Most likely you have had a friend or neighbor whose home was burglarized. These situations are happening more and more frequently. Burglaries can happen anywhere. Read this article to get ideas on securing your home.
Your dog could carry a spare key for you. If your dog lives outside or is able to come and go through a dog door, this is a viable idea. Hide a key inside the collar of your dog in case you need a spare.
You should always change the locks after purchasing a home. You cannot be sure of the number of key copies that the former owner gave out. To make sure you’re the only person that can get into your home, contact a locksmith. You should also have your locks changed if you lose your keys.
Buy a safe to contain everything of great value. This will keep your stash of diamonds, gold and other valuable items out of view and inaccessible to burglars. Keep your safe in a hard-to-get-to place, such as a basement closet or your attic.
If you keep a spare key outside to prevent yourself from being locked-out, think carefully about where you hide it. Too many people put their extra key under the mat in front of their door; burglars know to check there. Try hiding your key somewhere more unique, like your outside dog’s collar.
You should never give details about your vacations and other plans on social networks. This can indicate that your home will be free and vulnerable during the time.
It is always best to not let people in that just show up out of the blue. Even if someone has a good story, requires help or has a great product to sell, ignore them. It’s quite possible that your charming guest is only interested in evaluating the security of your home; if they find it lacking, they may be back later to relieve you of some of your possessions.
If your garage is attached to your house, make it secure. Intruders can enter your home through an unlocked garage door. You can use a C-clamp to secure the door and prevent it from being opened by strangers.
Eliminate dead vegetation and wood in the yard in the summer. These can be fire hazards and can cause damage to your home. Clear your yard often if you want to prevent a fire from starting.
Regardless of the quality of your home security system, you need to have it checked each year. Ask someone who works at the security company to do a maintenance check. There are quite a few things that can negatively impact the effectiveness of home security equipment. For example, adverse weather conditions or pests such as raccoons can cause problems. If it’s not visible, you might not even know there’s a problem.
Replace all locks in a new house. Regardless of how you feel about the sellers, you never know someone’s true intentions. Besides, other tenants or owners might have copies of the key if the previous owners did not change the locks.
The wiring outside of your home can be valuable. Lots of people fail to appreciate this until they are hit by thieves. The wiring has copper and is easy to be quickly taken off a home. Make sure the wiring is concealed or difficult to access in order to keep this valuable item safe.
When a security company wants in your home ask for an ID and see if they’re in uniform. Burglars are creative, and they often pose as a member of the security team to get inside. This proves rather dangerous for both your family and also your valuables. Take care to steer clear of danger.
Having light on in your home at night will scare crooks away. Most intruders avoid anything that could reveal their identity. By minimizing dark and shady areas, you are taking away a potential burglar’s hiding spots. Have lights that come on when they detect movement for best results.
Always keep your home’s exterior well lit. Thieves like to commit crimes when no one can see. The most important parts of your home to light are all of its potential access points. This extends to doorways, porches, garages and lower windows.
Wireless alarm systems are a great investment. While wireless systems are often cheap, the cost of installation can be sky high. A wireless system, on the other hand, requires less maintenance and is simpler to install.
Hidden Cameras
Consider installing a surveillance system for your home. Having visible or hidden cameras can help immensely. Visible cameras can deter many intruders and if they disable them, the hidden cameras can still capture footage. As an added security bonus, most modern systems will allow you to monitor your cameras remotely (via cell phone) for round-the-clock protection.
Make sure you select captive keylock deadbolts. The devices are equipped with thumb latches that prevent people from reaching around to open the lock via a an adjacent broken window. Anytime you are home, keep the key inside the lock in case you need to exit your home during an emergency, like a fire.
Women are more likely than men to be a target for burglary. This is especially true if they live on their own with children. One way to throw off would-be assailants is to put a large pair of muddy boots on the front porch, to suggest the presence of a big man. This can deter criminals from going into your home.
Avoid thinking that burglaries only happen to expensive houses. They rob any home they know they can get into, Follow the advice below to make sure your house and family are safe and secure.