Our home is our private personal space filled with valuables and treasured possessions, so none of us likes to imagine a break-in taking place. However, with over 250,000 burglaries reported in the UK each year, we need to face up to the fact that it’s a very real possibility.
As well as making sure that you’re taking steps to secure your property against invasion, you should invest in home insurance that can offer an added layer of protection. Take a look at these easy ways to improve your home security which will nonetheless have a big impact.
Install an alarm
Start with the favourite first line of defence for any property and install an alarm.
Controlled by a code that only you know, burglar alarms will produce a loud siren sound when they detect motion in the home. This is a fail-safe way to alert you and your neighbours to a break-in taking place. Seeing signs of an alarm will also deter burglars from targeting your property.
You can set the alarm to cover the whole property when you’re away from home, or just in the downstairs area overnight.
Keep it secure
Your windows and doors are the weakest point of entry into any home, and these are what burglars will target when breaking in. It’s highly advisable to upgrade your windows and doors to modern multi-locking designs and keep these locked at all times when not in use.
Ensure that your windows and doors have a double-glazed glass or even better uPVC. These thicker materials are hard to smash, further putting off any potential thieves.
Utilise lights
Something you can be sure of with all burglars is that they want to stay hidden. Utilise lights inside and outside your home to keep the property illuminated at all times, minimising dark corners where they could be concealed.
Install automatic outdoor lights above your driveway, around both doors and down the side of your house. These can sense motion and light levels, coming on at night if someone should pass by. You can also use timers to set your inside lights to switch on at a certain time each evening so that the house is never in darkness, even when you’re out.
Go smart
Finally, make use of smart technology to create an advanced home security system that has benefits for your day-to-day lifestyle too.
Fit a smart doorbell and camera beside your front door and connect this to your smartphone for real-time visual updates of anyone approaching your property. Seemingly simple devices, smart video doorbells can be customised to your needs to help identify unwanted visitors and make everyday tasks such as answering the door, monitoring pets and organising deliveries much easier.
