Personal Safety

Is Your Home Secure? Try These Tips

Bad things usually happen when you actually least expected. Don’t risk your home if you can do something about it. Read the guidelines in this guide in order to make your home as safe place that will scare intruders from coming in.

Make your house look occupied all the time. Buy timers so that lights, radios, TVs and all other electronics turn on and off at various times. This will make it look like someone is home. This can be a terrific method of securing your home and keeping burglars at bay.

TIP! Be sure your home appears to always be occupied. Use timers to make electronic devices and lights turn on and off at intervals.

Your dog can actually safeguard a spare house key for you. This can be done if your dog is outdoors a lot or you have a pet door. You could simply put a key onto your dog’s collar, so when you forget your keys your dog can let you in.

Beware giving keys to your maid unless the service has your absolute trust. If you do give your housekeeper a key or plan on doing so, it is imperative that they are honest and upstanding. Go over their references and do some background research on the company they work for. If the person is an employee of a firm, call your local BBB to check their reputation.

TIP! 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.

Check out their references very carefully. If this professional is from a company, call the BBB for more information.

Good home security systems sound a loud alarm when breached, and that’s not all. Many systems sound an alert whenever people enter the house. It’s a great feature for parents as they can tell if a child is potentially leaving the house.

TIP! Home security systems are able to do more than just sounding the alarm whenever you have an intruder. Most systems could sound an alarm when someone enters the home.

Do you keep your dog outside if you aren’t home? They may provide you with your key. Put it on the dog’s collar.This is especially useful if your pet does not respond well to strangers.

When you decide to purchase a home alarm system, make sure you comparison shop. Every company offers different pricing. Make sure to obtain quotes from a minimum of three companies prior to deciding on a final one.

TIP! When in the process of purchasing a home-security system, be sure to comparison shop. Prices for home security systems can vary and they do not all offer the same services.

Ask friend for any advice before choosing home security system or service. Your loved ones likely have gone through both bad and good experiences and they will be able to share them with this situation before. Ask around to get lots of advice as you need in order to make a sound decision.

If you want to have a spare key close to your house in order to prevent lockouts, make sure you give its hiding place some careful thought. Above doors or under doormats are much too common to hide them and potential criminals will check them first. Try to find somewhere less obvious.

TIP! Hiding places for spare keys must be chosen with extreme care and caution. Hiding it beneath the doormat is very common and most intruders will look there.

These can be fire hazards and put your home in danger. Clear your yard so it looks good and is safe.

Get advice from loved ones about home security systems. This will help you to reduce the stress that you have on your search for a good one. Ask around so that you can have the advice that you need to make a good choice.

TIP! Before selecting a security firm, ask for recommendations. Your loved ones likely have dealt with this situation before.

Keeping your car inside is a good way to keep criminals from stealing or harming it. This will also keep people from home.

Make sure your attached garage is secure. Many people are concerned about people entering their garages to gain access to their homes. If the garage door lifts via a track, you can use a C-clamp to stop your door from opening at the hands of intruders.

TIP! Don’t overlook your garage as a potential access point for thieves. There is a way to stop thieves from entering your home from the garage.

Don’t forget skylights when securing your home. Skylights are a great addition to any home, but they are also easy ways for burglars to enter your home. Be sure that skylights for your home can be locked securely.

Have lights that sense motion. They turn on only if someone is nearby. Motion-sensitive lights will alert you to movement and deter people who want to break into your home. Don’t forget to replace the bulbs when they burn out.

TIP! Motion sensor lights are a great investment. They turn on only if someone is nearby.

Make sure that your valuables can be seen from the outside.While having huge windows may be good for letting in light and viewing what is outside, burglars will see your valuables inside.

Walls make the perfect hiding spot. Keep small, valuable items inside the walls of your home. You can use phone jacks or electric outlets as hiding spots. If you’re using all your outlets, you can install phony ones.

TIP! Walls can serve as a handy hiding place. Jewelry and other small items can be protected very well when placed in hiding places in your walls.

Hide the wires of your security system’s wiring. Intruders can disable a home by cutting the wires. This can make you much safer.

Do that put spare keys above door frames or under door mats. Though you might think that you’re giving yourself something you could use to get into your house when you’ve lost your keys, you’re actually inviting intruders inside your house. Thieves are aware of all these spots. Instead, give your extra key to a neighbor whom you trust.

TIP! Don’t put your extra key under you doormat, in a planter, or in a cleverly disguised false rock. Though you might think that you’re giving yourself something you could use to get into your house when you’ve lost your keys, you’re actually inviting intruders inside your house.

Having these boxes nearby can tell robbers what kind of items that are inside your home.

Do you know how valuable the wires within your home are? Lots of people fail to appreciate this until they are hit by thieves. It does not take much time to strip off the expensive copper wires from the exterior of your house. Make sure the wiring is concealed or difficult to access in order to keep this valuable item safe.

TIP! Were you aware of how valuable your house wires are? This is something few homeowners realize until they become victims of wiring theft. The copper wiring can be stripped and be turned in for money.

You can make your home safer by installing a system of motion detectors and outside lights. If positioned correctly on the exterior of your home, it is very hard for someone to sneak onto the property.

When a security company wants in your home ask for an ID and see if they’re in uniform. Intruders can easy pass themselves off as an employee of a security company just to get inside your house. This leads to danger. Be cautious to stay away from those potential dangers.

TIP! If you scheduled an appointment for a member of the security company to come to your house, ask them to show you some identification first. 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.

Landscape around your home with safety in mind. If they can be seen, they are less likely to break in. This should be planned in advance for your home additional safety.

Screen the references of anyone who would have access to your house. Conduct background checks if necessary. You can never be certain if the contractor, repairman, maid, etc. that you hire to do services in your home is honest. If you let these people in without knowing anything about them, you could experience significant losses.

TIP! Check someone’s references carefully before letting them come into your home. You should do a background check as well to find out their criminal history.

Keep your outdoor areas illuminated well. Burglars like committing crimes in the dark. Install a light in areas that possible criminals can get into your home. This can include the garage, in the doorways, porches and other areas which invite an intruder in.

You want to know what is included in a contract if you’re signing up with a security company. You may find fees appear unexpectedly, including excessive costs for ending your contract early. If you can’t avoid these types of fees, you should at least be aware of them.

TIP! Whenever you sign with a home-security company, it is important that you thoroughly read the contract. There may be hidden costs in the event you wish to cancel before the end of the contract.

Never enter your house if the door open. This can be quite dangerous because the burglar might still be on your property. Call the cops and let them take care of the situation.

Always enlist the powers of online research to help you make a smart choice when it comes to home security companies. Research the possibilities, check out package options and pricing and analyze customer feedback. Once you do this, make appointments with the three best companies you find so that you can compare pricing and other important details.

TIP! It’s smart to use the Internet when you are looking for a good security company for your home. Check out reviews you find on the web.

The best method to maintain a burglar out of your garage is making sure nobody can see inside. Don’t leave doors open for long lengths of time.

Break down the boxes from your new TV or computer rather than leaving them on the side of the road. If the burglars see the empty boxes, then they will realize you have the items in your home. As a result, they’ll be more likely to break in so they can steal it. Break them down and put them in a bag or take them to a recycling center.

TIP! Anytime you make a new electronics purchase, keep the boxes off the curb until the very last minute. If the burglars see the empty boxes, then they will realize you have the items in your home.

Credit Card

Dogs are an excellent way to protect your home. Dogs can be extremely protective of their space and are great at barking when something is afoot. The dog doesn’t have to be huge or even vicious. A terrier will make enough of a fuss to stop someone from breaking in.

TIP! Dogs make a great security system. Dogs protect their territory diligently, and tend to make noise if something goes awry.

Don’t use locks of the spring latch locks installed. These type of locks can actually be opened by simply using a credit card. Intruders just have to slide a credit card in between the latch and the lock to pop open. Add a deadbolt to existing spring latch locks.

Don’t hide your keys in obvious places. Fake rocks are particularly simple to spot. Someone is going to look under your doormat. It’s best to ask a trusted friend or even a neighbor to hold the extra key. If you have no trustworthy neighbors, try to be more creative.

TIP! If you keep a spare key outside, make sure it is not kept in an obvious location. The classic fake rock is too common and too easy to detect.

Do not store your car registration documents in your car’s glove box. This is not wise since anyone can reads them can see where you live. Keep them with you or hide them somewhere else in your vehicle. You must have easy access to them on hand if the police stop you.

Keep your drapes closed at night. You would not want to tempt outsiders to look through your window. If criminals can clearly view what’s going on in your house, it makes it easier for them to commit crimes. Be discreet when showing off what everyone can see, and you can be more likely to avoid burglaries.

TIP! If the living room window in your home has direct line of sight to the street, you’ll want to draw those curtains at night. You shouldn’t be inviting people to look at your stuff through the window.

Anyone can easily get your date of birth from a Facebook profile or your house.

If your door isn’t either metal or solid wood, replace it with one that is. These doors hold. This makes it much harder for a burglar to kick in a door. It should be possible for you to find replacements for all of your doors for a good price, so do it right away.

TIP! If your door is not solid wood or metal, replace it! These doors are strong. These materials make it difficult for a would-be thief to break down the door.

You must always make sure your second story windows are locked. Many homeowners neglect this point and believe burglars won’t bother with those windows. This is not the truth. This is the weak point of home security and criminal generally know about.

When it comes to locks, remember that you have to be able to lock it from both the inside and outside for maximum security. Ideal locks are deadbolts which lock with both internal and external key locks.

TIP! When you can’t lock your door from the outside, your home isn’t secure. A deadbolt meets this requirement and is a good burglar deterrent as well.

The best locks you can get are deadbolts that includes a captive keylock. These have a thumb latch so that prevents others from reaching around and opening the lock via a nearby broken window nearby. If you are home, simply lodge the key on the lock.

Don’t have any visible rooms in your home. If you’re able to see a computer or TV in a house, a thief may see it as well. Consider installing drapes so that people aren’t able to see inside your home. If you can’t do that, put your valuable items into a more secluded room.

TIP! Do not let the inside of your home be displayed to the street. If your valuables are visible from the street, it poses a danger.

Women living alone or along with children are targeted more often than others. Place something masculine in the front door so it looks like a male lives there.This visual can deter burglars from breaking into your home.

Owning a gun is one way of keeping your home safe. Learn how to shoot a gun and find one you are comfortable with. You will feel a lot safer once you have a firearm in your home and know how to use it.

TIP! Being able to own a gun is a law that many people like because it makes them feel secure. Think about legally purchasing a firearm and receiving proper training in gun use and safety in the event you should need to protect your home.

Carbon Monoxide

You should change the code of your garage door regularly. The code that comes with the unit is the same for every unit sold. Thieves will use the generic code if you do not change it once you purchase.

TIP! You should change the code of your garage door regularly. The pre-programmed code for your remote is a universal code for most doors, which means many people can access your garage.

Make sure you clean carbon monoxide and smoke detectors regularly. Lint and dust can accumulate and make them less sensitive. Your detectors can’t do as good a job protecting the home from carbon monoxide and smoke.

Make sure there is a lock on your shed if it contains a ladder inside. A ladder is virtually an invitation for burglars to climb up into your home’s second floor. Keep items locked away that they can possibly use to help them break into your home.

TIP! If you store a ladder in an outbuilding, make sure you lock the door to that building. An unsecured ladder is an open invitation to burglars who want to access your second story windows.

You can install outdoor lighting that use infrared detection. These lights illuminate whenever someone is within a certain distance from your house. This will surely make a criminal! A smart burglar will always vacate out of the area if lights come on.

TIP!

Keep valuable objects away from the windows of your home. If people aren’t able to see the items, a thief is not motivated to break in and steal them.

TIP!

Change the code for the garage door’s opener on a semi regular basis. The default code is the same for all units and can open many garages. Thieves will go door-to-door with their opener until they figure out the generic code it has.

TIP!

Burglars are not predictable, so you never know if you have become a target. Take steps to prevent it from happening to you instead of wishing for it. Take these tips to heart, and continue learning about the best ways to keep your home secure.

TIP!

Sometimes, you may not know the path to take when learning something new. There is a lot of additional information out there. This article should have helped you figure out how to start your journey. Take the useful information included here and move forward to success.

About The Author

Related Articles

Personal Safety

Try Out Some Of This Stellar Home Security Advice

If you’re a homeowner, you should know the importance of being safe....

Personal Safety

Security Cameras And Protecting The Valuables In Your Home

Every homeowner should learn about sound home security. It is necessary, though,...

Personal Safety

Home Security: The Things You Need To Know

Every homeowner ought to know how to keep both their best to...

Personal Safety

The Experts Agree: This Home Security Article Is All You Need

Home security is a large market now. Burglaries are rampant in neighborhoods...