For many of us, interior design does not necessarily start with the interior, but the way our home looks from the outside. But have you ever considered what the ‘curb appeal’ of your property says to the uninvited guests?
In making our homes appealing from the outside to our friends and family, we might unwittingly be welcoming crime, say security specialists Yale. The majority of burglars look for the path of least resistance when attempting to gain entry to a home, while some of the more ‘professional’ thieves might even select a home by briefly glancing at the outside of the property to check the quality of the protection in place.
It is therefore vital that you consider the security you do have in place as the more difficult a property looks to break in to, the less likely it will be. Yale have three top tips which can better protect you against opportunistic thieves.
Door Secure
Doors and windows are a top priority when it comes to ensuring your home is properly secured, with burglars relying on weaknesses in these obvious entry points to gain access.
Doors are the first line of defence against would-be intruders for any home and should always be taken into careful consideration. Updating the locks and furniture on your front and back doors will not only help to reduce this risk, by improving their security, but also enhance the aesthetics of your home.
To meet the latest standards, new PVCu and composite doors are fitted with locks and hardware conforming to the PAS24 standard. However, if you are not in a position to renew your existing exterior doors, you should consider upgrading the locks and handles.
Tired and broken furniture and poorly fitted cylinders can give burglars a visual clue that the door (and security) has not been updated for some time.
Window maintenance
Windows are the next target for an attempted break-in. Vulnerable, badly maintained windows are easy to spot and represent an easy way to get into a home that won’t arouse attention.
The power of a good lock should not be underestimated. The best burglar deterrent is a quality window lock. This is a simple, affordable and highly effective way of giving additional security to your home.
Alongside the security benefits, when reviewing your windows you can also consider installing new, more energy efficient options prior to winter, to keep more heat in the house.
Protecting parameters
It’s important to also think beyond the building itself and access its surroundings. Keep gates closed, repair damaged fences and make sure all hedges and bushes are trimmed, making it more difficult for thieves to remain undetected.
Invest in outdoor security lighting and put the spotlight on thieves. In addition to this, house alarms acts as an excellent visual deterrent, with statistics showing that 60 per cent of burglars say they would be discouraged from targeting a house if they knew it had a home alarm.