How to secure your home
Updated on
Being burgled is horrible - it’s stressful, expensive and leaves you feeling less safe in your own home. And while burglary rates are decreasing year on year, there are plenty of simple ways to secure your home.
Where do you start, though? And which upgrades offer the biggest benefit? Here's what you really need to know about home security.
Lock down your external doors
Every expert we speak to says the same thing - start with the easy ways into your home from the outside. First check your front and back doors. Make sure you have thick, solid doors attached with hinges at least 10cm long. You should also have kitemarked five-lever deadlocks. If you don’t, a professional locksmith can sort you out. They’ll recommend extra measures like adding security film to glazed panels, fitting anti-pry strips to wooden doors and beefing up your hinges or fixing screws. Patio and bifold doors can be weak points too. A multi-point locking system or lockable mortice locks at the top and bottom of the doors are essential.
Secure your windows
Carefully consider your home’s windows: especially any that are accessible from outside, or from a flat roof. If they don’t already have locks, make it a priority. New windows should meet British Standards, and you can specify them with laminated glass. Or a professional window fitter or locksmith may be able to boost existing windows’ security by adding locks.
Locks only help when windows are shut, though. And open windows are a common way in for criminals. You can reduce the risk with window restrictors or sash-stops, which restrict a window’s opening to keep people out.
Tip - plant some prickly evergreen bushes under your ground floor windows. Not only will they make windows harder to access, they will also act as a deterrent.
Upgrade your lighting
Internal and external lights are big burglar turn-offs.
Outside, security lights can make a big difference. Modern versions won’t go off every time a cat walks past, but they’ll light up your drive or garden if someone crosses them. Think about any pools of darkness around your home, especially if they’re next to doors or windows: could you add a security light there?
Inside, it can be as simple as leaving a light on if you’re out. It’s an old trick, though, and burglars are wise to it. So for a more convincing effect, set a modern smart lightbulb to turn on and off at varying times. Couple it with sound from a smart speaker and it’ll look like a house full of people.
Fit a modern security system
Consider a new alarm system if yours is old or you don’t have one. As well as motion sensors, today’s sophisticated systems can include thermostats, smart lights and even door locks. If they find an intruder they can trigger different responses from sounding an alarm to calling for security backup.
Most systems also work with security cameras. They’re a great visible deterrent for burglars and they mean you can easily check in if there’s anything out of the ordinary.
Modern systems are easy to control from your phone, and they’ll even connect to other smart devices. So as well as an alarm, you can turn on all your home’s lights if someone breaks in.
We recommend a professional installation to make sure everything’s connected properly and working together.
Improving your home security needn’t be overwhelming. A few simple upgrades can make your home safer and more secure, helping you protect what matters most