It is up to homeowners to take proactive steps to ensure the safety of the home and its inhabitants. Home invasions are becoming very common, and other thing like flood and fire can damage your home. Keep reading to learn a few things you can do to protect yourself.
Only allow maids and cleaning services to have a key to the house if they are known to be trustworthy. 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. It is best to do a reference check on them. If your cleaning person comes from a company, check with the BBB.
When you buy a new home, be sure to have the locks changed. There is no way to ascertain how many keys the previous owner handed out. Have a locksmith install a brand new lock. When you lose your keys, have your locks rekeyed.
Do you have an outside dog? This is a good spot for keeping your spare key. You can attach your key to your dog’s collar in order to keep the key hidden. 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.
You should only provide a house cleaner your key if you completely trust them. Be sure any home cleaner you give your key to is trustworthy and reputable. All references should be checked. If they work for a firm, call the local Better Business Bureau to find out that firm’s reputation.
Hide your spare key in a place where no one would think to look for it. The doormat is too obvious of a place to hide it, as robbers will look there first. An example would be to attach a key to your dog’s collar, if he stays outdoors.
You never want to open up a door to a stranger without proper identification. You never know who they might be, despite their story. Enforce a rule within your house that no one opens the door to unexpected people.
Before agreeing to work with a security company, check with your friends and family for recommendations. Other people will probably have personal experience with these companies that are either good or bad. They can share their experiences with you, which will greatly assist you in making the best decision. Ask a number of people to get a several different opinions.
Check out your garage to ensure that it is secure. Often people are concerned that burglars can enter the home via the attached garage . Happily, there is a solution to this problem. A C clamp helps for garage doors on a track. The clamp actually keeps the door closed if tightened close to the track roller.
Never allow str4angers to enter your house. Stay true to your safety, even if it appears the person has legitimate reasons for wanting entry. This is the first rule of keeping your home secure.
Police Department
Don’t open your door for strangers. People try many ways to convince others to open up their doors so that they can commit burglary or worse. Create the rule that you just open a door to people that you expect to arrive.
Contact the local police department to find out more about the protection programs they offer. There are many that offer programs that include items, such as home inspection, how to use engraving tools to mark code numbers to identify valuables if yours are stolen, and protective measures advice. Ask your police department to see if these types of programs are available.
During the summer, remove all vegetation and dead wood from your yard. When summer heats up, such debris can catch fire. Always clear the yard to ensure safety.
Security starts with new locks. This could be an ex-spouse or roommate you got into a fight with. Changing the locks can typically be done very cheaply and quickly.
Do not be shy. Speak with your neighbors. Agree to watch each other’s homes while you are away. Pay attention to gossip. You may end up hearing about things such as odd folks roaming about the neighborhood.
When dealing with companies that install home security systems, it’s important to trust your gut. This is definitely the case if you’re not quite sure about the actual installation people. If you simply are not comfortable with a company’s technician, request for another technician or simply hire another company. Remember, the new security apparatus is meant to make you feel safe and secure.
Find a home security company you can trust. This is very true when you feel uneasy about the person installing the system. Never hesitate to has for a new technician or even go with a different company altogether. You want the system to make you feel like you’re more comfortable.
Did you know that the wires on your home are valuable? Many people do not realize this until a crook steals it off of their home. Copper wiring is very valuable and susceptible to being stripped from the outside of your home. Be sure that you keep all your wiring hidden and make it hard to access.
Walls are the perfect place to hide. You can hide small valuables in your walls. Just access unused switch plates, outlets or phone jacks. A security store will sell fake plates you can install anywhere.
When you hire a type of home security company, read the contract’s fine print before signing. You may find fees appear unexpectedly, including excessive costs for ending your contract early. Avoid nasty charges or fees regarding early termination, contract expiration and additional features or equipment.
Do you know how valuable the wires within your home are? Many people have their wires stripped each year. Copper, found in many wires, can be removed in little time, and is worth quite a bit of money. Hide your wiring to secure it.
Having light on in your home at night will scare crooks away. This will deter crooks from trying your home. Good lighting in your home means that crooks have no hiding places. Thus, you should always keep lights on at nighttime.
If someone from the security company comes to your home, ask to see their ID before allowing them in. It is simple for a thief to pose as a representative of your home security company as a means of gaining access to your house. Don’t allow this to happen, as it is a direct threat to your house and its contents. Caution is always advisable if dangers like this are to be avoided.
Maintain the exterior areas in your house so they are well lit. A burglar prefers to sneak around in the dark, and a well lit house is always a deterrent. Motion sensor lights can work great because they can also alert you when someone does come onto the property. Don’t forget that this includes ground-level windows as well as doors, garages, and porches.
Don’t allow your landscaping make it easier for burglars to break into your home. There should be no plants or greenery in front of doors or windows. If they can be seen, there will be no place to hide. Have your landscape several feet away from your house for better safety.
If you don’t own a paper shredder already, you might want to get one. Thieves often find the trash cans to be a gold mine of pertinent information about potential victims. If you don’t want a shredder, rip the papers up manually.
When standing in the street, can you see your house numbers? In the event of an emergency, police officers may have trouble finding your house if they cannot read your address numbers. Thankfully if you notice a problem it’s an easy and cheap thing to fix.
Your furry friend is a great home security system, too. Dogs become extremely protective of their families and bark when uneasy. It doesn’t even have to be a big tough dog. Small dogs are noisy and unpredictable and very good at deterring burglars.
Never make the password to your keypad your birthday. Your birthday is easy to obtain, and you don’t want your house to be easily accessible. Try using a number that is the solution to a math problem. Then you can just remember the math problem to arrive at the solution.
Ask if your company offers options to both buy and lease your security equipment. While you will pay more to buy, you don’t have to keep paying for it month after month. Leasing is usually cheaper, but monthly fees can be high and you will need a contract. Look into both choices to know which one is better for your personal circumstances.
Find out if you can get motion sensitive lighting from your security company. Lots of companies have this, which triggers your exterior lights whenever something or someone moves near a doorway. Therefore, if a burglar approaches, you will know.
Because of the various harms that can befall any home, it makes good sense to take active steps toward adding protection. You can find out some great ideas in this article to help keep your home safe. Use these ideas to boost your home’s safety.
Deadbolt locks offer the best security, and those with captive keylocks are even better. Deadbolts have a thumb latch for an extra layer of protection. Any time your are in your home, the key should be left in the lock. This allows you to escape quickly in the event of a fire.
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