To make a better home security decision, you need to take the time to familiarize yourself with the various options. You do not want to take this decision lightly. You need to pay close attention to the security and safety needs of your family.
Consider using your dog as a place to store your spare key. Outdoor dogs or pet doors make this possible. Place the alternative key on your dog’s collar in case of an emergency.
After you purchase a new home, change the locks. You don’t know how many keys have been handed out previously. Call a locksmith as soon as you can for maximum security. Make sure you do the same thing if you lose your keys sometime.
Is your dog outside even if you are away? If so, you can use your dog to hide your spare key. Conceal it in the dog’s collar. Your dog is an especially good key hiding spot if he doesn’t react well to strangers, since they won’t approach him, but the key will be there if you need it.
Look at the prices for all of the security systems that you are interested in. Every company offers different pricing. Get a quote from several companies before making a final decision.
Don’t post online when you’ll be away from your home. You may be very excited about your impending vacation, but there is no need to let potential burglars know when you will be gone.
Spare Key
Speak with the police in your town regarding the home security programs they have. 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.
Make sure that you hide your spare key in a good spot. Never put a spare key under a doormat or above a door jam. Hide your alternative key on your dog’s collar.
Be sure to keep your car in your garage rather than filling your garage with stored belongings. In this way, your car will be safer. Keeping your car inside will deter thieves from stealing or vandalizing it. Additionally, if your car is put away, burglars will not be able to tell whether or not you are home.
Buy fire resistant roofing, flooring and ceiling materials. These materials will protect your home from both internal fires and the spread of fires that start on other properties. Preventing fires is the best way to deal with them.
Walls can serve as a handy hiding place. Small valuables fit nicely inside walls. All you need is a wall opening you’re not using (something like a phone jack, electrical box, or switch plate). You can easily install fake unused plates.
Do not forget to secure the garage attached to your home. Intruders can enter your home through an unlocked garage door. Simply attach a C-clamp near the roller on the door track.
Be sure to replace all locks on a home you have bought. 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. Keep in mind that other people may have lived in the home prior to the seller.
Local Police
You need to make sure you’re making use of the Internet when looking at different home security companies. The sites of the companies themselves will provide you with details about their services, testimonials from their customers, and pricing information. Once you have selected a few potential home security providers, set appointments to interview them and find out what they have on offer.
Take advantage of any and all security resources your local police force makes available to homeowners. They often offer home inspections, seminars and even the ability to purchase items. Call the local police department and inquire as to what programs they offer.
Whenever you are landscaping your home, you should consider safety. Windows should be free from obstructions like trees, shrubs and fencing. If they can be seen, there will be no place to hide. Plan these features for further away from your home.
Remember to have an annual inspection of your home security system. Get someone from the security firm to inspect it. There are many things that can reduce the quality of your system. If you aren’t paying attention, you may not be aware of these problems.
Make sure the outside of the house is well lit. Burglars seek darkness so that they can stay hidden. Install lights by each and every entryway to your home. Be sure to consider your front and back porch, garage, ground floor windows and any basement entryway.
Go with your gut when you invite a home security company representative into your house. If you don’t feel comfortable with the technician, don’t allow them access to your home. There is nothing wrong with asking for a different technician if you’re uneasy. After all, you’re investing in a system that helps you to feel safe, so make sure the process involved in obtaining that system does the same.
If you think something looks odd when you get back home, don’t go inside. It can be dangerous to walk in on an intruder. Instead, call 911 and report a possible break-in.
Do you live outside the city? You might be less worried about home invasions than if you lived in an urban area. People who live in the country may even be more vulnerable because they do not have nearby neighbors. Not everyone believes this, though.
A great security system for your home is a dog. Man’s best friend is very territorial and makes a lot of noise during anything happening out of the ordinary. The dog doesn’t have to be huge or even vicious. Small dogs also have the ability to scare away burglars who definitely don’t want lots of ruckus when they appear.
You should not hide your spare key under your mat or inside a plant box. You are allowing people to invade your home when you make it easy for them. Thieves aren’t stupid and also know common hiding spots. Give it to a neighbor you trust instead.
Don’t get spring latch locks. They give intruders and easy time breaking in, since they can be unlocked with a credit card. Intruders simply wedge a credit card between the door and latch, triggering the lock to open. Add a deadbolt to existing spring latch locks for maximum security.
Rotted Wood
Don’t keep your car registration in the glove box of your car. If someone accesses these documents, they can determine your address. Instead, carry them with you or find a more secure location in your car. They’ll always need to be close by in the event you get pulled over.
Replace rotten wood on your door frame. Anyone hoping to enter your home can very easily do so by just prying away the rotted wood. Therefore, replace rotted wood with fresh wood to ensure your home’s safety.
Don’t hide your keys in obvious places. Fake rocks are easy to spot. Doormats are generally the first spot a person would look. Talk to a neighbor or someone that you know to hold your key. Otherwise, you should be more creative when it comes to hiding your key.
Before you let any strangers enter your home, be sure you look over their references. Check if they have any history of criminal activity. You can’t always be sure that maids, service workers or contractors are honest, and therefore giving out keys can be a big error.
Store those items you can’t bear to lose in a very secure area. Important legal documents and passports, family photos, expensive jewelry and financial records should always be protected. You can keep these things in a floor safe placed in a secure area of your home. For ultimate security, of course, such items can be kept in an off-site location like a bank’s safe deposit boxes.
When you are trying to hire a home security contractor, read all the small print on your contract before signing it. There could be hidden costs if you were to quit your service prior to the expiration date of the contract, or you decide to add additional equipment later. Avoid as many fees as you can by reading everything.
Keep your drapes closed at night. You would not want to tempt outsiders to look through your window. If valuable items can be seen from outside your home, it is an open invitation to burglars. Use some discretion and make sure to block your valuables from view with curtains or shades.
The Internet is your friend when searching for a home security company, so you should use it wisely. Review the websites of several companies and play close attention to the types of services offered and the customer reviews. With that information, you can make your appointments with the top three companies you’ve chosen so that you can compare pricing and look at specific monitoring and plans.
Stay on good terms with your neighbors and you will know if there has been any suspicious activity in your area. These individuals are aware when anything suspicious happens in the neighborhood and can alert you if strangers have been hanging around. Stay on their good side and they will be sure to let you know if they see anything suspicious.
Now that you have read these tips, you should know more about home security. There is no point in going blindly into home security. You want to be sure that you’re putting your family’s safety in its prioritized spot. Take the ideas discussed here under advisement as you assess your own security needs.
The most secure sort of lock is a deadbolt that includes a captive keylock. These locks has a thumb latch to prevent anybody from reaching through an opening close by in an attempt to open the lock. Anytime you are home, keep the key inside the lock in case you need to exit your home during an emergency, like a fire.
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