Home Security

Top tips and advice on protecting your home with alarms, locks, CCTV systems and security upgrades.

Protect Your Home For The Christmas Holidays

14th December 2018

There is no doubt that the festive spirit is in the air! But with the darker nights and the added financial pressures of Christmas, crime rates rise, too. Statistics show that there is a rise in some crimes, including burglaries and theft from cars over the holidays. And if you are going away for a few days or longer over Christmas, it is important that you take measures to protect your home.

Security

There are a few simple things that you can do to make your home look less enticing to burglars:

Let your neighbours know that you are going away and ask them to keep an eye on your home.
Put lights on a timer to make the house look occupied in the evenings.
Ask a friend or neighbour to park their car in your driveway, if you have one.
Lock sheds and garages.
Close all windows.
Don’t leave things such as wheelie bins, benches or ladders near windows.
Keep valuables out of sight (i.e. don’t leave the house empty for any length of time with a laptop and cash visible through the window).

Light It Up

Christmas trees are one of the biggest culprits when it comes to fires around Christmas. If you are going away, make sure that your tree is well watered; the drier it is, the more likely it is to go up in flames. If you have set your lights on a timer, don’t include your Christmas tree lights as they can get pretty hot. If you must leave your lights on, invest in LED fairy lights, which don’t heat up when on.

Check all of your Christmas lights, including the cables, to make sure that they are in good condition; if any are the worse for wear, with frayed or damaged wires, play it safe and replace them. Before you leave the house for your winter holiday, make sure that every plug is switched off at the socket. Not only will this help to prevent fire, it will reduce your energy bills, too.

The Big Freeze

If freezing temperatures are predicted, it can be a good idea to switch off your water supply. Frozen pipes, when thawed, will leak – and you don’t want to come home to a flood. If your electric trips out, there is a chance that your freezer can defrost and refreeze again before you return home. One tip is to freeze a plastic tub of water and place a penny on top of the ice. If you return home and the penny has sunk to the bottom of the tub, you know that your freezer has defrosted at some point and that your food is unsafe.

Car Security

Always try to park in a well-lit spot and lock all doors. Don’t leave valuables (purse, wallet, keys, phone or bag) inside the car unless they are very well concealed.

It is always handy to keep a list of numbers for a reliable plumber, locksmith, electrician and handyman so that, if you do have a Christmas emergency, you will be able to get it sorted as quickly as possible.

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Looking for more home security advice?

Find clear, practical answers to common home security questions, helping homeowners understand everyday issues, know what checks they can carry out safely, and when it is best to contact a qualified professional.

What home security measures do insurance companies recommend?

Most insurers want to see five-lever mortise deadlocks on external doors, key-operated window locks, and ideally a monitored alarm - some require these as a condition of cover. CCTV and smart doorbells are increasingly valued too.
Check your policy documents or speak to your insurer directly - inadequate security can affect both your premiums and whether a claim gets paid out.
Should I get a CCTV system or a smart alarm installed professionally?

Off-the-shelf systems are sold as DIY-friendly, but professional installation gets you proper camera positioning for actual coverage, everything integrated correctly, and reliable connectivity.
If your alarm needs to meet insurer requirements or NSI/SSAIB standards, professional installation is usually a must. A good installer will also assess your property's specific weak points rather than just fitting a standard kit.
Does having a visible alarm box actually deter burglars?

Yes - consistently, according to research. A dummy box offers some deterrent, but a working monitored system with a visible bell box is significantly more effective. Burglars mainly target properties that look easy to enter quickly and quietly - anything that signals risk or delay helps. Combine a visible alarm with motion-activated lighting and CCTV and you're covering the main things that make a property look like a harder target.
What is the most effective burglar deterrent for a UK home?

A combination of things working together is what really makes the difference. A visible alarm, motion lighting, and CCTV remove the cover burglars rely on.
Strong door and window locks matter too - most break-ins involve forcing a door or window, not anything sophisticated. When you're away, timer-controlled lights that make the house look occupied are simple but genuinely effective.
What should I do immediately after a break-in?

Don't touch anything until the police have been - you want to preserve the scene. Call the police and get a crime reference number, which you'll need for your insurer. Report it to your insurer as soon as you can.
Photograph any damage before anything gets moved. Once the police have attended, get a locksmith or security professional out to make the property secure - especially if any doors or windows were damaged.
Should I upgrade to a smart lock and are they more secure than traditional locks?

Security-wise, it depends more on the lock's mechanism than whether it's smart or not. Most smart locks use the same deadbolt mechanisms as conventional ones and just add keypad, fingerprint, or app control on top.
The real benefits are practical - you can give temporary access without cutting keys, see who's come and gone, and set it to auto-lock. Look for Sold Secure or BSI Kitemark accreditation, and make sure it's properly installed - a good lock fitted poorly doesn't offer much.
How often should I change the locks on my home?

There's no set schedule, but there are clear triggers: moving into a new property, losing a set of keys, a relationship breakdown where someone had a key, or after a break-in. Outside of those situations, a quality lock will last many years without needing replacement unless it's showing signs of wear.
Stiffness or keys becoming difficult to turn are worth getting looked at rather than ignoring.
Can uPVC door locks be repaired or do they need replacing?

Often repaired, actually. The most common problem - a multipoint lock that won't engage properly with the frame - is usually down to the door dropping slightly on its hinges. Adjusting the hinges often sorts it without touching the lock at all. The euro cylinder (the part the key goes into) can be replaced cheaply and quickly on its own if that's the issue. A full mechanism replacement is only needed if the internal gearbox has failed. A locksmith can work out which part's the problem and fix just that.

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