How to secure your home

Everyone should feel safe in their own home. Whether you live alone or with somebody else, find out what you can do to secure your home with these expert tips. 

Below, you can find some helpful statistics and information around home security and how you can improve it.

Window and door locks

It’s important to check that your doors and windows are locked when you’re not in, particularly as around 67% of burglars enter homes through a door, whether this is the front or back one. You should also ensure that your doors are of good quality so that they cannot easily be opened with a crowbar and that other precautions are in place, such as a chain, to make it more difficult for someone to enter in this way.

It’s a common misconception that burglars are more likely to break in at night, but typically, most burglaries actually happen during the day. This may be because they know people are more likely to be out than during the evening or at night. An opportunist thief may test an easily accessible door to see if it’s open and, if it is, they could quickly steal car keys or a piece of jewellery - even when you’re at home. So whether you’re in the house, the garden or out and about, ensure that your external doors are locked.

You may even wish to consider window and door alarms. These are usually triggered if someone tries to open a door or window while the house alarm is on.

Burglar alarm

Having an alarm could put your mind at ease and may even deter burglars. Most of these devices work by sensing movement. For this reason, they are generally installed so that the sensors monitor any potential entry points, such as a back door.

As nearly half of burglaries are spur of the moment, a thief might decide not to target your home if they can see you have a house alarm. The boxes that are fitted on the outside of your home can work as an excellent deterrent, and some home insurance providers might even offer a lower premium if you declare a functioning alarm is in place. 

Keep valuables hidden

Hiding your valuables could decrease the risk of your home being broken into. As previously mentioned, the majority of burglaries are spur of the moment, so car keys that are visible from the window, for instance, could make your house more of a target.

You should keep valuables, such as electronic devices and jewellery, hidden from sight at all times. Similarly, devices such as sat-navs or dash cams that may live in the car should either be brought into the house or stashed in the glove compartment. Keys should be kept away from the front door.

Security cameras

A house alarm is good at alerting relevant people to a potential problem in your home. However, security cameras can provide visuals as to what’s happening outside your home, whether you’re there or not. Most modern systems can link to your mobile phone so you can be alerted to unusual activity or check the feed as and when you need to. 

Cameras can also allow you to keep an eye on who's coming and going, such as postmen, visitors and tradespeople.

Video doorbells

Another option you could explore is a video doorbell. These devices have grown in popularity over recent years and let you view who is at your door, either through a monitor or smartphone app.

What's more, some models even allow you to communicate remotely through a speaker system. If you don't feel comfortable answering the door to a stranger, a feature like this could prove useful and provide a better sense of security. 

Light timers

If you want to give the appearance that someone is at home, or that perhaps there are more people in than there really are, consider installing light timers. They’re relatively cheap to get hold of and any lamp with a manual switch can be plugged into the timer. You simply programme the light to come on and go off at different times. This is especially handy when you won’t be at home. You can use as many as you want to give the appearance that someone is wandering into different rooms of the house.

By following the tips in this guide, your home could feel a lot safer. You don’t need to implement all of them, one or two may suffice in boosting protection and keeping your belongings safe. And remember, there are more valuable home tips over in our Useful Article section.