What is a safe and secure home worth? Are the costs of most home security services more than you can afford? Are you always on the lookout for more affordable options? They do exist, and they are much more cost-effective than you may think. The following information can help you devise a good home security plan.
Place the spare key that you make on your dog. This really only works if you’ve got an outdoor dog or if you’ve got a pet 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.
Be sure your roof, floors, and ceiling are fire resistant. This ensures your home won’t be a tinderbox. Fire is such a destructive force that it makes excellent sense to reduce fire hazards in your home whenever possible.
Any time you buy a new home, have the locks changed. There is no way to ascertain how many keys the previous owner handed out. Find a good locksmith who can replace the lock and make a few copies of your key. Do the same thing if you misplace your keys.
Never open the door for a stranger. Many people are devising many different schemes to get into homes and burglarize them. Make a house rule forbidding anyone to open the door for an unexpected visitor.
Provide the house key to your professional house cleaner, but only if you fully trust them. Before you give a cleaner full access to your home for extended periods of time, you have to be certain that they’re trustworthy and reliable. Check out their references thoroughly. If your cleaning person comes from a company, check with the BBB.
In the summer, remove vegetation and dead wood from your yard. As things heat up in the summer, items may catch on fire and threaten your home. Keeping your plants and bushes trimmed will benefit your family’s safety as well as the appearance of your home.
Keep your jewelry, vital documents and other expensive items in a safe. If a burglar enters your home, he or she will have a hard time making off with your possessions. Conceal the safe in an out-of-the-way and not easily accessible spot, such as an attic or a basement area.
Have lights that are motion-sensor installed. These lights will come on if someone walks near your home. Motion-sensitive lights will alert you to movement and deter people who want to break into your home. Just remember that you must change the bulbs often in order to keep the lights working in order.
Make sure that you hide your spare key in a good spot. It is very common for homeowners to hide them under a mat or above the framing of their door, and intruders know this. Try hiding your key somewhere more unique, like your outside dog’s collar.
Walls make the perfect hiding spot. If you own small valuables that require protection, try hiding them in the walls. You can use the opening provided by an electrical switch plate or other device that is not being used. You can also just put in a false plate to cover a hiding place.
It can be a good idea to only leave one ringer on in your home when you are 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.
Your valuables should not be easily seen from outside your home. 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. Be sure to put curtains on your front-facing windows so people can’t see your valuable belongings.
The walls are a perfect hiding place. Concealing small valuables in your walls is an easy and highly effective way to protect them. You could utilize an electrical outlet, phone jack, or unused switch plate. You can also just put in a false plate to cover a hiding place.
Always lock your house, even if you are only going to be away for a few minutes. In a lot of cases, home intruders enter through unlocked doors. It does not take long for thieves to steal a lot from your home.
Use your wall spaces to hide your valuables. Don’t make it obvious by cutting out big chunks of drywall. There are many locales that are already around your home. Why not take the guts out of an electrical socket you’re not using? You can convert it into a convenient and covert little wall safe.
While an alarm system or other security measures can make your home much safer, you must be sure that your security wiring isn’t exposed. Exposed wires make it easy for an intruder to cut them and disable the alarm. Do not make things simple for a burglar, but rather bury all wires or hide them in the wall. You will be much safer.
Don’t put your spare key in an obvious place near your front door. 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. Thieves aren’t stupid and also know common hiding spots. You should have a trusted neighbor keep a spare key.
Are you aware of the value contained in your home’s wiring? Lots of people don’t know this until their wires are stolen. The reason they are valuable is because of their copper. A burglar can easily strip off your wires from the outside of your home very quickly. Hide your wiring to secure it.
If you have a home security system installed, make sure the wires are hidden. A burglar will simply cut the wires if he can see them. Never make things easy for them. Ask the person installing it to bury the wires or hide them inside the walls. You will be much safer.
Buy flashlights with strong batteries and make sure there is one in each room in case of power outages. If the lights go out, they will ensure everyone stays safe. Make sure everyone in your family knows where the flashlights are.
One relatively inexpensive way to add an extra layer of protection to your home is to install motion sensor lights for the exterior of your home. Motion detection lights will turn on as soon as something or someone enters your yard. Properly-situated motion detectors will give your home a complete field of protection and make it impossible for a miscreant to approach undetected.
If you’re hiring a company for home security, be sure to read any fine print before you sign that contract. Look out for hidden charges and surprises, especially if you need to cancel the contract early. Avoid as many fees as you can by reading everything.
Get some professional assistance by asking a home security company to come to your house and work up a plan for a customized security system. Everyone has specific needs and wants when dealing with the security of their house, belongings and family. By locating the company that will create the best plan for you, you will be assured you are receiving the best possible home security.
Use the Internet when you are seeking a new home security company. You can check out their packages and rates and also read some customer reviews. Then, you can set appointments to make price and service comparisons before you choose.
In the event you find your door open upon arriving home, you should never enter and investigate yourself. This is dangerous because the thief may be right inside. Go to a neighbor’s or another safe area and call the police.
Ask your home security company about coming to your residence and creating a system that is tailored to your personal needs. Every family is different, and so your security needs will be unique. If you find a company that will tailor the plan you choose to your needs, you can get the highest level of security that makes you feel comfortable.
Make sure that whoever is getting your mail while you are on vacation also retrieves any fliers left on the door. Some burglars place fliers to see if they’ll be quickly removed. If the flier is not removed, they will know you are not home.
Your home can be as secure as you can afford to make it. While some options might seem rather expensive, there are always cheaper methods as well. The tips that you’ve read can be great alternatives for home security. Find a security system that corresponds to your needs and budget.
If there are certain rooms you want to keep unoccupied, then you don’t want to keep track of all the keys and locks. There are locks that use a code for entry, rather than a key. You can install these locks yourself or have them professionally installed.
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