If you’re a single female or mother that lives alone and you don’t feel like you can defend yourself physically, the topic of home security may be a large issue for you. Rather than living in fear, you can take simple measures in order to improve your security. Read the article below to learn about home security.
Do you have a dog that stays in your yard when you’re not at home? You might consider leaving your spare key with your dog. Put the key on the dog’s collar. If you have a pet that does not trust strangers, this can help you get into your house if needed.
Is your dog outside when you are away? This is where you can put your spare key. Put it on your dog’s collar, making sure it is hidden. This is the perfect place to store a spare key, especially if your dog doesn’t care for strangers.
Don’t let strangers enter your home. Even if someone has a good story, requires help or has a great product to sell, ignore them. Some people just want to know if there is a security system so they can plan on coming back later or not.
Your flooring and roofing should be fire resistant. This can provide additional safety to the home, particularly in dry regions. Because of the amount of damage fires can cause, it is important to protect your home from them.
The first thing to do is get your locks changed out. If you have boarders, former live-in partners, or others who once had access to your home, this is especially important. Most locksmiths can accomplish the job within 24 hours.
If there are folks you don’t know or trust in your social network online, don’t let them know you are going away. This can indicate that your home will be free and vulnerable during the time.
Follow your instincts when choosing a home security company. This is very true when you feel uneasy about the person installing the system. Do not hesitate to ask for a different person to install the system or even consider hiring a different company. Your security system is supposed to help you, not cause you more stress.
Walls can be a great hiding spot. Small items of value can be hidden for safety in your home’s walls. Just open up an electrical outlet or a phone jack that is not in use. Even if every single plate in your home is being used, you can purchase a fake one purpose-built for concealing valuables.
If you bought any big or expensive things, wait until trash day to throw away the boxes. Doing so is like giving a burglar an invitation to target your home; he or she will know there is something good inside.
Don’t put your spare key in an obvious place near your front door. These seem like great places for you when you misplace your key. Intruders know about the usual hiding spots. A better option is to entrust an honest neighbor with a spare key.
There is a lot of value in copper wiring. This is something few homeowners realize until they become victims of wiring theft. The copper component of wiring is very valuable and may be stripped from the outside of your home in a fairly short amount of time. To keep the wiring safe, be sure that the wire is hidden from view.
Ask the home security companies to visit your home and design a system tailored to your needs. You need some features which other families may wish to do without. If you’ve found a company that can tailor a system to you, you can receive the greatest amount of security to make you feel much more comfortable.
If you are entering a house that has already been occupied, you should first change your locks. The previous tenant or owner may not have the keys, but you don’t know if they made copies for themselves or others. For maximum security, buy your own locks and install them yourself. This way you can be certain nobody else has a key.
Keep your home’s exterior well lit. Darkness allows for all sorts of nefarious activities. Install lights in areas where intruders might come. This can include garages, doorways, porches, and even near any windows on the ground floor.
If you are searching for ways to make your home more secure, one inexpensive way to accomplish this is to purchase exterior lights that have motion detectors. During the night hours, these lights help light up the outside of your home, which makes them an excellent addition to your home security strategies. In addition, they are very affordable. If positioned correctly on the exterior of your home, the motion detectors make it virtually impossible for an intruder to sneak onto your property.
If you see that the door is open, do not enter the house. This is a delicate situation as the burglar might still be in your home. Call the cops and let them do the initial walk through.
Always go over the small print on contracts offered by your home security company. Sometimes there are hidden costs involved if you decide to let your service go before the contract expires or add additional equipment at a later point. You can easily avoid these fees if you do your research.
Put the boxes of any expensive electronic items in your trash can so would-be burglars won’t know see them. This will show that you have expensive equipment in your home. After removing the contents from these boxes, tear or cut them up.
Keeping the home illuminated during evening hours helps keep criminals away. They prefer not to be seen. It makes it look like you are home and makes it difficult for thieves to hide. Secure your property by creating a well-lit area.
Inquire whether a security company offers variable contract lengths. Each likely has its benefits and drawbacks. A longer contract might give you a lower monthly bill, but you could be stuck with those monthly costs if you sell your home or decide to discontinue services. With a shorter contract, you will have a greater level of flexibility. The downside is you will also have larger monthly bills.
Be sure to get a home security service that will inspect your home and tailor a home security system just for you. The needs and wants of each family and the configuration of each home are quite individual. The right company will make you feel more safe and secure in your home.
When you’re not in your house, all of the window coverings (blinds, curtains, shades, or what have you) should be tightly shut. Intruders can see into your home if they are left up. It could be enticing to break in if they notice something that’s nice. You ought to turn the curtains down if you are sleeping as well.
Think about getting a home security system that is wireless. Wired systems could cost less, but they can also require intrusive electrical work inside your house and can fail when the power goes out. Systems that operate in a wireless environment can be easier to manage and are not as likely to cause extensive rewiring issues.
Never place a key in an obvious spot. It is easy to spot a fake rock. Under your doormat is also a common place burglars will look. The best strategy is to have a neighbor or good friend hold a spare key in case you need it. Otherwise, you should be more creative when it comes to hiding your key.
A paper shredder can be a good security investment. Thieves can use this information to figure out your schedule and determine the best time to break in. You can also simply tear papers with personal information into small bits before you discard them.
You should never use your birthday as the password for your numeric keypad. People can easily access your birth date in order to gain entry to your home. Make it a random number that you and your family can commit to memory.
You shouldn’t keep your car registration documents inside the glove box. This isn’t smart since anybody who gets them is going to know your address. Ideally, you should carry your registration in your wallet or bag. If you must leave them in the car, pick a less obvious hiding place. They must still be easily accessible should you be stopped by police.
Replace any non-metal or non-wood door immediately. This sort of door will deter intruders. Few people can kick down such a door. It should be possible for you to find replacements for all of your doors for a good price, so do it right away.
Devote extra security to your irreplaceable possessions. Items like passports, family photos, financial records, expensive jewelry and legal documents are best kept in a secure location. Floor safes may come in handy for this purpose. For ultimate security, of course, such items can be kept in an off-site location like a bank’s safe deposit boxes.
Find out if your alarm company offers lighting with motion sensors. Lots of companies have this, which triggers your exterior lights whenever something or someone moves near a doorway. This will make you more safe as you walk up to your house, and it can keep intruders away.
If your door is not solid wood or metal, replace it! Those materials will hold. If the burglar tries to kick their way in, they have a hard time doing so. You should be able to replace each of the exterior doors in your home for a minimal amount, so do so as soon as possible.
A home alarm investment is well worth the money, provided someone contacts 911 when it is set off. The wiser investment is in centrally monitored security systems. These alarm services ensure that the police will be called whether anyone is home or not. Don’t rely on anyone else to call.
Find out if your alarm company offers lighting with motion sensors. Lots of companies will provide this feature. Motion sensitive lighting causes your home’s outside lights to turn on whenever anyone gets too close. This makes your home safer because it warns intruders away.
Neighborhood gossip does not always have to be tedious and immature. Your neighbors will probably notice people lurking near your house when you are gone. If you make friends with them, it’ll be like having another set of eyes watching your home.
Your alarm will only work if the police are notified. You want a system that is monitored from a central location that can call the police when the alarm goes off. After all, your neighbors might not make that call just because they hear your alarm.
It’s sadly true that women who live on their own or with children are especially tempting targets for burglars and home invaders. Place big muddy boots near the front door so it looks like a male lives there. This keeps those criminals away for sure.
Common security problems in homes include sliding glass doors. Shaking the doors or even simply lifting them can unlock them. Place a pipe in the door crevice to keep the door secure. This keeps the door shut tightly and makes it difficult to force it open.
If your home uses through-window air conditioning, don’t let your AC units be a weak point. Screw them in securely or surround them with security bars. Burglars can simply slide the units out if they aren’t properly secured. Take them out in the winter, too.
Become chummy with your nosey neighbor. They will be the first one to notice any strangers lurking near your home. Stay on their good side and they will be sure to let you know if they see anything suspicious.
Making your home a safer place doesn’t necessarily take an expensive security system. You don’t need to spend tons of money to keep criminals away from your home. Follow the tips presented here to feel safe and secure in your own home.
Go straight to a home security company to buy your system rather than going through a middle man. Resellers are interested in profits, not continued long-term service relationships. When dealing directly with the company, you can rest assured that you are not paying additional fees, and also that the company will be there to continuously service your equipment.
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