Every homeowner needs to understand how they can keep their home and family secure. Sadly, burglaries in people’s homes are becoming increasingly common, and other things like fire or floods can harm your home.Read on to learn how you family is safe from outside threats.

Do you let your dog outdoors when you go out? Your dog is an excellent place for your spare key.Put the key on their collar. This works especially well as storage if the dog does not take kindly to strangers.

You can hide your spare key on your dog. Of course, your dog has to be an outdoor dog (or you at least need to have a doggy door) for this to work. Place a spare key on the collar, and when you really need a spare, you know where to go!

Buy a small home safe to keep all of your valuables in one place at home. The safe should be kept hidden in an inconspicuous area of your home.

They are a fire hazard during warmer months. Clear up your yard often if you want to prevent a fire from starting.

Does your dog stay outside while you are gone? If so, you can use your dog to hide your spare key. You can attach your key to your dog’s collar in order to keep the key hidden. This works especially well as storage if your pet isn’t too fond of strangers.

Police Department

See if your area police department offers any home inspection or other protection programs. They may offer neighborhood watch programs, home inspections, and other guidance about securing your house. Contact your local police department to find out if they have something similar.

If you want to have a spare key close to your house in order to prevent lockouts, make sure you give its hiding place some careful thought. Common places to hide a spare key are above your door frame or underneath your doormat. Therefore, thieves are more likely to check these places out first. A better place to keep your key is inside your outside dog’s collar.

Put motion-sensor lights into your house. These lights turn on if someone walks too closely to your home. Make sure you regularly change the light bulbs in your motion activated lights so that they continue to work correctly.

Some people feel that rural dwellers have greater risk since their neighbors live farther away. Others think that burglars are not as likely to target rural areas.

You never want to open up a door to a stranger without proper identification. Nowadays, thieves are creative when thinking of ways to get homeowners to open a door and let them in. You should only open the door to people you were expecting.

Security System

Hide your security system. Intruders can easily disable your home security system if they see the wires. This can make you much safer.

No matter how good your security system is, it should be checked annually. Ask a qualified worker who specializes in security systems to take a look. There are many reason why a home security system can have problems, and it might be the weather or wild animals that cause it to malfunction. The problem might not be obvious to you, though.

Flashlights are important for letting you move around in an emergency. Teach everyone in your children how to properly use the flashlights so all family members can see and help each other.

Be certain to read the fine print to any contracts you hire a home security firm. There could be fees if you break a contract early or acquiring additional equipment down the road. You want to avoid as many of these fees as you can, so make sure you are aware of them.

Don’t be shy. Talk to your neighbors and those on your block. Ask them to look after your home, and in return, look out for theirs. It does not necessarily pay to steer clear of gossip. You will learn a lot from your neighbors, including details about recent break ins in the area and the shady individuals they noticed.

Thieves can often find the trash cans in search of personal information about potential victims. You can tear your documents up by hand before you discard them.

If you plan to be away and you have another person collecting your mail, have someone check your mailbox and door for mail and fliers. Burglars often put fliers as a means to see if anyone is home to remove them.

Changing your locks first can help make your home much more secure. Changing the locks will ensure that you are the only one who knows the combination. It shouldn’t cost too much, and the process can be completed very quickly.

Your dog is a great tool for protecting your home security weapons. Dogs can be extremely protective of their families and bark when something is afoot. It doesn’t need to be a big tough dog.Even tinier canines can keep intruders with enough noise.

Don’t hide your key in obvious hiding place. It is easy to spot a fake rocks.The thief will likely look is under the mat before anything else. A friend or neighbor can be a much better plan is to ask someone you trust to keep your extra key in case you need it.If you cannot do that, find a spot that’s not obvious.

When choosing an alarm system, consider one that offers protection for more than just your doors. Your windows are also points of entry for burglars. Therefore, ensure the windows have an attached alarm. All potential entry points should have an alarm. This is the pinnacle of safety.

Anyone can easily get your birthday from Facebook profile or your driver’s licence.

Women living alone or along with children are the most likely targets for home invasion. Place something masculine in the front door so it looks like a male lives there.This can deter criminals from going into your home for a robbery.

Be certain your wires are hidden, if you have installed a security system in your home. An intruder can cut the wires or disconnect them and avoid the system. To provide maximum security, wiring should be laid underground or installed safely within the walls of your house. This will help to deter intruders that are looking to quickly disable your alarm system.

Having a dog that has a loud bark is helpful.Burglars would not want risk being attacked or bitten.

Buy a security system straight from the manufacturer.Re-sellers are really looking to make a buck, and they likely won’t offer you any guarantees.

Make sure your flashlights have charged batteries and are found throughout your home. Flashlights are very important, as they will give you the ability to move around in the event of an emergency. Train your kids how to use flashlights so that all members of the family can contribute.

The external wiring on your home’s outside can be easy pickings for thieves. The copper in components and wiring is being sold for a good price.Conceal the wiring of your home to keep copper thieves from stripping it and leaving you with a lot on repairs.

Always change the keys and locks when you move in.This goes for both rentals and purchased homes, so make sure you hire someone to help, or do it on your own.

After moving into a pre-owned apartment or home, change the locks. The previous tenant or owner may not have the keys, but you don’t know if they made copies for themselves or others. You can purchase and install locks yourself to make sure only you have the key.

Video surveillance systems are a great job deterring invaders. Burglars don’t wear masks like you see in movies. Many people who burglarize homes don’t cover their face because they have no intention of ever being seen.

Search for a company that offers you more than a home security system. Great companies visit homes and make specific recommendations. This could include additional locks, trimming back some bushes or installing windows that are more secure.You need to ensure that the firm really takes its work seriously, and any company that discusses these things with you really cares.

Make sure that the person analyzing your home for a home security system is who he says. Thieves can pass themselves as workers, which can end up in a robbery of your home. This is dangerous to your valuables and your family. Be very careful with who you let into your home.

Your home’s security depends on your trash is. If you leave the empty boxes of your newly purchased expensive electronics equipment sitting on your curb, a burglar will take not of the boxes you’ve thrown away. Even a simple appliance can signal intruders that you’ve got money and that you’re a thief.

Keep valuable objects away from windows.If no one can see that it is there, they are less vulnerable to burglars.

Before you let any strangers enter your home, be sure you look over their references. Conduct background checks if necessary. You need to be very careful with the contractors, repairmen or maids you trust with being alone in your home.

Make sure that your home’s smoke alarms are interconnected. These particular alarms are all linked with one another. When one goes off, the others will be as well.This will help ensure that you more confidence with the alarm if there ever is a fire in your home. The sooner you know about the issue, the more quickly you can eliminate the danger.

Every homeowner needs to take the necessary precautions to protect their home and property from potential threats like thieves or vandals. Ideally, you’ve picked up quite a few useful security hints from the preceding article. Give all of them a try in order to make your home as safe as it can be.

When hiring a home security company, make sure to read the fine print on the contract you are signing. There could be fees for terminating the contract early or acquiring additional equipment down the road. You should avoid these fees as much as you can; therefore, you need to know of their existence.