Keeping your home safe and secure from burglars and other threats is a high priority for any homeowner, so find out more from us on how to make your home more secure. Our tips are intended to help burglary prevention and secure your home against intruders, so read on to find out more about keeping your home safe.
Be vigilant about locking
Did you know that not having simple security measures in place means your home is five times more likely to be burgled? Take simple steps and make sure you lock your windows and doors every time you leave the house, and also that your front door is always locked. A sturdy front door will be an excellent deterrent to thieves, so perhaps it’s time you upgraded yours? Also, if you have glass panels in your door, remember that these can be more vulnerable, so make sure you have upgraded this to laminated glass which is harder to break.
Internal door locks
You can also add locks to your internal doors as well if you feel safer doing so, but remember that this is a dangerous practice if you have small children in the home who could potentially lock themselves into a room and panic if they can’t get out.
Keep valuables out of sight
‘Out of sight, out of mind’ is the mantra you should be repeating as you gather up your things to leave the house for the day. If anyone was walking past your house windows after you had left, what would they see? An iPad left on the sofa? A kindle in the kitchen? Jewellery beside the sink? Make your home more secure by remembering to put these things away so that you’re not leaving tempting technology or other valuables in plain sight.
Outdoor security also important
Secure outside garages or sheds with padlocks and if you have perimeter fencing take some time to ensure that it’s sturdy and doesn’t need any repair. Consider installing outdoor motion sensor lighting so that the lights automatically flick on when someone approaches the property, and if you don’t want to go all the way with CCTV cameras, you can get dummy cameras that look realistic for less than £20.
Remove hiding places
Try not to have tall shrubs and trees around windows and doors where an intruder could hide, and if you have hedges, keep them trimmed so that you can see who is approaching your house. Also, don’t leave ladders at the side of your house, or a burglar could use this to break into a second story window.
Be a good neighbour
Neighbourhood watch schemes promote safer and stronger communities so when you’re trying to make your home more secure, it’s likely that your closest neighbours have done the same thing. Look out for each other – if you notice something amiss with a neighbour’s house report it, and hope that they would do the same for you.