It is a homeowner’s job to do everything they can to keep their homes safe. While you may think the only thing you have to do is get an alarm system put into your home, there are other steps that can be equally effective. Read on to find out more about keeping your house.

Don’t make a habit of giving strangers access to your house. Even if their story is compelling, this warning remains true. This person might just be casing the first rule of keeping your home security equipment.

Let a house cleaner have your keys only if they can provide you with references so you can verify their trustworthiness. 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. Ask for references and check them thoroughly. If you hire a cleaner who works for a company, speak with your local BBB about the company’s reliability.

You should never want to open your door to a stranger without proper identification. People try many ways to trick others to open up their doors so they can steal from them. Make a house rule forbidding anyone to open the door to people who you were expecting.

There is a solution for people that are worried about burglars going into their home through the garage. You can use a C-clamp to stop the door and prevent it from being opened.

Does your canine stay in the yard while you go out? Use him or her to help hide your spare key! Put the key on the dog’s collar. This works especially well as storage if your pet isn’t too fond of strangers.

It doesn’t matter how much money you spent, at least once a year.Get a security firm to inspect it. You might be unaware of problems if they aren’t easily sighted.

Talk to the people who live in your neighbors.

Purchase a safe to lock all of the extremely valuable items in your home in one place. If a burglar enters your home, he or she will have a hard time making off with your possessions. Keep your safe in a hard-to-get-to place, such as a basement closet or your attic.

This is particularly true if you’re not quite sure about the actual system. Don’t hesitate asking for another technician or to hire a new company altogether. The system is to make yourself feel at ease.

The walls of your home make for great hiding place. You can hide small valuables within your walls.You can use the opening provided by an electrical switch plate or electric outlets as hiding spots. You put in a fake unused plates.

Do not open your door for anyone you don’t know. Nowadays, people invent many stories of why they should come in. For instance, they may say they need to call a mechanic or the police. However, their true intent is to rob you. Make it a habit to only open your home’s door to people you were expecting.

Don’t hide an extra key under doormats or in planters. These are the first places criminals will look when you misplace your key. Burglars are familiar with these hiding places.

Most real-world burglars aren’t master lock-breakers; they simply stroll in through a door is left open and an intruder just walks in. Thieves can make off with large amounts of your belongings very quickly.

When securing your home, don’t forget about skylights. Skylights are excellent for beauty and light, but it’s easy for burglars to gain access to your home through them. Having heavy duty, reliable hardware is best when it comes to skylights.

Replace all locks in your newly purchased home. While the person that previously had the home may seem okay, you have no idea who they really are.

Keeping your house bright during the night hours is an excellent way to prevent thieves. They prefer not desire to be seen. Keep your lights shining brightly at night.

Make sure that none of your valuables can be seen from the outside. While it may be nice to look out, burglars will see your valuables inside. You should cover any windows that are facing the street so your valuables will be safe.

Landscape your home with an eye to safety. If you have them visible, there will be no place to hide. This should be planned in advance for your home additional safety.

Never enter your house if you arrive and find the door is open or something doesn’t feel right. This can be quite dangerous because the thief may still be on your property. Your best bet is to call the cops and wait outside for them to get there.

Change all of the locks in your new residence. Even though the person who sold your home to you may seem honest, you simply can’t know for certain. Bear in mind that other people may have lived in the home before the previous owner.

If you plan to be away and you have another person collecting your mail, ask a friend to take a look at your door for any fliers. Thieves will drop off flyers to see if people are home to take them down.

Don’t leave the boxes of any high priced electronics on your house. Burglars will see these boxes and realize that there are valuable things in your home for them to get. Cut the box up and hide the garbage truck comes to put it out.

If you are moving into a new home, change the locks right away. Although other tenants might not have a key anymore, they could have copied it. You can also put the locks on yourself so you can be sure no one else has a key.

Your precious pooch is one of your home security weapons. Dogs protect your home by barking when something is afoot. It is not necessary to have to be a big tough dog. Even tiny dogs can keep intruders away since they don’t want lots of noise when committing crimes.

Ask about the various contract lengths offered by a home security company may offer. There are sure to be both good points and cons in each contract. Longer contracts may create a lower bill per month, you may have to continue paying the bill even if you move or discontinue with their services. Shorter contracts may offer greater freedom along with higher costs.

Before letting someone from a security company into a house, get some sort of official identification. Potential burglars can easily claim they are security company representatives so that they can enter your home. Intruders could disguise themselves as home security representatives to inspect your current security system. Act cautiously to avoid potential dangers.

Spring Latch Locks

Don’t fit your exterior doors with locks of the spring latch locks. These are the easiest for criminals to open with something as common as a credit card. Intruders just have to slide a credit card in between the latch and door for the door. Add a deadbolt if you do not want to replace your spring latch locks for maximum security.

Always get references from anyone you are considering hiring to do work inside your home. Do not hesitate to hire someone to run a background check if you have doubts. You can’t always be sure that maids, service workers or contractors are honest, and therefore giving out keys can be a big error.

You should not keep your auto registration papers in the glove box. This is not wise since anybody who gets them is going to know your address. Keep them on you or hide them elsewhere.You must have easy access to them if you should be pulled over.

Anyone can easily get your date of birth from a Facebook profile or your driver’s licence.

When you consider a security company, be certain you read the details and fine print of the contract you’re about to sign. Sometimes there are hidden costs involved if you decide to let your service go before the contract expires or add additional equipment at a later point. Be aware of these particular fees so you can steer clear of them.

Sliding doors can be a huge security problem in lots of homes. They can be unlocked very easily if jiggling. This keeps the door closed tight and makes it difficult to force it open.

Always change your locks on a new home. This applies to purchases and rentals, so be sure you talk to any landlord about getting the locks switched, or change the locks on your own.

There are wireless systems available for home security, as another option. A wired system might cost less, but they can require extensive rewiring work and may be rendered useless if the power fails. On the other hand, wireless systems use their own power and have easier installations.

Having read the information presented here, you are ready to make your home safe and secure. While it may seem like this is all complicated and a bit of a hassle, it is absolutely necessary if you want to keep your family safe from harm. Let the advice you’ve received here help.