Securing your home & garden
Secure your doors and windows
It important when fitting your doors that they are fitted properly with strong locks and are in a sturdy, solid condition as 71% of burglars target doors when trying to break into a house, and 28% will try to force the lock.
It is worthwhile considering the following points when trying to make your home burglar proof:
- Make sure that door hinges are hardy and secured with long, sturdy screws and maybe consider fitting cheap hinge bolts to help reinforce the hinge side of the door.
- Fit bolts to the top and bottom of all exterior doors
- Replace weak, glass door panels on or around entry doors with stronger laminated ones.
- Install a 5 lever mortice deadlock to all exterior doors and use it
- If you are considering adding metal window or doorframes to your house ensure that they come with built in lock and fitted chains as they will be difficult to add afterwards.
- Patio doors without a multi - locking system should have appropriate locks fitted
- For further protection you could install an automatic deadlock or a mortice deadlock
- Most front doors are fitted with a rim latch which locks the front door automatically once it's closed so make sure yours has one.
- Chains and door bars are easy to fit and allow you to speak to people before you fully open the door
- If you have a set of spare keys leave them with a neighbour or a friend rather than trying to hide them around the garden or beneath a flowerpot, as these will be places that thieves shall automatically check.
- If you have just recently moved into a new house then it may be worthwhile changing the locks on the front and back doors to ensure that the previous tenants haven't made copies of the keys.
- Don't ever hang a spare key inside the letterbox as you are practically inviting thieves into your home.
- Consider attaching a small cage around the inside of the letter box to prevent small hands from being able to reach any of the locks on the inside of the door. Thieves will also use techniques such as a magnet on the end of a fishing rod to get keys through a letterbox.
- Door viewers can help you to identify any unexpected callers before you open the door.
An online quote will take a matter of minutes, and you can see just how much you could save.
Securing your home & garden
- Introduction
- Secure your doors and windows
- Insert security devices
- Security for flat owners
- Outdoor security
- Leaving your home unoccupied
- Moving house
- Christmas preparations
- Wedding preparations
- General security precautions
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