Houses are huge investments which should be protected at all costs. It’s no surprise that many homeowners spend thousands on home security - but is it effective? Do expensive home security systems count for anything when other tell-tale signs might attract intruders instead?

We’ve put together this super simple checklist to help you establish whether your home is secure as can be.

Signs Of Poor Home Security

Take a look at the exterior of your home and put yourself into an intruder’s shoes. Can you spot any of the following?

1. Open Windows

If the house is occupied then open windows aren’t a problem - but are you ensuring that all windows are locked when leaving the house? Open and unlocked windows are an obvious, and easy to identify, entry points for intruders.

2. Overgrown Bushes

Do you have some overgrown bushes or trees surrounding your home? If so, burglars may see this as a sign that no one has been home in a while. If it is obvious that someone is living in the residence, burglars may simply use these overgrown bushes as cover instead.

Don’t give intruders a place to hide! Keep your homes front and back garden well maintained.

3. Unlocked or Broken Fence

Many intruders access homes from the back - the last thing they want is to get spotted by a neighbour. With this in mind, you should be doing all you can to make access into the back of your property as tricky as possible. Keep gates locked at all times and ensure that they are made from durable materials that have no damage.

4. Accessible Shed or Garage

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that garden tools are usually kept inside a shed or garage. If an intruder gets access to these tools, then they’ll have instruments to break into your property. To prevent this from happening, ensure that your shed has a solid locking system in place and that your garage has durable garage door locks. Intruders are far less likely to attempt a break-in when their lives are made difficult.

Signs Of Good Home Security

Now that you have an idea of what poor security looks like, it’s time to take a quick look at what good security looks like. Use the following list, along with the above recommendations, to ensure your home is as secure as possible:

·         All windows and doors have been fitted with the right locks

·         A security alarm system has been installed

·         Valuable items or tools are not in plain sight

·         There are no objects which make accessing your property easy (eg: could an intruder climb on your bins or shed to access an unlocked window?)

Keep your home security up to date with Fast Keys - the UK’s leading security specialists. Browse our range of keys and locks today to find exactly what you need.

No one should feel unsafe in their own home, but if you don’t take precautions to protect your belongings, burglars and intruders may target you.

Luckily, there are measures you can take to protect your belongings from theft, and many of them are both easy and inexpensive to install. Here are 5 simple ways to keep your valuables safe at home.

1. Check Your Door Locks and Furniture Locks

One of the easiest, but often overlooked, ways of keeping your valuables safe at home is by ensuring that your locking systems are as secure as they can be.

You will often find that insurance companies will only insure your home if you have a specific type of locking system in place. In the UK, one of the most favourite locks amongst insurance companies is the British Standard lock. These locks are considered to be ‘thief-resistant’ locks, and they are installed onto front and back doors. Here at Fast Keys, we have British Standard locks ready to purchase both online and instore.

It’s not just the front and back doors that you need to consider installing with locks. If you keep valuable documents in your home, then it’s important to keep them safe via a locking system, too. Furniture such as filing cabinets, pedestals, desks and cabinets can all be fitted with Furniture Locks to ensure that confidential or expensive information remains safe.

2. Install Burglar Alarms

Using an alarm as an audible deterrent against burglary is a useful way of making your home as safe as possible.

As it stands, only 34% of homeowners have working burglar alarms. It doesn’t take long for a burglar to establish whether a home has a working alarm, so giving off the illusion that yours is switched on simply won’t be effective.

Installing an alarm box outside your home is both a visual and audible deterrent to burglars. Insurance companies can also advise you on the right system to have in place for your home – there are many to choose from, including those which alert monitoring centres or even those which alert you via your smartphone.

3. Put Valuables Out of Sight

Burglars are more likely to break into your home if they have seen your valuables sitting in plain sight. So, one of the easiest ways to protect what’s most important to you is by ensuring that you keep valuables out of clear view. From sentimental jewellery to expensive gadgets, make sure that the things you value most are put away when you know you won’t be at home.

One of the easiest ways to hide your valuables is by locking them in a home safe. Home safes are secured by either digital keypads or traditional key and locks; burglars will have a tough time accessing your valuables when such strong locking systems protect them!

To enhance your safe’s effectiveness, it’s worth getting it professionally installed so that thieves don’t consider stealing the whole system. Wall safes are a popular favourite, as picture frames or mirrors can hide them.

4. Don’t Overlook the Garage

Your home includes more than just what is inside those four walls – the belongings in garages and sheds are just as enticing for thieves. Garages are often a common entry point for burglars as, if they can’t initially get into your home, they may find tools in the garage which will aid the process.

Make it a habit to lock all the doors to these places and have strong locks fitted so that you can trust that your items will be secure. To add an extra layer of security, consider using padlocks to deter burglars even more so.

5. Make Use of Lights

If you know you’ll be out of your home for most of the day, or even away for several days on a trip, it’s a good idea to put your lights on a timer. Putting your lights on a timer gives off the impression that there is someone home. This will immediately put burglars off breaking into your property, as it’s not worth the risk if people are home.

It’s also a useful tip to install sensory lights outside your property. These lights will shine brightly if a burglar was to approach.

Be Worry-Free By Knowing That Your Home Is Safe

As the UK’s leading key specialists, we know just how important it is to keep your home security as strong as possible. With these 5 tips in mind, your valuables have a far higher chance of being kept safe at home.

Get in touch with us today if you would like more information on keeping your home safe. We offer a wide range of key and lock services, including swift key cutting.