Personal Safety

Tips To Keep You And Your Home Safe

The following information can help you go a long way towards living a safer life.

A home security system has other features in addition to sounding an alarm when there is a break-in. They can actually be set to chime whenever a monitored door is opened. Parents of children can track their kids this way.

TIP! Home security systems are able to do more than just sounding the alarm whenever you have an intruder. Many systems can alert you whenever anyone has entered your home.

Home security systems offer other features besides having an alarm sound. Most of them can facilitate alarm sounds anyone enters. This is a valuable safety feature for parents that have small children since they know if their child has exited the home.

If you’re going on a trip for an extended period of time, switch the ringer off on all home phones. A home phone that rings and rings is a good way for a potential thief to know if anyone is home.

TIP! You should mute your land line phone if you are going on a vacation. Intruders might be attracted by a phone that rings constantly without anyone picking up.

Above doors or under a mat are not smart ideas. One idea is to hide a spare key inside the collar of your outdoor dog.

Avoid opening the door if you don’t know who is standing on the other side. You never know who they might be, despite their story. Create the rule that you just open a door to people that you expect to arrive.

TIP! Don’t open your door if a stranger is on the other side. Burglars have many clever ways to convince householders to open the door.

Ask your friends for some advice before choosing home security companies and systems. You can learn a lot from the experience of others that have already dealt with these companies. Ask around so you’ll have as much advice for making a sound decision.

Find a home security company you can trust. You should be very picky when it comes to letting people inspect your home. You don’t want to refrain from choosing a different company or technician. 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.

TIP! You have a choice on who installs your security system, don’t be afraid to say no if something doesn’t feel right. This is doubly true when you feel unease about the installers.

Turn the ringer off on all your phones if you are going to be away. A constantly ringing phone lets thieves know that you’re not there.

If you’ve got skylights, don’t neglect them when ensuring your home’s security. Intruders could use skylights to enter your home. Fix your skylights so they cannot be accessed as an entry point by intruders.

TIP! If you have skylights, do not neglect them when making sure your home is secure. Skylights are great for making a home brighter, but they can make it easier for burglars to access the house.

Do not let people you don’t know in your home. Even if their story is compelling, do not let them in. This is the joint to see if there is home secure.

It is important that your alarm system wiring is not exposed anywhere. A burglar will simply cut the wires if he can see them. Make sure the wires are installed inside the walls of your home. You will be much more safe.

TIP! Make sure the wires of your home security system are completely hidden. Burglars can easily cut the wires if they are visible.

See what your area police department offers in terms of home protection programs. They may offer neighborhood watch programs, engraving tool loans, engraving tools for marking code numbers onto items so that they will be easily identified if stolen.Call and inquire as to what is available.

Flashlights in your home should always have newer batteries if your power goes out. This is important for you to be able to see should your power go out or you suffer an emergency. Your kids should know how to work the flashlights so that everyone can help.

TIP! Get flashlights with good batteries, and have them in each room in case you lose power. Having a well-charged flashlight on hand is very beneficial in case of emergency.

Make sure that your valuables cannot be seen from outside the outside. Large windows let in a lot of light, but they also allow others to peer into your home.

Before allowing someone into your house, be sure to carefully check their references. 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! Always check references before letting anyone work on your home. You should do a background check as well to find out their criminal history.

Most break-ins and burglaries occur because a door is left open and an unlocked door.It does not take long for a burglar to steal items of great value.

A good way to scare off intruders is to keep your house lit at nighttime. Burglars don’t want to be visible. When your house is well lit, intruders have no place to hide. This makes it hard for them to get things from you. Keep lights on in the evening for a safer home.

TIP! Keeping your home very bright during the night hours is an excellent way to prevent thieves. Burglars don’t want to be visible.

Landscape around your home with safety in mind. If criminals know you can see them, people can’t hide in those areas while they try to break in. This should be planned in advance for your home additional safety.

If you come to your home and discover that your door has been left open, avoid investigating by yourself. The thief might still be inside, and you don’t have any idea whether or not they are armed. Call the authorities and let them take care of the situation.

TIP! If you get home and your door is open, do not enter ti investigate. This is dangerous because the thief may be right inside.

The areas outside of your house should be well lit. Burglars like the darkness. Install a light in areas that possible criminals can get into your home. This will include doorways, the garage, porches, and ground floor windows that criminals can use.

Consider buying a paper shredder for your home. You’d be shocked at how many times thieves search trash looking for personal documents to see when you’re not home so that they can get into your home. If you can’t afford to buy a paper shredder, tear your papers up into tiny bits before throwing them away.

TIP! If you don’t have a paper shredder, you might want to buy one. Thieves can get lots of information simply by looking through your trash.

Although automated electronic systems are powerful, not everybody needs them. In some cases the security system is your best investment, having a good dog and/or learning some self defense may be all that you really need to feel safe. Know the risks so that you want and make a better decision.

Consider installing a surveillance system. Installing video cameras, both visible and hidden, are a great way to secure your home. Visible cameras are a deterrent to most intruders, and should they decide to disable them, a hidden camera will continue to capture footage. There are surveillance systems that you can access and check by cell phone.

TIP! For improved security, put your home under video surveillance. You can have great home security with both hidden and visible video cameras.

Never enter your house if you arrive and find the door is open or something doesn’t feel right. This is very dangerous due to the fact that the thief can still be on your property. Call the authorities and let them take care of the initial walk through.

When standing in the street, can you see your house numbers? If you need assistance, emergency vehicles may not locate your home in a timely manner if the numbers don’t stand out. Thankfully, you can right this wrong cheaply and quickly.

TIP! Can someone standing in the middle of the street see clearly your house numbers? If there’s an emergency, it will take longer for the police to locate your home if the numbers are concealed in any way or too small. Luckily, this is an issue that can be fixed quickly.

You can instead get key-less locks without keys that work using a code. You can install it yourself.

Ask your security company about the lengths of contract they offer. They probably each have their pluses and negatives. You might pay less each month for longer contracts, but it has its deterrents as well. A shorter contract gives you more freedom, but it may cost you more per month.

TIP! Inquire about various contract lengths which your security company might offer. There are going to be ups and downs for each one.

Find out more about the various lengths of contracts your security company offers. There are going to be ups and cons for each one. Longer contracts may create a lower bill per month, it may be hard to cancel that contract should you decide to change services or sell your house. Shorter contracts mean more freedom at a higher costs.

You do not want to use spring latch locks. These locks are easy to break into since they may be opened up with a credit card. Intruders just have to slide a card in between the latch and door for the lock to pop open. A deadbolt should be added for security purposes if you have locks that are spring latch.

TIP! Spring latch locks are not a good option. This type of lock is extremely easy to break.

Do not store your vehicle registration documents in your 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 them if the police stop you.

You should always keep your blinds and curtains closed. Potential intruders will see what you are doing and get an idea of how many valuables you own if you keep your blinds open. They may break in if they see things they like. You ought to keep them drawn while you are asleep.

TIP! If you aren’t at the house, keep the windows and curtains closed. You don’t want potential thieves knowing you are gone.

Anyone can easily get your date of birth from Facebook and could have access into your driver’s licence.

Investing in a home alarm is great, but only if someone calls the police when it goes off. The only way to ensure this is to use a system that calls the police for you. Neighbors won’t always be home to call.

TIP! Investing in a home alarm is great, but only if someone calls the police when it goes off. Purchase one that is centrally monitored and the police will come when it is activated.

Sliding glass doorways can pose security problem in many homes. They can be unlocked with a bit if someone lifts and shakes the door frame. This keeps the door shut tightly and harder to force open.

While many people avoid the neighborhood busybody, you should be friendly with them. You never know who might be watching when someone is sneaking around your home. You will even be able to ask your neighbors to keep an eye on your home if you are going on a vacation.

TIP! Make friends with your neighbors. The nosy neighbor may not make for good company, but he or she is likely to notice suspicious individuals near your house.

Being friendly will make them more likely to alert you great security.

The best locks to choose are deadbolts which have captive keylocks. A thumb latch prevents outsiders from accessing your door locks through an adjacent window. When a home, leave keys in the lock; that way, you can escape quickly.

TIP! Deadbolts featuring captive keylocks are usually your wisest choice. These type of locks have a latch that cannot be reached through an open window.

Deadbolts that have captive keylocks are usually your wisest choice. These have a thumb latch that will keep intruders from reaching around and opening it by using a nearby broken window. When you are home, leave your key in this kind of lock for easy egress in the event of fire.

When buying a security system, aim to buy one from the company instead of through a re-seller. Middlemen tack on extra charges and offer very little in the way of guarantees. The home security equipment company will not charge you added fees, and you will be able to trust the warranty that comes with your equipment.

TIP! When buying a security system, aim to buy one from the company instead of through a re-seller. Re-sellers are after making a profit; therefore, they don’t have your best interests in mind.

Carbon Monoxide

Be sure to regularly clean your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Dust can build up and cause the sensors to not be as effective as they should be. These devices could be rendered useless if not properly taken care of.

TIP! Be sure to clean your carbon monoxide and smoke detectors regularly. Dust and lint can gradually build up on them, and if you do not clean your detectors on a regular basis, this can interfere with the sensors.

Clean your carbon monoxide and smoke detectors. Lint and dust could build up and could interfere with them. Your detectors can’t do as good a job protecting the home from carbon monoxide and smoke.

If your home has window-mounted air conditioning units, ensure that each one is secure and cannot be dislodged. An intruder will be able to slide out the air conditioner and enter your home if it is not secured. In the wintertime, remove them from your window for extra security.

TIP! Make sure your air conditioners are secured. You don’t want to give a burglar easy access into your house by simply removing your air conditioner and slipping in through the window.

A good video surveillance system is a great deterrent for crooks.Burglars that wear masks like in movies are fake.Many home burglars will not wear anything to cover their face because they have no intention of ever being seen.

Because of the Second Amendment to the constitution, people in America may own firearms. Consider getting trained on how to use a gun and buy one, just in case you need it. Simply knowing how to handle a gun can have you feeling more protected.

TIP! Many people use the second amendment as a means of protection from intruders. You should think about getting firearms training and purchasing a gun.

Burglars can use this as a point of entry if they aren’t properly secured.Remove your window air conditioners in the winter when you do not need them.

Make it blatantly apparent that your home has an alarm system installed. Window stickers and signs in your yard can act as deterrents for would-be intruders. When they think your home has an alarm, they won’t even try to get in.

TIP! Does your home have an alarm system? If so, it is important that potential burglars know you have one. Window decals or signs will deter intruders.

Many times folks have knocked on doors seeking assistance, someone knocks on your door claiming to need assistance only to bust it wide open when you answer.If a stranger needs help, offer to make a call without opening the door.

Always plug a code of your own into the controller for your garage door. The code you get is standard for all units and can open many garages. It is common for thieves to travel neighborhoods, randomly trying to open garages until finding one that works.

TIP! Change your garage door’s opener code. Many times these codes are standard and can be used on various garages.

You need to change the code of your garage door opener’s code. The default code is the same for all units and can open many products. Thieves go from door to door with an opener until they find one which works on the generic code which is built in.

TIP!

If you own a ladder and keep it in a shed, make sure you lock the door to that building. This gives intruders a chance to get into your home’s second floor.

TIP!

Most people know that home security is vital to the protection of the home and family. However, not many people know how to really protect their house and belongings. This article has provided you with the information you need for deeper understanding.

TIP!

Blue widgets is actually a more complicated topic than it first appears to be. Though this article has given you useful information, you need to continue to learn more. Make sure you keep looking for new resources.

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...