How do you make your house secure affordably?

LiveOnce

Hi guys,

Apologies if this is in the wrong section I didn't know where to post this question.

How do you make a house more secure? What steps can you take to make it sure while keeping it affordable? I am thinking of getting a security system for each room as common in many homes but wanted to get some advice and experience from you others who have experience in this area.

I would appreciate your tips and knowledge.

ognum

I think security systems are quite affordable.

phill99

Please define 'security system'.

You need to make the house very difficult to get into.

You need high quality, insurance approved dead locks or similar on all doors. Good locks on opening ground floor windows and windows accessible from roofs.

External security lighting is very useful, as is trellis on top of fencing which tends to give way (and make a noise) when somebody climbs it. Planting spikey shrubs such as gorse bushes next to fences discourages people from climbing over.

An alarm is really only action after the event and your money will be best spent in good physical security.

Alternatively get a territorial dog (border collie, German Sheppard etc). I had 2 very protective collies who would bark if anyone passed within 50 feet of the house. Best security ever.

Guest101

Cameras are very cheap these days too, very off putting big cameras

G_M

Door locks
Secondary door locks
Secure door frames
metal plated door
window locks
bullet proof glass
fortified window frames
external movement activated floodlighting
external movement activated cameras
heat sensitive lighting/cameras
solid metal fencing topped with razor wire
Remote operated solid gates
internal alarm sensors on doors,windows, under carpets
movement activated alarms internally
etc

ging84

i would check your locks, a lot of houses these days have fairly decent doors which would be quite secure, but are let down by a lock cylinder which can easily be defeated in seconds

bouicca21

A simple solution is to have a dog.:j

societys_child

G_M wrote: »

Door locks
Secondary door locks
Secure door frames
metal plated door
window locks
bullet proof glass
fortified window frames
external movement activated floodlighting
external movement activated cameras
heat sensitive lighting/cameras
solid metal fencing topped with razor wire
Remote operated solid gates
internal alarm sensors on doors,windows, under carpets
movement activated alarms internally
etc

:rotfl:

Not forgetting, land mines and hidden snake pits . . .

rosyw

At my last place my late partner installed what seemed to be every security device know to man, including alarms on the house and barn complex, and we still had low lifes trying to break in :mad: Then I got a very large Rottweiler, that did the trick! one look at the dog was enough to put off anyone :T he was one of the softest dogs I've ever owned, more likely to lick you to death than attack, but worth his weight in gold as a burglar deterrent

MoneyMate

Simple but effective if installed to look real
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dummy-Decoy-Alarm-Bell-Box-with-Flashing-LED-/160914539794

HHarry

Having been burgaled last year, my thoughts are;

Many burglaries are oppurtunistic, so make sure you use the security you already have. Doors and windows locked and deadlocked (windows fully shut, not locked 'on the latch'). Garden gate shut and locked. Bulbs replaced in security lighting. Put valuables away - even if you just slide your ipad under the sofa it's not immediately obvious. All simple things, but easy to overlook in everyday life.

Dummy alarm boxes are OK, but get on your ladder every 6 mnths and give it a clean. A box covered in dirt and moss has obviously not been maintained.

A real alarm can be worth the cost for your own peace of mind (ours was £250 self fitted), but I don't think it would stop a determined burglar. They may spend less time in the house, but they can have grabbed a few hundred pounds worth of gear, and be gone before anyone reacts (even if it's a monitored alarm).
I like the idea of CCTV and may install it in the future. However I still don't think that would stop a determined burglar. It might give you a chance of identfying them, but your stuff will be long sold on before the police catch up with them.

Unfortunately there is no way to stop them coming in if they want to. Whoever did our house came well prepared, as they forced open a upvc window (snapping the lock mechanism through brute force), and managed to break into our safe.

Edit: Register your stuff on https://www.immobilse.com. This database is available to all Police forces, and allegedley places like CEX shoud check the serial number of every product they purchase. Additionally it can prove useful in the event of an insurance claim as well.