You probably know someone personally who has had his home burglarized at one point in the past. This crime is becoming more common, so you need to be vigilant. Homes can be broken into anywhere, at any time. This article discusses strategies for increasing your home’s security.
Make sure your home appears occupied. Purchase timers for electronics, lights, radios and TVs so that they will turn on and off at varied intervals. This way, it will appear that you are at home. This will help to deter burglars.
After you buy your new house, get new locks. You never know how many copies of the keys the previous owners made and handed out. To ensure that you are the only one who has access to your house, call a locksmith. This is also a good idea in the event that you misplace your keys.
Only give your house key to a professional house cleaner if you trust them. Make sure you know they are legitimate before giving out the key. Be sure to make sure their references check out. If the person is an employee of a firm, call your local BBB to check their reputation.
Home security systems have different kinds of features that can sound an alarm when someone breaks into your house. Most systems could sound an alarm when someone enters the home. This can be useful if you’ve got small children that are able to open doors.
Buy a small home safe that you can use to keep your valuables in. This is important, since you don’t want your valuables exposed to a potential intruder. Be sure to put your safe in an out of the way place like the basement, attic or under the floorboards.
Rid the outside of your home from dead wood, vegetation and overgrowth during the summertime. Due to the heat, these items in your yard are more likely to catch on fire. As a result, your home could be caught on fire. Clear your yard often if you want to prevent a fire from starting.
Is your garage used for storage? Consider removing those items and keeping your car there instead. It will be far more secure against thieves. Keeping the car inside is a good way to keep criminals from stealing or harming it. This can also keep people from knowing your schedule.
Use motion sensor lights. These lights turn on if someone walks closely to your house. Then you will know someone is present, and if the person is a burglar, he or she will be very likely to turn around and leave. Just do not forget to replace the bulbs periodically to keep them functioning at all times.
Rural Areas
Those living in rural areas often don’t worry as much about intruders compared to city dwellers. Due to the distance between neighbors, some think rural areas are more likely to have intruders. Some people, though, believe that you will not be at risk for a burglary.
Keep your most valuable possessions inside your walls. You needn’t tear down your walls to do this. There are many locales that are already around your home. What about un-wiring an electrical socket which isn’t used to utilize as a cover to hide your jewelry?
Keep valuables out of sight of windows. It may be great to have large windows with a view, but this means that people can look in. Keep your windows covered and your belongings private.
Even if you’re not going to be gone long, keep your home locked. Surprisingly, lots of burglaries occur because the burglar was able to simply walk in without having to actually break in. Thieves can make off with large amounts of valuable merchandise very quickly.
If you don’t own a paper shredder, get one. Thieves are likely to steal documents that include your personal information if they can find them. If a paper shredder is not in your budget, consider tearing your documents into tiny pieces or even burning them.
When you are away on vacation have a house sitter bring in your mail and any flyers and newspapers that accumulate in front of your house. Burglars sometimes tack these up and watch to see whether or not they are removed. If the flier stays in place, the burglar knows that the homeowner is out on vacation.
Discuss various contracts offered by any home security provider you are exploring. Compare the pros and cons of different options. A contract that is longer might offer lower monthly payments, but you may have to continue with these if you decide to sell the house or discontinue services. Shorter contracts allow your greater freedom, however they usually cost more each month.
Avoid thinking that burglaries only happen to expensive houses. Any home which is simple to get into can be a target. If you use these tips to better your security measures, you can better protect your family and home from burglars.
