If you own a home, you should learn how to protect yourself. However, you have to sift through the huge amount of information that is published on the matter. This article will help to boil down the important considerations so you are able to develop a program that works for you.

Compare various home security systems when shopping. Prices vary quite a bit. Get quotes from several companies so that you can get the best price for your home security system.

Your home should looked occupied all the time. Put timers on the TV, lights and radios. This will give your home the appearance of someone being there. This is a simple way to give people up to no good think that you are home.

You should invest in fire-resistant roofing, flooring and ceiling. This adds more protection to a house, especially if you’re in a dry area with some power lines. Because of the amount of damage fires can cause, it is important to protect your home from them.

Spare Key

Ask your friends for advice before you choose a home security system or company. 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. Ask around so that you can have the advice that you need to make a good choice.

Put your spare key on your dog. If your dog lives outside or is able to come and go through a dog door, this is a viable idea. Latch the key on his collar and voila–you have a spare key available!

Don’t let strangers into your home. Nowadays, thieves are creative when thinking of ways to get homeowners to open a door and let them in. Make sure everyone in your house knows not to open the door unless they know the person standing outside.

You should always change the locks after purchasing a home. This is because you really have no idea who has keys, and therefore access to your home. To ensure that you are the only one who has access to your house, call a locksmith. If you lose your keys, you should do the same thing.

Secure your garage. Lots of folks are concerned about burglars gaining access to the garage and then the home, but this can be addressed. A C clamp helps for garage doors on a track. The clamp actually keeps the door closed if tightened close to the track roller.

Do not give the key to your home to your cleaning person unless you are certain they are worthy of your trust. If you do give out a key to such individuals, be certain you know their reputation for honesty. Ask for references and check them thoroughly. If the cleaner has been sent by a company, call the Better Business Bureau to check on the company’s reputation.

Try not to have a shy attitude. Get to know other people who live next door and others in your neighborhood. Keep an eye on their houses and yards and request that they return the favor. Pay attention to gossip. While this is unorthodox, it may clue you into a possible home security threat.

Home security systems offer other triggering features besides having an alarm sound. The majority of systems are able to be set to put out an alert when any individual enters the home. This can be useful if you’ve got small children that are able to open doors.

Do not hide your spare key under your doormat or in a nearby planter. These are the first places criminals will look when they try to enter your home. Thieves are familiar with these hiding spots. The wisest course of action is to leave a spare key with a trusted friend or a reliable neighbor.

When looking to buy a security system, shop around. Prices vary quite a bit. Make sure you get quotes from at least three companies before you decide on which one you think is the best option.

Make sure the wires of your home security system are completely hidden. Intruders can easily disable your home security system by cutting or unplugging the wires. Make sure the wires are installed inside the walls of your home. This helps keep you and your family safe.

If you retain a space key for when you get locked out, consider the place you hide it carefully. Doormats and door frames are predictable places that burglars will always check. Instead, try hiding a key on the collar of an outside dog.

After making major (i.e. expensive) purchases, don’t dump the packaging out front if your next scheduled garbage pick-up is several days away. These boxes sitting outside your home serve as a flag for thieves to target your home.

Talk to people you know about their security systems. Knowledge of first-hand experiences can be very helpful to you when it comes to making this important decision. Spending a few days asking for reviews is useful in helping you choose correctly.

If you move to a place that was occupied before, you should change the locks right away. Even if you’ve gotten a key from the previous owner or tenant, there could still be a lot of people out there who have keys to your home. You can purchase the locks and install them yourself to ensure you’re the only person that has a key.

Shut off the ringer for all of the telephones in your home if you are planning to go on vacation for a long time. A constantly ringing phone can signal to a burglar that the house is vacant, making it an easy target for their criminal activities.

You can find an excellent home security company with a simple Internet search. Check out different websites, and read through package details and customer testimonials. Make appointments with the three best companies, and take the time to go over the details and compare them.

It doesn’t matter how much money you spent, you should have an annual test. Ask a qualified worker who specializes in security systems to take a look. Mother nature can sneak in and cause many problems. If the problem cannot be seen, you probably won’t even realize there is one.

When you landscape your house, make it safe. There should be no plants or greenery in front of doors or windows. No one can easily break into a window which everyone can see. Landscaped features should be set further away for safety, yet keeping beauty in mind.

Don’t forget about the skylights when securing your home. Although a skylight can bring light into one’s home and look good, it’s also a common entrance way for burglars. Check that skylights have heavy duty hardware that can stand up under unwanted tampering.

Consider all of your individual security needs before looking into any alarm systems. Even though these security systems can guard you and your family, that doesn’t mean they’re for everyone. In some cases the security system is your best investment, in others you well-served with an alert dog or reinforced locking systems. Before you sink a lot of money into your home’s security, make sure that you’re properly addressing your particular risks.

Even if you’re not going to be gone long, keep your home locked. Break-ins are often the result of unlocked windows and doors. It can be a quick job for a burglar to steal items of great value.

There are wireless systems available for home security, as another option. Wired systems could cost less, but they can also require intrusive electrical work inside your house and can fail when the power goes out. A wireless system is easy to install, and will not become inoperable if your power goes out.

Were you aware of how valuable your house wires are? Many people have their wires stripped each year. The copper in the wiring is valuable and can be stripped off of the outside of the home in a relevantly short period of time. That’s why it’s important to hide your wiring, or make it hard for criminals to have access to it.

If you must hide your key outside, do not put it someplace obvious. It is easy to find fake rocks. The first place an intruder will likely look is under the doormat. A friend or neighbor can be a much better key holder than an inanimate object. If you can’t, be creative where you put the key.

Every homeowner needs to learn everything they can with regards to home security. Unfortunately, sorting out the good information from the bad can be difficult. So, you will find it to be worth your while to keep looking back at these tips if that is what it takes to secure your home.

If your living room window faces the street, keep your curtains drawn at night. You shouldn’t be inviting people to look at your stuff through the window. If potential thieves see valuable items inside your house, they may target your house. Try being discreet about what everyone sees to reduce the chances of being targeted by burglars.