Protecting Yourself From Intruders: Home Security Basics

Your home is one of your most important possessions. That is why you must do all that you can to keep it, and your inside belongings safe. But, what exactly does keeping your home safe entail? The following article will answer that question and tell you all you need to know about home security.

Trim back the brush aside your home. It may look pretty, but you are giving criminals a hiding place right near your house. Instead, keep an open grassy area between your home and your landscaping. This will help keep unwanted people from getting a close eye view through your windows.

Do not use price as the main factor in choosing a company to provide security for your home. While it is always nice to find something that is not very expensive, this can have a lot of drawbacks. Cheaper security companies are notorious for providing less than attentive service, which means your home may be at risk.

If your garage is attached to your home, always keep it secure. People often worry about people getting in through attached garages, but you have a solution. Use a C-clamp to secure the door if its off track.

Put motion-sensor lights into your home. The lights will be triggered when someone gets too close to the house. You will be alerted to movement, but most importantly, it will deter burglars or at least make you aware of their presence. Do not forget to change a bulb when it burns out.

Because so many people are numb to the sound of alarms, it is important that you have your home security system linked to the local police station. This is helpful in case you are home and can not call 911 yourself, or you are away from home during a break in.

Each of your exterior doors needs to have a solid lock installed, which means a deadbolt. If there is an existing deadbolt on the door, check to be sure it is at least one inch long. If not, you should be able to replace the lock yourself. Simply go to a hardware store and shop around.

If you are throwing away the box an expensive item came in, wait until trash day to put the box out. These types of items are appealing to thieves, and you may as well put a sign in your yard inviting them to steal yours.

Inscribe your valuable electronics with a number and report this information to the police. This will allow you to track something if a burglar was to come into your house and steal the valuables from your home. This will also save you a lot of time and money as it can be retrieved more effectively.

Add motion detector lighting to the exterior of your home for increased security. At night, not only will these lights be handy to light up areas around your home,they are also a cost-effective and efficient security addition. This is a great way to deter prowlers and potential intruders at night.

Ask about a maintenance schedule for your home security system. Many companies offer this free of charge. A maintenance schedule allows a qualified technician to enter your home and make adjustments, improvements and upgrades to your existing system, as well as checking to make sure it is working correctly. Your system will not help you if it is not working, so this is important.

As the start of this article discussed, your home is probably one of the most important things you own. So, you should do whatever it takes to ensure both your home and its possessions are kept secure at all time. If you use the tips above, home security should never be a concern for you again.