Your home should always feel safe for the sake of you and your family. When you are not home, it is important to keep your house secure. You can find some great advice concerning the safety of your home in this article.
Use your dog as the protector of your spare key. Really this works only if you have a pet door or if your dog is an outdoor dog. Place a spare key on the collar, and when you really need a spare, you know where to go!
Put your spare key on your dog. This is a great idea if your dog is outside all the time, or they can get out through a doggy door. Place the alternative key on your dog’s collar in case of an emergency.
Providing a key to the person cleaning your home can be acceptable, but you must be sure they are honest and worthy of your confidence. Make sure you know they are legitimate before giving out the key. All references should be checked. If your cleaning person comes from a company, check with the BBB.
Buy a safe to contain everything of great value. This is essential, because you would never want valuable jewelry and other items to be seen by intruders. Hide your safe in a place that is hard to get to, like a basement closet or an attic.
If your garage is attached to your home, always keep it secure. There is a solution for people that are worried about burglars going into their home through an attached garage. You can use a C-clamp to stop the door from being opened.
Check around for prices, reputation, and reliability when choosing a home security provider. You’ll find a wide range of prices from different companies. Make sure you get quotes from at least three companies before you decide on which one you think is the best option.
Use your garage for your car, not just storage. Keeping your car secured will prevent people from vandalizing it. Storing your car in the garage will also make it difficult for anyone casing your home to figure out when no one is going to be there.
It is important to invest in building supplies that are as fire resistant as possible. Your home will get added protection, especially if your environment is dry and has power lines. Fire prevention should be taken seriously because it can stop a major disaster from happening.
When it comes to securing your home, start by changing your locks. There are many different people who might have keys from your past, and removing the potential of them accessing your home can be a very good idea. It is usually inexpensive and can be done in less than 24 hours.
If you’ve got lots of people you don’t know on your social networks, don’t let them know that you’re going to be on vacation. There may be a thief within this list and you would have been inviting him straight through your front door!
Go with your instincts when choosing a security system company. This goes for the installer, too. Never be afraid to ask for a new installer or to get an entirely new firm. You want your new system to protect you, not be the way the thief gets into your home.
Police Department
Don’t forget skylights when doing a security sweep for your home. Though skylights bring light into your home and look nice, it is also a very common way for burglars to get into your home. Fix your skylights so they cannot be accessed as an entry point by intruders.
See if your local police department offers any home inspection or other protection programs. Several in various jurisdictions have programs which entail providing a home inspection, what protective measures will help your home and even how to engrave valuable items to make them easier to recover. Contact the police department to see if they have something similar.
Conceal valuable spaces within your walls. This does not mean that you should make alterations to your walls. You can find pre-cut areas in your walls that can be used. Consider unwiring an electrical socket that isn’t used and storing your valuable jewelry.
Do not be shy. Build up a rapport with the people who own homes close to yours. Ask them to look after your home, and in return, look out for theirs. You never want to ignore gossip. You never know what sort of security issues you might become privy to.
Even if you only plan to be gone for a very short time, lock your house. It may be a little surprising, but most burglaries and break-ins happen because the intruder just walks right through an open door. It can be a quick job for a burglar to steal items of great value.
Have lights that sense motion. These lights will come on if someone walks near your home. You will be alerted to movement, but most importantly, it will deter burglars or at least make you aware of their presence. Get in the habit of checking and replacing the bulbs as necessary to ensure the lights remain effective.
If you allow a security company to come to your house, make sure they appear professional and can present identification. It is easy for potential thieves to present themselves as representatives of a company in order to gain access to your home. This could be quite dangerous. Be careful to avoid any potential dangers.
Skylights should be secure. They look great and provide light, but also are another access point. Be sure that the skylights for your home are durable and reliable.
When you consider a security company, be certain you read the details and fine print of the contract you’re about to sign. There may be hidden costs in the event you wish to cancel before the end of the contract. This may also be true if you need more or different equipment in the future. It is best to know all you can about a service you sign up for.
The walls of your home make for great hiding spots. This is a great way to hide jewelry, for example. Place them in switch plates, phone jacks or an electric outlet. If you don’t have unused plates, it’s easy to put in a fake one.
Ask a home security company to come to your house and design a security system that is perfect for your needs. There are always going to be unique things about your home as well as your specific needs, so make sure you think about these things. When you choose a company that pays close attention to detail in creating your home security plan, you will feel very secure.
Hide valuables in spaces in your walls. You do not have to cut pieces out of the walls to do this. You can find pre-cut areas in your walls that can be used. For instance, consider using an electricity socket that is unused, and stash your precious jewelry in there.
Keep your home’s exterior areas illuminated well. Darkness allows for all sorts of nefarious activities. Install lighting anywhere a possible intruder might break in. This will include doorways, porches, your garage, and ground floor windows that criminals can use.
If you have a home security system installed, make sure the wires are hidden. If the wires are exposed, an intruder can bypass the system by cutting its wires. This is why it is so important to make sure all your wires are well hidden. This will make you much safer.
If you think something looks odd when you get back home, don’t go inside. This is dangerous because the thief may be right inside. Call the authorities and let them take care of the situation.
Rotted Wood
If you live alone or with other responsible adults, there is no need to lock off areas of your home to prevent access. It is possible to have locks that require just codes, not keys. You could install these locks yourself. Or, you may have a security company to do it for you.
If there is any rotted wood around your door frame, replace it. Rotted wood causes a serious weakness in your home’s security because it makes it easy to pry open doors. Therefore, replace rotted wood with fresh wood to ensure your home’s safety.
If you must hide a key, hide it somewhere unusual. Everyone knows about fake rocks. Doormats, too. A safer option is entrusting a neighbor or one of your most trusted friends to keep your spare key. Otherwise, you should be more creative when it comes to hiding your key.
You need flashlights and plenty of batteries in each room just in case your power ever goes out. They give you and your family the opportunity to move around should the electricity go out. Also show your children how to use them so they can help out in emergencies.
Hard-wired home security systems can help you to cut down on costs. Although wireless systems are easier, they usually require a lot of batteries that require changing regularly. You might forget to change out the batteries, which will result in your system not operating as it should. It’s also very costly to replace a lot of batteries at once.
Anytime a security installer comes to the house, make sure they display proper identification. 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. This proves rather dangerous for both your family and also your valuables. Take care to steer clear of danger.
If your door isn’t either metal or solid wood, replace it with one that is. Durability is key. A burglar is very unlikely to be able to kick in a solid wood or metal door. Replacing doors is not very expensive and should make a real difference.
Purchase a paper shredder to prevent your discarded papers from providing burglars with valuable information. Thieves often find the trash cans to be a gold mine of pertinent information about potential victims. If a shredder is too expensive, at least tear relevant paperwork into small bits.
Motion sensitive lighting can be provided by your security company. These lights go on when something moves outside. Therefore, if a burglar approaches, you will know.
Put a surveillance system in your home. Both hidden and visible security cameras are effective in protecting your home. Visible cameras have a deterrent effect, and if they are disabled, hidden cameras can capture the events that unfold. A lot of surveillance systems may be accessed through a cell phone, letting you check on your house when you’re away.
A sliding glass door is not very safe. You can easily unlock them by shaking and lifting them. You have to secure them, so use a piece of pipe in the track. This will prevent the door from moving or becoming unlocked.
Ask the security company about various contract lengths. These lengths can be both good and bad. Longer contracts may create a lower bill per month, but you you could maintain those monthly expenses if you discontinue service or sell the home. Shorter contracts mean more freedom along with higher costs.
Deadbolts with keys make the best locks. They have a thumb latch ensuring that reaching through a window won’t unlock the door. Any time your are in your home, the key should be left in the lock. This allows you to escape quickly in the event of a fire.
If you use a door lock with a numeric keypad, do not use your birthday as the pass code. Your birthday is readily available for burglars to find. Use a password that you can remember but that no one else will be able to guess.
The wiring outside may be easily targeted by burglars and thieves. Electrical components and wiring has copper, which is worth a good bit of money. Hiding wiring is a good way to prevent copper thieves from hitting your property.
If you’re looking for expert advice, you need not look any further. How do you plan to use this advice in your house? Use some of the ideas shown here and continue to educate yourself on the options available to you so that you find the right system to meet your needs.
Find a company that goes the extra mile when it comes to their security systems. Great home security companies visit homes and make some recommendations that can keep your family much safer. These ideas may include installing additional locks, trimming bushes or installing windows that are more secure. Find a company with an excellent reputation and quality customer service so you can get a solution adapted to your needs.
Gathering information is the first step to learn about anything. Now that you have learned what you can, you should be able to use it in the right way. You’ve done the learning; now it’s time to put it into action!
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