Your home should be a sanctuary of comfort and safety. But even if you live in one of the safest areas in Britain, there’s a chance your home could be burgled. After all, a break-in occurs every thirty seconds in the United Kingdom. Here’s the good news: there are many simple steps you can take to boost your home security.
Whether you want to add to your existing home security system or you’re just looking to make your home less vulnerable to an intruder, our home security tips are likely to help.
Here are our top home security tips for making your home a safer place.
1. Check out the Crime Stats in Your Area
Once you’ve addressed your home’s immediate security vulnerabilities, it’s time to become more aware of the crime taking place in and around your neighbourhood. With this knowledge, you can take additional precautions to keep your belongings and family safe. Thanks to technology, crime stats are right at your fingertips. Visit www.police.uk to see the stats for your area, and get information about your local safer neighbourhoods team.
2. Put Up Home Security Cameras
Installing indoor and outdoor home security cameras is one of the top things people tell us they wished they’d done before their home was burgled. And, in the event your home is broken into, footage captured by your security camera may help the police to identify those responsible. There are several different types of home security cameras. Some come as part of a complete home security system, while others can be purchased as a stand-alone security device. Either way, the most effective cameras are the ones with features like motion detection, night vision, and built-in Wi-Fi. Contact us for a free survey today where we can discuss many different options for you.
3. Be Sneaky with Your Spare Key
A burglar’s intuition is keen when it comes to locating “hidden” outdoor keys. So don’t place your spare keys in obvious locations such as under the doormat or planter. Instead, leave a key with a trusted friend or close neighbour, don't write your name or address on the keys, if your friend or neighbour is burgled, its likely that the burglars will take the keys and could end up burgling your house too! Remember, if you have recently moved into your home, you won't know who previously had keys, and we'd recommend you change your front door locks as soon as possible!
4. Replace the Front Door
This home security tip requires more skill and money than our other hacks—but it’s well worth it. Burglars don’t think twice about breaking weak front doors, so you’ll want to protect your home with a steel core door or another security door instead of a standard wooden one. If investing in a new door isn’t in your budget, then replace the screws that came with your locks for longer ones, think about installing a 'London or Birmingham Bar' to reinforce the frames of the door and consider adding an additional mortice lock with thumbturn which can be locked easily at night. Kick your home’s security up a notch by installing a smart doorbell, such as the Ring Wi-Fi Enabled Doorbell, which allows you to see who’s at the door without opening it.
5. Lock Your Doors
Locking your home’s entry doors—even when you’re inside—isn’t being paranoid. It’s taking a proactive approach to home safety, especially considering someone is home during almost one-third of all burglaries. Round up your family members and make a pact to consistently lock your home’s doors. If you have a hard time remembering to secure your home, consider changing your locks to latched type locks, that automatically lock when you shut your door, just remember not to get locked out!
6. Hide Valuable Items
Criminals want to get in and out of your house as fast as possible—taking with them your jewellery, cash, electronic devices, and other goodies they can sell or pawn. Make their job difficult by securing these items in an insurance approved safe that is bolted down. Then, find out what burglars like to steal most and take appropriate steps to secure these items in your home. One of our best home security life hacks is to hide your valuables in safes that look like everyday items. Use a wall clock safe or a safe that looks like an electrical outlet to store small valuables, be sure to hide important documents, like cheque books and passports, It is not uncommon to later be a victim of identity theft after a burglary.
7. Make It Appear You’re Home
If a burglar thinks someone is home, there’s less chance they’ll try to break in. In fact, most break-ins happen when someone isn’t home, like during the day when you are at work or when you’re on holiday. Fortunately, there are several easy home security hacks to help fool would-be intruders—like leaving the TV on or using a device like the LightwaveRF Smart Sockets to control lights and set up timers from your smart device. Take time to prepare your home if you’re going on holiday by stopping your mail, arranging to have your gardens maintained, and asking a friend to stop by regularly. These home security hacks can go a long way toward making your house appear lived-in.
8. Secure Your Garden
It’s important to make sure the inside of your home is protected, but it’s equally vital to secure your garden and any potential things that can be stolen from it. Burglars love hiding places, so one of our favorite home security tips is to keep shrubs and other vegetation trimmed. This is particularly important for large hedges at the front of your property, have a large hedge can hide an intruder and allow them to work unobserved on your front door or window. Ensure that side gates and doors have adequate locks on, and that gardening tools and ladders are secured and can't be used to force entry into your property.
9. Fortify Your Garage
Many people don’t realise how important it is to secure their garage. But your garage likely contains expensive tools, your car, and sometimes even a quick access side door to your home. Try these tips to help secure your garage: keep the garage door closed so that passersby can’t see what’s inside, lock the door leading from your garage into your home ensure that you use insurance approved locks, remember that a burglar can't be seen if they're inside your garage, and can be left to go to work on your internal door. Install a motion sensor light above your garage.Help minimise the chance of a garage break-in by never leaving the garage door opener in your car, especially when your car is parked in the driveway.
