As a homeowner, your know how crucial it is to keep your home secure. There's nothing worse than having your home severely damaged. Your house is your biggest investment, but it also represents your sense of security. Continue reading to learn tips that can keep your home and family safe.<br><br>Do you have an outdoor dog? Use him or her to help hide your spare key! Hook your key to the dog's collar in a place that is shielded from view. If your dog is suspicious of strangers, you have found a good hiding place for your key.<br><br>In the summer, remove all the dead trees from your yard. These are vulnerable to fires and put your home in danger. Clear yard regularly to maintain your house safe.<br><br>Does your dog stay outside while you are gone? You might consider leaving your spare key with your dog. Put the key on the dog's collar. This is a good way to ensure easy home access, especially if your pet does not associate well with strangers.<br><br>Annual check-ups are important for alarm systems. This should be performed by a technician from your security company. Many things can impact the performance of a security system, such as animals and weather. If you cannot see a problem, you might not know one exists.<br><br>If you keep a spare key outside to prevent yourself from being locked-out, think carefully about where you hide it. Intruders will more than likely check under your doormat or above your door frame. Try hiding your key somewhere more unique, like your outside dog's collar.<br><br>If you're going on a trip for an extended period of time, switch the ringer off on all home phones. 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.<br><br>Check out your garage to ensure that it is secure. Intruders could easily break into your garage and access your home. Try putting a C-clamp on your garage door track. This will stop the door from rising if you want to keep it closed.<br><br>If you are new into a house, replace all the locks. Even if the previous owner or tenant seems trustworthy, you have no way of knowing how many copies of the key they made and distributed. Keep in mind that there may have been residents prior to that person too.<br><br>Check each spring for any rotting frames on your doors and windows. Replace them immediately if you spot any problems. If a person wants to enter your home, rotted wood can easily be pried away. When you see that wood is beginning to rot, replace it with new wood for better home safety.<br><br>If you're in a rural place, you might not be as worried about break-ins as those that are in the city. Interestingly, many think those living in rural areas are actually more susceptible to break-ins since neighbors may not live close by. Some think rural areas see less burglary.<br><br>Securing your home and making it into a safe haven does not have to include expensive installations or impatiently waiting for a stranger to install a system. You can utilize easier and cheaper methods of keeping your home safe. Keep these suggestions in mind in order to protect your home from any threat.<br> <a href="https://owncloud.com/owncloud-subscriptions/">cloud document sharing</a>