subject: How To Keep Your Home Safe [print this page] Whether you live alone or with children, whether your house is filled with expensive electronics or items of sentimental value - everyone should take steps to protect their home against damage and criminals. Not only will this put you in a more secure position if any events do take place, but you could also minimise the damage and enjoy greater peace of mind knowing you and your belongings are well protected.
Keeping your home safe, even when you're not in, is a skill that may take time to master, and there are some teething problems some people need to get past when first attempting to give their home an artificial 'lived-in' look. While closing your blinds and leaving on interior lights can be a convincing deterrent, some criminals may be wise to your actions especially if you're not the type who usually leaves the lights on all night.
Fortunately, there are many time-monitored products available to help achieve the same effect more realistically, activating lights at naturally-occurring intervals. IP cameras (CCTV cameras linked to a digital network) have also become more popular as a way for people to monitor their rooms at all times of day or night, viewing the camera feed on their laptop over the internet. Even if you don't want to invest in such technology, simply permitting a trusted friend or neighbour to routinely check your property could help put your mind at ease when you're away from home for an extended period.
So, while such measures may act as an effective deterrent, it's even more important to make sure all entry points to your property are secure every time you leave the house or even when you're relaxing in the garden and unaware of what's happening on the other side of your house. Even if you lock your doors, that alone may not be enough if your doors consist of a weak material, such as pine. Choose reinforced doors, particularly for your front door, the main entry point for criminals, and thieves may have to admit defeat when failing to gain entry.
Keeping your property secure will also help greatly if you need to make an insurance claim. Those making a home insurance claim are routinely asked if there are obvious signs of a break-in, and if it can be demonstrated the thieves forcibly gained entry to a secure property, you stand a much better chance of your claim being successful.
