Every homeowner wants to be sure their home and family are safe from possible harm. Installing an alarm is great, but there is so much more. Read on to find out how to secure your house.
Only provide your house cleaner with a key if you trust him or her implicitly. If you do give your housekeeper a key or plan on doing so, it is imperative that they are honest and upstanding. Check out their references thoroughly. If the person is an employee of a firm, call your local BBB to check their reputation.
A home security system has other features in addition to sounding an alarm when there is a break-in. Some give offer the option to monitor all entries into the house. This is a valuable safety feature for parents of small children since they know if their child has exited the home.
Before selecting any home-security company, talk to your friends to see who they suggest. There are likely people you know that have had either good or bad experiences with these companies. Ask a number of people to get a several different opinions.
If you do not know the person at your door, don’t open it. Nowadays, thieves are creative when thinking of ways to get homeowners to open a door and let them in. Therefore, only allow people you know and are expecting to enter your home.
Keep your car in your garage. It won’t be vandalized or stolen this way. Hiding your car from plain view will also keep potential intruders from tracking when you are home and when you aren’t.
When having a company install your security system, you must trust your feelings. If the installers give you the heebie-jeebies, it’s not a good sign. If you simply are not comfortable with a company’s technician, request for another technician or simply hire another company. Ultimately, the whole point is for you to have peace of mind.
Walls are a great hiding spot for your valuables. If you have valuables that are small in size, you may want to hide them within your walls. You can use phone jacks or electric outlets as hiding spots. If you have no unused plates, you can put in a fake one.
When in the process of selecting an alarm system, you should select a system that protects more than simply the doors of your home. Windows are a way for thieves to enter your home as well. Be certain they are also alarmed and monitored. This can mean the difference between a safe home and one that is an easy target.
Always ask for references before letting a contractor or a maid in your home. Perform a background check to learn about their criminal history, too. It is not a good idea to give anyone a key to your home, even contractors or repairmen.
Keep your outdoor areas well lit. Burglars like the cover of darkness to commit their crimes. Light up the dark spots around your home. This means by the garage, in the doorways, around windows and much more.
If you don’t have a paper shredder, you might want to buy one. You will be astonished at how burglars find important information from loose paper that they could use to break into your house. If you can not afford to purchase a paper shredder, just rip the paper into smaller pieces.
If you purchase an expensive item, get rid of the box rather than allowing it to sit outside your home. Burglars pay attention to this, and it will make them want to break in and get the items. Cut the boxes and wait until the garbage truck comes to put them outside.
See if your firm gives you the choice of leasing and/or buying security equipment. Buying equipment can be pricey upfront, but it’s a single cost versus a monthly cost. Leasing is cheaper, but there may be hidden fees and contracts. Check out both options to discover the best one for you. The option that’s best for one person may not be best for another.
Now that you’ve read this, you have no reason to be in an unsafe home. It may seem overwhelming right now, but it must be done. The tips here should make this possible.
