It is important to be aware of home security. You can never tell if and when a burglar will attempt to put in an appearance. Keep reading to find out how you can make your home much more safe.
Be sure your home appears to always be occupied. Buy timers that will make your TVs, radios and other electronics turn on and turn off at various times. This will make it look like someone is home. This is a simple way to improve your home’s safety and make it less attractive to criminals.
Always have the locks changed when you buy a new home. You will want to have a unique combination to stay secure. To make sure no one else can get into your home, call a locksmith. Be sure to cal a locksmith if you were to lose your keys as well.
If someone comes to clean your home, only give them a key if they’re trustworthy. Before you give a cleaner full access to your home for extended periods of time, you have to be certain that they’re trustworthy and reliable. Check their references very carefully. If your cleaning person comes from a company, check with the BBB.
Spare Key
Do you have an outside dog? If so, you can use your dog to hide your spare key. Attach your spare key inside the collar of your dog. This is very effective if your pet is afraid of strangers; therefore, burglars are not very likely to notice the key.
Be smart about where you decide to hide spare keys. Hiding it beneath the doormat is very common and most intruders will look there. For a better solution, try tucking your spare key into your dog’s collar, provided you have an outside dog.
When you’re going away, turn off your phone ringers. When burglars hear phones ringing for an extended period of time in a home, they know that there is no one there to answer.
Security System
Remember to have an annual inspection of your home security system. The security company should have a specialist come to look at it. There are any number of problems that can cause malfunctions in your security system, from weather damage to animal activity. You may not even know there is a problem if it is not visible.
Put motion sensor lights around your house. Lights like these will automatically turn on whenever someone is near them. They help notify you of any movement around your house and deter burglars too. Remember to keep working bulbs in them at all times.
You should not hide your spare key under your mat or inside a plant box. While you may feel that you are keeping yourself safe by allowing a way in for yourself, you are also allowing everyone else to visit whenever they want. Thieves are aware of these hiding spots. Ask a friend, neighbor or relative to keep your extra keys for you.
A good home security system monitors all entry points to your home. Your windows are also points of entry for burglars. Each point of entry for your home should be monitored by the system. The safety of your family will be ensured.
When moving into your new house, change 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.
If you hire a security company, read any fine print. 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 want to try to avoid these fees whenever possible, so make sure you are aware of them.
Having a bright and lit-up home at night deters crooks. Thieves don’t want to be visible. If you have your home lit up, then you have made it hard for burglars to hide and rob your home. If you want to stay secure, keep your house brightly lit.
Get your neighbors to not only pick up your mail, but also any flyers left at your door. Robbers will place these on your door and may invade your home if they are not removed. If their fliers are not moved, the crook knows the home is unattended.
Don’t give anyone an opportunity to see inside your garage in order to ward off robbers. Be sure and shade your windows with window frosting, something that you can purchase at any hardware store, so as to keep people from looking in your house. Don’t leave your front door unlocked or standing open when you are working in the garage or yard.
Be realistic – prepare for the worst. You need to be prepared for many different situations. Keep this advice in mind to make your home a safe place.
