Homeowners needs to take the right steps to protect their families. Sadly. burglaries are all too common, as are fires and floods. Continue reading to educate yourself on home-security strategies to keep your home and loved ones safe from all potential threats.

If someone comes to clean your home, only give them a key if they’re trustworthy. Be sure any home cleaner you give your key to is trustworthy and reputable. Carefully check their references. If you hire a cleaner from a company, then you should check the company with the BBB.

Why not give your trusted dog the job of holding onto your spare key? If your dog lives outside or is able to come and go through a dog door, this is a viable idea. You can attach a copy of your key to the dog’s collar, so when you need that spare, you’ve got one handy!

If you want to have a spare key close to your house in order to prevent lockouts, make sure you give its hiding place some careful thought. Too many people put their extra key under the mat in front of their door; burglars know to check there. For a better solution, try tucking your spare key into your dog’s collar, provided you have an outside dog.

Buy fire resistant flooring, roofing and ceiling. This will help ensure the safety of your home, particularly if your home is located in a dry area. Because of the amount of damage fires can cause, it is important to protect your home from them.

Let a house cleaner have your keys only if they can provide you with references so you can verify their trustworthiness. Make sure you know they are legitimate before giving out the key. Be sure to make sure their references check out. If it is a known company, check with your local BBB.

Before agreeing to work with a security company, check with your friends and family for recommendations. You can benefit from the experience of others that have gone before you by paying attention to their recommendations and warnings. Make broad inquiries so that you are able to make a well-informed decision.

Keep your car in your garage. Keeping the car inside is a good way to keep criminals from stealing or harming 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.

Compare different systems when looking into home security. Wild variations in pricing can exist for similar security products. Before choosing which company to go with, ask for quotes from a minimum of three companies.

If you’re in a rural place, you might not be as worried about break-ins as those that are in the city. Some people think that country folk are mainly targeted since they don’t have nearby neighbors. Some think that there are less burglars in rural areas.

Don’t put your extra key under you doormat, in a planter, or in a cleverly disguised false rock. While you may feel that you are keeping yourself safe by allowing a way in for yourself, you are also allowing everyone else to visit whenever they want. Burglars are well aware of these hiding places. Rather, give your key to a neighbor you find trustworthy.

Aim to purchase fire-resistant ceilings, roofs and floors. This can help your home be safer. Fire prevention should be taken seriously because it can stop a major disaster from happening.

Your flashlights should always be equipped with good, working batteries. Having these in an easy to find place will allow you to see in the dark much quicker. Make sure your whole family knows where to find them and how to operate them.

Whenever you sign with a home-security company, it is important that you thoroughly read the contract. They sometimes have hidden costs if you let go of them prior to the contract expiring. You’ll definitely want to avoid these types of fees if you can, so read carefully.

Shut off the ringer for all of the telephones in your home if you are planning to go on vacation for a long time. If the phone rings when you are away, burglars will know there’s nobody home, making the house vulnerable to a break-in when you are out.

Keep safety at the forefront when landscaping your property. You should have a clear view out of all your windows and an unobstructed path to any doors. Keeping these features free of vegetation robs would-be burglars of concealment and hiding places. Keep landscaping away from your house for safety reasons.

The areas outside your home should be kept well lit. Nothing is as attractive to a burglar as a dark, deeply-shadowed house. Install lights in areas that possible criminals can use to enter your home. Some examples include first story windows, garages, doorways and porches.

Never let a stranger inside. Even if the person has a compelling story, needs help or has something to sell, they should not be given access. Some criminals will come in, case your house and then come back when you are away.

A paper shredder can be a good security investment. You will be astonished at how burglars find important information from loose paper that they could use to break into your house. You can also simply tear papers with personal information into small bits before you discard them.

Many things can affect the safety of your home, and it’s important that you consider many different things. This article has great ideas that will keep your home safe from almost any threat. Protect your castle by putting this information to good use.

Avoid opening the door if you don’t know who is standing on the other side. Criminals find ways to get people to open doors so they can commit crimes. You should only open the door to people you were expecting.