You might know someone personally who has been a victim of a home burglarized at one point in the past. Home invasions continue to go up, so people should be extra vigilant about protecting their home. This article goes into detail about ways you can do to improve its security.
Any time you buy a new home, have the locks changed. It’s important to know everyone who has a key to your home. Speak with a locksmith to get a unique lock for your home. Give a key to someone you trust in case you get locked out.
Turn the ringers off on all your telephone if you will be away for a prolonged period of time. A constantly ringing phone which rings forever is a sign to burglars that you’re not home and could increase the chances of you getting robbed.
Don’t talk about your vacations on social media. Potential intruders could get a good idea of when you will be gone by monitoring what you share on social networks.
Motion sensor lights on the exterior of your home is a great investment. These lights that turn on if someone walks near your house. Make sure you keep fresh light bulbs to ensure they continue to work correctly.
You should never open your door to someone you do not know. You never know who they might be, despite their story. Create a rule where you only allow those you’ve invited to your home inside.
The first thing you’ll need to do is get your locks changed out. Whether an old roommate left or a relationship ended, this is an important step to any new situation. It is pretty cheap and the job won’t take more than a day.
You should clean your yard of vegetation and dead wood. As the summer heat rolls in, there is a higher chance that these can catch on fire, putting your home at risk. Make sure your yard is clean for the sake of your safety – and that of your family!
Replace all locks in your newly purchased home. The old owners may seem nice, but you can’t know that for sure.
It doesn’t matter how much money you spent, you should have an annual test. A security professional should visit to help with the testing process. A number of factors can cause problems with your security system, including wild animals and mother nature. You may not even know there is a problem if it is not visible.
Flashlights are important for letting you to move around if an emergency should arise. Make sure everyone in your family knows where to find them and how to operate them.
Do you live out in the country? If so, you might not be as worried about burglars breaking in as those people in the city are. Due to the distance between neighbors, some think rural areas are more likely to have intruders. Other people believe rural areas are less likely to be targeted by burglars.
It is very common for potential thieves to pretend to be company reps in order to gain access to your home. This can be extremely dangerous to your loved ones. Be very careful if you want to avoid danger.
Place your valuables in cut-outs in your walls. You do not have to damage your walls to keep your valuables safe. Many areas in your house are already accessible for this purpose. Remove the wires from an electric socket you do not use so you can hide your valuable jewelry.
Be sure to read the entire contract when you plan on signing for a security firm. There are sometimes fees if you break a contract early or need additional equipment. You should avoid these fees as much as you can; therefore, so know about them up front.
Make sure that none of your valuables can be seen from the outside. Large windows let in light and give you a great view outside, but that works both ways. If you have windows that face the street, always keep them covered and keep your valuables safe.
Use the Internet to find a new home security company.With this information, you can make your appointments with the top three companies you’ve chosen so that you can compare pricing and look at specific monitoring and plans.
Take advantage of the Internet while comparing your home security options. Read through official websites for different companies and look for reviews written by customers. Make appointments with the three best companies, and take the time to go over the details and compare them.
Ask your home security company how long they’ve been running prior to signing up.A company that’s been around for a long history has proved they can survive and provide great service is reliable. Knowing that you are not dealing with a fly by night company can keep you calm when making this important decision.
Your landscaping should be designed based on what will be safest for your home. There should be no plants or greenery in front of doors or windows. If they can be seen, people will not hide there and attempt a break-in. Utilize shrubs and trees farther away in order to add beauty to your home while keeping it safe.
The areas outside your house should be kept well lit. Burglars like the cover that night provides their criminal activities. Install a light in any area a potential intruder can use to enter your home. This means by the garage, doorways, and windows on ground floors which may invite intruders.
Whenever you purchase some expensive item, don’t place the empty boxes right outside your home. These boxes are a signal to burglars that you have something worth stealing. Break down the empty boxes whenever possible.
Although they can be very helpful, they’re not necessarily the cost-effective solution for every home. In some situations, in others you well-served with an alert dog or reinforced locking systems. Know what you can make a better decision.
Do not use spring latch locks on your doors. These type of lock is the easiest lock to pick, it could even be opened by a credit card. A thief only needs to skip the credit card in between the lock to make it open. If this is the kind of lock on your doors, strongly consider adding a deadbolt for safety.
Never enter your home if the door open. This is dangerous since the fact that the thief can still be in your property. Your best bet is to contact the authorities and wait until they arrive before you do anything else.
If you must hide your key outside, do not put it someplace obvious. Everyone knows about fake rocks. Another obvious location is underneath the doormat. This will be one of the first places that a burglar will look for your spare key. Instead, you should keep your spare keys with a trusted neighbor. If you can’t do that, you must think creatively to find a good place to keep a spare key.
Wireless home security systems are the next generation in protection. While wired systems may seem cheaper, the cost of installation can be sky high.
Consider a hard-wired security system if you are concerned about ongoing maintenance costs. Wireless set-ups need battery changes all the time. You might forget to change out the batteries, which will result in your system not operating as it should. It can also be very costly to replace many different batteries.
You can instead get key-less locks without keys that work using a code. You can even install them yourself or you can hire a home security firm.
Secure valuables that are truly irreplaceable. Irreplaceable valuables, including financial records, family photos, legal documents, passports, etc., should be secured at all times. Floor safes are great for keeping these items inside the home. A better choice is storing them outside your home in a deposit box at the bank.
Ask about the various contract durations that a home security company. Each likely has its advantages and disadvantages. Long contracts are cheaper every month, but it could leave you with a larger bill if you decide to end your service. Shorter contracts may offer greater freedom at a higher costs.
Find out if you can get motion sensitive lighting from your security company. Many providers can supply this, and it switches exterior lights on whenever anyone comes near a point of entry. Therefore, if a burglar approaches, you will know.
Don’t put your keys in obvious places. It is easy to find fake rock. The first place a person will look. A better key holder than an inanimate object. If you want to keep it at your house, try to be creative when it comes to hiding places.
A sliding glass door is not very safe. They can be unlocked very easily if you shake and lift them. If a security system isn’t attached to these doors, then insert pipe to place into the door channel. This will keep the door closed tight and harder to force open.
Anyone could get your date of birth from Facebook and could have access into your driver’s licence.
Clearly, there are a number of good reasons to have a big, loud dog. A threatening dog makes a powerful deterrent to any would-be intruder or burglar. Of course, the animal should be protective and also safe as a companion to your children or yourself. A dog with a temper may be scary, but the animal must also be friendly enough to interact with you.
Ask your security company you hire whether they offer motion sensitive lighting. This provides added security when you from having unwanted guests enter your home.
Make sure your children bring in all of their toys from the yard when they are done playing. Intruders will guess that women are living in this home. Women have expensive jewelry more often than men.
A home alarm can be a good investment. The only way to ensure this is to use a system that the police for you. You really cannot depend on your neighbors.
No matter who lived in the home before you moved in, replace the lock or rekey it. This is also true when it comes to rental homes. Ask the landlord if they can switch your locks or obtain a locksmith so that you can do it yourself.
Deadbolts that have captive keylocks are usually your wisest choice. These have a thumb latch that will keep intruders from reaching around and opening the lock via a broken window pane to reach in. When you are at home, keep the key inserted inside the lock so you can leave if there is a fire.
An excellent tool in your arsenal is video surveillance systems. Burglars with masks like you see in movies are not really the norm. Eye witness testimony alone can be overwhelming for the victim, and cameras are an effective deterrent in crime prevention. If they see a surveillance system, they will often leave.
The wiring on your home’s outside may be easily targeted by burglars or thieves. The copper from your electrical system could be traded for a valuable commodity. Conceal the wiring of your home so intruders cannot remove it or you will have to spend a lot on repairs.
Many times, someone knocks on your door claiming to need assistance only to bust it wide open when you answer. Don’t open your door to strangers or let them in your house to make a call. Simply tell them you will make that call for them while keeping your door closed. If you’re unsure about how to react, then you can always call the police.
Don’t think only expensive houses get robbed. Intruders could target your home if you have a few valuables. You can take the proper steps now to make sure you and your family feel safe and protected within your home.
Your trash plays a big role in how safe your home is. Placing empty boxes of expensive electronics or other pricey items outside tells possible thieves what you have inside your home. Always break down boxes and place them in a dark bag so people passing by your home on trash day can not see.
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