If you have pricey items like art and jewelry in your home, don’t assume that no one knows these things are there. Secure your home to prevent theft. Read these tips for ideas on how to make your house a safe place.
When you buy a new house, be sure the locks are changed. You don’t know the exact number of copies of that key the previous owners have or have handed out. You want to be sure that you’re the only one with a key. Also, if you lose your keys, change the locks.
Have your dog protect the spare key. But, this is only effective if your home has a pet door or your dog stays outdoors when you are not home. You can purchase a special collar that will hold your spare key, so when you forget your keys your dog can let you in.
Get a good safe to store your valuables in your home. This ensures during a break in that the most important things are not stolen. Hide your safe in a hard to find place like the basement or attic.
Ask friend for any advice they have prior to purchasing a security system or service. They probably have both positive and negative things to tell you, and those comments will help you make your own decision. Sometimes, you may get great advice from the people you know.
If your garage is attached to your home, always keep it secure. You can prevent this from happening easily. Place a C-Clamp on the door track near the roller. This will prevent the door from lifting.
Determine what sort of home protection services or programs the local police department has to offer. They may offer things such as home inspections, engraving tool loans, and other guidance about securing your house. Get in touch with the department to determine their offerings.
Be more proactive when you are determining the safety of your neighborhood. Be friendly with people that live in the neighborhood. Keep your eye on their houses, and ask for help to keep yours safe too. Never neglect gossip. You may end up hearing about things such as odd folks roaming about the neighborhood.
Don’t forget about the skylights when securing your home. Although a skylight can bring light into one’s home and look good, it’s also a common entrance way for burglars. Check that skylights have heavy duty hardware that can stand up under unwanted tampering.
Have lights that sense motion. Lights like these will automatically turn on whenever someone is near them. You will be alerted to movement, but most importantly, it will deter burglars or at least make you aware of their presence. Remember to keep working bulbs in them at all times.
Spare Key
If you reside in a small town or rural area, then you might not be as worried about someone breaking into your home as city dwellers may be. Some people feel that rural residents lead riskier lives because they are far away from neighbors. Some people think burglaries are less prevalent in rural parts.
Don’t ever put your spare key under your doormat or in a planter. Though you may think you are giving yourself a way into your home if you lose your key, you are actually inadvertently inviting intruders into your home. Rest assured, thieves have a good idea about these hiding places. The wisest course of action is to leave a spare key with a trusted friend or a reliable neighbor.
If you’ve got skylights, don’t forget about it when it comes to home security. They look great and provide light, but also are another access point. Fix your skylights so they cannot be accessed as an entry point by intruders.
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. Exposing the box to view ahead of time signals a burglar that he will find this item in your home.
You can hide your valuable items inside your walls. You do not have to cut pieces out of the walls to do this. Many spots are already cut that can be used for this purpose. For example, place jewelry in an unused electrical outlet.
Once you’ve moved to a new house, make it a priority to replace all locks. Regardless of how trustworthy you consider the last owners to be, neither you nor they can be sure that there aren’t others out there with keys to those locks. There are other people who have lived in the home as well.
Don’t put extra keys under doormats or in planters. 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 know about all these hiding spots. Rather, give your spare key to a neighbor or friend that you trust.
Always check references before letting anyone work on your home. Don’t be afraid of conducting background checks to determine if they have a criminal history. Anyone you bring into your home to work could be your worst enemy.
If you are throwing away the box an expensive item came in, wait until trash day to put the box out. They show the world you have money and lots of valuables inside.
When hiring a home security company, make sure to read the fine print on the contract you are signing. You need to find out about hidden costs, such as cancellation fees in case you want to cancel your contract before it expires. You’ll definitely want to avoid these types of fees if you can, so read carefully.
Once you’ve moved to a new house, make it a priority to replace all locks. Although the person you purchased the house from might seem good, you really have no clue as to who they really are. Keep in mind that there may have been residents prior to that person too.
As you work on your home’s landscape, don’t forget about safety. Doors and windows should not be obstructed by trees, plants or shrubs. If you have them visible, people can’t hide in those areas while they try to break in. Landscaped features should be set further away for safety, yet keeping beauty in mind.
Keep a flashlight with good batteries in every room of your home, just in case you lose power. They give you and your family the opportunity to move around should the electricity go out. Train kids how to use the flashlights so that everyone may contribute.
Get a custom-designed plan that fits your needs by having the security company do a site visit in your home. You need some features which other families may wish to do without. Most companies will create an individual plan to meet your needs so you can have a high level of security to assure your peace of mind.
If you sign a contract for a security company, read all the fine print first. There may be hidden costs involved that you were not aware of. Avoid as many fees as you can by reading everything.
Wireless alarm systems are a great investment. Systems that are wired can be a little cheaper, but may need significant reworking of your home’s electrical wiring and can fail in a power outage. A wireless system, on the other hand, requires less maintenance and is simpler to install.
Keeping your home well lit at night can help keep the burglars away. This will deter crooks from trying your home. Making your home’s exterior nice and bright will make it impossible for crooks to go undetected. That’s why it’s a good idea to light your home well for optimum safety.
A smart way to prevent burglars from entering the garage is to keep them from seeing what is inside. Frost your windows so people cannot look inside your home. If you use your garage for working on projects, don’t forget to lock it when you’re through working for the day.
Keep safety in mind when doing landscaping. Keep your doors and windows clear of any shrubbery. If they can be seen, there will be no place to hide. Plan your home with safety in mind.
Are you able to see the numbers on your house from the street? If your numbers cannot be plainly seen, then the police will struggle to locate your home very quickly in case of emergency. If you notice a problem, you should be able to fix it fairly cheaply, though.
Have your home security company inspect your home and suggest safety improvements. You need some features which other families may wish to do without. When you don’t want to compromise in any way on the safety and security of your home, a custom-built system is usually the way to go.
Ask whether companies offer options to lease or buy your security equipment. You’ll spend less money in the long-run if you buy the equipment outright. Although leasing is usually cheaper, you may have to fill out contracts and you will have higher monthly costs. You need to think about each option to think about what is right for your home.
If you get home and see the door is slightly open, don’t go inside by yourself to investigate. It can be dangerous to walk in on an intruder. It is best to call the police right away and go to a safe place until the police check your home.
Be prepared for the worst contingency when it comes to criminal threats. Avoid becoming paralyzed by fear, but don’t hesitate to make the prudent preparations. Keep these tips in mind to boost your home security, so that you can keep your family and home safe.
Find out about the various lengths of contracts your chosen home security company has on offer. Compare the pros and cons of different options. Longer contracts may offer more affordable monthly payments; however, it may be hard to cancel that contract should you decide to change services or sell your house. Shorter contracts may offer greater freedom at a higher cost.
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