Your home is your castle – and therefore it is wise to make sure it is as well defended as a fort. After all, this is where most of your valuable items are stored, so calling a security specialist could provide you with extra peace of mind that your house is protected.
Luckily, there are a wealth of ways in which you can make your property as secure as possible – with your first port of call locksmiths. Knowing that your external doors are sturdy and that no one bar a key holder can gain access is something that will help you sleep soundly at night. As a result, you should have strong locks fitted to these fixtures.
You don’t need to stop at one lock per door and some groups advise having as many as three. A mortice lock is the strongest option and will make your doors sturdier. You could also include a latch and a security chain feature, which means you can answer the door and check who is calling without opening it entirely to give that person entry. Don’t forget about your back door and invest in decent locks here too.
As well as having locks fitted, you should also consider purchasing a new door if yours is old. If the current fixture has been there for several decades it is unlikely to be as solid and sturdy as some of the products on the market today – and you want to be certain it is not possible to break it down using physical force. A master carpenter could help if your door is timber, while some PVC doors come with a built-in lock. You can also purchase additional locks for any patio doors you have.
Dead locks are the most secure feature to have on your door, as they make it extremely difficult for a burglar to gain entry. You can look out for these items that meet the UK Standard BS3621 – as this is what is often required for insurance purposes.
Never leave your keys in the locks or somewhere they are visible through the letterbox or window. Instead, store them safely out of sight. Burglars have been known to get keys from inside the home and fish them through the letterbox, allowing them to simply let themselves in, so be sure to keep your keys some distance from the door. Most importantly, never leave a key outside your home, such as under a plant pot or the doormat. This may be a common practice in the movies, but it is also one of the first places a burglar will look.
Next, you should consider your windows. You would never leave your front door open while you popped to the shops, and the same care should be taken with windows. It is important that if you are not in your house the windows are closed and locked. If you have keys to secure your windows, store these away from the glass so they cannot be seen from outside your home. Even if you are only popping into the back garden, check that the windows at the front of your house are shut first.
Your garden is another place to focus on when improving security. Have locks fitted to your rear gate should you have one and, if there is any way for a person to access your outdoor space from the street, you should consider investing in a tall wall or fence, or cultivate a hedgerow around your property’s perimeter.
Ingenious tips include laying a gravel path, as this can help alert you if anyone unexpected is walking through your yard. Lighting that is triggered by motion is another wise investment as the last thing a potential burglar wants is to have a bright light cast on them. Never leave any of your garden equipment out where it can be seen but store it under lock and key in the shed or garage. You should also take care to clear away items like ladders, as these could otherwise be used by thieves to help them get into your home.
These are the basic areas of home security, but there are many other options available as well. A burglar alarm is the most obvious and there is a wide variety available on the market for you to choose from. Frequently, these come with a device that is fitted on the outside of your home and includes a light which flashes, informing passersby the property is alarmed. Hopefully, this should deter anyone from attempting to break in.
Should you have embarked on a Grand Designs-style project to have a property built for you from the ground up, you should not leave security as an afterthought but incorporate it into the earliest planning stages. A custom home builder will be able to advise you on making your new property as safe as possible, whether this is through the use of reinforced windows and doors or by building perimeter walls to a certain height.
