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Security
There was a time when you could leave all your windows and doors open and go on holiday and nothing would happen to any of your possession’s, but those days are gone.
The house of today has to have at least a certain amount of security in order to make us feel safe in our home environment. The following is just a guide to help you look at the things that needs to be considered for your home.
Outside:
Outside is your first line of defence so you have to make sure that you start your protection from the grounds of your property.
Gates: It is true that unless the gate is locked it is no defence against anyone walking in, but most intruders do not like to open the gates of the houses and in some ways it put’s them off from entering due to the fact that there is a much higher chance of being seen during the time it takes them to open the gate. An extra security could be the option of locked electrical gates with intercom to the house which means that no one can come in without your permission.
Lighting: During the day there should not be any problems if you make sure that there are no really shaded area’s. At night time it is a different matter, you have to make sure that you have got sufficient lighting to brighten up the required area that is needed by you. In some ways it is not practical financially to have lights on all night to cover the whole of your property, but it is possible to cover this problem by fitting heat sensors lights. These light would come on immediately as soon as they detect the heat from someone’s body or from a car and they stay on while the detection carries on and switch's off as soon as the heat is no longer present. You can also have the option of putting these lights on manually from the inside of the house. This depends on the product that you have chosen to purchase. The only downside for these lights is that most of them also come on after detecting the heat from an animal like a cat, dog or a fox.
Visibility: Make sure that you are able to see all around the outside from the inside of your house. Try and avoid having anything outside that might be considered as a blind spot in a way that intruders might hide behind without being detected. If you are going to have a shed or a boiler house, try and locate them on the sides of your land and as far away from the house as possible. The same applies to big dustbins, if possible do not leave then next to the outside door blocking your view.
Inside;
There are a number of measures that can be taken to give yourself increased security and protection inside the house.
Door’s and window’s: Make sure that the door’s and window’s in your house are thick and strong enough to withstand any sudden pressure against them and that they are fitted with secure locks specially designed for the specific material used. There are mainly two types of locks being used for the doors. They are the Mortice Lock and the Cylinder Rim Lock. The Mortice lock’s are fitted inside the door’s main body and the Cylinder Rim locks are fitted on the surface of the door. Most of the door’s and window’s being manufactured these days and fitted in houses come with multi point’s locking system which makes them a lot stronger and tighter in the frame. If you are purchasing a lock yourself for a door or a window, make sure that you go for a very good quality one and from a well know manufacturer as far as reliability.
Alarms: There are currently numerous types and brands of alarms available to you on the market. They vary in price and specification and services offered but you should look around and find out which company or service would be suitable for your requirements. These systems can be fitted by professional’s or if you feel competent you can fit them yourself by purchasing them with a DIY kit. Make sure that the system you choose has infra red sensors to detect body heat for your required rooms and sensors for the doors and windows.
Security Camera’s: These can be fitted inside or outside of your house and they give you the chance to find out what is going on around the house without leaving your chair. These systems are connected through your TV and can be bought in mono or colour viewing. The price for these camera’s have really come down in the past few years and they can be a good source of alert incase of intrusion.
Tip : A sign indicating that there is a dog in the property is a deterrent, even if you do not have a dog.
Health & Safety , Fire Safety , Radon
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