Top tips from a home security expert
Alan Titchmarsh, Monty Don, Charlie Dimmock…names that bring to mind one subject. No not THAT one (and you shouldn’t have been looking at them so much), but rather gardeners, or less specifically, gardens. Or even less specifically, gardens and the exterior of your house, and how to improve the security. Which admittedly doesn’t have a lot in common with Titchmarsh, Don, and Dimmock, but I needed to find a way to start off this blog and that was it. In the blog, I’ll providing tips on how to beef up the security of the surroundings of your house, including sheds, gardens and garages.
Improving the exterior of your house not only decreases the chance of a break in to your shed/garage/bomb shelter etc, but making your boundaries secure also has the knock-on effect of increasing the security of your house itself. After all, if you’re a burglar and you have the choice of two similarly secure houses, but one of them is surrounded by a garden of landmines, which one are you going to choose. (Please note, we do not in any way recommend the use of landmines in your own garden -apart from anything else it’s going to take quite some explaining when the neighbour’s cat steps on one.)
Ensure your property is fitted with good quality locks
Firstly, double check that your house insurance covers not only your main building, but also any losses incurred by theft from your shed, garage, or garden.
Toughen up the security of the main entry point to your garage. Up-and-over garage doors are best fitted with locks either side, around 30cm high, whereas wooden garage double doors require sturdy hasps and staples, with a heavy padlock. Ensuring that the locks are easily spotted and substantial will have the dual effect of massively restricting access in a forced-entry situation, but also being a visual deterrent to any potential burglars.
Away from the garage, ensure that gates are fitted with a good quality lock on the garden side. Hasps and staples can be fitted to any wooden gates, with padlocks at the top and bottom, lessening the leverage.
Keep valuable items out of sight
Try not to keep valuable items in sheds, although if this is unrealistic, at least make sure that items are marked, making them more difficult to sell on, and that the sheds are secure and locked.
Placing trellis on any back garden fences is also an excellent visual and physical deterrent to any intruders. Side and rear boundaries of around 2 metres in height are recommended, with spiky climbing plants also a natural obstacle to any trespassers.
HOWEVER, as with the land mines above, it’s best not to use barbed wire, or place broken glass on top of walls as in this case, they could cause injury for which the property owner would be liable.
In contrast to the back garden, it’s recommended to keep front walls under a metre high so that potential intruders can be seen from the street.
Installing a metal gate at the front of your garden or drive will also mean intruders can be seen and can’t enjoy privacy as they work out how to gain entry to your house.
A path or driveway surfaced with gravel will mean that there is a greater chance of any unwanted (or wanted, come to that) visitors being heard as they approach the house.
Refrain from storing wheelie bins in front of gates or roofs, as they act as an excellent climbing aid for burglars. If possible, store bins behind locked gates or in a bin store.