If you have a home, you know what it is like to want your home to be safe. There aren’t many things worse than having your house damaged or vandalized. Your house represents your biggest investment and the place you call home. Read the following article to learn how you can keep your home safe.
Change all of your locks when you move in. You have no way of knowing how many folks might have keys to your house. Call a locksmith as soon as you can for maximum security. Make sure you do the same thing if you lose your keys sometime.
The only time you should give out house keys to house cleaners is if you absolutely trust them. Be sure any home cleaner you give your key to is trustworthy and reputable. Read through their references very carefully, and don’t hesitate to follow up on their references to ensure they actually exist. Contact your local Better Business Bureau to find out more about the reputation of the cleaner you hired.
Buy a safe to keep all of your valuables in one place at home. This will help to keep your jewelry and other valuables secured in the event of a break in. Keep the safe hidden somewhere remote.
You should mute your land line phone if you are going on a vacation. If the phone continues to ring while you’re gone, this lets an intruder know that the home is empty.
Police Department
See what your local police department offers in terms of home protection programs. Several in various jurisdictions have programs which entail providing a home inspection, what protective measures will help your home and even how to engrave valuable items to make them easier to recover. Ask your police department to see if these types of programs are available.
Get in the habit of checking your security system regularly. Ask the security company to send a technician out to give your system a thorough inspection. There are many reason why a home security system can have problems, and it might be the weather or wild animals that cause it to malfunction. If you cannot see a problem, you might not know one exists.
Install lights that have motion sensors. They’ll flip on when people walk within a certain distance of your house. The lights will notify you of motion and also deter would be burglars. But keep in mind that the bulbs to the security light should be routinely changed to ensure that the deterrent system functions properly.
Walls are great for hiding things. You should think about hiding certain small valuables within your walls. All you need is a wall opening you’re not using (something like a phone jack, electrical box, or switch plate). A security store will sell fake plates you can install anywhere.
Talk to any companies you’re considering hiring to install a security system about how long the company has been around. Any business with multiple years of history has a proven record in being reliable. Whenever you know you aren’t doing business with a fly-by-night company, you will be more assured your home is protected.
Make sure the outside of the house is well lit. Burglars love to operate in the dark. The most important parts of your home to light are all of its potential access points. Make sure your porch, garage, doorways and windows are well lit.
Install a surveillance system in your home. Video cameras are a great deterrent. A visible video camera acts as a warning to an intruder. If the intruder disables the visible camera, the hidden camera will document it! Some security systems can be accessed with cell phones, so you can check on your house while you are away.
One of the best home burglary systems is man’s best friend. Dogs will bark at the sign of trouble or intruders. That is not to say that a big, scary dog is required. Small dogs also help, because intruders don’t want people to notice the barking.
Always keep your shades, curtains and blinds closed when you are not at home. By failing to do so, you are granting a prime view of your house and your belongings. They’re going to want to get in your house if they can see items they want. Always close your curtains and blinds while sleeping.
Improving the security of your home should not be difficult. There is some education that is required though. Utilize these great ideas in order to maximize the security of your home. Apply the tips in this article and feel safe at home.
