Arming yourself with home security knowledge is something everyone should do. However, there is a lot of information out there on this topic, so it may seem overwhelming at first. The article that follows can provide you with essential concepts and help you create an effective home security system.
Purchase a safe to lock all of the extremely valuable items in your home in one place. This is very important, as you do not want your gold, diamonds and personal items exposed if someone were to break into your house. Keep the safe hidden in a hard-to-find location like an attic or a basement closet.
If you retain a space key for when you get locked out, consider the place you hide it carefully. People will check your doormat and frame first. You could hide the key with your dog on the collar.
Shut off phone ringers inside the home if you’re going to be gone for quite a while. 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.
Never allow a stranger to enter your home. There are some people who are very convincing and good at getting you to let them into your house. Some people want to enter your home just to see if there is a security system in place. They may be scoping the place to come back when you’re gone.
Don’t be shy. Speak to your neighbors. Keep an eye out for their houses, and request that they return the favor. You shouldn’t neglect gossip. Important security details (like the presence of strangers in your neighborhood) can come out of the most innocent conversations.
Don’t forget skylights when doing a security sweep for your home. Skylights are a wonderful addition to any home, but they also tend to be weak spots that intruders take advantage of. Check that skylights have heavy duty hardware that can stand up under unwanted tampering.
Don’t put extra keys under doormats or in planters. Remember that you are not the only one who is aware of these sorts of hiding places. Any thief knows all the typical hiding spots. Rather, give the key to a neighbor to hold.
Just moved in? Time for new locks! Regardless of how you feel about the sellers, you never know someone’s true intentions. If the previous owners have never changed the locks, there could be people out there who owned the house before them and still have keys to your house.
Always ask for references before letting a contractor or a maid in your home. Try doing a background check to look at their criminal history. You don’t know whether the contractor, maid, or repairman that you’ve hired is trustworthy and handing them your keys could be a costly mistake.
Think about safety when designing your home. Make sure that the doors and windows to your home are not covered by trees, fences, shrubs or any other type of thing. If these things can be seen by the naked eye, they won’t offer hiding places to potential criminals. This will give your home additional safety.
When your door is found ajar when you get home, call the police. This can be quite dangerous because the burglar may still be on your property. Your best bet is to call the cops and wait until they arrive before you do anything else.
Wireless alarm systems are a great investment. While systems with wires are cheaper, you have to rewire your home and worry about power outages. Wireless systems are much easier to maintain and also to install, and they are not reliant on your central power source.
Put a surveillance system in your home. Installing hidden and visible video cameras is great for securing a home. Visible cameras can deter many intruders and if they disable them, the hidden cameras can still capture footage. There are surveillance systems that you can access and check by cell phone.
When you are out of the house, your drapes and blinds should be fully closed. When they’re open, it would be easy to see no one is there. If something desirable is visible, you can expect a break in. You should also have them down when you are sleeping.
Everyone needs to learn how to keep their home secure. Still, since there is contradictory information out there, you may not be sure exactly what you need to do. Therefore, it pays to refer back to the information found above whenever you require guidance on the subject of keeping your home safe and sound.
