Unfortunately, the days have long since gone by when it was entirely normal and possible to leave the front door to your home unlocked all day and even through the night. These days, burglars seem to be constantly finding more ingenious and less traceable ways of breaking into homes across the country and, therefore, home security is a priority.
Here are five affordable yet effective tips and techniques to ensure that your home is safe and secure, to give you and your family peace of mind.
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1. Fibreglass Doors
The first tip for ensuring that the front of your property is as protected as it can be is to replace the front of your doors with fibreglass. There will be an initial outgoing cost, but as fibreglass is one of the lowest maintenance materials in existence, you are certain to recoup this expense over time.
Other benefits to fibreglass entry doors, especially when bought through a trusted and experienced supplier and fitter such as AFM Ltd, is that they are exceedingly durable and are also far more energy efficient, saving you money on your energy bills.
2. Exterior Lighting
If you are not currently in the position whereby you are prepared to fit numerous CCTV cameras around the perimeter of your home and are not particularly comfortable with the prospect of installing a smart doorbell, then exterior lighting will become your best friend.
The lighter and more visible your property is, especially around the front and back doors (as well as the garden gate), the better. Illuminating your property is one of the proven ways to deter intruders, especially those of an optimistic nature.
3. Keep Curtains Closed
When you and/or other members of your household are home, especially throughout the daylight hours, there is no need to keep your curtains and windows closed, but in the evening and through the night, the curtains should be closed.
Not only will the aesthetic difference of your windows be observed by would-be burglars and will let them know people are regularly in and out of the property, but this way, no valuables such as high-level electronics will be visible from the outside.
4. A Retractable Post on Your Drive
Another incredibly effective suggestion to ensure your valuables are left where they belong, at home with you, is to concentrate on securing your vehicle.
Obviously, in an ideal world, the safest place to store your car overnight is to lock it in your garage, but if this is simply not an option, a retractable bollard can be easily installed into your driveway which drop-down when you need to move your car either in or out.
5. Pay Extra Attention Before a Trip
Finally, when you and your family are planning on going on a trip, even if you do not have any pets which need feeding and caring for or any plants and flowers in the garden that will need watering, you should ask a close friend or neighbor to check on the house regularly.
Cancelling milk deliveries, removing leaflets and other mail from your letterbox, and making visual changes to the windows each day will make would-be burglars assume you are home.
