Monday 30 June 2014

Top Tips To Keep Your Home Safe This Summer

summer holidays, home security
The peak summer getaway season is almost upon us. But whilst you and your family may be planning how to enjoy a blissful two weeks lapping up the sunshine, sadly there are undesirable characters at large who will be doing some planning of their own! Right now opportunist thieves are on the look out for vulnerable properties to break into whilst the owners are on holiday…

Summer Home Security


Here are our top tips on how to make sure your home is not an easy target for burglars when you are away:

  • A pile of yellowing newspapers on the doorstep is like a public advertisement advising that a home that's unoccupied. Stopping the newspaper (and milk) before you leave is an absolute must.
  • Invest in timers that turn on the interior lights for a few hours every evening. If you can get a neighbour to take out your rubbish and put the bins back after the rubbish is collected, it's another way of communicating that everything is proceeding normally at your house.
  • Put in place exterior lighting which is activated by motion detectors for the driveway and other areas around the house. If a light comes on when someone approaches, a burglar is less likely to make an attempt to enter – equally the lights going on will notify your neighbours of any unusual activity.
  • Always park your car in the garage with the garage door closed when you are there. That way anyone spying on your daily routine won't be aware that your car is missing when you do leave.
  • Gravel paths prevent a silent approach and might alert your neighbours to the arrival of any unplanned visitors to the property.
  • Thieves can hide behind trees and shrubs. Trim back or remove any shrubbery next to doors or windows. If you are going to use plants next to the house, consider thorny plants such as holly or roses. Cut back any branches that hang over the roof, and remove any lower branches from trees to prevent them from being used as a foothold / means to gain access to the property.
  • Hedges and shrubs in the front garden should be kept to a height of no more than 3' in order to avoid giving a burglar a screen behind which he can conceal himself.
  • Tidy away any garden tools when you are finished and store ladders securely – otherwise they could be put to use by criminals.
  • Security mark valuable items to make them less desirable to thieves. Marking them can also make it easier for them to be traced back to you if they are recovered after being lost or stolen.
  • A two metre fence should keep your house secure but many burglars are quite athletic so a fencing topper from Jacksons like Security Comb or High Tensile Barbed Wire can be used to provide an added deterrent.
  • A dedicated high security anti-climb fence like EuroGuard Combi from Jacksons, which combines the beauty of natural wood with the strength and security of steel is a good alternative to a fence with a topper.
  • With driveway gates, consider whether it is preferable to close off the view to your property from passers by (a thief can’t be tempted by what they can’t see) or to choose a design that allows visibility, for example if you live in an area with an active Neighbourhood Watch programme. Look for a sturdy, fully framed design fixed to substantial posts and integrated with fencing or walls. Jacksons ‘Courtyard’ gates are timber clad on both sides for good looks and feature a welded, galvanised steel frame, that is fixed to substantial steel posts.
  • If you have installed automated gates, make sure you have not left any wheelie bins or a similar item which can be used to try and scale the gate.
  • Finally, don’t have your home address showing on your luggage labels – you will simply be advertising the fact that your home is empty!
If you have found these tips useful, please share with your friends and family by clicking on the share buttons below.

photo credit: Highways Agency via photopin cc

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