Tag: home security

6 great ways to keep your home safe and secure

6 great ways to keep your home safe and secure

Home safety will always be important, especially if you live in a high crime area. By protecting ourselves, we can have increased peace of mind and ensure our valuables are safe. In this article, we’ll discuss six ways to keep your home safe and secure.

Home security illustration

Install a home security system

Home security systems are probably the most popular way to keep your home safe and secure, as they come with many options. An alarm system will notify you with a loud noise when tripped and a surveillance system can let you monitor your home in real-time. The possibilities are endless and you can really choose what will work well for you.

Silhouette of a large dog

Get a family pet

If you’re after not only a great friend but also a protector of the home, why not consider getting an adopted dog? These friendly canines do a great job at deterring unwanted guests, as they can be trained to attack and make a lot of noise. They’re very loyal, loving and great family company.

Illustration of a hand opening a wall safe

Keep valuables hidden

If you have many valuables around your home, you should aim to keep them as concealed as possible. Instead of leaving your tablet or phone under the window, try and place them in a draw when not in use. If you have expensive jewellery or cash in your home, try keeping them secure in a hidden safe.

Illustration of arm unlocking a door using a keypad

Install new locks on windows and doors

This step is especially essential if you’ve recently moved into a new home or apartment. Changing your locks ensures that any previous owners can no longer get inside. Window locks can also be purchased so that they are extra secure. To make things easier, ask your locksmith for a universal key that opens everything.

Lantern lit up at night

Light up your landscape

A dark, unlit home is the exact type of location for which intruders search. This is because they can remain unseen and avoid detection. To fix this problem, install motion sensor lighting around the perimeter of your property. This will catch any unwanted guests in action, but also make the area outside safer for you.

Illustration of a CCTV camera icon on a computer keyboard

Be smart on social media

While social media is excellent, it’s vital that you remember to follow some safety tips when communicating online. It would be best if you never advertise that you’re on holiday, home alone or out of town. The web can be used by individuals up to no good, and posting these things can make your home a target, so it’s best to keep these things to yourself. If you’re still worried about break-ins and intruders, check out some of the safest places to live in the world.

And that’s it! The most important thing is to remain vigilant and always keep an eye out for suspicious behaviour. Even if you incorporate just a few of these techniques into your home, you’ll be increasing your overall security. Stay safe!

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How can you protect your home effectively? These options can help

How can you protect your home effectively?

When it comes to home security, we all want to ensure that we do what we can to keep our homes safe for ourselves and our families. After all, a house – or any kind of property for that matter – is a huge investment and likely to be one of the biggest purchases you make in your lifetime. However, it’s a sad fact that we live in a world where opportunists are always looking for a lucky break; and that may involve, at some stage, a burglary attempt on your house. But, there are things that you can do to avoid this from happening. So, with that in mind, here are some of the ways you can protect your home effectively.

Domestic oor security system linked to a smart phone

New alarm system

Your home may already have an alarm system in place, but that doesn’t mean to say that it’s going to be in good working order. Especially if it hasn’t been used, serviced or replaced in a long time. These things often need upgrading. You could look into a new system that connects to your phone. Some companies even offer a chance of calling local law enforcement if the alarm fails to be deactivated when set off.

Wall mounted home security camera

Add security cameras

As an addition to an alarm system, you could look at adding cameras to your home. This can be an excellent feature to give you peace of mind as you can physically check in on your home while you are out and about or on holiday. Looking into a cctv camera system installation is easier than you think, and many alarm companies offer this as an additional level of security. It could certainly be a great way to add extra security.

Wood panelled fence

Work on the boundaries of your property

One thing that we can often fail to do is increase the level of security in terms of the property boundaries. This entails checking that your fencing is in good condition and not in need of repair. You can also go as far as erecting higher fences and installing gates on driveways to give an extra level of security to your home. It can be a cost-effective way of doing it and can also be visually appealing.

Secure door handle and locks

New doors and windows

Many homes have glazed windows, but these things can need updating or replacing after a while. You can look at getting additional security on windows and doors by fitting extra locks. Some doors incorporate internal locks that are an extra barrier to stop the door from opening, even if the door is unlocked. You can also put sensors on windows and doors that will sound an alert if the motion sensor is activated. Small changes that can have a big impact on your security.

Snarling dog behind a chain link fence

Visual deterrents

Finally, you could look at some old-fashioned visual deterrents for security. Things like warnings on doors and windows about security. A dog even, that’s not only visual but can also alert you to an issue by barking and making a commotion!

Let’s hope these tips help you to protect your home effectively.

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Summer home security tips

Summer home security tips | H is for Home

Summer is here, which means that many of us will be opening our windows, leaving the car window open to let fresh air in and even leaving our doors unlocked so we can come in & out with ease. Sadly, this is when most opportunist thieves and burglars strike. You might pop out to the shops and leave your bedroom window open by mistake or forget to close the car window when we return home. So, here you’ll find some helpful tips and advice on how you can beef up your home security this summer.

Wooden fence in front of a hedge

Your perimeter

Take a walk around your property and see for yourself how easy it would be to gain access. Try to see it from a burglar’s point of view and see how you’d find your way in. Gaps in fences, broken fence panels, gates with no locks – all these are access points and give an indication about how the rest of your property might (or might not be) protected. Replace that rotten old fence and even reinforce your perimeters with hedges and trees – check out The Tree Center for a range of privacy trees.

Hedge with a heart-shaped hole cut out

Plants and shrubs

If your garden is looking a little overgrown, now is the time to cut back that hedge, mow the lawn and keep everything in order. There’s nothing better for a burglar or thief then somewhere to hide, and your overgrown hedges and bushes might provide the perfect place. If you keep your property looking well maintained and kept, then it gives the impression that someone is there often, and things are well taken care of and someone is always watching!

Wooden ladder in a garden leaning against the wall of a house

Put away your things

We all like to spend time in our garden and back yards during the nice weather, and it might seem obvious to leave everything outside for you to come back to again the next day. However, leaving expensive possessions out in your garden is only advertising them to potential thieves. Expensive toys, barbecues & accessories, gardening equipment and even your lawnmower should all be put away in your garage or garden shed, so they’re out of sight. After all, if this is the kind of thing you have outside, what expensive electrical items could be inside? Be smart and lock them all away.

Leaving items like ladders and tools around in your garden is also a bad habit that needs to be broken. Anyone could use that ladder in your garden to gain access to the bedroom window you left open.

Man locking a set of glazed French doors

Your doors and windows

It might seem obvious, but we’ve all been guilty of heading out for the day and leaving a window open or even the front door unlocked by mistake. Take the time to check every door and window in your property now and see if it could do with replacing. If the windows have locks, do you have the keys for them? Do you have secure locking mechanisms and deadlocks? And try to get into the habit of remembering to check all the windows and doors before you leave!

Let’s hope these tips help you to protect your home effectively. However, even if you’ve opted for CCTV installation, extra locks to your doors and windows, or a guard dog within your property, it still pays to remain vigilant and aware of what’s happening around you.

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Key Safe, keep safe

** UPDATE – The Key Safe Company is offering our readers a unique purchase code. Enter HIsForHome at checkout to receive a 10% discount off everything excluding installation and accessories. **

Win a Supra C500 Outdoor Key Safe | H is for Home

What do you do if you need to let someone into your home when you’re not there? Or how about going off to work and leaving your car at home to be collected by the garage for repairs. Where do you leave the key? Under the door mat? In a plant pot outside your front door? Under the tyre? It’s not the smartest solution, but so many people do just that!

With an outdoor key safe you can put your mind at ease knowing that your keys are completely secure and will only be accessible to the right people.

For this month’s give-away, we’ve teamed up with The Key Safe Company to offer one of our readers a Supra C500 Outdoor Key Safe worth £59.94. The key safe works by setting a secret code number (there are 4,000 different combinations – so it shouldn’t be easy to guess). Punching the correct number and turning the lever opens the safe where you can store up to 6 keys (depending on size & type). You can change the code as often and as many times as you like for added security.

Supra C500 Outdoor Key Safe

To be in with a chance of winning, comment below saying how an outdoor key safe would be useful to you. For example, I regularly get locked out of the house if I take the dog for a walk and forget to take my key and Justin goes out in the meantime. Problem solved if we kept a spare key in a key safe!

Supra C500 Outdoor Key Safe




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