Home Security

eclipse2015

Hi there,

Just about to purchase a detached house (currently live in a very secure flat) and would be interested to hear your recommendations for home security, this is completely new to me as I have never needed it before. The house is on a busy street however there is a large back garden leading onto a park, so we definitely need some form of an alarm, especially as myself and my husband work long hours.

The vendors we are buying from currently use Chubb and pay a monthly fee to them of £27.
This seems quite expensive in the long run so would keen to hear your thoughts.
Thanks!

Nile

Hello eclipse2015


When we moved into our new home many years ago, we got a locksmith to come round and give us advice. He put a second lock on our patio door, he changed the front door lock and put a spy hole in the door.


We got an electrician to install security lights on our drive and back garden. The control box has the option for lights and bleep sound when either sensor is triggered. It's helpful during daylight hours (when the security lights wouldn't be triggered to come on) to know that someone is on our property............even if it is only a cat.;) The security lights are also very useful when we need to go into the garden or garage after dark.


Access between the house and detached garage used to be open but we had it closed off by fitting a 6' fence and gate. When we're in for the night, we close the gate and padlock it shut. It's just a way of making things difficult for a potential burglar.;)


We also have a house alarm and garage alarm. We've never been burgled, so we think it's money well spent on our security measures.


I hope you'll be very happy in your new home.


Regards


Nile

eclipse2015

Thanks for advice Nile! Security lights are a great idea and I didn't know you could get ones with a bleep, will have to look into that.

Can I ask what House and Garage Alarms you use? There seems to be so many on the market, it's hard to know which one to choose!

Is it better to subscribe to a monthly service or pay a one off fee?

Nile

Our house/garage alarm system is many years old so you're better off looking for something up to date. We're thinking of renewing our alarm and we won't go for a monthly fee option.........we'll buy outright.


Other forum members will give their tips and recommendations.

alanobrien

My place backs on to a park and has a wood to one side.
I updated the alarm (simple install not monitored) and made sure the bell box had a visible led flashing that could be seen from the park and the wood. Also installed two dawn to dusk lights and put a trellis along the top of the fence all around the boundary. Also replaced the doors and windows with multi point locking system but that needed doing anyway.

Happy to say never had a problem in 10 years even when away on holiday although i do make sure the lights are on a timer.

Nilrem

Start with the obvious first.
Door locks.

Make sure all your door locks are up to industry standards or better, for example if you've got Euro style locks (UPVC doors etc), make sure they're 3 star BSI rated with are much safer from bumping, breaking and drilling than normal ones.
Avocet do them around £40 a lock, or around £50 if you get all of them "keyed alike" so a single key will open them all (they're also much much harder to pick as they don't use a standard key style and require a magnet for one pin).
Eurocylinders are typically about a 5-10 minute or less job to replace once you know the sizing, and only need a single phillips head screwdriver to do the job (the first one I did took almost as long to get out of the plastic packaging as to fit).

Likewise check all the windows are lockable and if need be replace the handles/locks (they're about a tenner each), again a simple enough job that just needs a screwdriver.

Re the alarm 27 a month seems a heck of a lot per year, it might be worth seeing if you can get an alarm that rather than dialing the alarm company dials a mobile phone of your choice with the information (I'm sure there is something out there that will do that). Or even just a decent "unmonitored" alarm and make friends with the neighbours.

PIR lighting can be a good idea, but IIRC it can also actually help the potential burglars, as a lot of people tend to ignore the lights as they often go off too frequently due to poor placement (in which case they're just helping the intruder see what they're doing).
We put one up for our back garden, but before fixing it to the wall we made sure that it only covered the area we wanted (one person stood holding it in place, the other walking around and checking the coverage area).

Skintdoogle

I agree with all Nilrem's advice.

- Replace any Euro cylinder locks with Sold Secure Diamond lock cylinders (e.g. Avocet ABS or Mul-T-Lock XP). Make sure you remove keys from locks too! Otherwise they aren't secure.

- Ensure any mortice locks are have a British Standard 3621 kitemark. Otherwise ask a locksmith to upgrade them to BS3621 locks.

- Ensure all ground floor and accessible windows have locks and that you use them. Again, a locksmith can add any window locks you need.

- Fit, or ask a locksmith to fit, hinge bolts to outward-opening external doors. These are cheap, fit-and-forget security ... but important to stop an easy way in.

- Security lights (ideally dusk-to-dawn, but otherwise PIR) are a good idea where thieves could be seen by neighbours or passers by. Lighting isn't a good idea if it makes life easier for the thief without anyone seeing them!

- An alarm is a very good idea. Wireless is easier to install, but wired is more reliable. Ask for sensors on vulnerable Windows and doors (e.g. French and patio doors are generally vulnerable).

- SmartWater is a good idea too, using SmartWater stickers as a deterrent.

- Consider your boundaries. Make it easy for neighbours and passers by to see what's happening at the front of your house, i.e. have a low boundary. Make it tricky to access the sides and back of your house, i.e. high fences and locked side gates.

Hope this helps!
-

ic

Do you know the area is a crime hotspot - are your fears valid? Check https://www.police.uk for stats on crimes reported in the area.

Common sense (and cheaper) things to do are:
* Ensure fences are six foot high.
* Plant prickly bushes and plants around the edges.
* Install a gate or fence to the side of the house, level with the front of the house if possible (so as to ensure nobody can hide to the side out of view of the front door).
* Lock the gate at all times.
* Don't leave wheelie-bins on the drive that will provide a step up for thieves to get over the fence.
* Install PIR activated lighting (LED is cheap now and great) - don't go too bright, two or three 10W flood lamps spaced around the house will provide good coverage and reduce shadows, vs one big 50W.
* Replace existing locks with bump-proof anti-snap locks. Standard euro locks are very easy to measure and replace you don't need a lock-smith for that job.
* Don't leave valuable items or keys on display. If your house could be seen into from the park, install blinds to minimise what people can see.

Ultimately thieves go for easy pickings - if they have to put effort into getting in to your house, they'll move on to the next one where there is no effort.

I'd have thought having security lights that beep everytime a cat walks through the garden will drive you up the wall very quickly. I have a wireless Yale alarm that calls me whenever it goes off, so I only pay the cost of the call, not a subscription fee. Because its wireless, I was able to put alarm sensors in the two sheds as well as the house. You'll get a discount for having a maintained alarm on your house insurance, but it won't be much.

Browntoa

I've always doubted the benefits of monitored burglar alarms these days , the police don't respond quick enough if at all and if you get a phone call when you are miles from home it's allover by the time you get back

My neighbours one goes of. All the time , it's got to the point where I don't even look out the window now when it goes off

I'd invest in beefed up locks Lights and gates etc

C_Mababejive

Not wanting to start another thread when this is relevant but can anyone recommend a good wireless alarm for a small house/flat? I see the popular YALE models in stores/screwfix/amazon and also stuff on ebay..tnx

eclipse2015

Some great advice here, thanks everyone!
Have just been reading up on Smartwater, what a great idea!
Will definitely be putting all of this into practice, so thanks again!