Because your home is usually the biggest investment you’ll ever make, you should do everything in your power to protect it. And not only that, but ensure all your worldly goods and, most importantly, your family, are protected by those four walls.
Alarms
These are also great for reducing the cost of your home insurance – and, of course, they act as a fantastic burglar deterrent, too. If, however, you do buy or own a burglar alarm system and decide to avail of the insurance price slashes you’ll be offered, then it’s vital to know that in order for your policy to be valid in the event of a break-in, the burglar alarm must be on if you’re out of the house.Alarm systems can also be expensive to buy and install, so if you can’t quite afford one yet, then why not consider getting a dummy alarm fitted to the exterior of your house? They often work just as well!
Doors and windows
Burglars are opportunist thieves, so if you give them the opportunity of an unlocked door or an open window, they’ll take it – and everything you own, too. Always secureyour doors and windows, even if you’re in the property – it takes only a matter of seconds for a person to duck quietly in and steal your car keys, handbag, jewellery, gadgets, phone, and tablet PC, and they could walk away with potentially hundreds or thousands of pounds’ worth of your hard-earned, valuable stuff. Fit the best window and door locks on the market, and you’ll also usually further reduce your insurance premium and protect from intruders while you’re away or asleep.
Lighting
Bright, motion-sensor security lights area relatively cheap way of reducing the risk of burglary and reducing the cost of your home insurance policy. If a burglar wishes to scale a wall or jam a windowopen, then their attempts would be somewhat thwarted if they were drowned and illuminated by a bright white blanket of light, and they’d very probably be scared off, never to return.
CCTV
If you can afford it, get a good CCTV system installed. Prices vary hugely, so it’s worth checking out what’s out there! And when you do get your cameras up and running, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to put a couple of notices up telling any potential prowlers that your CCTV system is watching them very, very closely.
Landscaping
Although having a high fence, hedge or trees might make you feel a more of a sense of privacy, it’ll also provide the perfect cover for an intruder to break in, completely undetected by your neighbours. On the other hand, some well-placed shrubbery could well make it incredibly difficult for a burglar to get in and out of your property quickly and with ease. Prickly, springybushes under windows and scalable walls will prevent a noisy, painful and difficult obstacle to pass. A tree, however, may provide a burglar with the perfect climbing rig to get up to an open window in the middle of the night. The type of ground surface you choosefor your driveway orgarden can also encourage or discourage a prowler from trying your house out. Noisy driveway gravel will certainly deter, whereas a surface of silent asphalt will give them the confidence to approach your home.