What is home security?
The security of our home is something many of us take for granted. It’s only when things go wrong, that we understand the importance of feeling safe and secure.
Home security is therefore a system installed to increase the security and safety of your home and protect your possessions. It will reduce the likelihood of your security being breached and is a way of quickly and effectively reporting that there is an issue if something does go wrong.
A home security system is essentially security hardware that is installed in and around the home. This can consist of CCTV systems, automated gates, intruder alarms, emergency lighting, motion detectors and more.
Recent research found that 44% of UK homes have no security at all. The Office for National Statistics found that 31% of homes had an alarm system of some sort in 2019.
How susceptible is my home to a break-in?
How susceptible your home is to break-ins can depend on many factors. It can be the area you live in, the time of day or the level of home security you have installed.
Between 2019-2020, there were over 356,000 burglaries in England and Wales. Home burglaries are seeing a downward trend, as found by the ONS, who state seeing a 3% decrease in burglaries in 2019, following a rise between 2017-2018. This is positive to see, however, is likely due to households improving their overall home security and it is still important not to get complacent.
Certain age groups and demographics have also been found to be consistently more likely to become victims of home burglary, including households with a single parent, households rented or owned by those aged 16-24 and those living in urban areas versus rural areas.
Burglary offences predominantly concentrate in urban areas such as London, Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire and the West Midlands. These police forces account for over 40% of domestic burglaries and approximately 35% of all burglaries recorded by the police.
The Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) states that over the last decade, 70% of intruders gain access through a door and 30% through a window. Highlighting the importance of securing the access points of your home.
Installing a home security system will decrease the likelihood of you becoming a victim of a home burglary. It is important to protect your home, possessions and loved ones, to give you peace of mind that your home is fully protected.
What measures can I take to make my home safer?
There are lots of different ways to improve the security of your home and make it overall safer.
Securing Doors & Windows
Make sure to secure your windows and doors! This is an obvious point, but one that many people overlook and forget. Entering through a door or window is the most likely way a burglar will enter your home and they will look for easy to break-through or open entrances. Get into the habit of locking all doors and windows when they are not open and putting the keys in a safe place. If you have older style windows without keys, consider adding an extra lock to improve their security. Police Crime Records for England and Wales show that 52% of burglaries involved entry via the front of a property, with the door being unlocked in 23% of these cases.
Security Lights
Security lights are a great deterrent to intruders. They are a sensor and light system, whereby if the sensor is triggered, the light automatically turns on. These are great to have at key points of entry like driveways and back gardens, as well as along side-alleys. As well as putting off intruders, they can also give yourself a sense of safety when returning to your home, especially during the darker months.
Automatic Gates
Adding gates to your property adds an extra layer of security and acts as an extra obstacle to reaching your home.
It shows potential burglars that you are aware of your home security and are likely to have other systems in place.
Burglars want an easy break-in. Making it harder for them to reach your property instantly makes your home more secure.
Add Gravel to Your Driveway
Adding gravel to your driveway is an investment that will increase the safety of your home. Intruders want to make as little noise as possible and reduce the amount of attention on them.
Moving on gravel is loud and this will put off burglars targeting your home. You will also be able to hear any unexpected person or vehicle arriving at your house.
Get a Dog
Although many get dogs for a devoted companion, they also increase the security of your home. Burglars are more likely to be deterred from a property that has a dog as it will likely bark and alert its owner if someone unusual approaches or enters the house.
Don’t Post on Social Media
Although it may be tempting to post about your holiday or trip-away online, you never know who may be reading your posts. Always avoid advertising when you are away from your home. Instead, post your pictures when you’ve returned.
Royal Mail ‘Keep Safe’ Service
When you’re on holiday or away from your home, you want it to look occupied. A build-up of post is an easy giveaway that someone hasn’t been home for a while and is something many burglars look for. Royal Mail offers a ‘Keep Safe’ service, whereby they will hold back your post until you’ve returned to help protect your home and identity. The service costs £16 for 10 days and you need to sign up at least 5 days before you need the service to begin.
Join Neighbourhood Watch
Sign up to your local Neighbourhood Watch scheme and help make your community a safer place to be. Neighbourhood Watch schemes help to prevent crime in the area.
You will be given access to key crime prevention information as well as the power of your community, to look out for each other and solve crime issues affecting your area.
Lights on a Timer
Using a plug with a timer can help you choose the time certain lights come on in your home. This is a great way to make your home look occupied when you are away or on holiday. Set the timer for some lights to come on in the evening and you can have peace of mind knowing that your home isn’t looking empty and attracting unwanted attention.
Tidy Up Your Tools
Often leave tools or ladders out in the garden when you’re carrying out some work? Put your tools away after you’ve finished using them for the day in a securely locked shed or garage. Firstly, by leaving them on show you are advertising that you have them in your possession, increasing the chance of them being stolen. Secondly, intruders can use these tools to break into your home, especially using ladders to get to higher floors. Break-ins are usually spontaneous, so intruders use whatever is available to break-in. Don’t help them by leaving your tools out!
Keep Car Keys Out of Sight
Keeping your car keys out of sight and away from the front door is an easy, but often neglected, way to prevent your car from being stolen. Whether a burglar reaches through your letterbox or instantly sees them when they brake-in, you’ve provided them with easy access to arguably one of your most valuable and necessary possessions. Don’t make it easy for them! Keep your car keys out of sight and away from the front door, perhaps in a drawer or cupboard. Taking them upstairs with you when you go to sleep is also a great idea to prevent unwanted vehicle theft in the night.
Secure Your Garden
It’s important to think of your garden as an extension of your home, especially in terms of keeping it secure. Breaking into your garden is much easier than breaking into your house, so it’s important to be on top of your garden security. Make sure walls or fences are well maintained and around 1.8m tall at the back of the house (making them different to climb over) and lower than 1.2m at the front (so neighbours can see any suspicious activity). You can also plant prickly plants and hedges along the walls to add an extra deterrent.
Hide Your Valuables
Hiding your valuables seems simple, but is not something everybody does. Do you hide your laptop when you leave the house? Is your jewellery securely stored away? Many of us don’t, but it’s a vital step in improving the safety of your home. You don’t want to have valuables on show as they suggest to a potential intruder that you have items worth stealing. Also, if you are unfortunate to have a break-in, they’ll be easy to find!
Install CCTV
Homes with CCTV systems installed are one of the biggest deterrents to burglars. They also act to help identify burglars and bring them to justice. Despite the fact they can decrease the likelihood of experiencing a break-in, Co-op Insurance found that only 14% of UK adults have a CCTV system installed in their home. You can read more on the benefits of installing CCTV at home on our blog.
Intruder Alarm
An intruder alarm is probably the number one thing you would associate with when making your home safer. There are a number of different types of burglar alarm you can get installed, with a monitored burglar alarm being the most secure due to rapid response by your remote monitoring company.
Despite this, consumer research by Nest found that only 35% of people said they had a burglar alarm installed.
One of the main benefits of a home burglar alarm is that it will help deter burglars from making your home a target, as well as quickly sounding an alarm if a break-in does occur.
Burglar alarms will come with an external bell box to mount on the outside of your house which also has the effect of acting like a deterrent to burglars.
Home security systems – what are the different types?
Your home security system can contain many different components, including an intruder alarm, CCTV cameras, motion sensors and security lighting. However, the type of security system refers to its set-up.
Wired Home Security Systems
A wired home security system is connected directly to your telephone line and therefore doesn’t rely on sensors or radio frequencies. It is reliable and won’t be disrupted by electromagnetic interference, such as baby monitors. Once set up, users won’t have to worry about changing batteries or charging devices, however, it does require drilling into your walls.
Wireless Home Security Systems
A wireless home security system is easy to install and remove and is a great option for those renting a property. There is no need to drill holes into walls as the system mostly runs on batteries & a wifi connection. Often accessed remotely, they can be easily connected to other smart security devices.
Unmonitored Security Systems
When you have your home security system installed, you will have the option to have it unmonitored or monitored. An unmonitored system means that when an alarm or activity is triggered, it is up to you to inform the relevant authorities and sort out the issue. It is the most cost-effective method, but you are solely responsible for monitoring your home’s security.
Monitored Security Systems
A monitored security system means that an external security provider and monitoring centre are monitoring your entire home security system for you 24 hours a day. A key benefit of a monitored security system is that your home security company will immediately inform you if there is a break-in or unusual activity, and will automatically action the correct response, whether that be the police, a guard or audio warning to the intruder. With a monitored security system, you can have peace of mind that your home is under constant protection every day of the year. It also eliminates the need to rely on your neighbours if there is an incident, as the monitoring system will send you an automatic notification.
Homewatch offers the monitoring of your home security system from just £9.99 per month, which includes 24hr monitoring 365 years of the year. We have the ability to detect faults in your system before they become an issue as well as monitoring the activity of your property.
How much do home security systems cost?
Home security systems can range in price depending on the number of components you add, the size of your property as well as the type of system you have installed. Monitoring and maintenance packages for your home security system will also be an extra cost.
Homewatch offers a completely free, no-obligation quotation for your property. Simply fill out this form to get started.
Is a home security system worth it?
There are multiple benefits from having a home security system installed, including saving you money, improving your sense of safety and reducing stress.
Target Prevention
A home security system is a deterrent to burglars. Having one installed will reduce your chance of being a target, as criminals will always search for an easy option.
Reduce Insurance Premiums
By installing a security system, you could find a reduction in your insurance premiums. This is because insurance companies recognise that your property is secure and less likely to experience a burglary, thus saving you money.
Peace of Mind
Feeling safe in your own home shouldn’t be overlooked. Have peace of mind that your home is secure whether you are inside, on holiday or away at work.
Protect Your Family
You can’t put a price on protecting your family. A home security system will give you the ability to maximise security and keep your family safe.
Increased Protection of Vehicles & Valuables
Protect the possessions you’ve worked hard for! A home security system is a small investment versus the cost and time lost when they get stolen. If you have valuable possessions, a home security system could be considered essential.
Reduce Potential Costs of Break-Ins
The cost of a break-in is thought to average at £2,267. An accumulative cost of your lost valuables, the damage from the break-in, as well as the emotional cost of your privacy and personal security being violated. A home security system installation will reduce the likeliness of this happening.
Remote Access
A Homewatch security system is completely remote, meaning you can access, control and manage all parts of your system from anywhere in the world through the Homewatch Smart App.
What are the next steps?
We are a specialist in smart home security and will create a bespoke security system that is tailored to you and your home. Get in touch to see how Homewatch can help protect your home with a home security system. Contact us on 0330 094 7404, or click here for your free quotation.
Interested in learning more from one of our home security guides? Check out:
The Complete Guide to Home CCTV