Now is the time to learn all you can about home security. You should not cut corners when selecting a home security system. The decision rests on your shoulders, so you must know as much as possible to make it wisely. The following article will give you some great ideas regarding the safety of your home.
Protect your spare key by using your dog. This is only true if yours in an outdoor dog, or your house is equipped with a doggie door. Latch the key on his collar and voila–you have a spare key available!
It is a good idea to replace all the locks on the new home you buy. The previous owners or tenants might have made several copies of the key. Get a locksmith in right away. If you lose keys, make sure to do this, too.
Only allow maids and cleaning services to have a key to the house if they are known to be trustworthy. You should not let cleaners have your keys if you feel like you cannot trust them, or if they will be working in your home while you are away. Check out their references thoroughly. If they work for a firm, call the local Better Business Bureau to find out that firm’s reputation.
It can be a good idea to only leave one ringer on in your home when you are away. If your phone is ringing while you are out, burglars will realize that no one is home, making your home very vulnerable to an attack during your time away.
Do you have a dog that stays in your yard when you’re not at home? They may provide you with a useful place to hide your key. Secure the key on the inside of the dog’s collar. Especially if pets don’t like strangers, this can be a useful way for having easy access to your house.
Walls are the perfect place to hide. 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). Anything not used currently makes a good spot for hiding.
You should mute your land line phone if you are going on a vacation. A burglar might hear your phone ring and ring and ring, then realize that you are not home to answer it.
If you bought any expensive or large items, don’t throw the boxes out until the day trash is scheduled to be removed. These types of items are appealing to thieves, and you may as well put a sign in your yard inviting them to steal yours.
Secure your garage. A common concern expressed among homeowners is that someone might enter their garage and use that as an entrance to their home. There is a solution, however. Try putting a C-clamp on your garage door track. This will stop the door from rising if you want to keep it closed.
Obtain flashlights with solid batteries, and ensure they are kept in all the rooms of your home in the event of a power outage. They will help you get around in case your entire home is dark. Teach your children how to properly use flashlights.
During the summer, remove all vegetation and dead wood from your yard. These are vulnerable to fires and put your home in danger. Keeping your plants and bushes trimmed will benefit your family’s safety as well as the appearance of your home.
If your home isn’t new, replace the locks. Previous tenants may have given the keys back to the landlord, but it is always possible to make copies of keys. If you own, you can have the locks replaced and only you will have had the key.
Your home security system ought to be checked each year. Get someone from the security firm to inspect it. Many different things can make problems for your security system. It’s quite possible for there to be a fault in your system even if you can’t see it.
Before you let anyone into your house, thoroughly check their references. Try doing a background check to look at their criminal history. You can’t know for sure about the integrity of people you hire, and blindly giving them access to your home can be a huge mistake.
Listen to your intuition as to whether your system is being installed by a trustworthy home security company. You are giving someone unlimited access to your home, so be sure the installer doesn’t give you a bad vibe. You can decide to use a different company, or ask for a different person to install it. You want the system to make you feel like you’re more comfortable.
Motion-sensitive exterior lighting is a must. These lights illuminate your home during the night. As an added bonus, they are affordable and quite efficient. If positioned correctly on the exterior of your home, the motion detectors make it virtually impossible for an intruder to sneak onto your property.
If you’ve got skylights, don’t forget about it when it comes to home security. Though skylights bring light into your home and look nice, it is also a very common way for burglars to get into your home. Be sure that the skylights for your home are durable and reliable.
Keep safety in mind when doing landscaping. Your doors and windows should not be obstructed by shrubs or fences. No one can easily break into a window which everyone can see. Plan these features for further away from your home.
Do not let people on the street see valuable items in your home. Though it is nice to have big windows to get a great view of the outdoors, it is also easier for burglars to look into your home. You always want to make sure you keep your valuables covered if they are by a window.
Keep the outside areas of your home well lit. Darkness allows for all sorts of nefarious activities. Make sure to have lights anywhere an intruder might enter. Consider all your doors, porches, patios, decks, garages and all ground-level windows.
Before letting someone from a security company into a house, get some sort of official identification. Posing as a security professional is an excellent way for an experienced thief to get inside your house and plan a less-friendly return visit. This situation presents danger to your home, family and belongings. Be cautious to stay away from those potential dangers.
You may want to get a security system that is wireless. Wired systems may be cheaper, however it usually means you’ll have to rewire your home, and your system may get finicky in the event of a power outage. Wireless systems are much easier to maintain and also to install, and they are not reliant on your central power source.
It is a good idea to get some history on any home security companies you are thinking about doing business with. A reliable home security company is one that has a long history in the community and can offer references from satisfied customers. Whenever you know you aren’t doing business with a fly-by-night company, you will be more assured your home is protected.
A dog is an excellent burglary deterrent system. They generally bark when someone comes close to their property. You will get good results even if you do not have a large or vicious dog. Any size dog will drive criminals away, as the barking will be too much noise for them to be stealthy.
Be sure and keep the outside of your house well lit. Nothing is as attractive to a burglar as a dark, deeply-shadowed house. The most important parts of your home to light are all of its potential access points. Make sure your porch, garage, doorways and windows are well lit.
Spring Latches
Invest in a high quality paper shredder. Thieves often look through garbage, trying to find credit card information or other important documents. Rip your important papers up before throwing them away if you can’t get a shredder.
Steer clear of locks with spring latches. This type of lock is extremely easy to break. Anyone with a credit card can do it. Intruders simply use a credit card inside the latch, making the lock open. If you are already using locks that operate on spring latches, improve your security by adding a deadbolt.
For improved security, put your home under video surveillance. A wonderful way to make your home safer is by putting in hidden or visible cameras. While a visible camera is a deterrent, a burglar might try to disable the camera, but a separate hidden camera can solve this problem. Nowadays, you can track your surveillance on your own cell phone.
You should be able to take the information you’ve read here to propel yourself forward into the home security realm. A reliable home security system will help you feel safer and could save your life. The tips you’ve just received can start making a difference in your family’s safety immediately.
If you’ve got guests that you don’t want in particular areas of the home, close the area off so it is not accessible. Keyless locks require a code to unlock the door. You could install these locks yourself. Or, you may have a security company to do it for you.
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