Have you recently checked to see if your home security needs improving? Carrying out improvements to home security is apparently less of a priority than knowing local crime statistics. In a survey conducted by Yale, knowing local crime rates was rated as a high priority by people looking to move house. Strangely, making sure home security was in good condition was less important.
Overall, knowing the crime statistics was ranked at priority number 6. Actually changing home security to improve it, was ranked at the 43rd priority. Further research says that 58% of people do not change their locks when they move house. It appears we often ignore the signs our home security needs improving.
In case you’re not aware of the warnings that your defences need updating, here are 3 to consider.
Have you moved house and not changed the locks?
This is a red flag as you can you never be 100% sure who has a spare set. In addition, not changing them can invalidate your home insurance. Many home insurance companies want to see evidence of forced entry to pay a claim. If someone uses a key to enter your home, you could be losing out on that insurance claim. Understandably, 58% of residents give away spare sets of keys to their homes. That comes with a risk if they are not returned. It can be alarming to think of how many people might have access to your new home.
Are your doors and windows in good condition?
If your doors and windows are in poor condition this can make breaking in easier for burglars. Rotten wood or broken uPVC can be exploited to gain entry quick. A door that is dropping off its hinges or windows that do not shut properly can be quickly leveraged open. As most burglars work alone, they will seek to target homes with barriers that are easy to bypass. Neglected windows and doors can give the impression the home will be simple to break in.
Don’t create ideal conditions for burglars
Are you inadvertently creating the ideal conditions for someone to break in? In addition to noticing if the windows and doors are in bad condition, burglars look for other information too. Overgrown hedges or high fences that provide them cover from the street is high on the list. Burglars look out for no lights on in the house, especially when cars aren’t parked outside.. No security lighting and no burglar alarms or cameras are all good signs to a burglar. Combined, these factors can make a house look like an attractive prospect to burgle.
Although no home can be 100% burglar proof, if your home has any of the signs listed above, it’s time to take action. Moving into a new home and not changing the locks is a risk that can be avoided. Ensuring your windows and doors are in good condition and are well maintained will make break-ins harder to accomplish. Displaying deterrents such as alarms and making sure there are no hiding places is also a good way to prevent burglaries. For further advice and to learn more about our doors and windows give our friendly team a call.
