Securing your home is as important as replacing the roof or fixing a furnace. You have to keep the contents safe, including your family. What can you do to get started? The best first step is to read this article in full, so get down to work right away!

If you have a vacation home that you do not spend much time at, a home security system could be a worthwhile investment. This will automatically alert you and the local authorities if something happens to your home while you are away such as a fire, break-in or other problem.

The company you choose to purchase and install your home security system is important. You want to make sure the company has the most reliable system and knows what they are doing when it comes to installation. To find a good company, ask friends and families or look for online reviews

Security systems are more than just an alarm. Most security systems can facilitate alarm sounds anyone enters. It’s a great feature for parents as they can tell if a child is potentially leaving the house.

Really take an inventory of what people can see through your windows. If you can obviously see expensive technology like flat screen TVs and pricey desktops, then you are inviting trouble. Instead, hide that tech and expensive furnishings out of view. Your home will be a lot less attractive to potential thieves.

When looking to buy a security system, shop around. Several different firms may offer similar protection for wildly divergent prices. Make sure you get quotes from at least three companies before you decide on which one you think is the best option.

If you want to have a spare key hidden outside of your home, hide it carefully. Avoid cliched hiding places like over the door frame or beneath the doormat. Experienced criminals will check these places immediately. Hide your alternative key on your dog’s collar.

Sit your family down and create a fire escape plan depending on what region of the house you are in. This is crucial, as it will serve as the quickest plan to leave the house safely and effectively in an emergency. Practice your plan with your family as these few hours can save lives.

If you have a door in your garage that leads to the inside of your home, make sure that you keep your garage door down when no one is out there. Having an open door gives a burglar a place to enter, which means you and your family may be in danger.

Make sure to choose an alarm company that offers monitoring. An alarm that just buzzes if an intruder tries to enter is statistically shown to be mostly ineffective. When you add the additional monitoring however, you have a direct link to someone who can call the police and get you help. There may be an extra charge for a monitored alarm, but it is well worth the cost.

Pretend you are a burglar and go at your house. Can you find ways to get in without breaking a window or kicking down a door? How strong are your doors? What if the burglar did kick in a window? How can you, as a thief, be thwarted from even trying to burgle your home?

Be sure to read all of the fine print to any contracts you plan on signing for a security company. They sometimes have hidden costs if you let go of them prior to the contract expiring. If you can’t avoid these types of fees, you should at least be aware of them.

If you will be away from your home in the winter months, pay someone to shovel your driveway. This will show that you are still home, as a driveway that is not taken care of indicates there is no one there to do it. A simple 20 dollar payment to a local shoveling company can save your house from a burglary.

Now that you’ve read this article in totality, you are armed with the information needed to begin. Take each step one at a time and complete your project as quickly as possible. The sooner your home is completely secure, the better you and your family can feel living there.