Your home should be a place where you and your family can feel safe. That includes when they’re not at home. Reading the following article is a great way to learn how you can keep your home safe and secure.
Your faithful dog makes a great hiding spot for a spare key. Of course, your dog has to be an outdoor dog (or you at least need to have a doggy door) for this to work. Put a key on the dog’s collar so you have access to it when necessary!
Your dog can actually safeguard a spare key. This approach is useful if your dog is a large breed that lives outdoor, or if your house has a doggy door. Store a spare key within your dogs collar so you always have access to your home.
Is your dog kept outside when you are away? He or she is actually a great place to store your spare key. Put it on your dog’s collar, making sure it is hidden. This is an especially good idea if your dog doesn’t like strangers, and gives you easy access to get in your home.
Does your dog like to play in your yard? You could let your dog carry a spare key. Fasten the key to your dog’s collar to hide it from view. If you have a pet that does not trust strangers, this can help you get into your house if needed.
Get a safe to protect your valuable items. This will keep your stash of diamonds, gold and other valuable items out of view and inaccessible to burglars. Keep your safe in a hard-to-get-to place, such as a basement closet or your attic.
Purchase ceiling, flooring and roofing that is fire resistant. This will give your home added security. Investing in fire-resistant materials will help you save a lot since a fire can cause extensive damage.
When placing your spare key outside for emergencies, give careful consideration to where you put it. Above doors or under doormats are much too common to hide them and potential criminals will check them first. Try to find somewhere less obvious.
Turn the ringer off on your telephone if you are going to be away. Intruders might be attracted by a phone that rings constantly without anyone picking up.
During the summer, remove all vegetation and dead wood from your yard. These can quickly become fire hazards when hit by direct sunlight, placing your house at risk. Keep your family and your house protected by regularly clearing out your yard waste.
Don’t put your extra key under you doormat, in a planter, or in a cleverly disguised false rock. You might think that you are providing yourself a safe way into the house if you misplace your keys, but you are really inviting attackers inside. Thieves know about all these hiding spots. Ask a friend, neighbor or relative to keep your extra keys for you.
See if your local police department offers any home inspection or other protection programs. They often offer home inspections, seminars and even the ability to purchase items. Speak with the police in your area to see if they have these things.
Flashlights in your home should always have newer batteries if your power goes out. They will help you get around in case your entire home is dark. Be sure everyone in your family is aware of the location of emergency flashlights.
Be outgoing. Introduce yourself to your neighbors. Ask them to keep an eye on your home, and do the same thing for them. You never want to ignore gossip. You might hear helpful information, for instance if strangers have been hanging around.
Whenever you sign with a home-security company, it is important that you thoroughly read the contract. Look out for hidden charges and surprises, especially if you need to cancel the contract early. Be aware of these particular fees so you can steer clear of them.
Try installing motion-sensor lights. The motion sensors turn on the lights whenever anyone approaches your home. These lights will not only let you know when someone gets too close, they will also stop potential burglars from breaking in. After all, burglars don’t want anyone to know they are there. Just remember that you must change the bulbs often in order to keep the lights working in order.
One of the best things you can do to protect your home at night is to deter intruders with plenty of exterior lighting. They want to avoid being seen. With a well-lit home, thieves cannot hide or break in unnoticed. Keep lights on during the night.
When dealing with companies that install home security systems, it’s important to trust your gut. Don’t hire anyone who makes you uncomfortable. Don’t hesitate to request a different technician or to hire a new company altogether. 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.
The Internet is your friend when searching for a home security company, so you should use it wisely. Look at many websites and read customer reviews about the various services. With this information, you can contact the companies you feel comfortable with and compare the rates to each other.
Consider hiding valuables within your walls. You don’t have to cut pieces out of the walls. Find a place where there is already a hole to get in through. What about un-wiring an electrical socket which isn’t used to utilize as a cover to hide your jewelry?
Have home-security companies come to your home so they can design the best possible system for it. Each customer wants certain things as far as home security goes. If you are able to secure a company willing to tailor a system to your needs, there is a good chance that you will be satisfied.
Have your home security company inspect your home and suggest safety improvements. Each situation is different. When you choose a company that pays close attention to detail in creating your home security plan, you will feel very secure.
If you get home and notice an open door, do not go in to see what has happened. This can be dangerous since the intruder might still be on the property. Call the authorities and let them take care of the situation.
Keep the outside areas of your home well lit. Criminals like to blend into the shadows, so do your best not to provide too many for them. Install lights in areas where intruders might come. This means by the garage, in the doorways, around windows and much more.
You now have some of the best advice regarding home security. How do you plan to use this advice in your house? Implement the ideas discussed here and continue learning all you can about home security, so you can always feel secure that your home and loved ones are protected.
If you will be going out of time, have someone you trust get your mail. Also, have them look for fliers stuck in your door. Some burglars place fliers to see if they’ll be quickly removed. If the flier is not taken down, the burglar assumes the homeowner is not in town.