You may have never had your home burglarized, but no doubt you know someone who has. These situations are happening more and more frequently. People could break into your home any time. In the article that follows, you’ll find some great home security tips that can increase your safety and reduce your risk.
Why not give your trusted dog the job of holding onto your spare key? This will only be ideal if you have a dog door or an outdoor dog. Put a key on the dog’s collar so you have access to it when necessary!
If your home has a lot of valuable items inside, then you need to purchase a safe so that all of these items can be kept in a single location. This is essential, because you would never want valuable jewelry and other items to be seen by intruders. The safe should be situated in an inconspicuous area of your home.
Home security plans have other features along with an alarm that goes off during a break-in. Most systems can be set to sound an alert when anyone enters the home. This could be valuable for parents who have small children, making them aware when their kid has closed or opened a door.
Don’t use social media to announce that you will be gone for an extended period of time. Although you may want to let others in on your excitement, it may inadvertently give burglars a heads up to target your property.
Make sure you have a safe to keep valuable items in one place. This is vital if you don’t want diamonds, gold or other personal items exposed to a home intruder. Conceal the safe in an out-of-the-way and not easily accessible spot, such as an attic or a basement area.
Remove all of the vegetation outside in the hotter months. You risk a house fire if that sits there during the heat of the summer and catches fire. Make sure your yard is clean for the sake of your safety – and that of your family!
A spare key must be carefully hidden and not in the obvious spots that a person might think. Above a door frame or under a mat are not smart ideas. Try hiding the key in your outside dog’s collar.
Police Department
Don’t allow a complete stranger to come in your home. People often think of ways to trick others into letting them in so they can steal from them. Make it a habit to only open your home’s door to people you were expecting.
Check with the police department in your town for home security tips and advice. 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. Contact the police department to see if they have something similar.
The first thing to do is get your locks changed out. Perhaps you aren’t sure who owned the home before you or maybe an old roommate has a key and never returned it. Regardless, changing the locks will ensure your security. It is generally cheap and may be done in a little under a day.
You should regularly check your home security system, regardless of how reliable you believe it is. Have a worker from the security company take a look at it. There are quite a few things that can negatively impact the effectiveness of home security equipment. For example, adverse weather conditions or pests such as raccoons can cause problems. The problem might not be obvious to you, though.
A wall is a great hiding place. Concealing small valuables in your walls is an easy and highly effective way to protect them. All you have to do is place them behind any unused phone jack, electrical outlet or switch plate. If you have no unused plates, you can put in a fake one.
Be outgoing. Converse with those living in your area. Ask them to watch your home if you are on vacation. Do not ignore gossip either. You can learn of important security information, including if strangers have been lurking.
Don’t throw away boxes for expensive or valuable items until the garbage collection day. These boxes sitting outside your home serve as a flag for thieves to target your home.
Try installing motion-sensor lights. These kinds of lights will pop right on when they detect motion near your home. You will be alerted when there is activity outside, and any potential burglars will be deterred because they do not want to be seen. Be sure to keep these lights working, though.
When you are trying to hire a home security contractor, read all the small print on your contract before signing it. 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. If you can’t avoid these types of fees, you should at least be aware of them.
Even if you’re not going to be gone long, keep your home locked. Surprisingly, lots of burglaries occur because the burglar was able to simply walk in without having to actually break in. It won’t take long for thieves to steal lots of expensive valuables.
Keep lights on at all times if you want to prevent break-ins from happening. They do not desire to be seen. When your home is lit well, the crooks have nowhere to hide, making it difficult for them to steal from you undetected. This makes it a good idea to keep the lights on.
After making major (i.e. expensive) purchases, don’t dump the packaging out front if your next scheduled garbage pick-up is several days away. Having these boxes nearby can tell robbers what kind of merchandise you’ve got in your house.
You should find out how many years of experience your home security service has. A company that’s been around for a while has proven that their service is reliable. When you know that you’re dealing with a company of some repute, you can feel more at ease making that decision.
The wiring outside of your home can be valuable. Often homeowners are unaware of this fact until they find that their wiring has been stolen. Copper, found in many wires, can be removed in little time, and is worth quite a bit of money. To keep the wiring safe, be sure that the wire is hidden from view.
Your home’s exterior needs to be well lit. Darkness allows for all sorts of nefarious activities. Add lights to any areas you believe are potential entry points for burglars. This includes doorways, windows, and your garage.
Checking out security firms online is a great idea. Many websites feature reviews, testimonials, and package details from home security services. With that information, you can make your appointments with the top three companies you’ve chosen so that you can compare pricing and look at specific monitoring and plans.
Wireless security systems are the next generation in protection. A wired system should be less expensive but you might have to spend your money on getting your home rewired. The easy of installation and maintenance when it comes to wireless set-ups makes them the best bet.
Do your landscaping keeping safety in mind. Don’t provide burglars with cover by planting big shrubs in front of your doors and windows. If they can be seen, there will be no place to hide. Utilize shrubs and trees farther away in order to add beauty to your home while keeping it safe.
Always request that your house or pet sitter remove fliers from your door. Some burglars place fliers to see if they’ll be quickly removed. If the flier is not moved, they know that the occupant is not around or on vacation.
If you plan to be away and you have another person collecting your mail, have them double check your front door for fliers. Thieves will drop off flyers to see if home owners are away. Fliers that are not removed let the burglar know that the home is vacant.
A dog is an excellent burglary deterrent system. Dogs become extremely protective of their families and bark when uneasy. There is no need for a guard dog. Even a small dog will deter intruders, who do not want a lot of noise when they commit their crimes.
It is a good idea to invest in video surveillance for your home security system. Both hidden and visible security cameras are effective in protecting your home. Visible cameras can scare intruders, and hidden ones can catch them in the act. A lot of surveillance systems are accessible using your cell phone, so you can monitor your home while you are out of town.
Ask whether or not your home security company gives you the option to lease and/or buy your equipment. While you will pay more to buy, you don’t have to keep paying for it month after month. On the other hand, while leasing is more expensive overall, it can get you a better system if you don’t have funds available immediately. Think about both options before making a decision.
There is no need to have keyed locks on interior doors. Each entrance can be fitted with a keyless lock that requires a code to enter. You can have keyless locks installed by a security company or you can do it yourself.
Don’t make an obvious or easy password for your numeric keypad lock. Your birthday is readily available for burglars to find. Use a password that you can remember but that no one else will be able to guess.
Don’t get spring latch locks. These type of locks can actually be opened by using a credit card. An intruder has only to press the card into the doorjamb between latch and the door and the lock will pop open. If this is the kind of lock on your doors, strongly consider adding a deadbolt for safety.
Are you worried about the costs of ongoing maintenance? Then, consider using a security system that is hard-wired. Wireless systems are convenient, but they require multiple sets of batteries that have to be changed out on a regular basis. Also, your home will not be protected if you neglect to use fresh batteries. Replacing batteries can get costly.
It is a mistake to assume that break-ins only happen in upscale neighborhoods. Thieves will hit any home that appears to be an easy target. If you follow the tips written in this guide, you will surely be able to protect your house from unwanted intruders.
Devote extra security to your irreplaceable possessions. Items such as family photos, passports, legal documents, expensive jewelry and financial records need to be placed at a secure location. You can buy a cheap floor safe to put these items in. For ultimate security, of course, such items can be kept in an off-site location like a bank’s safe deposit boxes.
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