If you have valuables like jewelry, art or lots of money, don’t assume that only you know about it. Guard against burglaries by bolstering your security strategy. Learn how to make a safer home by reading these tips.
Check around for prices, reputation, and reliability when choosing a home security provider. Several different firms may offer similar protection for wildly divergent prices. Get quotes from no less than three companies before choosing the best one.
Always make your house appear to be occupied. Buy timers so that lights, radios, TVs and all other electronics turn on and off at various times. This helps to create the illusion that someone is presently at home. This is an excellent technique that helps avoid robberies while keeping the property safe.
Secure your attached garage. You can prevent this from happening easily. Try putting a C-clamp on your garage door track. This will stop the door from rising if you want to keep it closed.
After getting a new home, make sure to change its locks. You never know how many copies of the keys the previous owners made and handed out. Find a good locksmith who can replace the lock and make a few copies of your key. Also, if you ever lose your keys, do the same.
Do not choose a home alarm system that monitors only your doors. All of your windows are possible entry points for a thief too. Every single entry point needs to have monitoring on it. With this method, your family will be safer.
Only provide your house cleaner with a key if you trust him or her implicitly. Be sure to check out the background of any housekeeper you plan to provide with a key to your home. Carefully check their references. If applicable, call the BBB to inquire about their reputation.
Make sure to have flashlights with fresh batteries in all rooms within your house in the event of a power outage. If the lights go out, they will ensure everyone stays safe. Your kids should know how to work the flashlights so that everyone can help.
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 very important, as you do not want your gold, diamonds and personal items exposed if someone were to break into your house. The safe should be kept hidden in a basement or attic.
Always go over the small print on contracts offered by your home security company. You need to find out about hidden costs, such as cancellation fees in case you want to cancel your contract before it expires. You are going to want to avoid these kinds of hidden fees, so know about them up front.
If you’re going on a trip for an extended period of time, switch the ringer off on all home phones. A loud ring that goes unanswered can alert people to the fact that you aren’t home. This makes you more likely to be the victim of a burglary.
It’s smart to use the Internet when you are looking for a good security company for your home. Look at many websites and read customer reviews about the various 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.
In the summer, remove vegetation and dead wood from your yard. These can be fire hazards and can cause damage to your home. To make sure your home is safer, clear your yard periodically.
Think about safety when designing your home. Your doors and windows should not be obstructed by shrubs or fences. This makes it where people can’t hide in different nooks and crevices. This will give your home additional safety.
Put up motion activated lighting. They will illuminate your property if they sense any movement near your home. You will receive advance warning of any potential issues, and a would-be intruder will probably be scared off. Just remember that you must change the bulbs often in order to keep the lights working in order.
The outside of your house should be well lit. Criminals like to blend into the shadows, so do your best not to provide too many for them. Be sure and have a light next to any entry point in your home. Some examples include first story windows, garages, doorways and porches.
Err on the side of caution when you are dealing with home security. Perpetual fear is not some place you want to live, so take precautions. Keep this advice in mind to provide you and your family with protection.
Think about getting a wireless security system for the home. Wired systems might be a bit less expensive, but they often involve intrusive rewiring of your home, and can become faulty during a power outage. Wireless systems don’t need your home’s power in order to properly work. In addition, they can be usually be installed and maintained easier.