What You Should Know About Getting Home Security

March 15, 2020 - Comment

If you have a house, then you know the importance of being safe. There’s nothing worse than having your home severely damaged. Besides being a valuable possession in its own right, your home is also the stage upon which you live your life. Read on for advice to keep this most precious asset secure. Your

If you have a house, then you know the importance of being safe. There’s nothing worse than having your home severely damaged. Besides being a valuable possession in its own right, your home is also the stage upon which you live your life. Read on for advice to keep this most precious asset secure.

Your home should always look like it is occupied. Use timers to make electronic devices and lights turn on and off at intervals. It’ll make it seem like someone is home. This should help you make your home safer and not attract the attention of potential intruders.

TIP! Have your home always look occupied. You can buy timers to have radios, TVs, lights and other electronics go off and on at different times.

Your dog can actually safeguard a spare key. This really only works if you’ve got an outdoor dog or if you’ve got a pet door. Simply attach a spare key to your dog’s collar (in a secure and non-visible place, of course) so that you’ll be able to retrieve it if you need it.

Home security systems have additional features to just being noise alarms. The majority of systems will give an audible alert when someone enters the house. This could be valuable for parents who have small children, making them aware when their kid has closed or opened a door.

TIP! A home security system has other features in addition to sounding an alarm when there is a break-in. You can have your system alert you of any movement in certain areas of your home.

Spare Key

When you decide to purchase a home alarm system, make sure you comparison shop. Each company has different rates for their security system. Get at least 3 quotes from security system companies and compare features and services as well as monthly costs.

TIP! It’s important to comparison shop for alarm systems. Every company offers different pricing.

Do you have an outdoor dog? Your pet might just be the perfect place to stash a spare key to your home. Attach your spare key inside the collar of your dog. If your pet does not get along with strangers, this will ensure your spare key stays safe.

Don’t allow anyone you don’t know to look into your house. No matter how innocent a person may seem or how interesting the product he or she may be offering, you must not allow access. 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.

TIP! Don’t make a habit of giving strangers access to your home. Even if the person has a compelling story, needs help or has something to sell, they should not be given access.

Social networking sites are great for keeping in touch, but post information sparingly. For example, you might avoid broadcasting when you are going out of town, especially if your friends list contains casual acquaintances. Though trips are always fun to talk about, you may be doing little more than telling burglars the best times to visit your house.

You should always park your car inside your garage instead of using your garage to store some belongings. Keeping your car in your house will deter intruders from vandalizing or stealing it. Storing your car in the garage will also make it difficult for anyone casing your home to figure out when no one is going to be there.

TIP! Store your car in the garage if you have it. Keeping your car secured will prevent people from vandalizing it.

Turn the ringer off on your telephone if you are going to be away. If the phone rings without you there, burglars will suspect that you’re not home, and that can make your home a target for an attack while you’re gone.

You need to change our locks as your first step to ensuring your safety. Anyone from an old roommate to a former tenant could have access to your home if you leave the old locks in place. It shouldn’t cost too much, and the process can be completed very quickly.

TIP! Alter the combination of the locks in your home. Whether an old roommate left or a relationship ended, changing your locks is a good idea.

Keep your car in your garage if you have one. 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.

Walls can be a great hiding spot. If you have valuables that are small in size, you may want to hide them within your walls. Simply take advantage of an unused switch plate, electrical outlet, or phone jack. If you do not have any unused plates, it is easy to install a false one.

TIP! Hide your valuables in the walls. You can hide small, valuable items inside the walls of your home.

Walls are excellent hiding spots. You can hide small valuables inside the walls. Use an old switch plate, outlet or phone jack. You can also just put in a false plate to cover a hiding place.

You should always lock up your house, even if you’re only planning to be gone for a short time. It may shock you to know this, but a lot of intruders get inside homes through open doors. Thieves can steal a lot of valuable stuff in mere minutes.

TIP! No matter how soon you plan to return home, you should lock your doors. Most break-ins and burglaries occur because a door is left open and an intruder just walks in.

Make certain no one can see your valuable belongings through windows and doors. You might enjoy large windows so you can see out, but just remember that makes it easier for those burglars to see inside your home as well. Cover all street-facing windows.

If someone from the security company comes to your home, ask to see their ID before allowing them in. Criminals can easily pretend to be from a security firm as a means to gain entry to the house. This is dangerous for your family and your possessions. Be very careful with who you let into your home.

TIP! Make sure to ask for identification for any home security company representative. It is very common for thieves to pretend to be company reps in order to get into your home.

If you have just bought any pricey new goods, never toss the boxes onto the curb prior to the garbage man’s arrival. They show the world you have money and lots of valuables inside.

Be sure to make good use of the Internet when you’re trying to select your home security company. Read through official websites for different companies and look for reviews written by customers. With this information, you can contact the companies you feel comfortable with and compare the rates to each other.

TIP! Whenever seeking out home-security companies, the Internet can be a valuable resource, so utilize it. You can check out their packages and rates and also read some customer reviews.

A smart way to prevent burglars from entering the garage is to keep them from seeing what is inside. Go to a hardware store and buy some frosting so you can cover your windows. Keep your garage door closed as often as possible, too.

Ask your security provider about their history in the business. Companies with a long history can give you the best service for many years. You should not trust a company that does not have a good record with your local Better Business Bureau or few years of experience.

TIP! Inquire with your home security service as to how long they’ve been in business. A reliable home security company is one that has a long history in the community and can offer references from satisfied customers.

If you lose your house keys often, you might want to install a keyless entry system. You can have key-less locks which require a code. These can be installed either by you, or a home security company.

Never enter your home if you arrive and find the door open. This is dangerous because the thief may be right inside. Just contact the police and sit tight until they arrive.

TIP! Anytime you come home and notice that the door is open whenever you are quite certain you closed it, don’t enter on your own to investigate. The thief might still be inside, and you don’t have any idea whether or not they are armed.

Credit Card

Make sure the inside of your garage isn’t visible. Cover your windows in frosting, which can be bought at big box hardware stores, so people can’t peek inside. Never leave the front door open for very long.

TIP! Keeping thieves from the contents of your garage can be as simple as making sure they can’t easily look inside. Cover your windows in frosting, which can be bought at big box hardware stores, so people can’t peek inside.

Steer clear of locks with spring latches. These locks are easy to break into since they may be opened up with a credit card. Intruders can pick these locks by wedging a credit card in between the latch and the door. If your locks are spring latch, either replace them or put in a deadbolt to protect yourself.

From the road, are your house numbers visible? If you need assistance, emergency vehicles may not locate your home in a timely manner if the numbers don’t stand out. This is easy and inexpensive to fix if you believe there could be a problem.

TIP! Are you able to see the numbers on your house from the street? Small or obscured numbers can make it difficult for emergency personnel to locate your home. This is a very easy issue to have rectified.

Ask whether or not your home security company gives you the option to lease and/or buy your equipment. Although purchasing the equipment will likely cost you more money initially, this cost will only occur one time. It won’t be a cost you have to pay for every month. Although leasing is usually cheaper, you may have to fill out contracts and you will have higher monthly costs. Evaluate both alternatives and choose the best option for yourself.

If you live with children or others whom who don’t want entering some parts of the house, keys and lock sets aren’t the only option. Keyless locks require a code to unlock the door. You can either install these locks by yourself, or have them professionally installed if you are not that handy yourself.

TIP! You don’t have to have a giant key ring full of keys just because you want your home to be secure. Instead, key-less key code locks can work just as well.

Don’t use your birth date as the password for your security alarm. Your birthday can be found on mail or social media sites, so this means anyone can access your home. Think of a number which is the answer to a mathematical question so you can just remember the answer to the question.

Find out about the various lengths of contracts your chosen home security company has on offer. Each will have its own pros and some cons, too. Your bill may be lower with a long-term contract, but you could wind up paying for a service you’re not using if you decide to move. A shorter contract gives you more freedom, but it may cost you more per month.

TIP! Talk to your security company about the contract; in particular, inquire about the various contract lengths that are available to you. There are going to be ups and downs for each one.

Install a hard-wired system if you want to minimize maintenance costs. As nice as wireless systems can be, the constant charging and battery changes can become tedious and expensive. If you do forget to have them changed, the system will not work right. Furthermore, it can be costly to replace multiple batteries.

Choose an out of the way place to hide your spare key, not the obvious ones. It is easy to spot a rock that is fake. Doormats are generally the first spot a person would look. It is best to simply ask a neighbor or trusted friend to hold on to an extra key for you. If that isn’t an option, be creative with a hiding spot.

TIP! If you must hide your key outside, do not put it someplace obvious. If you place it under a rock, a good robber will find it.

As this article has demonstrated, keeping your home safe does not have to be difficult. You need to have some knowledge about home security. Make your home very secure with the help of these excellent ideas. Don’t neglect these tips because you could use them to ensure your house’s safety.

Think about hard-wired security systems if you’re worried about long term maintenance costs. A wireless system is a good option but you will have to replace batteries regularly. If you neglect battery changes, your system won’t work. Replacing several batteries will quickly add up.

TIP! Hard-wired security systems can be a sound choice. While wireless systems are great, they do require batteries on a consistent basis.