While keeping our homes safe is important all year-round, extra precaution should be exercised during the cold, dark winter months. Not only are the daylight hours shorter, but many of us tend to leave our homes unattended for longer periods during the festive season, perhaps visiting relatives in different parts of the country or taking a much-needed winter break. Likewise, the average home tends to have a larger number of valuable items present, as people purchase costly gifts for friends and family over Christmas.
Millennium Security, a home and construction site security company in the UK, discuss their top tips for keeping the home as secure as possible during winter.
Lighting
Winter is well and truly here, which means the days are shorter and the nights are dark and long. It’s simply a fact that burglaries tend to spike during these months, presumably because the darkness offers easier opportunities to commit a crime. As such, good lighting, both inside and outside, is key.
Outdoor security lighting acts as a valuable deterrent, as long as it is placed strategically in the right position and installed by a professional. It must also be operable from inside your home, and you should be mindful of neighbours when having external lights installed.
Similarly, indoors, the mere presence of lighting can be enough to deter a would-be criminal from breaking in, which is why it’s a good idea to invest in time-switch lights. These are designed to automatically switch on at certain times, making them particularly useful if leaving the home unattended for several days, or for those who work late.
Locks
Ensuring our front and backdoors, as well as any easy-to-access windows are securely locked, might seem obvious, but is often the thing many homeowners tend to overlook. Many of us will have had the same system in place for years with no problems, but that does not guarantee that the locks are adequate in the event of an attempted burglary – it could just mean you’ve been lucky.
If you are in doubt over the strength of your locking systems, it might be a good idea to seek professional advice from a locksmith, who can make any suitable upgrade recommendations.
A safe
Safes are not just for hotels, in fact, the most pragmatic people will have purchased one for their home. A safe is the ideal storage place for expensive valuables, such as jewellery, documents and electronics. Not only do they help keep your precious belongings secure, but many insurance companies will reduce premiums for homeowners who store valuables in a safety deposit box.
Alarms and CCTV
While intruder alarms and CCTV installation might not be a viable option for everyone, they certainly offer great benefits, particularly when used in conjunction. A recent article noted that CCTV is the number one deterrent for burglars, highlighting just how effective this technology can be.
The cutting-edge CCTV and alarm systems of today offer round-the-clock monitoring and mean that intruders are easily detected via video link to the owner’s phone or tablet. Some even have lighting and voice signals, warning an intruder that they are being monitored. If something strange is noticed, these hi-tech systems can even notify the local authorities, who will respond accordingly.
It is worthwhile to seek professional advice when choosing to invest in modern security technology, lighting and locks. Security experts can help guide you on the measures which are suitable for your property, circumstances, budget and the level of crime in your local area.
To discuss your UK security needs, contact Millennium Security on 01234 825 522.