Do you know anything about home security? If you are having trouble making the decision on home security, you should do some more research. This is costly and can affect your family’s safety, so keep reading.
There are more features to a home alarm system besides making sounds when people break in. Most systems can be set to sound an alert when anyone enters the home. For families with young children, this is excellent for alerting when a child has entered or left the house.
Avoid being shy. Speak with your neighbors and friends in the area. Keep an eye out for their houses, and request that they return the favor. Pay attention to gossip. You may end up hearing about things such as odd folks roaming about the neighborhood.
Try installing motion-sensor lights. This type of light will come on when they detect motion within a certain distance of your home. This will discourage would be thieves and alert you to any movement on your property. Be sure to keep these lights working, though.
Listen to your intuition as to whether your system is being installed by a trustworthy home security company. Don’t hire anyone who makes you uncomfortable. Make sure that the installer has experience installing your type of security system. The point of that system is to feel safer after all.
Your home may be equipped with skylights, and if so you must not neglect them in your security planning. Intruders could use skylights to enter your home. Check that skylights have heavy duty hardware that can stand up under unwanted tampering.
Walls are the perfect place to hide. If you have small valuables you want to protect, consider hiding them inside your walls. Simply take advantage of an unused switch plate, electrical outlet, or phone jack. If there are no unused plates, you can easily install fake ones.
Extra Key
Don’t put your extra key under you doormat, in a planter, or in a cleverly disguised false rock. While it may seem like a convenient way to give you access to your home, intruders are aware of this practice. Thieves are aware of these hiding spots. If you have a neighbor you can trust, have them hold your extra key.
Always lock your house, no matter how briefly you expect to be gone. In a lot of cases, home intruders enter through unlocked doors. A thief could steal all your valuables in only a few minutes.
Look for an alarm system that does more than protect your doors. Windows offer easy access to a potential thief. Each point of entry for your home should be monitored by the system. Doing this will help ensure the safety of your home and loved ones.
If you have any boxes to discard from large, expensive items, wait until the evening before the trash is scheduled for collection. Letting such packaging sit out will signal to criminals that there are good things to be found in your house.
Your flashlights should always be equipped with good, working batteries. They give you and your family the opportunity to move around should the electricity go out. Make sure each member of your family knows where the flashlights are and how to operate them.
Ask the home security company about how long they’ve been running prior to signing up. Companies in business for many years engender great confidence and trust. You get better peace of mind if you deal with someone you know you can trust for the long haul.
Consider your personal needs for safety and your security risks prior to looking for security systems. Some systems might not be adaptable to your situation. It may be better for you to take a self-defense class or buy a dog. The neighborhood you live in makes a difference. Think about your risk factor when making a decision.
Consider buying a paper shredder for your home. Thieves can use this information to figure out your schedule and determine the best time to break in. If paper shredders don’t fit into your budget, you can manually rip up important documents yourself.
Equip your home with a system designed for home surveillance. You can make a huge difference in your home’s security by putting in cameras whether they’re concealed or out in the open. Intruders can be deterred to visible cameras, but hidden cameras are better if criminals damage the other cameras. It is possible to use your cell phone to look at your surveillance camera, meaning you can see your house when you’re gone.
Discourage burglars by making your garage windows opaque. Cover windows using frosting, which you can buy at large hardware stores, to keep people from peeking in your window. Make a habit of keep your door closed and locked.
Ask about the various contract lengths offered by a home security company. There are usually pros and cons in each contract. Longer contracts can lower your monthly bill; however, you may have to continue paying the bill even if you move or discontinue with their services. A short contract may seem more expensive each month, but you have more freedom.
Since reading this article, what is your feeling about home security? The more you learn, the better off you’re going to be when it comes to making a decision like this. Take what you’ve just learned to heart, and apply this advice as you aim to secure your home for yourself and your family.
