Designing a calming environment

Even though you may live in an area that is considered to be relatively safe in terms of crime, you never know who is going to try and deprive you of your valuable possessions. This is why it's important to have a multi-pronged approach to security, so that you can keep your family safe and provide as many deterrents as possible for a would-be burglar. What are some of the key steps to take as you become proactive about your safety?

Being on Your Toes

Firstly, always be aware of your surroundings whenever you return from a visit to the store or from a day at work. During the hours of winter darkness, take time to look around you before inserting the key into your front door. Make sure that the entire area around the home is lit with motion-detecting floodlights, which will not only help you to gain access in the dark but will also illuminate anyone who shouldn't be there.

Knock Knock, Who's There?

When you're inside the house, make sure that you can clearly see who may be knocking on the door outside. It's never a good idea to rely on a safety chain as they can break if significant pressure is applied. Instead, fit peepholes to each door.

Deadlock

Many front doors have decorative glass inserts or are bordered by glass panels. However, it's relatively easy for a burglar to break one of these silently in order to reach in and open the door from inside. This is why you should equip each door with a deadbolt lock, which cannot be opened without a key. Just remember to have a spare key in a nearby desk, so that you or family members can access it as needed during an emergency.

Fooling the Burglar

These days, you can program interior lights so that they go on and off at random times. You can also set up a sound system to do the same thing and both of these solutions will give the impression that somebody is in the house when they may not be. You can use an app on your smart phone to manage these settings from wherever you may be and this will give the impression that the house is not vacant, even though you may be away on your annual holiday.

In the old days, they used to say that you should cancel your milk or newspaper deliveries when you go away, so that it is not obvious when the house is empty. Of course, both of these solutions have long since disappeared from modern-day life, so instead you could leave your car parked in the driveway instead of the garage. Once again, this might fool a burglar to believe that the house is occupied and especially if you ask the neighbour to periodically move the car into a different position.

Security Screens

Make sure that you also invest in the highest quality home security screens for your sliding doors and windows and have a word with your supplier to see what options are best for you.