Feeling secure in your own home is a fundamental human need. However, with rising crime rates, it’s natural for homeowners to worry about intruders. So, how exactly can you better protect your home and your family? By implementing a few proactive measures, you can ensure that your home is always protected.
Home security expert David Lines at HomeHow has created this guide on how to improve your home’s security. From upgrading your locks to installing deterrents, there are many things you can do to protect your home. Take a look at the list below for some tips.
Reinforce Your Doors and Locks
The first line of defence for your home is a sturdy perimeter. It’s essential to invest in high-quality deadbolts for your external doors. Changing your locks to new, modern locks can make all the difference in whether or not an intruder can gain entry into your home. Make sure all additional door locks are securely anchored into your doorframe for extra security. Replace any flimsy doorknobs with sturdier versions. Patio doors can be particularly vulnerable. Consider investing in secondary locks for these doors.
Window are another part of the home that may be vulnerable. Make sure you invest in good-quality locks for all of the ground-floor windows and any other windows that are easily accessible from the outside. Reinforced glass can also be helpful for added protection.
Install CCTV
CCTV is one of the best ways to deter burglars, particularly if you make it obvious that you have CCTV at the property. Modern smart CCTV systems will send a notification to your phone, alerting you of anyone on your property. They can do this by detecting movement. These recordings can be kept to pass on to local law enforcement in the event of a burglary.
Position your cameras in areas where they will be able to achieve good quality facial images. It’s a good idea to place CCTV cameras close to any entry points to your home.
Deter the Intruders
There are several ways in which you can deter intruders from targeting your home. Floodlights and motion-censored lights are great options. Motion-censored lights will cast a spotlight on anyone approaching your home and act as a good scare tactic. You should also consider installing security cameras around your property. Even DIY security cameras can act as a good deterrent and also allow you to keep an eye on your property remotely.
Trim any overgrown bushes and trees around your property to minimise any potential hiding places for intruders. A well-maintained exterior helps to discourage criminal activity and also presents a more alert and watchful image. In addition, your neighbours will also be able to keep an eye on your property more if there are no overgrown bushes or trees lurking in their view.
Keep Your Valuables Safe
One of the most important things you can do to prevent burglars is to keep all of your valuables out of sight. Avoid displaying any expensive electronics, jewellery, or prized possessions in view through your windows. Consider investing in some handy storage solutions so that you can keep things out of sight. A safe can be very helpful for storing particularly important or expensive goods.
Avoid leaving things like tablets, laptops, and other portable electronics in plain sight. Instead, you should lock these away whenever they’re not in use. Also, avoid leaving boxes for expensive items in your bins. This is just presenting an initiation for burglars, displaying exactly what valuables you have in your home. Instead, break down these boxes and transport them directly to your local tip.
Secure Your Garage and Shed
You must also not forget to secure your outbuildings, such as garages and sheds. Even if you don’t store anything valuable in these spaces, intruders could cause damage, so you don’t want to make it easy for people to break into them.
Secure your garage and shed with deadbolts and padlocks. Keep all of your tools and equipment locked away, and never leave anything on display. A large, visible lock on the outside of these outbuildings is often enough to deter potential intruders.
Invest in a New Front Door
As your front door gets older, it may start to become less and less secure. Whether it’s deterioration of the door materials or locks becoming loose over time, older doors can make your home more vulnerable to intruders.
Modern doors are much more sophisticated with brilliant secure locks. If your front door is quite old or does not provide the security you need for your property, consider investing in a new front door made of strong and durable material. Composite front doors are brilliant as these are very difficult to break through.
Invest in Signage
Signs around your property can make a big difference in whether or not an intruder targets your home. Signage is very cheap and can make a big difference. Consider investing in some warning signs that state that your home is protected by an alarm or security cameras. If intruders see these, they will be more than likely to avoid your home.
Pet signage can also be a good deterrent. Signs such as ‘beware of the dog’ can work great. While a large dog can already be a deterrent in itself, having the signage there can help to make sure intruders know there is a dog inside, even when the dog can’t be heard or seen.
Embrace Smart Technology
Smart technology is evolving very quickly and can be great for helping to protect your home. Smart doorbells with cameras are a great example of this. These devices allow you to see who is at your door even when you’re not at home. This allows you to greet your guests or deter unwanted intruders remotely.
Smart locks are also great for giving you control from afar. Smart locks allow you to unlock your doors with your phone, even when you’ve forgotten your keys. They also allow you to lock your door or make sure the door is locked if you’re unsure. Automated lighting systems can simulate occupancy while you’re away from home, making it look like someone is at home. This can be very helpful if you’re going on holiday.
Install Alarms
If you really want to deter burglars, alarms are a great option. Install an accredited burglar system with audio alarm boxes mounted high up at the front and rear of your property. Placing them high on your property will prevent them from being tampered with. Plus, it will allow the sound to travel further.
Place alarm sensors throughout your home. Some burglars have been known to enter through upper-floor windows to prevent triggering the alarm sensors on the lower floor. To prevent this from being an issue, consider adding additional sensors on the upper floors.
If you want to deter burglars further, place signage and stickers up around the exterior of your property warning potential intruders that alarms are in use at your property.
Think About Lighting
Lighting acts as a great deterrent. Consider installing motion-detecting lights at the front and rear of your property, close to the entry doors. Also, add some lights that stay on throughout the night, lighting up the areas surrounding your home. This will prevent burglars from sneaking up on your property without being seen. Solar lights are a great option as they don’t cost anything to run.
Check to make sure plants and trees aren’t blocking your outdoor lighting. It’s a good idea to cut back your larger trees and shrubs regularly to ensure as much light as possible flows around your property exterior. Just make sure you take care in the positioning of your lighting so that you don’t annoy the neighbours.
Indoor lights also act as a good deterrent. Consider using timer switches for indoor lights, which light up the interior of your property when you’re not home. This will lead burglars to believe someone is home and will prevent them from wanting to enter. Use energy-saving LED bulbs, as these don’t use as much electricity and can last longer than traditional bulbs.
Keep Your Home Visible
You may think it makes sense to make your property less visible from the road with high fences and high trees. However, this just makes it easier for burglars to get close to your property without being noticed. It also provides a place for burglars to hide while engaging in criminal activity.
So, how can you make your home more visible? Firstly, lower the fences at the front of your property or remove the fences altogether to provide a clear view of your home. Avoid providing cover for any burglars who are trying to hide. Taller fences are better at the rear and side of the home to make access more difficult.
Adding things like plastic spikes to the top of your fences can make it difficult for people to try to climb over. A trellis or thorny plants can also help with this. Consider adding some barbed shrubbery or prickly plants around the boundaries and fence lines to create a natural barrier for your property.
Gravel driveways and pathways are great as these are noisy when you step on them so you’ll likely hear intruders around your property.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, there are many ways in which you can improve the security of your home. By implementing some of these tips in your own home, you can ensure your property and your family remain protected from unwanted intruders.
