Personal Safety

Simple Tips About Home Security That Are Easy To Follow

It takes some research to learn more about the products and maintaining home security. Read on to learn more about making a great security plan.

The only time you should give out house keys to house cleaners is if you absolutely trust them. When giving your house cleaner the key to your home, you need to be sure that they are reputable and honest. Check their references very carefully. If the person is an employee of a firm, call your local BBB to check their reputation.

TIP! Make sure you trust your house cleaner before you provide them with a key. If you plan to give them a key so they can clean in your home while you are away, ensure they are reputable and honest.

Do you keep your dog outside when you are away from home? Your furry friend is also a great storage place for your spare key. Put the key on their collar. This is quite effective if the dog does not respond well to strangers.

A spare key must be carefully hidden and not in the obvious spots that a person might think. Common places to hide a spare key are above your door frame or underneath your doormat. Therefore, thieves are more likely to check these places out first. One idea is to hide your key inside the collar of your outdoor dog.

TIP! When placing your spare key outside for emergencies, give careful consideration to where you put it. Never put a spare key under a doormat or above a door jam.

Above doors or under a mat are not smart ideas. One idea is to hide a spare key inside the collar of a dog that does not take kindly to strangers.

It can be a good idea to only leave one ringer on in your home when you are away. A loud ring that goes unanswered can alert people to the fact that you aren’t home. This makes you more likely to be the victim of a burglary.

TIP! If you will be away from your house for an extended period of time, turn the ringers off for all your phones. A constantly ringing phone can signal to a burglar that the house is vacant, making it an easy target for their criminal activities.

This can help your home an extra protection layer.

Talk to your local police department about what they offer. They may offer neighborhood watch programs, home inspections, engraving tools for marking code numbers onto items so that they will be easily identified if stolen. A quick call to the non-emergency number at the police station in your town will tell you all you need to know.

TIP! The police department in your area may offer a home protection program. The police can offer you some great advice, help you engrave valuables and even come check out your home.

Never let a stranger to enter your home. No matter what the excuse the person presents, you must not allow access. This is the first rule of keeping your home security equipment.

If you have a garage, increase your home security by using it to house your car, rather than just for storage. This will keep thieves from stealing it or harming it. Hiding it will help to deter people from tracking the times you aren’t there.

TIP! Keep your car in the garage. Keeping your car inside will deter thieves from stealing or vandalizing it.

These can pose a higher chance of catching fire during the hot months. Clear up your yard often if you want to prevent a fire from starting.

Don’t be shy. Engage your neighbors in conversation. Look out for their property, and see if they will look out for yours. Don’t disregard gossip either. It is often a good way to find out about security issues, such as strangers in the neighborhood.

TIP! Don’t be shy. Talk to the people who live in your neighborhood.

This is especially important when it comes to the company employees who will be installing your actual system. Don’t hesitate to request a different technician or get another company. The point of that system is to make yourself feel safer after all.

Walls are great for hiding things. This is a great way to hide jewelry, for example. Repurpose phone jacks and electrical outlets as tiny wall safes. If you have no unused plates, you can easily install false ones.

TIP! Walls are excellent hiding spots. If you have small valuables you want to protect, consider hiding them inside your walls.

Don’t forget about the skylights when doing a security sweep for your home.Skylights have a good function, but they are also easy ways for burglars to enter your home. Be certain that skylights in your home are durable and reliable.

If you have any boxes to discard from large, expensive items, wait until the evening before the trash is scheduled for collection. Empty boxes might draw the attention of robbers and let everyone know you own new and expensive goods.

TIP! If you have just bought any pricey new goods, never toss the boxes onto the curb prior to the garbage man’s arrival. Empty boxes might draw the attention of robbers and let everyone know you own new and expensive goods.

Use your walls to store valuables. You don’t have to cut out pieces of your walls by the way. Many spots are already accessible for this purpose.

Replace rotted wood that surrounds your door frame. A burglar can easily strip away wood that has rotted. As a result, this will assist them in breaking into your home. Replace rotted wood with fresh wood to make your home safer.

TIP! Replace any wood surrounding your door frame that is rotting. It is simple for a robber to pry away rotting wood and enter your home.

Make sure that none of your valuables cannot be seen from outside the outside. Large windows let in a lot of light, but it can make it easier for criminals to see inside.

Before you let security company representatives into your home, check their ID. Potential burglars can easily claim they are security company representatives so that they can enter your home. This is a danger to your belongings and your family. Be deliberate in preventing hazards.

TIP! Make sure to ask for identification for any home security company representative. You would be surprised how many thieves will impersonate security representatives to get into your house.

Having these boxes around will let thieves know the type of what is inside your home.

A simple way to increase your home security is to add motion lights around the house. In the evening hours, this lighting can provide extra security and an economical way to light your front entrance way when you arrive. By carefully placing them around the outside of your property, you create a perimeter that cannot be breached.

TIP! If you need to make the outside of your home secure, you can achieve this relatively inexpensively by installing lights with motion detectors. Motion detection lights will turn on as soon as something or someone enters your yard.

Rotten Wood

If you sign a contract for a security company, read all the fine print first. 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. Try avoiding these fees when you can so that you know about them.

TIP! Be certain to read the entire contract when you hire a home security firm. Sometimes, hidden costs can be incurred if you get rid of the service before a certain date.

Replace rotten wood near door frame that is rotting. An intruder can simply pry the rotten wood and enter your home. Replace any wood with fresh wood so that your home safer.

If you plan to be away and you have another person collecting your mail, have them double check your front door for fliers. This is a way people who are casing out your house can tell whether you are home or not. If a flier remains on a front door for a number of days, the burglar knows the homeowner is away.

TIP! If you will be going out of time, have someone you trust get your mail. Also, have them look for fliers stuck in your door.

Never enter your home if the door open. This can be very dangerous because the burglar may still be inside. Call the cops and let them do the situation.

Make sure your address numbers are clearly visible from across the street. Small or obscured numbers can make it difficult for emergency personnel to locate your home. If you notice a problem, you should be able to fix it fairly cheaply, though.

TIP! From the road, are your house numbers visible? If the numbers aren’t legible, police may drive right by. Fortunately, this is something that can be corrected quickly and cheaply.

Your precious pooch is one of your home security weapons. Dogs can be extremely protective of their families and are great at barking when uneasy. It doesn’t even have to be a huge dog either. Even small dogs can deter criminals just by making noise when committing crimes.

Steer clear of locks with spring latches. These type of lock is the easiest lock to pick, it could even be opened by a credit card. This is achieved by sliding the card into the space between the latch and the door. This causes the lock to click open. If you have spring latches already installed, consider adding deadbolts too.

TIP! Don’t get spring latch locks. These are very easy to pick by simply using a credit card.

Spring Latch

Always keep valuables you can’t replace secure. This includes important documents, jewelry and keepsakes. A fireproof floor safe is ideal for this. A better idea could be to store these inside a box outside of your house.

TIP! Always keep your irreplaceable valuables secure. This can include items like important photos, passports, pricey jewelry, and legal documents.

Don’t have spring latch locks. These locks are the easiest for criminals to open with a credit card. Intruders just have to slide a credit card in between the latch and door for the door. Add a deadbolt to existing spring latch locks.

If your current door is anything other than solid wood or metal, swap it out for one that actually is. Doors made of metal or wood are much sturdier than those that aren’t. A burglar is very unlikely to be able to kick in a solid wood or metal door. It shouldn’t be too costly to replace your exterior doors, so go do it.

TIP! Any doors that aren’t solid wood or made of metal should be replaced. This sort of door will deter intruders.

Keep your curtains closed when you are away from home. Intruders can look into your house if they are up. You ought to turn the curtains down when you are sleeping.

Inquire about motion sensing lights from your security service. A lot of companies provide this, and it makes the exterior lights in your home turn on immediately when someone approaches any entry way. This can deter potential thieves, as well as offer extra security while you enter your home.

TIP! Figure out if motion sensitive lighting is an option for your home by talking to your home-security company. Most companies will offer this service, and it illuminates the outside of the house whenever there is any movement.

Don’t put your key in obvious areas. It is easy to find fake rock. The thief will likely look is under the doormat. A better plan is to ask someone you trust to keep your emergency key. If none of these options are possible, you must think creatively to find a good place to keep a spare key.

Investing in a home alarm is great, but only if someone calls the police when it goes off. An alarm system with full-time monitoring by a security company is the safest option. You can rest assured that the police will be called by the company. You can’t rely on your neighbors to call.

TIP! A home alarm can be a good investment if police are notified when it sounds. The best strategy is to buy a centrally monitored alarm so that the police always show up if it is triggered.

Think about getting a hard-wired security systems if you have concerns about long term maintenance costs. It can be expensive to replace many different batteries.

The windows on your second floor always need to be locked. People often overlook their second floor windows, assuming that thieves won’t check them. Oh, but they will. Criminals are aware of this vulnerable area.

TIP! Make sure you lock your second floor’s windows. Many folks forget about these, thinking ignorantly that burglars don’t check.

This helps the lights stay on and off when you’re away from your home.

Deadbolts are your best locks since they have what is called captive keylocks. The devices are equipped with thumb latches that prevent people from reaching around to open the lock via a an adjacent broken window. If you are going out, simply lodge the key on the lock.

TIP! Deadbolts that have captive keylocks are the most secure locks to get. These locks have a thumb latch that will keep intruders from opening it by using a broken window pane to reach in.

Ask your security company if they have lights with motion sensitive lighting. This provides added security when you from having unwanted guests enter your home.

Don’t leave toys in your yard when your kids aren’t playing with them out there. This will clue the thief in that a woman lives in the house. You will then become a target, since women are likely to own valuable jewelry.

TIP! Try not to leave any toys in the yard when your children are not out there playing with them. This gives thieves the idea that women live on the property.

Sliding glass doors can be a big security problem in lots of homes. They are easily be unlocked by lifting them and shaking. This will keep your door tightly closed tight and make it tougher to force open.

Have the locks changed if you’re moving into a new home. This should be done for rented and bought homes. Do your own lock replacement, or see if a locksmith or landlord will do it.

TIP! No matter who lived in the home before you moved in, replace the lock or rekey it. Regardless of whether you are renting or buying, you should either re-key the locks yourself, or request that your landlord take care of it for you.

Women who live alone or with only children are the most likely targets for burglary. Place big muddy boots near the front of your home to give off a tough impression. This is sure to scare criminals from your home.

There is a reason that the right to own a gun is a popular, if controversial, amendment since it gives people a way to protect themselves and their homes. Think about signing up for gun training, and consider purchasing a firearm. Just realizing there’s a gun inside the house may help you feel safer.

TIP! Having a firearm handy is important to protect yourself from a burglary. Learn how to shoot a gun and find one you are comfortable with.

Search for a company that offers more than a home security system.Great home security companies visit homes and make specific recommendations.This could mean adding additional locks, removal of brush or new windows. You need to ensure that the firm really takes its work seriously, and will discuss those issues with you.

Use home smoke alarms that are interconnected. Alarms in this set up are linked up. When one alarm detects smoke, you want ALL of the alarms to go off, not just that one. That ensures everyone will be alerted to the situation. The sooner you know about the issue, the better your chances to deal with the problem.

TIP! Use home smoke alarms that are interconnected. This type of alarm is linked with others in the same system.

Your garbage needs to be as secure as your trash is. If you have expensive electronics, empty boxes will let criminals know it. Even a simple appliance may be enough to entice a good target to break into.

TIP!

Do not allow any valuable items in the window. If no one can see that it is there, they may pass your home.

TIP!

Change the locks once you are moving to a new home. A new lock system means that makes a difference in securing your family home. If you cannot find your keys for a long period of time, you should also change your locks.

TIP!

The security of your home is extremely important, but many people are lacking information about it. Study of the subject should be a priority for anyone concerned about the safety of their possessions and their loved ones alike. The above article should be an excellent starting point for establishing your knowledge on home security.

TIP!

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