Easy Ways to Improve Home Security

January 29th, 2012 Home

Crime is an unfortunate reality of the world we live in and one burglary happens every 10 seconds; but there are a few things you can do to improve your home security and discourage those thieves and vandals amongst us from targeting you and your family. It is important that any changes you do make do not impede your exit if there is a fire.

Doors, Locks and Windows

• It may seem obvious but make sure you have locks installed on all doors and windows and lock them when they’re not in use, even when you are at home.

• All external doors should have at least 3 points at which they lock.

• Make sure your front door has a spy hole and/or chain so that you can see who is outside without opening the door, or so that you can see who is outside by opening it a little way with allowing someone to make entry.

• 3 out of 10 burglaries thieves use no force and instead enter through an open window or door.

Keys

• Always keep house and car keys out of sight from prying eyes; ensure that they cannot be reached via the letter box. Thieves will commonly fashion devices which can be put through the letterbox to hook keys from table tops and hooks; putting house keys and car keys in a cabinet ensures security.

• Do not leave keys in window or door locks, this creates the effect of the door being unlocked and the lock need only be turned from the other side to unlock the door.

Lighting

• Use timers on home lighting when you are not there to give the effect of someone being in.

• Place security lights around your home and near to external doors and entrances to alert you to movement outside.

Alarms

• Fit a burglar alarm which is easy to see from the outside to deter any thieves. If they do make entry make sure it is noisy to help alert the neighbours and scare any would be burglars off.

Garden & Driveway

• Don’t leave any items in the garden which could assist a thief with breaking into your home.

• Trees and bushes can also offer a hiding place for thieves; however, prickly bushes can offer more of a deterrent.

• Lay a gravel driveway and paths which make a noise when moved over.
There are many things you can do to deter thieves from breaking into your home, at relatively low cost. Implementing only a couple of the ideas above will significantly reduce the chances of your home being broken in to.

Latham’s Steel doors specialise in steel security doors. For more information, please visit their webstie: Latham’s Steel Doors.