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Although we’re repeatedly told that crime in England is on a steady decline, it still good practice to have a secure home. Unfortunately the days of leaving your door unlocked are over and the recent Christmas period has seen several people have their presents stolen, even whilst loading the car. Many homeowners do try to secure their properties though. Many houses have locks fitted to doors, or integrated into UPVC doors, which although sufficient for a passing chancer, can often be quickly broken by a professional criminal. However, at what point to you draw the line? Burglar alarms are a good start, but can often be tiresome in practice and the fake ‘deterrent’ style boxes can be easy to spot for those who know what to look for. Although we should feel safe in our homes it’s not always practical to carry a set of keys like a jailer and a happy compromise is needed. Here are some practical suggestions for securing your home without it having to feel like Fort Knox.
Alarms and sensor placement
There have been various alarm systems available to the domestic market for many years. They have come a long way since the first twitchy systems that would go of in the middle of the night for no apparent reason. The newer systems have much more reliable sensors and a visible alarm on the outside of the house is still an excellent deterrent. However it’s important to make sure you have the sensors in the key locations throughout the house, which includes all obvious points of entry. Downstairs windows, doors and importantly don’t forget the garage, as many thieves know that there could easily be stealable items such as bikes or lawnmowers in there.
Locks, locks and more locks
It might seem obvious to add locks to doors and windows, but in many cases the locks being used aren’t up to the task. Some people believe that a adding substantial locks to single glazed windows can be a waste as the glass can be broken. However breaking glass causes a great deal of noise and this is something most criminals will want to avoid. Before looking at adding a lock it’s important to thoroughly check the door and window frames to make sure that it won’t crack or splinter if forced. In the case of doors, if possible use a combination of mortice deadlocks and Yale locks which again makes the door harder to push through. Security door chains and identification spy holes are another measure to make sure you’re not unintentionally letting undesirable visitors enter the property.
All areas where locks are fitted can be considered as a weak point in terms of security. This is doubly apparent in garage door systems with visible locks. For ultra security and to protect your second most expensive purchase, we recommend using a roller garage door with an automated shutting and locking system which will not contain an obvious point of entry or a weak point where a crowbar could be used.
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Gates and Gravel
Any gate at the entrance to a property again is a potential deterrent to a thief. Thieves will not want to run the risk of opening a squeaky gate at night as it could arouse suspicion. By the same token properties with long driveways with a locked gate at their end will mean that burglars cannot roll their cars up near to the house, making removing items all the more difficult and time consuming. For those that find getting out the car to close the gates a chore, there are several automatic offerings that work in a similar way to an automatic garage door, but as with all electronic devices make sure to buy from a reputable supplier to ensure the correct safety measures are in place. Gravel drive ways and paths also provide a good barrier to crime, as they make a lot of noise when walked over, which can alert the homeowners.
If you employ just some of the above ideas your house will be all the more secure. The more homes that recognise the need to have sufficient security, the less incentive there will be for first time criminals.
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