’t see the problem, you may remain unaware of it.

Carefully consider where you hide your outside spare key. Too many people put their extra key under the mat in front of their door; burglars know to check there. You could hide the key with your dog on the collar.

Change all of the locks in your new residence. Though you may not suspect that the seller is up to something, you still need to be careful. Many other people could have keys to the property, and you probably don’t want them to all have access to your home.

You should clean your yard of vegetation and dead wood. As the summer heat rolls in, there is a higher chance that these can catch on fire, putting your home at risk. Clear your yard often if you want to prevent a fire from starting.

Make sure you have several flashlights that are charged and ready to go in the event of a power outage. Flashlights are essential since they let you move around in an emergency. Train kids how to use the flashlights so that everyone may contribute.

Lock your home at all times to err on the side of caution. It may be shocking, but many home invasions and burglaries occur by intruders walking through the front door that was left open. A thief can steal lots of stuff in a little amount of time.

After moving into a pre-owned apartment or home, change the locks. Although other tenants might not have a key anymore, they could have copied it. It’s easy to install locks, so you can just purchase them at the home improvement store and swap them out to be sure you have the only keys.

When you choose an alarm system, pick one that offers protection that goes beyond the doors. Burglars can gain entry through your windows as well. You want to be sure that the alarm is connected to all windows and entry points. This will make your family safer.

Be certain to read the entire contract when you hire a home security firm. There could be fees for terminating the contract early or acquiring additional equipment down the road. Try avoiding these fees when you can so that you know about them.

Now is the time to get started in making your home a more secure place! Don’t let the time you spend reading this article be a waste. Allow these tips to get you started on the path to creating a more secure home. You’ll find that you’ll sleep much better with the comfort of a secure home.

Whenever seeking out home-security companies, the Internet can be a valuable resource, so utilize it. Browse through different websites and seek out customer reviews about different services and packages. Make appointments with the three best companies, and take the time to go over the details and compare them.