If you are unsure about how to choose among home security offerings, continue reading. It isn’t an easy decision, especially with the amount of money that could be needed. If you want to make the right decision, you need the right information about the subject.

Let a house cleaner have your keys only if they can provide you with references so you can verify their trustworthiness. You need to ensure that they are honest and reputable according to references before you have handed over the key. Do a background check on them. If you hire a cleaner who works for a company, speak with your local BBB about the company’s reliability.

Use your dog as the protector of your spare key. This is a great idea if your dog is outside all the time, or they can get out through a doggy door. Just hide a spare house key on the inside of your dog’s collar. Then when you need an extra key, you will be able to access this one.

Do you keep your dog outdoors when you are away from home? She or he is actually a good place to keep the spare key. Put it on their collar. This is an especially good idea if your dog doesn’t like strangers, and gives you easy access to get in your home.

Fire-resistant building materials are the way to go, both inside and outside the home. This helps protect your home when you dwell in a more dry climate. Lowering or eliminating the risk of a fire is an extremely important home security strategy because a fire can cause extreme destruction very quickly.

Only allow maids and cleaning services to have a key to the house if they are known to be trustworthy. When giving your house cleaner the key to your home, you need to be sure that they are reputable and honest. Ask for references and check them thoroughly. Contact your local Better Business Bureau to find out more about the reputation of the cleaner you hired.

Don’t post online when you’ll be away from your home. It’s natural to be excited about your trip, but this is as good as throwing out the welcome mat for people who know your home is unoccupied.

If you’re going on a trip for an extended period of time, switch the ringer off on all home phones. If a burglar keeps hearing your phone ring, they’ll know the home is not occupied, making it more likely for a break-in to occur.

Do you keep your dog outside if you leave the home? This pet may be an excellent storing spot for your spare key. Attach your spare key inside the collar of your dog. Your dog is an especially good key hiding spot if he doesn’t react well to strangers, since they won’t approach him, but the key will be there if you need it.

In the summer, remove vegetation and dead wood from your yard. These can quickly become fire hazards when hit by direct sunlight, placing your house at risk. Keeping your plants and bushes trimmed will benefit your family’s safety as well as the appearance of your home.

Request information from your local law enforcement agencies about home protection packages. 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. Speak with the police in your area to see if they have these things.

Don’t post information about an upcoming vacation anywhere on the web. While it is exciting to go to a new place and have a good time, you are letting thieves know that your house will be empty and they can come right in.

Car Inside

Make your home safer by storing your car inside the garage. Keeping the car inside is a good way to keep criminals from stealing or harming it. Besides, intruders will have a hard time determining whether or not you are home if you keep your car inside your garage.

Install motion-sensor lights. The lights will be triggered when someone gets too close to the house. This lets you know something is moving and also drives off criminals. But keep in mind that the bulbs to the security light should be routinely changed to ensure that the deterrent system functions properly.

Be brave! Talk to your neighbors. Keep on eye on their home and ask neighbors to return the favor. You shouldn’t neglect gossip. You will learn a lot from your neighbors, including details about recent break ins in the area and the shady individuals they noticed.

Don’t put spare keys inside plant boxes or beneath the welcome mat. You are allowing people to invade your home when you make it easy for them. Potential burglars know the usual hiding places. Ask a friend, neighbor or relative to keep your extra keys for you.

You need to change our locks as your first step to ensuring your safety. It might be that you have an angry ex-roommate or a bitter ex-partner, so changed locks will boost your security. It is pretty cheap and the job won’t take more than a few hours.

If you are new into a house, replace all the locks. You don’t really know the people you purchased the house from or all the folks they shared keys with, so don’t place too much trust in the old locks. There are other people who have lived in the home as well.

You should have several flashlights and batteries in all your rooms. Flashlights are key because they allow you to move around if an emergency should arise. Train kids how to use the flashlights so that everyone may contribute.

Be certain the wires to your home security system are neither visible nor accessible. Intruders can get around security systems and into a home by cutting the wires. To provide maximum security, wiring should be laid underground or installed safely within the walls of your house. Your system will be far more effective this way.

Carefully check the references of everyone before allowing them to enter your home. You should do a background check as well to find out their criminal history. You need to be very careful with the contractors, repairmen or maids you trust with being alone in your home.

When you consider a security company, be certain you read the details and fine print of the contract you’re about to sign. There may be hidden costs involved that you were not aware of. You should avoid these fees as much as you can; therefore, you need to know of their existence.

The number one thing you must do if you’re moving into a new place is have the locks changed. The previous owners or tenants might have made some copies of the key. Find a reliable locksmith who can replace the locks or do it yourself.

Keep safety at the forefront when landscaping your property. All of your windows and doors should be unobstructed by plants, shrubs, trees or fences. If they can be seen, potential burglars will not be able to use them as hiding places before breaking in. Keep this in mind as you design.

Make an appointment with a home security company to evaluate the security needs of your home specifically. They should take your concerns seriously and address any issues you have. When you don’t want to compromise in any way on the safety and security of your home, a custom-built system is usually the way to go.

Be sure to read all of the fine print to any contracts you plan on signing for a security company. Sometimes there are hidden costs involved if you decide to let your service go before the contract expires or add additional equipment at a later point. It’s best to know about these fees in advance so that you can avoid them when possible.

If you’re planning to be out of your home for a period of time, have a neighbor remove any fliers placed on your door. This is a way people who are casing out your house can tell whether you are home or not. Fliers that are left behind signal to the burglar that there is no one at home.

You have the knowledge you need now to make informed decisions. Remember that you’re dealing with nothing less than the safety of your home and your family; there’s no such thing as being too well-informed for these decisions. The learning you’ve done here will help you tackle the project.

An important part of vetting any security company before you sign a contract with them is finding out how long they’ve been providing security services in your community. Companies who have been around for years will show that they have what it takes to succeed. In addition, it proves that they provide people with reliable services they can depend on. When you know that you’re dealing with a company of some repute, you can feel more at ease making that decision.