Winter can be a calm and relaxing time for some, but it’s also a time where thieves could strike your home at any moment while you’re away. Encouraged by the dark nights, it’s a well-known fact that burglaries rise by more than a third between November and February, but did you know that 80% of burglaries in Essex are never solved?… With this in mind, here are five tips to help you keep your home safer this winter.
1. If you go out, leave the lights on
A dark and empty house is the perfect target for burglars. Keep the lights on or consider using timed lights that turn on and off at different times.
2. Use motion-sensing lights
Install motion-sensing lights around your home to light up areas and prevent burglars from sneaking around in the dark. This is especially important as it gets darker much more quickly during the winter months. Keeping your garden tidy, as well as adding gravel pathways, will also keep intruders at bay.
3. Keep your valuables hidden
Christmas is a time for giving which is why the holiday season is popular for thieves. Try and keep your valuables hidden and keep the curtains drawn to discourage burglars from snatching an easy target.
4. Upgrade your windows and doors
Single glazed windows and doors, especially on the ground floor, is a burglary waiting to happen! Old double glazing can also weaken your homes defences if it fails to meet modern security standards. Around 70% of thieves enter through a door, with 30% breaking in through insecure windows. Replacing your windows and doors with modern systems that feature advanced multi-point locks and glazing (like ours!) will keep your family safe for decades to come.
Tired glazed extensions are often vulnerable points of access too, so it’s essential to upgrade these too.
5. Update your security systems
The latest statistics show that 63% of burglaries happened to people that didn’t have a basic security system in place. Every home should have some kind of security system. Make sure it’s updated and that you’ve tested that it’s working.
High-security home improvements in Essex, Suffolk & the South East
From ultra-strong composite doors to strengthening uPVC windows and ultramodern aluminium entrance doors, the possibilities are endless with home improvements from Halstead Glass. Call us on 01787 473 516 or contact us online today to begin the journey towards a safer and more secure home for all.