Intruders might be interested in your valuables, especially if you recently purchased a new car or came home with some new appliances. Securing your home requires protection from burglars and other invaders. Learn how to make a safer home by reading these tips.

Do you have an outside dog? This is where you can put your spare key. You can attach your key to your dog’s collar in order to keep the key hidden. This is very effective if your pet is afraid of strangers; therefore, burglars are not very likely to notice the key.

Make your house look occupied all the time. Use timers to make electronic devices and lights turn on and off at intervals. This will give the appearance that someone is at your house at all times. This will help safeguard your house to the best of your ability.

Shop around when looking for a good home security system. Prices vary significantly, even for similar levels of protection. Make sure you get quotes from at least three companies before you decide on which one you think is the best option.

Don’t allow anyone you don’t know to look into your house. Even people who claim to need help may be out to harm you. This is the first rule of keeping your home secure.

Don’t let people into your home unless you know them. This includes a salesperson or people looking for help. There are people that just want to go into your home to see if you’ve got a type of home security system, and if they see that you don’t, they’ll return when you’re not home.

Avoid opening the door if you don’t know who is standing on the other side. There are many different tactics that crooks use to enter homes, and a common way is simply to walk up to the door and ask for help. Make sure everyone in your house knows not to open the door unless they know the person standing outside.

Don’t open your door if a stranger is on the other side. 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. You should make sure you only open the door to your home for people that you know and are expecting.

Secure your attached garage. There is a way to prevent burglars from entering your home through the garage. If your garage door happens to lift on a track, using a C-clamp can help. the C-clamp prevents the door from opening if it’s tightened on the track close to the roller.

In the summer, remove all the dead trees from your yard. This sort of thing is a fire hazard in the heat of summer. Make sure your yard is clean for the sake of your safety – and that of your family!

Eliminate dead vegetation and wood in the yard in the summer. You risk a house fire if that sits there during the heat of the summer and catches fire. Keep your yard clear of debris to keep your house safe.

It doesn’t matter how much money you spent, you should have an annual test. This is a job for professionals; get a security firm to inspect your equipment. A number of things may cause your alarm system to have problems, including mother nature and wild animals. The problem might not be obvious to you, though.

Put motion sensor lights around your house. These are lights that turn on whenever any living thing gets too close to your home. This lets you know something is moving and also drives off criminals. Replace bulbs regularly and check the sensors once a month.

When dealing with companies that install home security systems, it’s important to trust your gut. This is particularly true if you feel uncomfortable with a company you are dealing with. Never hesitate to has for a new technician or even go with a different company altogether. Ultimately, the whole point is for you to have peace of mind.

Change your locks if someone you don’t trust moves out of your home. This could be an ex-spouse or roommate you got into a fight with. Changing locks is not very expensive and should be done within a few hours.

Skylights need to be secure, too. Skylights have a good function, but unfortunately they also often provide a way for a burglar to enter. Skylights need to be installed correctly and safely, with hardware that will keep intruders out.

Don’t put your spare key in an obvious place near your front door. A key that is easily found is a convenience for a burglar, not just for you. Burglars are well aware of these hiding places. Rather, give your key to a neighbor you find trustworthy.

Your valuables should not be easily seen from outside your home. Large front windows are great, but they also allow others to peer into your home. You always want to make sure you keep your valuables covered if they are by a window.

Were you aware of how valuable your house wires are? Many people do not realize this until a crook steals it off of their home. Copper wiring can easily be removed. Hide the wiring and make it harder to access to prevent this from happening.

When you choose an alarm system, pick one that offers protection that goes beyond the doors. It should protect the windows too. You want to be sure that the alarm is connected to all windows and entry points. Doing this will help ensure the safety of your home and loved ones.

Remove and replace any wood that is not up to par. Home invaders interested are able to pry off any rotted wood to get inside. Replace any wood that has begun to rot with new wood so that your house stays safe.

If you install a security system, make certain to hide the wires well. If the wires are exposed, an intruder can bypass the system by cutting its wires. Keep the wires hidden in the walls or underground to keep intruders from getting in. You will be much safer.

Ask your home security company about coming to your residence and creating a system that is tailored to your personal needs. Each situation is different. A good company will tailor your security plan to the needs of you and your family.

Make sure your flashlights have charged batteries and are found throughout your home. Power outages are common to all sorts of emergency situations, so having flashlights handy will enable you to maneuver in the dark. If you have kids, teach them how to properly use the flashlights so everyone in the family can help out during a power outage.

Think about getting a wireless security system for the home. While wireless systems are often cheap, the cost of installation can be sky high. Systems that operate in a wireless environment can be easier to manage and are not as likely to cause extensive rewiring issues.

Carefully check the references of everyone before allowing them to enter your home. Be sure to perform a background check and look for any criminal history that might be in evidence. It is impossible to know if the newly hired maid or one time repairman might be a crook unless you check them out. Providing them with your key might be the biggest mistake you’ve ever made.

A paper shredder can be a good security investment. Thieves often look through garbage, trying to find credit card information or other important documents. You can also simply tear papers with personal information into small bits before you discard them.

Keeping your home very bright during the night hours is an excellent way to prevent thieves. They prefer not to be seen. If your home is well lit, thieves won’t have any place to hide, so they may not want to steal anything from you. Keep your home lit up all night long.

When you purchase an expensive item such as a computer or TV, be sure to take the cardboard box to the recycling center rather than leaving it on your curb for all the world to see. A burglar may see the box and decide to target you as a result. Cut the box up and hide the writing when you put it out.

Think about having a wireless security system for the home installed. A wired system should be less expensive but you might have to spend your money on getting your home rewired. Wireless systems are much easier to install, and they can work independently of your home’s power.

A dog is an excellent burglar alarm. Dogs naturally protect their homes and they make lots of noise when things go wrong. It doesn’t even have to be a big tough dog. Even small dogs can keep intruders away since they don’t want lots of noise when committing crimes.

If you are planning to be away, and you have someone picking up your mail, ask them to also double-check your door for fliers. Burglars sometimes place fliers as a means to see if anyone is home to remove them. If the flier isn’t removed, the burglar knows the homeowner isn’t there.

Credit Card

Do not use spring latch locks. Just one credit card can get a burglar access to your home. An intruder has only to press the card into the doorjamb between latch and the door and the lock will pop open. A deadbolt can be retrofitted to a door with a spring latch lock if you want to make it more secure.

Don’t get spring latch locks. These locks are very easy to pick with something as common as a credit card. Intruders simply wedge a credit card between the door and latch, triggering the lock to open. If this is the kind of lock on your doors, strongly consider adding a deadbolt for safety.

Never place a key in an obvious spot. Rocks that aren’t real are easy to notice. The first place an intruder will likely look is under the doormat. Instead, you should keep your spare keys with a trusted neighbor. If you must keep it elsewhere, be creative with your hiding spot.

Instead of seeing your home as impossible for burglars to target, you should try preparing for the worst. Avoid becoming paralyzed by fear, but don’t hesitate to make the prudent preparations. Follow the excellent tips presented here to provide your home, your family and yourself with great security.

Any doors that aren’t solid wood or made of metal should be replaced. Doors made of metal or wood are much sturdier than those that aren’t. Burglars would have a hard time kicking such doors down. A strong exterior door is a good investment, (they’re very durable!) so make sure all of your home’s doors are tough.