Most people know home security is important, but many people do not understand it. The more you know about it, the safer you’ll be. Give this section a read for tips on home security.
Have your dog protect the spare key. This approach is useful if your dog is a large breed that lives outdoor, or if your house has a doggy door. Keep a spare key around the dog’s collar.
Fire-resistant building materials are the way to go, both inside and outside the home. This will help you protect your home under all circumstances. Fire prevention is always a good idea, and sometimes it can be a lifesaving idea!
The only time you should give out house keys to house cleaners is if you absolutely trust them. Make sure you know they are legitimate before giving out the key. It is best to do a reference check on them. If they work for a firm, call the local Better Business Bureau to find out that firm’s reputation.
Consider the advice of your friends when selecting your home security company. Knowledge of first-hand experiences can be very helpful to you when it comes to making this important decision. Ask a number of people to get a several different opinions.
Home security systems are able to do more than just sounding the alarm whenever you have an intruder. They can be programmed to alert the homeowner if a person enters the home. This is important to parents who have small children, because they will want to know if the children have opened a door.
Make sure the ringer on any phones in your home is turned off when you leave for vacation. If the phone continues to ring while you’re gone, this lets an intruder know that the home is empty.
Do not invite strangers into your home. Even if their story is compelling, they need assistance or want to sell you something. Some will come to your door just to determine how secure it is, and they may return later if they think they can easily enter your home.
Don’t let any person you don’t completely know 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. Some criminals will come in, case your house and then come back when you are away.
You never want to open up a door to a stranger without proper identification. People try many ways to convince others to open up their doors so that they can commit burglary or worse. Make it a habit to only open your home’s door to people you were expecting.
Avoid opening the door if you don’t know who is standing on the other side. Many people are devising many different schemes to get into homes and burglarize them. Establish a rule where you and your family only open the door for expected visitors.
You should clean your yard of vegetation and dead wood. These can quickly become fire hazards when hit by direct sunlight, placing your house at risk. Keep these cleared away regularly to maintain your home’s safety and to keep it in good shape.
Do not forget to secure the garage attached to your home. Many people worry about burglars getting into their attached garage and then entering their home, but there is a fix. Try putting a C-clamp on your garage door track. This will stop the door from rising if you want to keep it closed.
Walls make the perfect hiding spot. If you need to protect expensive items in your home, put them inside the walls. You could use a phone jack, electrical outlet or a switch plate. If you have no unused plates, you can put in a fake one.
The police department in your area may offer a home protection program. There are many that offer programs that include items, such as home inspection, how to use engraving tools to mark code numbers to identify valuables if yours are stolen, and protective measures advice. A quick call to the non-emergency number at the police station in your town will tell you all you need to know.
Use your wall spaces to hide your valuables. You needn’t tear down your walls to do this. Instead, you can use the small spaces that are already there. Perhaps you can use an old electricity socket as a place to hide your valuables.
Security System
If you are throwing away the box an expensive item came in, wait until trash day to put the box out. These boxes sitting outside your home serve as a flag for thieves to target your home.
Regardless of the quality of your home security system, you need to check it annually. Get a security comapny tech to check it. There are many reason why a home security system can have problems, and it might be the weather or wild animals that cause it to malfunction. If it’s not visible, you might not even know there’s a problem.
Are you aware of the value contained in your home’s wiring? Many people never realize this value until wires are stolen right out of their home. A skilled intruder could remove all the copper from your home within less than an hour. To keep the wiring safe, be sure that the wire is hidden from view.
Have lights that sense motion. The lights will be triggered when someone gets too close to the house. Then you will know someone is present, and if the person is a burglar, he or she will be very likely to turn around and leave. But keep in mind that the bulbs to the security light should be routinely changed to ensure that the deterrent system functions properly.
Research how long a security company has been in the business before contracting with them. Companies that have been around for awhile show that they can provide reliable support. Knowing you are not dealing with a fly by night company gives you extra peace of mind when making this important decision.
When dealing with a company installing your home security system, it is important that you trust your gut. This is particularly true if you’re uneasy with those that install your actual system. It’s your home, and you are free to hire any company you like. The point of having a security system is to make yourself feel at ease.
If you come home and see your door ajar, never investigate it alone. This can be a dangerous scenario, as the criminal might still be present. Just contact the police and sit tight until they arrive.
After making major (i.e. expensive) purchases, don’t dump the packaging out front if your next scheduled garbage pick-up is several days away. These types of items are appealing to thieves, and you may as well put a sign in your yard inviting them to steal yours.
If you do not already have a paper shredder, you may want to think about investing in one. Many thieves sift through trash for personal info and to figure out when you plan to be away. Cutting the papers into small pieces with a pair of scissors is another option.
Keep your home’s exterior well lit. Darkness allows for all sorts of nefarious activities. Install lighting anywhere a possible intruder might break in. Be sure to consider your front and back porch, garage, ground floor windows and any basement entryway.
Install a home surveillance system. Installing hidden and visible video cameras are great for securing your house. Visible cameras have a deterrent effect, and if they are disabled, hidden cameras can capture the events that unfold. Surveillance systems often allow you to access videos through your cell phone, too.
If you come to your home and discover that your door has been left open, avoid investigating by yourself. A thief might still be in there, which could put you in danger. You should call the cops and then wait for them before you do anything else.
The best method of preventing a burglar from breaking into your garage is preventing people from seeing inside. Use frosted, adhesive backed plastic to cover the windows. You can purchase this at a home improvement store. Also, don’t leave your door open for long periods of time when you work there.
Wireless alarm systems are a great investment. While a wired system is more affordable, it also requires more extreme modifications of your home’s existing wiring. This could be a potential problem in the event that your power goes out. A wireless security system is easy to install and take care of. Additionally, this type of system is not dependent upon the electrical system of the home.
Can you see the number of your house from the street? Make sure they are large in case emergency personnel need to find your house. Thankfully, you can easily fix this problem very quickly and cheaply.
It’s a good idea to install a surveillance system in your home. You can make a huge difference in your home’s security by putting in cameras whether they’re concealed or out in the open. Visible cameras deter many intruders, but if they disable the cameras that they can see, your hidden camera can record the action. A lot of surveillance cameras could be accessed through your phone, giving you the chance to check it even when you’re away.
If you keep a spare key outside, make sure it is not kept in an obvious location. An easily moved object close to the door is the first place a burglar will look. Another obvious location is underneath the doormat. This will be one of the first places that a burglar will look for your spare key. The most secure thing you can do is to entrust your key to a reliable neighbor or a friend you can count on. If that isn’t possible, think outside the box when you hide it.
Can someone standing in the middle of the street see clearly your house numbers? During an emergency crisis, smaller numbers prevent emergency personnel from finding your home quickly. Fortunately, this is something that can be corrected quickly and cheaply.
Program your lights to turn on and off at random intervals with a timer. This is quite convenient because you won’t need to turn the lights off and on, and you won’t need to worry if you go away for a spell.
Spring Latch
If your current door is anything other than solid wood or metal, swap it out for one that actually is. Durability is key. The heavier sturdy doors make it much harder for an intruder to gain access to your home. Replace outside doors as quickly as possible.
Don’t fit your exterior doors with locks of the spring latch variety. These are very easy to pick by simply using a credit card. This is achieved by sliding the card into the space between the latch and the door. This causes the lock to click open. Put in a deadbolt for more security if your doors already contain spring latch locks.
A home alarm system is a great investment, but it only works if someone notifies the authorities when it sounds. Purchase one that is centrally monitored and the police will come when it is activated. You can’t rely on your neighbors to call.
Most people know that home security is important. However, most homeowners don’t know what steps to take with regards to home security. Hopefully, the article above has given you tips to help ensure your home is safe throughout the day.
As a matter of course, you should install new locks any time you move into a house or apartment. This goes for those of you who rent your homes, as well. If your landlord won’t change the locks, do it yourself.
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