Tips for Better Home Safety
Tips for Better Home Safety: How secure is your home against intruders?
Discover what precautions you can take to lessen the possibility of a break-in.
Even if burglaries have decreased over the last decade, a break-in is frightening, disruptive, and often expensive.
Review any possible entry points, such as doors and windows, to determine how they might be upgraded to make your property safer.
How safe is your house?
Apart from ordinary thefts, some burglars survey a house ahead of time and occasionally collaborate with other offenders.
Therefore, you need to take precautions to keep your house safe, that it appears lived in at all times, and that there are no conspicuous spots where a possible burglar could hide to inspect the property.
Make it apparent that you are on vacation as well. Install a timer for the lights or ask a friend or neighbour to check on them regularly.
Also, don't make a big deal about your absence on publicly available social media platforms. This means you can never know who is checking out your profile.
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Remember the following as well:
Is it possible to open the windows and doors, even if they are difficult to reach?
Are the locks visible on the windows and doors?
Is a spare key visible or easily accessible, such as behind a flowerpot or above the door frame?
Do you have high walls and shrubbery that criminals could utilize to hide?
Is your front door loud enough for a thief to break in? Is there, for example, gravel around the house?
Is there a nearby ladder that a thief may use?
How safe is your garage or shed? Is it always locked and protected using high-quality padlocks and security locks?
What are some methods a thief can use to scout a house?
We spoke with former criminals and security professionals to learn what deters them, from dogs to different alarm systems.
Burglars hunt for flaws in your security measures, beginning with the front door. A potential burglar is seeking indications that you are unconcerned about security: Doors with a single cylinder, Yale lock, or missing window locks.
He also looks for apparent flaws, such as keys locked in a rear door or window locks with keys still inside.
A burglar hunts for unutilized gear, such as ladders. They also check sheds and outbuildings to ensure they are adequately secured.
Former burglars we spoke with said they prefer to target single-family houses. This is most likely owing to simple access, according to our responders.
What deters robbers?
We questioned what deters burglars in our poll. The following were the top five items:
– 71% have installed a burglar alarm system.
A dog is owned by 71% of persons.
People are present in -52% of households.
-46% HAVE VIDEO SURVEILLANCE.
21% have a sensor and outdoor lights.
There are various ways to safeguard your home. Here are our top recommendations, some of which are free or low-cost:
Door safety
When installing a lock on a window or door, use the most robust screws you can locate rather than the ones included. Check that all screws meet British Standard BS7950.
Installing locks on PVC or PVCU doors or windows may void the guarantee. Locks that are correctly installed during construction are more secure.
Consider the following suggestions as well:
Examine the strength of the door frames and doors. The thickness of your outside doors should be at least 4.4 inches, and the hinges should be at least 10 inches wide.
Doors should ideally have a BS 3621-approved five-lever mortise lock.
Wood doors can be reinforced with steel strips on the frame and around the lock.
Glass-panelled doors are less secure. They can, however, be strengthened with laminated glass or plastic sheets.
Ensure the entire door set (door, frame, and locks) is Pas 24 certified when purchasing new doors.
Attach a chain or lock to the door, and consider installing a peephole to observe who is outside before allowing them in.
Mailboxes should be placed 40 inches away from the door lock, and valuables and keys should be kept out of sight of the lock – an interior cover plate adds another layer of security.
Security lighting
Whether turned on manually or controlled by motion, outdoor lighting is a practical approach to make intruders more visible and so dissuade them.
A single light costs between £8 and £100. However, if your house is on the street, make sure the lights are oriented downward, so they don't annoy neighbours and don't shine in the eyes of vehicles.
Interior illumination is all about deceiving intruders into thinking there are people inside when there aren't.
Timers that can switch on and off lights in the home, as well as televisions and radios, may be purchased for as little as £5. Ensure your home's timers are in sync, such as shutting off the lights five minutes after the TV is turned off.
Wireless security cameras and CCTV
Criminals can be deterred by using CCTV or wireless security cameras (indoor or outdoor).
We put various wireless security cameras to the test, including those that protect a driveway or back entry and warn you when someone enters the house.
Another intriguing technology is a smart doorbell. It is a digital guard for your front entrance, monitoring intruders and alerting you to genuine visitors.
Should you invest in home video surveillance?
Should you install a surveillance system? What is the distinction between wired and wireless security cameras?
For many years, video monitoring has been standard in businesses, pubs, parking garages, and other public places. It is becoming increasingly popular among security-conscious homeowners because of its ease of installation and inexpensive cost.
How to Make Use of CCTV
If you choose to install CCTV, you can buy cameras separately or as part of a security package.
CCTV is only one tool in the fight against crime, and it works best when combined with additional measures such as an alarm system, door and window locks, gravel surrounding your home, and security lighting.
Home security cameras that are hardwired.
They are the most common and easily identified CCTV cameras.
They are often installed on a wall or outside and are linked to the screen through a cable.
Installing the wires, which include extension cords and plugs, might be tricky.
Wireless security cameras
The cameras in this system transmit photographs to your computer, iPad, or cell phone via digital technology.
Many smart security cameras are linked to an app that allows you to monitor your house remotely.
By “wireless,” we mean a communication system that does not rely on physical cables for sending and receiving data. A physical cable is sometimes necessary to connect to the electrical grid.
Keep in mind that the speed of your home broadband connection limits the performance of your camera. As a result, if your internet connection fails, the surveillance provided by the camera may degrade.
Cameras for use both indoors and outdoors.
The outdoor security camera you choose for your house or business, whether CCTV or wireless, should endure the elements and have an IP rating of 66.
Wireless cameras that run on batteries are also available. Otherwise, you'll have to connect the camera to a power source, which you should consider before installing.
Ensure your cameras are securely installed and easily accessible for maintenance and cleaning. Vandal-proof cameras are available. Unfortunately, they are more expensive.
Consider hardwired, wireless, or powerline network cameras for inside CCTV camera applications that require a connection to an electrical outlet.
If you choose an inside security camera, make sure it is wireless. Some variants are less than $50 and allow you to purchase additional cameras and connect them.
Features of a home security camera
Storage:
Most CCTV systems use a PC hard drive or a standalone digital video recorder (DVR). The primary benefit of PC-connected gadgets is that they frequently include image viewing software. Some DVR-based systems also have this feature.
Formats:
Check that your system can save images in a standard format like Mpeg. Otherwise, getting and viewing the photographs on other systems, such as the police, may be problematic.
Also, if you purchase a camera capable of recording high-quality photos, ensure that the PC or DVR can record them.
Remote entry:
Wireless security cameras allow you to view photographs from them via the Internet using a PC or smartphone.
When the cameras are activated, you can receive notifications by email or text message.
Vision at night:
Monochrome (black and white) CCTV cameras are most effective in low-light circumstances, especially when paired with built-in infrared lighting, as some cameras offer.
CCTV cameras that record in colour during the day and convert to black & white at night are another option. The best wireless security cameras capture high-quality footage both day and night.
Motion detection: Some CCTV cameras feature a sensor that activates them when they detect motion. This is beneficial if you want to limit the footage you must store.
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