There is good reason to be concerned about home invasions. It’s hard to predict when someone will break inside a house to steal items that are valuable or, worse yet, hurt those inside. Read on to learn how to make your house safer.
If you need to leave a key for a maid service, make sure that that whoever cleans your house is professional and trustworthy. Make sure they are honest, reputable and hardworking. Ask for references and check them thoroughly. If they work through a larger firm, you can check up on the company with your local Better Business Bureau.
Make sure your home appears occupied. You could purchase timers and have your TVs, lights, radios and other types of electronics to go on at various times. This gives off the appearance that someone is home. This will help safeguard your house to the best of your ability.
Invest in a safe in order to secure very valuable items. Doing so can protect your valuables in the event of a robbery. Keep it hidden in a hard to find location.
Consider using your dog as a place to store your spare key. In order to make this work, your dog either needs to stay outside or have access to a pet door. You could simply put a key onto your dog’s collar, so it is always handy.
It’s important to shop around before you settle on the right security system for your home. Prices vary quite a bit. Get quotes from several companies so that you can get the best price for your home security system.
Keep your most precious belongings inside a safe. This will help to keep your jewelry and other valuables secured in the event of a break in. Your safe should be placed somewhere it is not readily noticeable.
Hide your spare key in a place where no one would think to look for it. Intruders will more than likely check under your doormat or above your door frame. Rather, think about putting a key on your outside dog’s collar.
When in the process of purchasing a home-security system, be sure to comparison shop. Most companies have different price schemes for the the same general level of protection. Get quotes from no less than three companies before choosing the best one.
Aim to purchase fire-resistant ceilings, roofs and floors. Having your home built with fire resistant materials will help safeguard your home in case it catches fire. You can enhance home safety with excellent fire precautions.
Social networking sites are great for keeping in touch, but post information sparingly. For example, you might avoid broadcasting when you are going out of town, especially if your friends list contains casual acquaintances. There may be a thief within this list and you would have been inviting him straight through your front door!
You should mute your land line phone if you are going on a vacation. If the phone rings when you are away, burglars will know there’s nobody home, making the house vulnerable to a break-in when you are out.
Before selecting any home-security company, talk to your friends to see who they suggest. You can learn a lot from people who have already dealt with these companies. Be sure you seek out advice by asking those people.
Eliminate dead vegetation and wood in the yard in the summer. These are vulnerable to fires and put your home in danger. Be sure all sorts of flammable items are kept under control around your home.
Never open the door for a stranger. People you do not know could have bad intentions or want to get an idea of how many valuable objects you own. Only open the door for people you are expecting.
See what the local police offer when it comes to home protection programs. There are lots of different programs, like home inspections, that will help you take the proper steps to make sure your home adequately protected. Get in touch with the department to determine their offerings.
Avoid placing spare keys under door mats or in plant boxes. 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. Rest assured, thieves have a good idea about these hiding places. Rather, give the key to a neighbor to hold.
Use your garage for your car, not just storage. You will not have to worry about thieves taking your car if it is inside your garage. Hiding your car from plain view will also keep potential intruders from tracking when you are home and when you aren’t.
Be certain to read the entire contract when you hire a home security firm. There are sometimes fees if you break a contract or need additional equipment. It is best to know all you can about a service you sign up for.
Get to know your neighbors. Speak with your neighbors. Look out for their property, and see if they will look out for yours. Also consider listening in on some of the neighborhood gossip. You may hear valuable information regarding security, such as if any strangers have been hanging around.
If you have your home brightly lit, burglars are likely to avoid it. Most burglars rely on concealment to approach a home. Good lighting in your home means that crooks have no hiding places. Keep the lights on if you want your home to be secure.
The walls are a perfect hiding place. If you have valuables that are small in size, you may want to hide them within your walls. All you need is a wall opening you’re not using (something like a phone jack, electrical box, or switch plate). If there are no unused plates, you can easily install fake ones.
Keep safety in mind when doing landscaping. You should not let plants and shrub block your doors and windows. If they are visible, people won’t be able to hide there while trying to break in. Put landscaping farther away from the house for greater safety.
Don’t put extra keys under doormats or in planters. While you may need to prepare if you have a spare key, it is wise to choose ways that do not increase the risk of a criminal gaining entrance to your home. Thieves know about all these hiding spots. Give it to a neighbor you trust instead.
It is a good idea to get some history on any home security companies you are thinking about doing business with. Companies in business for many years engender great confidence and trust. Realizing you at involved with a stable firm will give you a sense of calm that is important.
Change all of the locks in your new residence. Although you may trust the previous homeowner, you cannot be 100% sure of their character. Bear in mind that other people may have lived in the home before the previous owner.
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 wants and needs when it comes to securing their home, family and belongings. 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.
Your home’s exterior needs to be well lit. Burglars tend to commit crimes at night. You should put a light on any area where a person could break in. Over doors, near windows and especially your back yard need to be lit.
Think about your specific needs and risks prior to investigating security systems. Generic systems aren’t for everyone. Depending on your neighborhood and your household, you might well be better served by a reliable guard dog or self-defense training than by high-tech gadgetry. Think about your risk factor when making a decision.
Install a surveillance system in your home. Having visible or hidden cameras can help immensely. While a visible camera is a deterrent, a burglar might try to disable the camera, but a separate hidden camera can solve this problem. You can often view these feeds over the Internet, too.
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. Call the cops and let them do the initial walk through.
Can someone standing in the middle of the street see clearly your house numbers? If an emergency occurs, the police will not be able to find your home as quickly if these numbers are too small or are obscured in some way. Thankfully if you notice a problem it’s an easy and cheap thing to fix.
Buy a paper shredder. Thieves can use this information to figure out your schedule and determine the best time to break in. If a shredder is too expensive, at least tear relevant paperwork into small bits.
Ask the security company about various contract lengths. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. Long contracts may cost less each month, but it could leave you with a larger bill if you decide to end your service. Shorter contracts likely allow you more flexibility with exiting the plan; however, you will probably have a larger monthly bill.
Don’t let anyone peek into your garage. Use frosted, adhesive backed plastic to cover the windows. You can purchase this at a home improvement store. Avoid leaving the door open for extended periods of time.
Ask whether or not your home security company gives you the option to lease and/or buy your equipment. Purchasing your equipment may cost more in the beginning, but this is a one-time cost which does not recur. On the other hand, while leasing is more expensive overall, it can get you a better system if you don’t have funds available immediately. Evaluate both alternatives and choose the best option for yourself.
When standing in the street, can you see your house numbers? The police will find it difficult to locate your home quickly if your address numbers are difficult to see. This is a project any homeowner can tackle.
Consider a hard-wired security system if you are concerned about ongoing maintenance costs. Systems that are wireless are convenient, but the batteries required can be cumbersome. If you don’t replace the batteries, you’ll find that your system stops working correctly. Batteries can be very expensive to change.
A great protection against burglars is owning a dog. Dogs are very protective of their turf and usually make noises when something is amiss. You do not need a large, vicious guard dog. Small dogs also help, because intruders don’t want people to notice the barking.
A timer can help you regulate when you turn the lights off or on in the evening. A timer is very convenient and will give the impression that your home is occupied if you have to go away over extended periods of time.
If you have kids or roommates that you don’t want in certain household areas, it’s not necessary to lock multiple doors and tote around tons of keys. If you do have areas to lock, consider getting keyless locks that you can open using a code, rather than carrying a huge ring of keys around with you. They are fairly simple to install, or if you don’t feel comfortable doing so yourself, you can ask your home security company about it.
Captive keylock deadbolts are your best bet. Deadbolts have thumb latches that prevent people from reaching around them to open it. If you are home, have a key inside the lock so you can easily exit if a fire breaks out.
Don’t just hope and pray that your home is never invaded, take steps to reduce the chance of it happening. Things happen all the time, so preparation is key. You must think about what you’ve read so that you can make sure your family stays safe.
Dog owners, especially those with large, tough pets, have a leg up in the home security game. Intruders are not going to risk getting attacked after breaking into your home. A good big dog will protect your home and provide companionship for your family.
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