When you move into a new home, most people are fixated on getting the house to look the way they want it to. With all the excitement of redecoration and buying new furniture many homeowners forget about home security. However, a burglary occurs approximately every thirty seconds so ensuring your home is secure should be a priority. As most burglaries are opportunist crimes here are some simple things you can do right away to secure your new home.
Secure The Doors
Don’t make it easy for intruders to enter your home, unbelievably 34% per cent of burglars enter a home through the front door. Make sure all your door frames and hinges are strong and that your mail box doesn’t allow someone to reach through and unlock the door.
Consider upgrading your locks, ensure they are all British Standard approved and maybe install smart locks. By changing your locks you are also able to ensure that there are no strangers out there with a key to your home.
Lock The Windows
Most burglars gain access to your home through the doors and windows. Quite often manufacturer latches on windows are not always the most effective, in fact sometimes they are flimsy. If you are unsure about the quality of your window latches consider fitting window locks or even key operated levers. If you want to take it one step further you can fit motion sensors to all windows and doors.
Light up the Landscape
The very nature of what they do means that criminals engaged in vandalism and home intrusion don’t want to be in the spotlight. Place lights strategically around your outside space such as gardens, pathways, your garage and any other external structures. Not only will this deter burglars, but it will help ensure you don’t take a tumble when you come home late at night.
Install a Burglar Alarm
It has become ever more important for homes to have a security system in place. As we alluded to earlier most burglaries are opportunist crimes and would be thieves will often bypass any home with a visible deterrent. While installing a burglar alarm in Wigan or anywhere else in the UK is not a guarantee you will not be targeted, it will certainly significantly reduce the possibility. Installing a burglar alarm doesn’t have to be expensive as there are lots of home security systems available to suit different budgets and the levels of protection required.
Don’t Forget to Include the Garage
Garages are becoming a popular entry point for criminals, and even if they are unable to access your home there is usually lots of valuable stuff stored in there. Get in the habit of making sure you always keep all garage doors internal and external locked. If you have a remote controlled garage door always keep the key fob safe and secure.
This list is by no means exhaustive; however these are some things you can do quickly and simply when moving into a new property. By having visible deterrents and taking time to ensure all doors and windows are securely locked at night or when you are away from the property you will significantly improve the level of protection for your new home.
