Your home is your sanctuary – the one place in the world where, no matter what curve balls life throws, you feel safe and secure. But, sadly, there’ll always be a small minority of the population who’d like to help themselves to what you have, meaning it pays to take a few sensible precautions to ensure your house is truly secure.

Good home protection isn’t just about having an expensive alarm system. The following are some easy-to-implement tips to create effective barriers against potential wrongdoers, therefore increasing the safety of your loved ones, possessions, identity, and everything else you hold dear.

Top security tips for your home

Secure door entry points

It can be a wise move to strengthen door jams on exterior doors. Custom-fits usually only have ¾” screws on the strike plate, making them vulnerable to a well-placed kick or strike from a heavy object. Replacing them with 3” screws will up the odds that the door will resist a heavy pounding, sending a strong message that your property is not one to be messed with.

Patio doors are a common point of entry for burglars, simply because many have locks that are easy to pick. Adding a second patio door lock at the base or top of the door is a great deterrent, holding the door securely closed even if some shady character manages to force the regular lock.

Light up your life

Use motion-detector lighting to wipe away those shadowy areas robbers like to work in. These are inexpensive options and are a proven deterrent, especially in areas of your property that are hidden from public view. You can choose from hard-wired, battery, or even solar-powered models.

Lock your valuables away

Small safes are ideal to protect your valuables. Fasten it securely to a wall or floor and, for even more protection, be sure to choose a fireproof model.

Install a peephole

It’s common sense not to open the front door to an unknown caller. A peephole removes this challenge, but be sure to install one that provides a wide-angled view and doesn’t distort your image of the person stood outside.

Guard your personal details

Identity theft is rife, with the latest figures* showing 13.1% of Aussies aged 15 or over experienced some kind of misuse of their personal information in 2017. That’s a high number and our identity is something we should all take steps to protect. The fact that we should shred sensitive documents is well known. But other aspects to be aware of include being careful what you post on social media, including information we write in texts and emails. It also pays to be aware of how much personal Intel you give out in face-to-face meetings, especially with those you’ve just met.

Lock your mailbox

Stealing mail is a common crime. Not only does such theft allow criminals to harvest your personal information, but sensitive items such as bank cards, statements, and even cash get delivered this way. So if you have a mailbox it needs to be a high-quality security model. After all, we’ve all got that one Aunt Mabel who insists on sending money through the post, so don’t let the thieves get their mucky paws on such easy spoils.

Secure your windows

What d’you mean you don’t have window locks? Or, as so many are guilty of, you have them but don’t use them. Make it a habit to check these are secured at night time and whenever the house is empty. In addition, you can purchase pin locks for double hung windows – inexpensive, simple to install, and massively increase security on windows of these types.

Beefing up your home security doesn’t necessarily have to cost an arm and a leg. Simple steps can make your home far less attractive to burglars. In fact, the majority of such crimes are carried out by opportunists, so easy fixes are often the key to deter your home from being targeted.

Perth-based Crown Security has been trusted by home and business owners for over 25 years to provide the best recommendations on how to keep their property safe. From advice on inexpensive security upgrades, security cameras in Perth right through to the most technologically advanced bespoke alarm systems, their expert team is the go-to source in Western Australia for good reason: they really do know their stuff!

Get in touch on 08 9400 6000 for a no-obligation chat about how to ensure that your home is safe for you and your family.