Home Security Tips

You don't necessarily need high-end locks on everything to keep your home secure, take a look through these tips to maximise your home security.

OUTSIDE

Street Visibility

Bushes, trees and shrubs obscuring windows or doors can give a burglar the cover they need while attempting to break in. Keep them trimmed! Doors

Hollow core doors are simply filled with cardboard to keep it's shape. Outside doors should be of a solid core so that a hole can’t be punched through it.

Fuse Box

Your electricity fuse box should be locked. Have a 'Power Industry' lock fitted, these are specially master keyed locks to allow access to meter readers. This prevents burglars from turning off the power in the hope of also turning off lights or alarms.

Lights

Fit outside sensor lights. These lights will come on automatically when someone approaches. This allows you or your neighbours to see who is approaching, and will deter most burglars. A fitted sensor light also provides safety for you when you come home during the hours of darkness. Fit them front and back and under the carport to illuminate your car.

Vehicles

Vehicle security should be to a level in line with the value of your vehicle. In most cases a steering wheel lock and automatic sensor light over the vehicle is sufficient. But if you have a very expensive and popular vehicle you should keep the vehicle inside an alarmed locked garage. You might even consider fitting a ‘bollard’ or steel post behind your vehicle that can be locked into place and then unlocked and folded down so you can drive over it and out the driveway.

Fences and gates.

Fences and gates should not be so high that no one can see over or burglars will be able to practice their trade away from the view of neighbours or passers by who would call police or deter them.

Garages and sheds

Garages and tool/garden sheds must be locked at all times (including doors and windows) so that burglars can’t get in and use your tools to break in to your house, or just steal your tools or garden implements.

INSIDE

Doors

Have a careful look at the outside of your home, at the doors and windows. Your outside doors should be fitted with dead-locks. There are dead-locks for a wide range of doors, from solid front doors to glass-sliding patio doors. Make sure that the locks conform with an Australian ‘AS’ standard. Your locksmith can advise you on the types of locks and key them alike so that you don’t have to have too many different keys. These locks should only be ‘dead-locked’ (unable to open from inside as well as outside) when you are NOT home, for safety in case your need to exit quickly.

Windows

Windows are a favourite entry point for burglars, but they don’t like to take too long or make much noise. To make it as difficult as possible for them, fit keyed locks to ALL windows, even if you have a lock fitted. The type of lock depends on the type of window and again your lock-smith case advise you and key them alike. If you have sliding aluminium windows or doors check for free play and if there is some, fit some screws so that the window or door cannot be lifted out of its tracks. A self-tapping screw fitted above the door or window will prevent that door or window from being lifted up and then out.

Front Door

Have you fitted a door viewer so that you can see who is there? They range from a simple peep-hole viewer to a closed circuit TV camera depending on what you can afford. If you don’t know who is at your door, you should connect the door chain so that the door can’t be forced open. A strong security chain screwed or bolted to the door and door-jam is recommended.

A security door is also recommended. Again the door should meet Australian Standards and be of steel construction with three locking bolts for top, centre and bottom, and fitted with a dead-lock. Ideally the door mesh would be of a type that allows you to see out but visitors unable to see in. A light over the outside of the front door will allow you to see visitors in the dark.

Manhole/skylights

Most homes are fitted with a manhole cover allowing access into the ceiling and some homes have had skylights fitted. Make sure that your manhole cover or skylight is fitted with a lock to prevent entry from the roof. In most cases a simple sturdy barrel lock fitted either side would prevent entry.