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?)

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When it comes to looking for ways to secure your property, looking at the front door is a great place to start. Here are six ways you can make your front door more secure. 

1. Re-Key or Replace the Door’s Lock 

If you’ve lent your key out to a number of people over the years or if you’ve recently moved into a new home, re-keying your lock is a wise move. It ensures that you can keep track of who can enter your home, eliminating the chances of the property’s previous owners being able to gain access with an old, spare key. 

Re-keying door locks involves replacing the old cylinder within the lock with a new one. The new cylinder will have different pins – this ensures nobody can open the door without a new key.

Alternatively, fitting a replacement lock can be a good idea if the lock itself is broken or needs updating. This ensures the door is secure and not at risk of failing to provide protection through an old and worn lock.

If you’re wondering whether to re-key or replace locks within your home, take a look at the benefits and advantages of both processes before making a decision. This will help you to establish what method is best for your situation.

1. Fit A Wide-Angle Peephole to The Door 

Installing a wide-angle peephole to your door can increase the sense of security you feel when at home. A peephole allows you to get a good look at who is approaching your property as well as a general view of the area outside your home, so that you can be made aware if a potential threat is at the door.

Peepholes are super easy to install yourself and can be fitted on doors that are up to 2 inches thick. They are also discreet - although you can take a good look at who is outside your door, they won’t be able to see you. 

1. Install A High-Security Deadbolt Lock

Deadbolt locks are locks that contain a bolt that can only be activated by a key or a thumb turn. The bolt can’t be forced open with a blade, credit card or any other method common with thieves, as it isn’t a spring-activated lock. This provides an additional layer of security to the door and is a relatively inexpensive feature, considering the protection they offer in the long run.

Deadbolt locks are available in three primary styles – the single, the double and the lockable thumb style. The lockable thumb deadbolt is a particularly popular style for convenience, as the door automatically locks from the outside once closed but will remain unlocked to you when you are inside the home. 

1. Replace The Door’s Glazing 

The glazing of your door can be an easily overlooked feature when it comes to security, but replacing glazing can make all the difference in ensuring your front door is protected against thieves. Single-glazed doors can be broken very easily by intruders, due to the material being fragile and easily shattered. 

What’s more, the glazing can easily be separated and removed from its frame quickly, due to it weakening over time. If your door is particularly old, it’s likely that it will be single-glazed, as most modern styles are double or triple as standard. Replacing single glazing to double or triple glazing will make it much harder for intruders to gain entry into your property, with many newer styles including multi-point locking systems so that the glass can’t come away from the door’s frame.  

1. Add A Reinforcer Plate to The Door 

Reinforcers are durable safety features to add to your door to increase its security. They consist of a three-sided metal plate that encases and wraps around the door’s latch – the most vulnerable part of the door. By extending the doors edge, the plate adds an extra layer of security and makes it incredibly hard for an intruder to force entry.

Adding reinforcer plates can be a little time-consuming due to the amount of measuring that’s required before installation, but they are well worth the effort considering the protection they offer.  

1. Replace the Door For A Newer Model 

If your front door is particularly old or damaged, it’s a good idea to replace the door entirely with a newer model that’s of better quality. Front doors need to be super durable and sturdy - older models such as timber constructions can sometimes wear too much over time.

Many newer designs feature a variety of different qualities such as built-in locking systems and internal security hardware, so you can pick a style that suits you and your personal needs to ensure your home is secure and protected at all times. 

How Safe Are Electronic Doors?

Smart doors and locks can be especially susceptible to hackers, so this is a vulnerability that needs to be carefully considered before you make the change to electronic. It’s also worth considering the malfunctioning of electronic doors in the event of a power cut, as many locks using WIFI or Bluetooth will cease to function under these circumstances. 

Is A Deadbolt Lock The Safest?

Deadbolt locks are far more secure than doorknobs, as they cannot be forced open with tools or credit cards. Due to their mechanisms, deadbolt locks provide great peace of mind for homeowners.

Can You Pick A Deadlock? 

Though deadlocks can’t be forced open, it is possible to pick them – though this would be difficult to achieve. That’s why it’s so important to look at all the above measures to further increase the security and protection of your front door, to decrease the chances of forced entry occurring as much as possible.