Winter Is Coming – How Safe Is Your Home In The Dark?

The summer is over, the schools are back and the nights have started to draw in. With the increased cover of darkness, the chances are crime rates might see a small increase. Obviously, no one wants their house broken into but how safe is yours really? And how do you deter any potential burglars from targeting your home in particular?

Firstly, it would be advisable to conduct a quick audit of the exterior of your property. Check the accessible areas at the front, rear and sides. You could ask yourself the following questions:

1. How easy is access to your land?
2. Do you have any type of security system in place and if so, how fit for purpose is it?
3. How well-lit are entry points such as your front and back doors and any patio doors too?
4. How secure are your doors and windows?
5. How secure is your garage?

Let’s take a look at these in a little more detail…

How easy is access to your land?

It is well-known that the simple addition of a front gate can be enough to deter trespassers from choosing your property. So if possible, you should consider adding a gate at the front and a lockable gate to prevent access to the side and rear of your house, including the garden. Many thieves might want to go round the back where they will be out of view of most people, to break in without being under a watchful gaze.

Do you have any type of security system in place and if so, how fit for purpose is it?

Do you have a burglar alarm? What about CCTV installed? Do you set your alarm every night before bed and do you have enough sensors? Your security cameras need to be out of reach of potential vandals and it is preferable to have a very visible sign to alert them to its presence in the hope that this will be enough to stop them – as many as 67% of burglaries are prevented from this alone. Outdoor security cameras can all be managed via your smart phone for ease of management, allowing you to view the goings on wherever you are.

How well-lit are entry points such as your front and back doors and any patio doors too?

Having a spotlight directly on the crime being committed is likely to be off-putting even for the most adept of criminals so make sure you have some outdoor security lights fitted. This is important at all major access points including any French or bi-fold doors which might have poorer structural integrity or be more hidden from view around the back.

How secure are your doors and windows?

Do they have locks on and more importantly, do you actually bother to lock the locks? How strong are the door and window frames? Do you have anti-snap hinges in place? Ensuring your key access points are as sturdy as they can be will certainly stop the criminals who plan to just kick them in! And even the more sophisticated villains will be perturbed by hinges and fixtures which can’t be breached in the easiest of ways.

How secure is your garage?

Garage doors are often extremely flimsy with just a weak lock on (that’s if we remember to secure it properly at all!) and an integral door to the house is usually just a normal door with a simple lock on. So not only can they get easy access to whatever goods you keep in the garage itself, they will have free rein of your home in no time. Make everything a bit tougher to get into and you might stop your possessions being taken.

If you do find that there are some gaps in your security then don’t worry, as these days it is very easy to remedy the problems. Just make sure you get on top of it in a timely manner before it’s too late!

Posted on 18th Sep 2020 by Anesh Pillai