Security

How To Make Your Basement Less Accessible For Intruders

Home security is something that concerns us all, trying to protect our families and our possessions is of paramount importance. One area of home security that people may not necessarily think about is the basement of your home. It is possible for criminals to break into your house through your basement if you have a low level window or ventilation window. Listed below are a few ways that you can start the New Year with peace of mind that you and your prized possessions are protected against basement breaking.

Breakin statistics in the UK show that unfortunately, burglary is only on the rise, with an increase of 4,152 cases within two months from September 2013 to October 2013. This statistic really is quite startling, and is something to keep in mind in terms of keeping up with our own home security; assessing whether we are truly doing everything we can to keep our possessions and homes safe from burglary.

Grills

If your home has a basement window, it may be sensible to invest in a window grill, to completely prevent access to your home. If the window is fitted with a grill, thieves will see it as a major deterrent, putting them off targeting your house. Most thievery tends to be opportunistic, therefore, if you show your home to be secure and protection conscious, it sends off all the right signals to any person looking to steal for their income.

Lighting

If your house and its surrounding grounds are well lit, it throws up obstacles to any potential thieves operating in your area. Criminals prefer to operate under a blanket of darkness, where possibility of being seen or caught is minimal. Lighting the area around your house puts off these characters, as it would be harder for them to a) enter your property and b) make a clean get away with your possessions. You can purchase either motion activated lights, which will only come on if there is any physical activity around your property, or static lights which can operate to turn on at night using a timer system. Such products can be purchased from most electronics outlets.

Removing Obstructions

Similarly, if you have a basement window or entrance, and it is covered by things like leaves, bushes or debris, it will not be visible to neighbours if someone tries to enter the property. Making the entrance and window visible to neighbours is an important factor in being targeted for theft, as again, criminals prefer to operate where they will not be seen or interrupted by a member of the public or your neighbours.

Locks and Strengthening Doors

Checking that your locks are sturdy enough to withstand a battering and that your doors are up to the challenge from any intruder are both important elements to consider when looking home safety. Buying a good quality lock is key, as lowering the quality tends to be make it more easily navigatable. Pairing a durable lock with a heavyset, reinforced door will ensure that your entrances are impenetrable by anyone you do not want entering the property.

Another way to reinforce a door is to install a security gate or a grill. This fits over the outside of your front door, inside, or outside the house, ensuring that there is no targetable or easy entrance to your property. A company that deals with such security measures as door and window grills is Safeguard Security. Their quality service and products make protecting your home coming into 2014 a breeze.

Drew Rapley - Guest Contributor

This article was written by Drew Rapley, a writer and researcher into home security and the different safety products available.