It is likely you know of someone who has been the victim of a burglary at some point. Home break-ins are increasing, so people should be extra vigilant about protecting their home. Break-ins can happen anywhere. In the article that follows, you’ll find some great home security tips that can increase your safety and reduce your risk.
After getting a new home, make sure to change its locks. You cannot be sure of the number of key copies that the former owner gave out. Find a good locksmith who can replace the lock and make a few copies of your key. If you lose keys, make sure to do this, too.
Use a safe to protect your valuables. This is important, since you don’t want your valuables exposed to a potential intruder. Hide the safe in a very hard to reach place like the attic or a closet in the basement.
Turn off ringers on land line phones while you are on vacation. A loud ring that goes unanswered can alert people to the fact that you aren’t home. This makes you more likely to be the victim of a burglary.
Keep your car in your garage. You will not have to worry about thieves taking your car if it is inside your garage. If you keep your car in the garage instead of in the driveway, it is harder for thieves to know whether you are at home or not.
If you’ve bought large or pricy items, avoid throwing out boxes until the day the trash is scheduled for pick-up. If you set these boxes out with the trash, thieves will know you have expensive items in your house.
If you’ve just gotten a home, replace every lock. While the person you bought the home from may seem on the up and up, you have no idea who they really are. Remember that other families may have lived there before that person as well.
Your first priority when you move to an apartment or house where others have lived in before is to replace all the locks. Even if the tenants turned their keys in, they may have made copies. You can purchase and install locks yourself to make sure only you have the key.
Before you give a security company employee access to your home, make sure they’re in uniform and that they present acceptable identification. Having the name of the technician coming to your house ahead of time can help to ensure you are allowing someone who really works for the company into your home. Don’t allow this to happen, as it is a direct threat to your house and its contents. Be careful if you want to avoid danger.
The Internet is great for searching for home security companies, so use it to your advantage. Check out different websites, and read through package details and customer testimonials. With this information, you can contact the companies you feel comfortable with and compare the rates to each other.
An important part of vetting any security company before you sign a contract with them is finding out how long they’ve been providing security services in your community. It doesn’t take long for a quality company to prove itself in the security business, and you should look for a track record of satisfied customers and successful work. When you know that you’re dealing with a company of some repute, you can feel more at ease making that decision.
Ask your home security company about coming to your residence and creating a system that is tailored to your personal needs. Every homeowner has specific needs for their home and their family. If you are able to secure a company willing to tailor a system to your needs, there is a good chance that you will be satisfied.
Consider purchasing a wireless security system for your home. While systems with wires are cheaper, you have to rewire your home and worry about power outages. The wireless systems are simpler to maintain and install and they don’t need power from the home to run.
Avoid thinking that home burglaries only happen at the most expensive houses. They rob any home they know they can get into, By using these tips, you can keep your home protected from thieves.
Lapo is a smart home, technology, health, wealth, and fitness enthusiast. If he’s not on tour, you’ll find him in New York with his wife and pet parrot hanging out at the park.
Follow him on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest.
Resources
- Teds Woodworking
- Home Automation
- SmartHome
- ATT.com
- CNN – Smart and Sure Way to Reveal Strangers Lurking in the Dark
- FBI’s Warning About Home Security