Your home may be in danger and you may not even know it. Not taking the proper home security steps and assuming that nothing will ever happen to you, can end up putting you at an increased risk. Read the tips here if you want to make your home safe and free of criminals.
You should always change the locks after purchasing a home. The previous owners or tenants might have made several copies of the key. Call a locksmith as soon as you can for maximum security. Also, if you ever lose your keys, do the same.
Man’s best friend can also be trusted to secure a spare key. But, this is only effective if your home has a pet door or your dog stays outdoors when you are not home. 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.
Turn the ringer off on your telephone if you are going to be away. A constantly ringing phone can signal to a burglar that the house is vacant, making it an easy target for their criminal activities.
Home security systems offer additional features besides loud alarms during a break-in. Most systems could sound an alarm when someone enters the home. This could be valuable for parents who have small children, making them aware when their kid has closed or opened a door.
Never allow any strangers into your home. Even if the person has a compelling story, needs help or has something to sell, they should not be given access. This person might just be casing the joint to see if there is home security equipment.
It’s important to shop around before you settle on the right security system for your home. Some companies offer comparable levels of protection that can be priced very differently. Get three quotes or more before making a choice.
Don’t open up your door for someone who is a stranger. Burglars have many clever ways to convince householders to open the door. Create a rule where you only allow those you’ve invited to your home inside.
Walls can serve as a handy hiding place. Hide valuables inside of your walls. Place them in switch plates, phone jacks or an electric outlet. If you haven’t got any plates that are unused, simply install a false switch plate.
Make sure to clear your yard of brush and dead wood in the summertime. They pose a fire risk. Clear yard regularly to maintain your house safe.
Avoid placing spare keys under door mats or in plant boxes. You might think this protects you against being locked out of your home, but it also gives intruders access to your home. Burglars always know just where to look. A better option is to entrust an honest neighbor with a spare key.
Use your garage for your car, not just storage. This will keep it away from thieves and vandals. Hiding your car away from plain view is a good way to keep intruders from knowing when you are at home or not.
Don’t give outside people the ability to see into your home. Large front windows are great, but they also allow others to peer into your home. Keep your curtains drawn to keep your valuable items safe.
Avoid being shy. It is important to communicate with others who also live in your area. Watch their homes for suspicious activity and get their word that they will do the same thing for you. Listen for gossip too. Important security details (like the presence of strangers in your neighborhood) can come out of the most innocent conversations.
When installing your home security system, make sure to hide the wires. An intruder can cut the wires if he can find them. Keep the wires hidden in the walls or underground to keep intruders from getting in. This makes it much less likely that your system will be compromised.
Place your valuables in cut-outs in your walls. You do not have to cut pieces out of the walls to do this. Find a place where there is already a hole to get in through. Perhaps you could deactivate a few unused electrical sockets to use as a place to store stuff.
Replace all locks in a new house. The old owners may seem nice, but you don’t know everything about them. Remember that other families may have lived there before that person as well.
Don’t put extra keys under doormats or in planters. You might think that you are providing yourself a safe way into the house if you misplace your keys, but you are really inviting attackers inside. Thieves aren’t stupid and also know common hiding spots. Instead, trust a neighbor to hold your spare key.
Are you aware of the value present in the wiring in your home? Many people have their wires stripped each year. Wiring can be removed from the outside of a home in a heartbeat. Be sure to hide your wires or make sure they are hard to get to.
You want an alarm system that protects more than your doors. Each window represents a possible entry for your thief. Make sure you have a monitored alarm on every one of them. This is a way to make sure your family will be safe.
If there is any rotted wood around your door frame, replace it. It is simple for a robber to pry away rotting wood and enter your home. Replace any wood that has begun to rot with new wood so that your house stays safe.
If you make a large purchase, like a big screen television, don’t simply set the box out in front of your home. These types of items are appealing to thieves, and you may as well put a sign in your yard inviting them to steal yours.
Always enlist the powers of online research to help you make a smart choice when it comes to home security companies. Go through different websites and investigate testimonials about different companies and packages. After that, choose your top three for consultations.
The wiring on your house is valuable to burglars. Many people never realize this value until wires are stolen right out of their home. 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. Therefore, ensure you hide your wires so that burglars cannot see them, or make the wires extremely hard for the burglars to get to.
If you are planning to be away, and you have someone picking up your mail, ask them to also double-check your door for fliers. It isn’t uncommon for burglars to put up fliers to see whether or not they’re removed. A flier that hangs around for days on end lets burglars know that there’s no one in the home.
If someone from the security company comes to your home, ask to see their ID before allowing them in. Having the name of the technician coming to your house ahead of time can help to ensure you are allowing someone who really works for the company into your home. Don’t allow this to happen, as it is a direct threat to your house and its contents. Make sure you are as cautious as you can be.
Never place empty boxes for expensive items out on the curb. This will show that you have expensive equipment in your home. Break them down and put them in a bag or take them to a recycling center.
Consider home security and safety when you are planning your landscaping. Shrubs, trees, fences, etc. should not obstruct the view of your doors and windows. This way, no one can hide there if they are attempting to break into your house. Landscaped features should be set further away for safety, yet keeping beauty in mind.
Avoid keeping your key somewhere expected. A fake rock or flower pot are simply too easy to guess. Someone is going to look under your doormat. Just leave your key with someone you trust. If none of these options are possible, try to think of an unusual hiding place.
It is a good idea to invest in video surveillance for your home security system. This will allow you to see who is around your house. Visible cameras can deter many intruders and if they disable them, the hidden cameras can still capture footage. Many surveillance systems will allow you to access them through your cell phone; therefore, you can ensure your home is safe even when you’re gone.
If you use a door lock with a numeric keypad, do not use your birthday as the pass code. A thief can easily find this information out. Think of a number which is the answer to a mathematical question so you can just remember the answer to the question.
There’s an easy way to secure interior doors (if there are areas you want to keep housemates and children out of) without obliging you to carry a key-ring around at all times. There are key-less locks that open with a push-button security code. You can have your home security company install it for you, or you can do it yourself.
Install a hard-wired system if you want to minimize maintenance costs. A wireless system is handy, but the frequent battery changes can really amount to a large expense. If the batteries are not changed, the system might not work at all. Additionally, it can be expensive to replace a lot of batteries.
Talk to your security company about the contract; in particular, inquire about the various contract lengths that are available to you. There are advantages and disadvantages to each. With a longer contract, your monthly payment is likely to be lower. The downside is you might be stuck for a longer period of time if you decide you don’t like the service or want to move. While the monthly rates may be higher for a short-term contract, this option is more flexible.
If the living room window in your home is facing the street, you must keep the curtains closed. You want to avoid having people peek through the window. Burglars may see something valuable, which will tempt them to steal. Make sure your valuable items cannot be seen from the outside of your home.
Be sure not to use your birthday as the password on your door lock’s numeric key pad. Anyone can get your birthdate off mail or your Facebook page and will therefore have access to your home. Try using a number that is the solution to a math problem. Then you can just remember the math problem to arrive at the solution.
You want to always make sure your second story windows are locked. Many people don’t think about burglars checking these windows. This isn’t so. This is known as a common weak spot, and criminals know all about this.
Think about a security system that is hard-wired if you really have concerns about maintenance costs. Wireless systems are of course convenient, but unfortunately you have to change numerous sets of batteries regularly. Not replacing the batteries keeps your system from working properly. Buying new batteries to replace the old ones can get expensive.
Make sure you select captive keylock deadbolts. These locks have a thumb latch that will keep intruders from opening it by using a broken window pane to reach in. If you are home, have a key inside the lock so you can easily exit if a fire breaks out.
It’s very important to close your curtains in the evening, especially where your home faces the street. You don’t need to have an invitation to people through your window. Burglars may see something valuable, which will tempt them to steal. Keep your possessions out of the public eye to minimize your chances of becoming a burglary victim.
Criminals are always unpredictable, and it can sometimes be difficult to understand if you and your home are a target for their illegal activities. Rather than hoping you wont be targeted, you should take active steps to prevent it from happening. Take these tips to heart, and continue learning about the best ways to keep your home secure.
A home security system can be really nice, but it’s only completely effective if someone notifies the police. The best bet is to invest in an alarm which is centrally monitored so you can be sure that any time it goes off, the police will show up. You cannot depend on your neighbors to call them.
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