Tips For Securing Your House And Family

Even though home security means a great deal to virtually every homeowner, many of them are woefully under educated on the subject. You should do more research on home security and learn about the different systems available. The following article will give you some great advice for making your home more secure.

Make sure your home appears occupied. Timers can be used to turn lights and televisions on and off when required. This gives off the appearance that someone is home. This will help safeguard your house to the best of your ability.

TIP! Have your home always look occupied. Put timers on the TV, lights and radios.

Only provide your house cleaner with a key if you trust him or her implicitly. 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. Do a background check on them. If you're hiring from a company, call the BBB for more information.

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. This can indicate that your home will be free and vulnerable during the time.

Ask friend for any advice they have prior to purchasing a security system or service. Other people will probably have personal experience with these companies that are either good or bad. They can share their experiences with you, which will greatly assist you in making the best decision. Taking a little time to listen can make you a much better decision maker when it comes to home security.

TIP! Get a good safe to store your valuables in your home. You can't have your valuable personal items and jewelry out in the open for anyone to see.

If you will be gone for an extended period, turn the ringers off on all telephones in the home. 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.

Rid the outside of your home from dead wood, vegetation and overgrowth during the summertime. When summer heats up, such debris can catch fire. Clearing your yard keeps your home, belongings and family much safer.

Local Police

TIP! Don't open your door when strangers are knocking. Many people are devising many different schemes to get into homes and burglarize them.

Take advantage of any and all security resources your local police force makes available to homeowners. They often offer home inspections, seminars and even the ability to purchase items. Discuss these programs with a local police officer to see if they're available in your area.

Always lock your doors, even if you are just walking down the street. Most burglars gain entry to a home through an unlocked door. It does not take long for thieves to steal your expensive stuff.

You want an alarm system that protects more than your doors. All of your windows are possible entry points for a thief too. Be sure your alarm is secured to them all and that monitoring is in place for every point of entry. You want the best security possible for your family.

TIP! In the summer, remove all the dead trees from your yard. When summer heats up, such debris can catch fire.

If you have just moved into a new home, have every single lock replaced. Even though the person who sold your home to you may seem honest, you simply can't know for certain. Keep in mind that there may have been residents prior to that person too.

Plug a rechargeable flashlight into an outlet in each room of your house in the event of power outage. If the power goes out, you will be able to see everything. Teach your children how to properly use flashlights.

Any time you let a stranger into your home that is doing some kind of work, it is best to ask for references. Run a criminal background check on them, as well. You might not know that the maid or contractor entering your home is a crook, and this could be a very bad mistake.

TIP! Be brave! Speak with your neighbors. Ask them to watch your home if you are on vacation.

The areas outside your home should be kept well lit. Burglars love to operate in the dark. Make sure to have lights anywhere an intruder might enter. This includes doorways, windows, and your garage.

Put the boxes of any expensive electronic items in your trash can so would-be burglars won't know see them. Burglars will notice these boxes and know what kind of valuables you have. Break down the empty boxes whenever possible.

The vital importance of home security is something upon which most people can agree. Not every person knows how to really protect their home and possessions. Fortunately, everything you've read should help you to overcome these challenges.

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Be Safer With These Important Home Security Tips

You need to definitely be concerned about your home's security! It's hard to predict when someone will break inside a house to steal items that are valuable or, worse yet, hurt those inside. Read this article if you want to make your house more secure.

You should always make sure your home looks like its occupied. Use timers to make electronic devices and lights turn on and off at intervals. In this way, it will always seem that someone is in your home. This can be a terrific method of securing your home and keeping burglars at bay.

TIP! Is your dog outside when you are away? If so, you can use your dog to hide your spare key. Attach your key to your dog's collar, ensuring that it can't be seen.

Put your spare key on your dog. This can be done if your dog can come outside. Simply affix a spare key to the collar of the animal. You'll always have a backup plan if you lose your key!

Provide the house key to your professional house cleaner, but only if you fully trust them. When giving your house cleaner the key to your home, you need to be sure that they are reputable and honest. Do a background check on them. If applicable, call the BBB to inquire about their reputation.

A spare key must be carefully hidden and not in the obvious spots that a person might think. It is very common for homeowners to hide them under a mat or above the framing of their door, and intruders know this. Instead, try hiding a key on the collar of an outside dog.

Security System

It is important that you check your home security system periodically, at least once a year. A security professional should visit to help with the testing process. Wild animals, domestic pets, and weather are all factors that can affect the reliability of your home security system. If you don't see the problem, you may remain unaware of it.

The walls are a perfect hiding place. Small valuables fit nicely inside walls. Simply take advantage of an unused switch plate, electrical outlet, or phone jack. Even if every single plate in your home is being used, you can purchase a fake one purpose-built for concealing valuables.

TIP! Keep your car in the garage. It won't be vandalized or stolen this way.

Keep your most valuable possessions inside your walls. It is unnecessary cut space into your wall. There are many places in your home that are pre-cut and available. Perhaps you can use an old electricity socket as a place to hide your valuables.

Don't put extra keys under doormats or in planters. You may believe you are making life easier for yourself, but you may just be giving thieves simple access to your house. Burglars are well aware of such hiding places. Try having your trustworthy neighbors hold spare keys.

You want all wires of an installed security system to be hidden. An intruder can cut the wires if he can find them. Instead, make sure the wires are hidden. That will make you safer.

TIP! There's no security system so durable that it can go without regular maintenance and inspections. Have yours checked out once a year.

Obtain flashlights with solid batteries, and ensure they are kept in all the rooms of your home in the event of a power outage. Flashlights are important for letting you navigate your home in the dark. Train kids how to use the flashlights so that everyone may contribute.

If you move into a home or apartment that has been previously lived in, the first thing you should do is change the locks. Although the previous owner should not have a key, there is no way for you to know this. It's easy to install locks, so you can just purchase them at the home improvement store and swap them out to be sure you have the only keys.

Screen the references of anyone who would have access to your house. It wouldn't hurt to also perform a background check. You need to be very careful with the contractors, repairmen or maids you trust with being alone in your home.

TIP! Whenever you are selecting a home security company, make sure you go with your gut feelings. If the men who come to your home to do the installation seem untrustworthy, you can change your mind.

A good way to scare off intruders is to keep your house lit at nighttime. They do not desire to be seen. Thieves have a hard time stealing things when there are lots of lights around. If you want to stay secure, keep your house brightly lit.

Don't limit security to the inside of your home; the outside needs attention too. All of your windows and doors should be unobstructed by plants, shrubs, trees or fences. With areas like these visible, there will be no hiding while attempting a break-in. Landscaped features should be set further away for safety, yet keeping beauty in mind.

It is a good idea to get some history on any home security companies you are thinking about doing business with. Companies that have been around for awhile show that they can provide reliable support. Being in the hands of a good company helps you have peace about your decision.

TIP! Do you know how valuable the wires within your home are? The majority of people aren't aware of this fact until a burglar steals these wires. The wiring contains valuable copper than can be quickly stripped from a home.

Make sure no one can look inside your garage. Go to a hardware store and buy some frosting so you can cover your windows. Avoid leaving the door open for extended periods of time.

Are you able to see the numbers on your house from the street? If you have an emergency, it will be hard for the police to find your house quickly if your numbers are hidden or too small to read. Thankfully if you notice a problem it's an easy and cheap thing to fix.

Dogs are an excellent way to protect your home. They are protective about their territory, plus they make noises that keep burglars at bay. You don't even need a huge, vicious dog. Even tiny dogs that make a ton of noise will deter a potential crime.

Spring Latch

Avoid spring latch locks. These type of lock is the easiest lock to pick, it could even be opened by a credit card. The card is slid into the crevice between the latch and the door, pushing the latch back and springing the lock open. A deadbolt can be retrofitted to a door with a spring latch lock if you want to make it more secure.

Be realistic about what you need to do in order to protect your family. You need to be prepared and expect the unexpected. Keep in mind what you have learned from this article to make your home safe for your loved ones.

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