Your home should be a place where you and your family can feel safe. People need to be able to come home to a safe place. You can get really good advice and a host of quality tips in the following article, and if you want to know how to protect your home then keep reading.
Make sure your home appears occupied. Put timers on the TV, lights and radios. This will give the appearance that someone is at your house at all times. It is also another way to secure your home.
Only allow maids and cleaning services to have a key to the house if they are known to be trustworthy. 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. Check their references very carefully. If applicable, call the BBB to inquire about their reputation.
Do you keep your dog outside if you leave the home? They may provide you with a useful place to hide your key. Stash the key on the pup’s collar to keep it out of sight. If your dog does not like strangers, this can help ensure consistent access to the house.
Make sure you have a safe to keep valuable items in one place. If an intruder breaks into your home, at least these valuables will be secure. Put the safe somewhere difficult to get to, like the attic.
When looking for a system to secure your home, do comparison shopping. Prices vary significantly, even for similar levels of protection. Make sure to obtain quotes from a minimum of three companies prior to deciding on a final one.
Don’t use social media to announce that you will be gone for an extended period of time. While you may want to shout it from the rooftops, you’re letting everyone know that your home will be vacant and easy to rob.
Do not let people you don’t know in your house. No matter what the excuse the person presents, keep them from entering your home. Some people will knock on your door simply to see whether you have a security system.
Police Department
Talk to your local police department about what they offer. Many police departments offer programs that can include home inspections, home security training and more. Contact the police department to see if they have something similar.
Regardless of the quality of your home security system, you need to have it checked each year. Have a worker from the security company take a look at it. Wild animals or plain old nature can wreak havoc on your home security system. You might be unaware of problems that arise in some cases.
Hide your valuables in the walls. Jewelry and other small items can be protected very well when placed in hiding places in your walls. You could use a phone jack, electrical outlet or a switch plate. If you’re using all your outlets, you can install phony ones.
Don’t ever put your spare key under your doormat or in a planter. These seem like great places for you when you misplace your key. Thieves aren’t stupid and also know common hiding spots. Ask a friend, neighbor or relative to keep your extra keys for you.
Entry Points
A good home security system monitors all entry points to your home. Intruders can enter through your windows too. Be sure your home alarm covers all entry points into your home. This helps ensure your family stays safe.
If you’ve just gotten a home, replace every lock. Although you may trust the previous homeowner, you cannot be 100% sure of their character. Aside from that, other people lived in the home even before the ones from whom you purchased the home.
The number one thing you must do if you’re moving into a new place is have the locks changed. Previous tenants may have given the keys back to the landlord, but it is always possible to make copies of keys. You can change the locks yourself if you’re feeling really industrious.
Invest in a good paper shredder. Thieves often look through garbage, trying to find credit card information or other important documents. If you don’t want a shredder, rip the papers up manually.
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. Some burglars place fliers to see if they’ll be quickly removed. The more flyers pile up or the longer they are there, the more likely it is that the house is empty.
When it comes to expert advice, you now have a plethora of choices at your disposal. Make good use of what you have learned. Continue investigating the many options open to you until you find the right system for your needs.
