Keep your house safe with these home security tips

Protecting your family is life’s most pressing priority. With one burglary occurring every 106 seconds in the UK, keeping your home safe is paramount. Burglaries happen for several reasons and there’s not much we can do to solve the problems in society which leads people to break into homes. However, you can be prepared and protect yourself, your family, and your home.

Nobody thinks they’ll be a victim of a crime until it happens. Staying one step ahead can avoid the scenario that no one ever wants – an intruder entering your home. Burglaries are utterly terrifying, traumatising, and the Home Office found that the average cost of a home burglary is £3,030. This considers possessions and emotional trauma. Investing in your home means peace of mind, and that’s priceless.

So, where do you start?

Add security cameras

Security cameras are an inexpensive way of protecting your home. They’re also strong visible deterrents. This gives the burglar the indication that you are vigilant and cautious about security. If they spot that your property is protected and recording their every move, they’re more likely to avoid targeting the house. Despite this, just 40% of homes in the UK have a security camera.

From April 2019 to March 2020, the Office for National Statistics recorded 356,017 burglaries across England and Wales and in the year up to April 2019, the percentage of burglaries that led to a conviction was 3.1%. So, a whopping 95% of burglaries across the UK go unsolved. Part of the reason why so few burglars get caught is that most homes don’t have decent security cameras.

A burglar alarm

A burglar alarm is back to basics in home security. But only 32% of British households have one! The introduction of more tech-savvy and complex home security systems might make the humble burglar alarm seem obsolete but they’re an easy way to protect your home. While they might not be a visible deterrent (although you can fit them on your building’s facade as well) the deafening alarm that we all know and hate may scare the intruder away. It’ll certainly alert you and your neighbours. In fact, a survey found that 60% of thieves wouldn’t burgle a property if it had an alarm.

Don’t forget to lock your windows and doors!

It seems obvious but remembering to lock up is the easiest way to prevent an unwanted intruder. It’s also free! You can have the best security in the world but that all means nothing unless your doors and windows are locked.
Government research tells us that from April 2019 to March 2020, 24% of all burglaries occur when the door is unlocked! This is an astonishing statistic. Everyone has a slip of the mind sometimes but the frustration for what could’ve been avoided would be unbearable. An alarm system will tell you if someone’s breaking in but it’s safer if no one can get in at all.

Avoid hiding your keys in an accessible spot

Under a plant pot, under a rock, under a bin, in a shoe in the porch, under the mat, or on the table that’s right next to your letterbox. If we can think of these easy ways of getting access to your keys, what’s stopping a burglar?

Securing your doors becomes pointless if they’ve got access to the key! Render burglars powerless by making it impossible for them to find the key. Avoid leaving your keys in ‘hidden spots’ outside the home, in a bowl by your door or hanging near the door. They should always be out of reach!

Install motion-sensor lighting

Yes, it sadly gets dark at 4 pm half of the year. Unfortunately, burglaries spike by more than a third during the darker months. Co-Op Insurance discovered that burglaries see an uptick of 34% during the five months of daylight savings. So, it’s incredibly important to install some lighting around your home. Motion-sensor lighting is energy-efficient and visually alerts you and your neighbours to a guest, invited or not. A light would be a huge deterrent to an approaching burglar. With 61% of burglaries happening between 6 pm – 6 am, installing motion sensor lighting just makes sense.

Install windows and doors

The initiative works with developers and the police to build safe and secure communities resulting in up to an 87% reduction of crimes in new homes! window and door manufacturers to prevent crime and on average, a home that has by SBD- approved components is 63% less likely to be burgled. If you’re serious about drastically upping the security of your home, get windows and doors that are part of the SBD initiative – just like the ones at Launa windows.