Do you want to buy a security system for your home? People don’t always consider all of their options first. Even the basics such as locked doors may be all your home needs to be secured.

Keep your most precious belongings inside a safe. This is important, since you don’t want your valuables exposed to a potential intruder. Keep it hidden in a hard to find location.

Your home should looked occupied all the time. Purchase timers for electronics, lights, radios and TVs so that they will turn on and off at varied intervals. This way it will always look as if someone is home, even when you are away. This will help to deter burglars.

Never allow a stranger to enter 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.

Don’t give the keys to your home to a professional cleaner unless you trust them completely. If they need the keys and plan on being in there for more than an hour, try to ensure that they are honest, hardworking, and reputable. One way to do this is to check their references. If the cleaner is from a firm, try calling the local BBB to find out about the firm’s reputation.

No matter how good your security system is, it should be checked annually. Ask a qualified worker who specializes in security systems to take a look. There are any number of problems that can cause malfunctions in your security system, from weather damage to animal activity. If it’s not visible, you might not even know there’s a problem.

When placing your spare key outside for emergencies, give careful consideration to where you put it. Too many people put their extra key under the mat in front of their door; burglars know to check there. Try hiding the key in your outside dog’s collar.

Go with your gut when you invite a home security company representative into your house. This is especially important when it comes to the company employees who will be installing your system. There is nothing wrong with asking for a different technician if you’re uneasy. The system and the company should put your mind at ease.

Buy fire resistant roofing, flooring and ceiling materials. This ensures your home won’t be a tinderbox. It’s best to prevent a fire before it starts.

Walls are great for hiding things. If you have small valuables you want to protect, consider hiding them inside your walls. Target any unused phone jacks or electrical outlets for an easy hiding spot. You can also just put in a false plate to cover a hiding place.

Clear away all the dead and dried out vegetation around your home in the summer. 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!

No matter how soon you plan to return home, you should lock your doors. Break-ins are often the result of unlocked windows and doors. Thieves can steal thousands worth of your belongings very quickly.

Use your garage for your car, not just storage. Keeping the car in the garage can keep thieves from vandalizing or stealing it. When your car is hidden, it will be hard for intruders to tell if you are home or not.

You should have several flashlights and batteries in all your rooms. Flashlights are essential since they let you move around in an emergency. Teach everyone in your home to use the flashlights so all family members can see and help each other.

Use motion sensor lights. This type of light will come on when they detect motion within a certain distance of your home. You will receive advance warning of any potential issues, and a would-be intruder will probably be scared off. Don’t forget to replace the bulbs when they burn out.

If your home isn’t new, replace the locks. Although other tenants might not have a key anymore, they could have copied it. You might even purchase and install your own locks so that you are assured of having the only keys.

Changing the locks is a fundamental part of adding security to the home. This could be an ex-spouse or roommate you got into a fight with. It’s generally cheap can can take less than a day to do.

If someone from the security company comes to your home, ask to see their ID before allowing them in. They might not be who you think they are. This puts your household and valuables at considerable risk. Be careful to avoid any potential dangers.

Walls are great for hiding items. You can hide small valuables inside the walls. You could use a phone jack, electrical outlet or a switch plate. Even if every single plate in your home is being used, you can purchase a fake one purpose-built for concealing valuables.

See how long the home security company has been around before you make any decisions. It doesn’t take long for a quality company to prove itself in the security business, and you should look for a track record of satisfied customers and successful work. You may not feel as safe if you opt to go with a company that has not been in business for long or that does not have a stable history.

Keep your most valuable possessions inside your walls. You do not have to cut pieces out of the walls to do this. Take a closer look at your walls and note just how many access points there are already. Remove the wires from an electric socket you do not use so you can hide your valuable jewelry.

You need to think about what you need as far as home security before you look at different systems. Although automated electronic systems are powerful, they’re not necessarily the cost-effective solution for every home. In some cases the security system is your best investment, in others you well-served with an alert dog or reinforced locking systems. Make sure you understand your risks so you can make wise purchasing decisions.

Even the wires inside your home are worth something. People don’t realize this until it is stolen. Wiring can be removed from the outside of a home in a heartbeat. Therefore, ensure you hide your wires so that burglars cannot see them, or make the wires extremely hard for the burglars to get to.

If you don’t have a paper shredder, you might want to buy one. Thieves can get lots of information simply by looking through your trash. You can also simply tear papers with personal information into small bits before you discard them.

If you’re hiring a company for home security, be sure to read any fine print before you sign that contract. There may be hidden costs to doing business with them, including early termination fees and surprising equipment costs. You should avoid such expenses if you can, so make yourself aware.

Keep burglars on the outside of your garage by making sure nobody can actually see inside the garage. Have your windows frosted so they aren’t as easy to see through. Don’t leave the door unlocked for a long time, either.

For maximum safety, your home needs bright exterior lighting. Thieves like to commit crimes when no one can see. You should put a light on any area where a person could break in. This includes doorways and porches, the garage, and windows on ground floors which may invite intruders.

From the road, are your house numbers visible? In an emergency situation, first responders won’t be able to locate your house quickly if the numbers are hidden or are too small to see clearly. Fortunately, this is something that can be corrected quickly and cheaply.

You need a home security system. Video cameras are an excellent way to keep your home safe. Also, you can capture the intruder in the act. Some security systems can be accessed with cell phones, so you can check on your house while you are away.

Do not use locks with spring latches. They give intruders and easy time breaking in, since they can be unlocked with a credit card. Intruders can just wedge the credit card in between the latch and the door, causing it to open. If you have spring latches already installed, consider adding deadbolts too.

A home security system can be a very good option to protect your residence and your family. It may also be a good idea to make a few changes around your home. Make sure that you have researched all your options to pick the one that best fits your needs!

Ask if your company offers options to both buy and lease your security equipment. Buying will save you a ton of money over time. Leasing is usually cheaper, but monthly fees can be high and you will need a contract. Look at what you can afford, as well as what is offered and make an informed choice.