There is nothing worse than being comfortably tucked up in bed and the thought of someone breaking into your home popping into your head. So, to ensure that your front door is nice and secure and that you get a good night’s sleep, here are a few things you can do to improve your home security.
1. Have your own in-home Big Brother
Before we even get onto what you can do to your front door, there’s one way to deter an intruder from breaking into your home from the onset and that’s to install security cameras.
Having security cameras inside but more importantly outside of your home, will discourage burglars as they won’t want to risk getting caught on camera. You might even want to choose smart security cameras that can sync to your phone, meaning that no matter where you are you can keep an eye on your home.
2. Turn your home into Fort Knox
Choosing to install high security locks is imperative, as they provide the most suitable protection against the sneaky methods that intruders’ use to break into a home.
With that in mind, it’s important to do your research. Don’t just pick the first lock you find at your local hardware store.
Firstly, you need to make sure that you’re choosing a lock from a well-known and trusted brand as this’ll give you a peace of mind about the quality of their products. You’ll also need to find out which of their products are highly rated by other customers to make sure you’re getting value for your money.
We recommend buying a British Standards Lock as the British Standards Institution (BSI) establish the standards for the quality of goods and services across the UK. You can distinguish whether your lock of choice is a BSI approved lock or not by looking for the British Standard Kite Mark on the product.
When it comes to securing your front door, it’s the deadbolt within the lock that does all the hard work. With that in mind, you’ll need to make sure to choose a deadbolt that can withstand intense levels of force – especially in the event that an intruder may attempt to kick your front door down when breaking in.
Not sure how to work out how strong your deadbolt is? No worries. You can determine how effective the lock is going to be by finding out which metal it’s been made from and the quantity of metal used to make the lock.
For example, even if a lock has been composed of hardened steel it may be significantly hollow inside. This means that the empty space in the lock outweighs the amount of metal used which results in the lock being notably less robust than a thicker lock.
To ensure that your lock provides you with the maximum amount of security, we’d recommend you get it installed by a professional, which is why the Handy Squad have a team of experienced London locksmiths who can take the task off your hands and complete it efficiently to ensure your front door is secure in no time.
As well as this, having a first-rate door combined with high quality door furniture – the screws, strike plates and hinges – will help to improve the security of your front door significantly.
3. Catch them red handed
Now as long as you’re not attempting to sneak in after a late one, installing motion sensor lights seems like a good idea, right?
Well, having good lighting is crucial when it comes to improving the security of your front door as it acts as an alert for whoever is home. It also increases visibility for security cameras to capture intruders like a deer in headlights.
It’s also a good idea to make sure that any hedges or bushes you have are well-maintained to avoid making your front garden or drive overly dark and to also prevent obscuring any of your security cameras.
4. Make sure you’re notified
Securing your front door goes beyond making sure you’ve got the correct lock for your door or installing security cameras to capture any attempted break-ins, especially when you’re out of the city. The Handy Squad can install an intruder alarm at your London home to ensure that if you do have any intruders that the necessary people are notified – whether that just be yourself or the police.
There are various types of alarm systems to choose from including auto-dialler alarms, monitored alarms and smart alarms.
Smart alarms
Smart alarms detect unusual activity in your home and will notify you or a selected family member of the situation.
Auto-dialler alarms
You’ll need to install an auto-dialler alarm if you’re in the market for an alarm that automatically calls a specified number – either a chosen friend or an automated message can be selected – when your alarm goes off.
Monitored alarms
If you’d like your alarm to be connected to a monitoring centre that can contact the police for you – if necessary – monitored alarms are perfect for you.
If any of those options sound like something you’d like to be installed in your home, call our team today on 0800 0 12 12 12 and we can book you in for an intruder alarm installation appointment.
In the event of a break in
If you arrive home and your front door has been damaged, contact the police immediately using 999 and file a report – this way the incident is on record for any of your insurance claims. Also, make sure not to touch anything in your property as you may accidentally tamper with evidence.
If this has happened to you, we’re sorry to hear that. Please don’t hesitate to get in contact with our team who can make your home feel safe again, whether you’re in need of one our carpenters in London who can repair door frames and if necessary, undertake an emergency door replacement if the damage is irreparable. As well as this, our emergency locksmiths in London can repair door locks and even replace your old door lock with a better one. Simply give our team a call on 0800 0 12 12 12 or request a quote by filling in our online booking form.
Disclaimer
At the Handy Squad we strongly advise that you always take safety precautions into consideration when undertaking a DIY project. We also strongly suggest that you closely read and follow the instructions, that are provided by the manufacturer, of any building materials, products or tools you use for your projects.
Our aim is to provide you with clear and correct instructions, so that you can easily complete any DIY project you desire. However, please note that the information we provide should only be used as a guideline and that some information within the text may not be entirely accurate.
When using our articles for information and advice, please note that it is your own responsibility to determine whether you are capable of undertaking and executing the task you wish to complete.
Before starting a DIY task, it is essential that you inform yourself of any existing building, gas, water and electrical works regulations. If you were to have any further concerns, we recommend that you complete additional research and/or contact the necessary professional body.
We also strongly recommend that a qualified tradesperson completes the relevant safety tests and checks on any DIY work you have completed.
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