All homeowners want a safe and secure home, but it is often hard to know how to attain that goal. Knowledge is the key to a secure living space. The following article will give you some great tips regarding home security and how it can benefit you.
Why not give your trusted dog the job of holding onto your spare key? This will only be ideal if you have a dog door or an outdoor dog. Put a key on the dog’s collar so you have access to it when necessary!
A home security system has other features in addition to sounding an alarm when there is a break-in. Most of them can be programmed to alert you to anyone entering your home. If you have little ones wandering about the house, this makes it easy for you to know if they have come in or gone out.
Consider the advice of your friends when selecting your home security company. Most will be willing to share their likes, loves and loathes, especially as they realize how important it is to you. Make broad inquiries so that you are able to make a well-informed decision.
Turn the ringers off on all your phones if you will be away for a prolonged period of time. 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.
Don’t be shy. Build up a rapport with the people who own homes close to yours. Ask them to watch your home if you are on vacation. You shouldn’t neglect gossip. You will learn a lot from your neighbors, including details about recent break ins in the area and the shady individuals they noticed.
An extremely important tactic for keeping your home safe is changing out the locks. This could be an ex-spouse or roommate you got into a fight with. It is usually inexpensive and can be done in less than 24 hours.
When moving into a previously owned home, change the locks. The previous tenants may have returned the keys, but they could have a copy. You can purchase and install locks yourself to make sure only you have the key.
When you are trying to hire a home security contractor, read all the small print on your contract before signing it. 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.
Have home-security companies come to your home so they can design the best possible system for it. There are always going to be unique things about your home as well as your specific needs, so make sure you think about these things. A custom set-up will make sure you’re as safe as can be.
Make sure the outside of the house is well lit. Criminals like to blend into the shadows, so do your best not to provide too many for them. The most important parts of your home to light are all of its potential access points. This includes porches and doorways, the garage, as well as ground floor windows, which can invite an intruder.
What do you need to personally feel safe? Some systems aren’t necessary for some, while others may have a need for them. Some neighborhoods would feel be safe enough if you knew basic self defense or had a large dog. Before you sink a lot of money into your home’s security, make sure that you’re properly addressing your particular risks.
Empty Boxes
Don’t leave empty boxes for big-ticket purchases outside on your curb. If the burglars see the empty boxes, then they will realize you have the items in your home. As a result, they’ll be more likely to break in so they can steal it. After removing the contents from these boxes, tear or cut them up.
Are your house numbers visible from the street? It is important for the authorities to find your address in the event of an emergency. Luckily, this is a quick and inexpensive fix if you notice that there is a problem.
Even though it’s a vitally important subject for virtually any homeowner, many of them don’t know as much about home security as they should. Anyone with a family to protect and possessions to safeguard can benefit from a bit of extra security know-how. Use the advice from this article to help beef up your own home security.