Home security is of paramount importance to all house holders and here are some great tips as to what to look out for and ensure you have covered to make your home as secure as possible.
Table of Contents
1. Exterior
Take a good look at your home on the outside as if you are a burglar wanting to break in. What would help you as a burglar break into your property or aid them making an entry into your home?
Do you have large bins or crates that will help you get over a fence or gate? Do you have a fence that can be easily scaled? Do you have a gate with locks that are easy to open from the other side? Do you have a tree or dark area at the front or back of your house that can provide cover for an intruder? All of these things will make your home more attractive to a burglar.
Install high fences that make it difficult for intruders to climb over. Ensure you use anti-climb paint on your fences and gates and also use bolts on the top, bottom and middle of your gates and openings so that it makes it difficult for an intruder to break in. For sheds, fit padlocks so it makes it difficult for a burglar to get in. Don’t leave ladders, crates or large bins out in the garden or in an unlocked shed.
2. Security Lighting
Sensory flood lighting that is triggered by movement is very cheap and effective to install at the back, side and front of your home. This type of lighting is likely to deter a thief walking onto your property and will stay on for some time, alerting you and your neighbours.
Another effective deterrent is to keep an exterior light on at the front and back of your home which has a sensor that turns off when it becomes daylight.
3. Locks and Doors
Most burglars will gain access to your property through doors, so ensure you have watertight, solid doors fitted that are certified to a high security standard. Fit your doors with a highly secure five-lever mortice lock and also get it fitted with an additional deadlock for added security. Also fit a chain to the door so that when visitors call you can open the door a small way securely to see who it is. If you have an open letter box opening, fit a letter box guard to stop intruders reaching to your inside door latch.
Some sliding doors can also be lifted up out of their frame for entry. Make sure that your patio sliding doors are fitted with anti-lift blocks to prevent this. You should also ensure that when your doors are closed, the sliding panel of the door interlocks with the fixed panel to prevent them being levered apart by an intruder trying to gain access.
Any external doors that have single glazing that can be easily smashed and should be swapped out with UPVC doors that are double-glazed or solid wood doors with no windows at all.
4. Windows
Your windows are another access point for intruders to easily get into your home, so ensure that all of your windows on all floors have window locks fitted.
Use laminated glass at key entry points to your property. Laminated glass offers exceptional security and protection for your home as it cannot be broken and remains intact when smashed. An intruder trying to break through laminated glass will make a lot of noise and will have to keep smashing for a period of time, so it’s an effective deterrent.
Make sure there are no walls or railings near to your windows that will help a burglar step through your window or onto your window ledge. It’s also a good idea to plant prickly plants and bushes such as holly bushes, Pyracantha, blackthorn or roses in front of your lower ground windows so that this is an additional and challenging barrier for an intruder to get through.
Most windows will also have an opening distance maximum so that they cannot be fully opened to allow intruders in.
5. Alarm System
There are many alarm systems and home security services on the market ranging from simple home alarms with self-setting alarm features to fully monitored and managed alarm systems connected to centralised monitoring centres. Some services also connect to your local police station which is available for an additional fee payable to the police. You can also get a speech dialler service which calls pre-set numbers when the alarm goes off and leaves an automated alert that the alarm has been activated.
However, you will need to be careful about defective alarm systems and alarm systems that go off at the slightest movement. If the police are called too often to a false alarm, you will be struck off their register.
6. Home Safe
For valuable items, it makes sense to buy a fireproof safe for your home to lock all important documents and high value items in. Even if your home is broken into, the safe will provide additional security to keep precious belongings safe.