Home security is something everyone needs but few people have an efficient plan. A little bit of self-education in the field of home security can go a long way towards making your home safer and yourself a more responsible homeowner. Read on to learn what it takes to come up with a home security plan.
Once you buy a house, switch out the locks. This is because you really have no idea who has keys, and therefore access to your home. Have a locksmith install a brand new lock. Make sure you do the same thing if you lose your keys sometime.
Get a good safe to store your valuables in your home. This is vital, as you want to safeguard your valuable items in case of home burglary. The safe should be situated in an inconspicuous area of your home.
It’s important to shop around before you settle on the right security system for your home. Wild variations in pricing can exist for similar security products. Obtain quotes from a minimum of three home security companies before making a final decision.
Buy fire-resistant building materials. This will help you protect your home under all circumstances. Keeping fire hazards away is a great safety precaution since fire can cause lots of destruction.
Turn off ringers on land line phones while you are on vacation. If your phone is ringing while you are out, burglars will realize that no one is home, making your home very vulnerable to an attack during your time away.
Do not open your door for strangers. Criminals find ways to get people to open doors so they can commit crimes. You should make sure you only open the door to your home for people that you know and are expecting.
Remove all of the vegetation outside in the hotter months. This can be a fire hazard, especially if you live in an area with high heat. Keep these cleared away regularly to maintain your home’s safety and to keep it in good shape.
Local Police
Determine what sort of home protection services or programs the local police department has to offer. They may offer things such as home inspections, engraving tool loans, and other guidance about securing your house. Discuss these programs with a local police officer to see if they’re available in your area.
If you do not reside in a big city, you may not worry as much about home burglaries. People who live in the country may even be more vulnerable because they do not have nearby neighbors. Others feel rural residents have a lower risk of being burglarized.
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. This can be extremely dangerous to your home and loved ones. Proceed with caution.
When searching for methods of improving your home’s security, a great, inexpensive method of doing this is purchasing exterior lights with installed motion detectors. In the evening, lights will help keep your home safe, and will add little in the way of extra expense. Whenever you properly position these lights, they will make it almost impossible for burglars to sneak in.
Ask the home security company about how long they’ve been running prior to signing up. Many years of service bode well for the company’s performance. Being in the hands of a good company helps you have peace about your decision.
If you are going to be out of town for more than a day or so, have someone check your mailbox and door for mail and fliers. Sometimes burglars leave fliers in an attempt to see if anyone is home to remove them. If it stays where they put it, they will know you are on vacation.
Are your house numbers visible from the street? If an emergency occurs, the police will not be able to find your home as quickly if these numbers are too small or are obscured in some way. Luckily, this is an issue that can be fixed quickly.
It is crucial that home security is taken seriously, however it is a topic that many people are not familiar with. This is a subject which all homeowners should know about intimately. Keep this article handy and refer to it as necessary.