Home Security | How to Protect your Home

Guide to Home Security and protecting your contents

Many of us take the security of our homes for granted, but we all put a lot of store in having somewhere safe to return to, somewhere secure to sleep and a place to house and display all of the belongings which are important to us. Unfortunately there are a myriad of ways which the security of our home can be put at risk, which is why you need to consider your home’s weak spots, make changes where you can, and take out insurance protection so you and your home are covered if the worst does happen.

The worst can come in many forms, and rather than be overwhelmed by the following guide outlining everything you and your home could be vulnerable to, take this as an opportunity to make sure the feelings of safety and security are justified.

Protect Your Home From Burglary

If you become the victim of a break in you will probably think – why me? Well the answer isn’t usually as complicated as your job, the size of your TV or the car you drive attracting attention, usually your home was simply the easiest to get into. The last thing a burglar wants to do is attract attention so when they pick their targets, they will look for a home with the least obstacles – a house without a dog, without a security system, and one without clear sightlines to the road. Even after assessing all of these things, three out of ten burglars don’t even have to use force, and are able to enter through an open door or window.

To see whether your home is a likely target, look at it through the eyes of a burglar, checking the doors, the windows, the locks and possible entry points.

Check your doors

Doors are the most popular form of entry into a house for a burglar as it takes less effort to go through the door than to squeeze through a window. Large sliding doors often used in patio areas are particularly popular with burglars as these doors can simply be lifted off of their tracks. If you don’t want to replace the doors with something more secure, you can fit security bolts to the frames to stop the doors being lifted – because there is little point adding heavy duty locks to a door which can be completely removed.

When checking your solid wooden doors, the doors themselves should be at least 44 cm thick and the frame should be fixed securely. If you’re replacing a door, buy a whole new door set as you will then know you are getting bolts and locks which are in line with current security standards.

You’ll also need to be aware that glass panels around your doors make them vulnerable to forced entry so make sure this glass is laminated safety glass. An outward opening door should be fitted with hinge bolts or security hinges.

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Before you unwittingly let a burglar into your home, have a door chain fitted which allows you to open the door several centimetres to see who the caller is, and view their identification. You can also install a peephole in your door so you don’t even have to open it to see who is there.

Check your windows

Before you leave your windows ajar at night or when you go out, remember that if an intruder can get their head in, they can usually use the force of their body to get the rest of the way inside. Therefore, remember to close small windows such as those in the bathroom, or skylights and make sure all of your windows have locks fitted so they can’t be forced open. Often your insurance company will require you have window locks fitted, and yon can buy and install them yourself from your local hardware store.

Check outside your home

The exterior of your home is an important factor in providing an intruder with the opportunity to force their way into your home unnoticed. For example, making sure the outside of your house is well lit can expose anyone who shouldn’t be there. You can even use energy efficient globes which are fitted with a timer to come on when it’s dark, and go off in the morning.

Also make sure that gates to your backyard are locked and putting a trellis along the top makes them even harder to climb, especially if the trellis is bordered with thorny plants. You should have items such as ladders and garden tools locked away or secured, so a burglar can’t use them to break in.

Don’t forget to secure your garage, especially if it is attached to your house. There are a lot of valuable tools in your garage, not to mention your cars, plus, if a burglar can enter the garage, they can work on breaking through the internal door out of sight of your neighbours. You may even want to consider laying gravel around your home as burglars don’t like to walk on noisy surfaces.

Add a burglar alarm

When a burglar sees your property is fitted with a home alarm, they are likely to move onto one of your neighbours’ homes which doesn’t have such a security system. Of course, a burglar alarm will also alert you, and others to an intrusion if a thief risks entering your home anyway.

You can choose from two types of alarms, an audible alarm which will sound when someone enters your house, attracting your attention if you’re home, or that of your neighbours. Or you can choose a remotely monitored system which when triggered, sends a signal to a monitoring service. The monitoring service will then call you – or whoever you name as a contact, if you are away on holiday for example, you can choose a neighbour – and then contact the police.

However, before you choose a monitored home alarm system, make sure you are aware of scams and check the company’s address and ask for proof of identity. You may also need to make sure that the company you choose is eligible with your insurance company.

Protect Your Home From Floods

You should have checked, or been informed by your property inspector before you bought your home that you were in a flood risk area. While even areas with a high risk of flooding aren’t going to be under water every winter, you do need to be prepared, to minimise damage and ensure your home’s security when the water recedes.  To do this, start by moving items which have important sentimental value to a high point in your home, storing them on the second floor, or in the roof space in a sealed bag. Also make sure you know exactly where your gas, electricity and water mains are, so you can turn them off right away.

You can also barricade your home with a number of products such as floor board and air brick covers or plastic skirts which surround your property. You may even be able to organise free standing barriers with your neighbours to protect a group of properties.

In case of an emergency flood:

• Turn off the gas, electricity and water supplies at the mains.
• Take down your curtains, or hang them up over the rails.
• Unplug all of your electrical items and store them as high as possible, on the second floor for example.
• Plug your sinks, and weigh the plugs down.
• Apply a silicone sealant to your door and window frames.
• Barricade your doors and windows with sandbags or airbricks.
• Move your furniture upstairs, or raise it onto blocks off the ground.
• Roll up your carpets and store them in a high place.
• Leave your internal doors open.
• Move any outdoor items which are not fixed, to a secure location.
• Move your car to higher ground.

Protect Your Home From Fire

Fire can be both a devastating and dangerous event if it happens in your home, and even a small fire has the potential to do thousands of dollars worth of damage. Most fires in the home start in the kitchen from a cooking appliance, or are started by a smouldering cigarette but there are ways you can prevent fires in your home, and minimise the effects if the worst does happen.

It is a requirement by law that all homes are fitted with smoke detectors, and these can be battery operated, or run from your mains power supply so you don’t have to remember to replace the batteries – at the same time a mains powered smoke detector may also have a provision for back up batteries, and most modern smoke detectors will alert you when their batteries are running low.

Faulty wiring can be another common cause of house fires so if you have an older house, or you have noticed switches which don’t work immediately, or spark when turned on or off, have an electrician assess your home and complete any repairs needed. To handle kitchen fires it is best to keep a fire extinguisher or fire blanket in the kitchen to put out any fires safely, since your first instinct will be to douse the fire with water, which is actually very dangerous for a fat fire. If you can’t get to a fire extinguisher or fire blanket, get out of harm’s way and close your kitchen doors and let the fire department handle the situation.

To keep your home and family safe from fires:

• Have smoke alarms fitted. Have a smoke detector fitted on each level of your home, and in the roof cavity. Make sure you regularly test the alarms and keep them free from dust. You should also change your smoke alarm batteries every 12 months.
• Have a fire action plan. Make a plan with your family so everyone knows what to do in case of a fire, identifying the exits and items which could be used to break windows. This also includes keeping the exits to your home clear and keeping the keys for doors and windows close by.
• Cook carefully. More than half of all house fires start in the kitchen so don’t walk away from dishes on the stove and never leave young children unattended. Cooking with hot oil can be particularly dangerous and if you do a lot of frying, consider using a deep fryer which is specially designed, and controls the temperature.
• Blow out your candles. Don’t leave candles lit when you leave the room and don’t leave young children alone with candles. Make sure candles are in secure holders and are on a heatproof surface, away from flammable materials.
• Dispose of cigarettes. If you don’t want to quit smoking, or take your smoking outside, always make sure you thoroughly stub out your cigarettes when you’re finished, and smoking in bed just increases the risk you’ll fall asleep with a lit cigarette.
• Keep the doors closed. All fires need oxygen to survive, so if you close as many doors as possible, you can potentially minimise the damage of a fire and protect your family.
• Safety of power points. Don’t overload power sockets and keep one plug for each outlet, avoiding daisy chaining power boards and rigging up endless extension cords.
• Child safety. Keep matches and lighters out of reach of children.
• Turn stand by appliances off. It is easy to leave the TV or phone charger on standby, but this can cause the appliance to overhead, so turn everything off when you’re not using it.

Protect Your Home From Storms

You don’t have to live in tornado alley for your home to be affected by the weather. You can see damage from winds, heavy rain, hail, snow or even freezing temperatures which can affect your pipes. To make sure your home is protected from storm damage, regularly repair and maintain your home, checking for loose roof tiles or clogged down pipes and don’t forget to remove hazards such as garden furniture which could blow around in bad weather and cause damage.

Once a storm has started up, there is little you can do to repair damage, but you can prevent it from getting any worse, by:

• Call the emergency line for your insurer. If your insurance company has an emergency phone number, call as soon as you can for assistance.
• Organise temporary repairs. Your insurer may be able to help you organise this, and repairing what damage you can temporarily, can stop it getting any worse.
• Keep track of your spending. Keep the receipts for everything you spend on these temporary repairs as these costs can go in as part of your insurance claim.
• Don’t use the utilities. During a storm, don’t use your electricity, gas or water until you are given the all clear.
• Do not touch affected appliances. If the wiring in your home, or some of your appliances have been affected by the weather, don’t touch them, instead wait for an electrician to help you dispose of them properly.

Protect Your Identity

If your identity is at risk, so too is your entire way of life, and if you fail to dispose of your personal papers properly, or if your letter box is not secure, then someone else could use those personal details to become you, and run up all sorts of debts.

An identity thief can go through your unsecured rubbish bins for old bank statements, or take those pre-approved credit card offers from your unlocked letterbox and assume your identity. Their use of your name and your credit will then go onto your credit report and you may not notice these debts mounting until it comes time for you to apply for a personal loan or a home loan. While your credit can be repaired if you are not responsible for the debts, it is still a huge invasion of privacy as well as a huge inconvenience.

It is also possible for your credit card details to be stolen using a skimming device which scammers attach to ATMs or card readers, from which they then create forged cards to use your credit. To keep your identity secure, make sure you request a credit report every six to 12 months to see whether there are any marks against your name which you didn’t commit. Also report any lost documents or bank statements immediately and make sure to destroy any personal documents using a shredder.

Plus, be suspicious of phone calls or emails claiming to be from your bank, requesting your account details – remember your bank will never request your personal details, they already have them, and this is a scam. In checking the statements of your everyday accounts for suspicious transactions, also make sure to close any accounts you don’t use as a fraudster can reactivate these accounts and use them without you knowing.

Insure Your Home

Seeing all of the things which could happen to the safe home you have built for your family it is good to know that there is something you can do to protect it. You can protect your home in two ways – with building insurance and with contents insurance. Buildings insurance will protect your structure and the fixtures and fittings of the home including the kitchen and bathrooms. The contents insurance will cover everything you would take with you if you moved.

You will probably already have building insurance as it is a condition of the approval of your mortgage, and you will need to make sure that it is current, and covers your home for its current replacement value. Then contents insurance takes care of all of your possessions and while it is not compulsory, when you take a minute to think about how much it would cost you to replace your furniture, your appliances, your clothing, your kitchenware…you will see just how important those premiums are.

Home insurance policies can cover you for a range of damage, and the type and level of cover you pay for will determine how much you can get back if you need to claim for:

• Fire. You can be covered for damage done to your home by fire and by smoke and water damage from the fire fighters. If your home is damaged by fire, don’t throw anything away until the insurance assessor has inspected it. you can also often be covered for alternative accommodation while your home is repaired.
• Theft. Your insurance can cover you for theft, but the first people you will have to call are the police, who will give you a crime reference number which you need to make an insurance claim. Items stolen from your garage or shed can also be covered. For a successful claim, the insurance company will need to see that entry was forced, and not the result of a carelessly locked door or window. Also check whether items you lose while outside of the home, such as your handbag or wallet, are covered by your home contents insurance.
• Flood. If your home is in a flood risk area it can be more expensive to insure and your insurance company may need to come out to assess your flood risk, and the precautions you have taken.
• Bad weather. Damage by bad weather can be covered by your insurance policy. This can include damage and replacement of pipes due to freezing, but often doesn’t include damage to fences or gates. Bad weather insurance can also cover your legal liability if debris from your home damages your neighbour’s property or injures someone. You can also often receive benefits to cover the repairs, as well as alternative accommodation while they are being carried out.

Your insurance policy will also have an excess amount, which is the amount you will have to pay when you make a claim. The larger your excess the lower your repayments, but you will need to find that cash at the time of your claim to receive your benefit. There may also be limits on the insurable value of some items such as televisions or jewellery, and if you have exceptionally valuable items, you may need to insure these separately.

Protect Your Home From Terrorism

When you are comparing home contents insurance policies, check whether you are covered for damage by fire, explosion or impact if it is the result of terrorism. Damage by contamination is often not covered as the cost to cover this sort of clean up is prohibitive for most insurers. This type of cover will often include a claim benefit to allow you to stay in alternative accommodation while your home is repaired.

How to Make an Insurance Claim

If you need to claim on your insurance it can be a stressful time already, so you want to make sure you receive your claim benefits as quickly as possible, and that there is nothing to void your claim, so make sure you:

• Contact the police first if you have been burgled.
• Contact emergency services who can help with flood, fire or bad weather damage before calling your insurer.
• Know which policy you will be claiming under, either your building or your contents insurance. You can also claim under both policies.
• Find out about hotlines provided by your insurance company with direct contact to recommended tradespeople who can help at short notice.
• Keep all receipts for everything you spend during the repairs process so you can claim back all of your expenses.
• Once you have submitted your claim, you may be visited by a claims inspector to assess the damage or check your details.

To make sure your home protection plans are organised and in place, and will be effective in case of a disaster:

• Know where your water, gas and electricity meters are so you can turn them off in case of an emergency.
• Have escape plans in place in case of a fire.
• Have flood tools on hand such as sand bags, so you can easily implement them in case of an emergency.
• Make necessary repairs to roof tiles or guttering.
• Secure any outdoor items which could cause damage in a storm.
• Ensure your downpipes and gutters are not blocked.
• Keep cupboards and roof spaces clear of rubbish which can add fuel to a fire.
• Keep important document somewhere high, in a sealed bag if your home is in a flood risk area.
• Have your central heating serviced regularly to avoid malfunctions or fires.
• Photograph valuable items and keep the photos with a copy of your insurance policy.
• Mark valuable items where you can with your postcode to help ensure your property is returned to you if it is stolen.
• Install a home alarm system which is compliant with your insurance company.
• Have a fire extinguisher and fire blanket in your kitchen.
• Install smoke alarms and check them regularly, replacing their batteries every 12 months.

Of course, the aim of home protection is to avoid making a claim on your home insurance in the first place, and you can minimise your risks, by being aware of what is going on in and around your home. For example, remember that the holiday season can bring extra risks so don’t forget to turn off Christmas lights and don’t leave candles you may have used for atmosphere, burning when no one is there.

If you’re going away make sure you have a neighbour take in your mail to avoid identity theft, and the obvious look of an empty house. Also have a timer switch come on at night, and cancel newspaper deliveries.

If someone comes to your door don’t open up to them right away. You have every right to ask to see identification, and you can call their company to check they are who they say they are. This is where a door chain can be an important part of your home’s security.