Residential burglaries can be costly, emotionally draining experiences. And with thieves breaking into a reported 1 in 100 UK homes every year, it makes sense to take a proactive approach to protecting your home.
Below, you’ll find some useful tips on how to stop your property from becoming an easy target and discover what you need to improve your home security.
Secure Your Front Door
Despite front doors being in public view, they are the most common entry point for break-ins in the UK. This is because people either leave them unlocked or fail to secure them as well as they should.
To cover all bases, add sensors to the door frame and install the highest quality door locks to your home’s main entrance. Doorfit carries heavy-duty cylinder, mortice and rim locks from many leading brands, to give you peace of mind whenever you lock up. Purchasing a latch with a deadlocking function will also create optimal door security.
Insurance companies will usually require BS3621 locks to be fitted to external timber doors, or if you have a metal or PVC door they may require TS007 locks to be fitted. We recommend these types of locks for all external doors to keep your property safe from thieves.
Do The Same For Your Windows
Although made for transparency, windows can give criminals a full, interrupted view of what’s going on inside your house. Remove temptation by keeping your curtains or blinds closed whenever you’re not home, and strengthen your window security by investing in window locks or window restrictors. Our range of sash jammers and keyed locks make it impossible for your window to be opened from the outside, without impacting ventilation.
Security film or laminated glass can also make your windows much harder to breach, so consider what materials have been used in their construction and make changes accordingly.
Keep Valuables Hidden
In addition to reinforcing your doors and windows, an easy way to protect your home is keeping your prized possessions hidden from view. Lax approaches to concealing expensive goods can catch the attention of would-be thieves and may make them more inclined to attempt a break-in.
Remove this possibility by storing valuables away from windows, garages and other places where passers-by might steal a glance.
It might even be wise to get a safe in which you can store high-value items. This will allow you to secure important documents, money, jewellery and other valuable objects. The heavier the better too. Burglars will think twice about trying to move bulky safes should they gain entry to your house.
Screen Visitors Using Home Security Tools
Back to door furniture now with an old favourite: the doorbell. These days, it’s possible to purchase video doorbells that allow you to see, listen to and talk to visitors via a smart device such as a phone or tablet, even if you’re not home.
Using this sort of high-tech equipment will allow you to decide whether it is safe to open the door as well as ensure that you never miss out on deliveries. A playback feature enables you to replay visits for maximum protection.
Make It Look Like You’re Home
Almost 40% of burglaries happen in the day, the time when most people are at work. Smart lighting systems or automatic timers can give the impression that someone is home even when the house is empty. This will act as a deterrent for anyone wishing to try their luck.
If you’re away on holiday, ask a friend or neighbour to keep an eye on your house. Having someone give your property the once over whilst you’re gone can be invaluable and will also stop the post piling up – a dead giveaway that you’re not in.
Try and resist the temptation to broadcast your trip on social media too. Advertising the fact that your place of residence is unoccupied can give potential intruders all the impetus they need to make their move.
Install A Home Security System
In the days of the smart home, a home alarm system enables you to take your home security to the next level. Era HomeGuard kits give you everything you need to monitor every aspect of your property and can act as valuable visual deterrents to burglars.
Endlessly versatile, these sophisticated home security systems can be customised to feature external sirens, door/window sensors, remote controls, high-performance security cameras and more. Mix and match to find the perfect combination for your home. Instant alerts will be sent to multiple devices in the event of a break-in.
Think Outside The House
Now that your house is an impenetrable fortress, what of the outside? Garages, gates and gardens are all places of interest to undesirables, so you need to protect these spaces too.
Automatic garage door openers, as well as traditionally more secure models like sectional doors, are our top tip for garage safety. Heavy-duty gate hinges and latches as well as outdoor lighting can also make entry very difficult and unappealing for intruders.
Just remember to keep your electric garage operator in a safe place and reinforce your gate/outbuilding with a durable, hard-to-crack padlock. That way, thieves won’t stand a chance.
Your Home Security Experts
At Doorfit, we supply a range of state-of-the-art home security products to help our customers feel safe and happy in their home environments. To find out more, email info@doorfit.com or call 0121 523 4171 today.