Are you extremely concerned about home security? Do the large home security companies seem outside of your range price-wise? Is it your hope to find something more affordable? The security solutions you need may be just around the corner, waiting to make you and your home safer. This article has some cheap home security tips.
Change the locks after buying a new house. You don’t know the exact number of copies of that key the previous owners have or have handed out. To make sure you’re the only person that can get into your home, contact a locksmith. Also, you can contact a locksmith if you ever misplace your keys.
Is your dog outside when you are away? They can help you with your spare key. Put the key on the dog’s collar. If your dog does not like strangers, this can help ensure consistent access to the house.
Solicit word of mouth recommendations from friends, colleagues and family members to find a great home security company or system. Your friends have gone through both bad and good experiences and they will be able to share them with you. Spending a few days asking for reviews is useful in helping you choose correctly.
There are more features to a home alarm system besides making sounds when people break in. Some give offer the option to monitor all entries into the house. This is a good way to know if your small child has opened a door or closed it.
Don’t allow a complete stranger to come in your home. You have no way of knowing if the stranger on the other side of the door wishes to do you harm. Create the rule that you just open a door to people that you expect to arrive.
Buy a safe to keep all of your valuables in one place at home. This ensures during a break in that the most important things are not stolen. Keep the safe hidden in a hard-to-find location like an attic or a basement closet.
Your home security system ought to be checked each year. Ask someone who works at the security company to do a maintenance check. Wild animals, domestic pets, and weather are all factors that can affect the reliability of your home security system. You might not even discover these problems if they aren’t easily sighted.
Garage Door
Install lights that use a motion-sensor. If someone enters their proximity, they will light automatically. Then you will know someone is present, and if the person is a burglar, he or she will be very likely to turn around and leave. Just remember that you must change the bulbs often in order to keep the lights working in order.
You need to be sure the attached garage of yours is secure. Intruders can enter your home through an unlocked garage door. Try putting a C-clamp on your garage door track. This will stop the door from rising if you want to keep it closed.
Your risks of being the target of home intruders really doesn’t depend on the area in which you live. There are some who believe country folk are more at risk because neighbors are not nearby. Others hold that burglars are not as likely to target rural areas.
Remove old plants and debris from your yard. This sort of thing is a fire hazard in the heat of summer. Clear up your yard so it looks good and is safe.
Get creative and hide valuables inside your walls. You do not have to damage your walls to keep your valuables safe. There should be pre-cut spaces throughout your home that will suffice. Perhaps you can use an old electricity socket as a place to hide your valuables.
Determine what sort of home protection services or programs the local police department has to offer. Many have quite a few helpful programs that you take, like on self-defense or other things related to your home. Call and see what is available.
Don’t give outside people the ability to see into your home. While it may be nice to look out, burglars will see your valuables inside. Keep your windows covered and your belongings private.
End your shyness. Talk to the people who live in your neighborhood. Look out for their property, and see if they will look out for yours. It’s best to be in on any rumors in the area. It is often a good way to find out about security issues, such as strangers in the neighborhood.
Regardless of how long you think you’ll be gone, make sure to lock your doors. A lot of times, burglaries happen due to carelessness. A thief could steal all your valuables in only a few minutes.
Have lights that are motion-sensor installed. They will illuminate your property if they sense any movement near your home. These lights will make you aware of, and can also scare off, potential burglars. Just do not forget to replace the bulbs periodically to keep them functioning at all times.
If you are new into a house, replace all the locks. While the person you bought the home from may seem on the up and up, you have no idea who they really are. Aside from that, other people lived in the home even before the ones from whom you purchased the home.
If your home has skylights, don’t neglect to secure them. Skylights are commonly used by thieves to enter a home. Check that skylights have heavy duty hardware that can stand up under unwanted tampering.
Always check references before letting anyone work on your home. You should do a background check as well to find out their criminal history. You might not know that the maid or contractor entering your home is a crook, and this could be a very bad mistake.
Valuable Items
Motion-sensitive exterior lighting is a must. In the dark hours, these lights will provide the illumination necessary to protect your home and also save money by staying off when they’re not needed. Whenever you properly position these lights, they will make it almost impossible for burglars to sneak in.
Do not let people on the street see valuable items in your home. Large windows let in a lot of light, but they also allow outsiders to see inside your living space. Keep your curtains drawn to keep your valuable items safe.
Keeping the home illuminated during evening hours helps keep criminals away. They do not want to be seen. With a well lit home there is no place for burglars to conceal themselves. Keep those lights shining brightly at night.
Always ask for references before letting a contractor or a maid in your home. Try doing a background check to look at their criminal history. 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.
Make sure the outside of the house is well lit. Burglars like committing crimes in the darkness. Install a light in any area a potential intruder can get into your home. This includes porches and doorways, the garage, as well as ground floor windows, which can invite an intruder.
You should think about getting a home security system that is wireless. While the wired systems are less expensive, they usually mean rather intrusive wiring for your house, which can also go out during power outages. On the other hand, wireless systems use their own power and have easier installations.
If you come home and see your door ajar, never investigate it alone. A thief might still be in there, which could put you in danger. Go to a neighbor’s or another safe area and call the police.
Don’t give anyone an opportunity to see inside your garage in order to ward off robbers. Be sure and shade your windows with window frosting, something that you can purchase at any hardware store, so as to keep people from looking in your house. Never leave the front door open for very long.
If you purchase a new, pricey electronic like a TV or computer, don’t leave the empty box near your curb. A burglar sees this as an invitation to procure the item themselves. Remember to cut up or break down those boxes and take them to the recycling center.
Home security does depend on what exactly you can afford. When you are unable to afford these measures, however, this shouldn’t mean you can’t have peace of mind. This article should have presented a number of tips that you can use to make your home more secure. This will help you set up a great fortification in and around your home.
If you often turn your lights off/on around the same time, consider using a timer. This makes it easier for you as you won’t have to flip the switch, but it also ensures the lights continue to go on and off, even if you’re not at home for a long period of time.