How secure is your Oxford home? Security for your home is of utmost importance. In this blog, you can find out exactly what actions you need to implement in your Oxford-based home to ensure you reduce the risk of burglary. Perhaps you already have some form of home security such as a home alarm, but you are looking to upgrade your existing security system to one that better protects you and your family?
No matter the reason for upgrading your home security system, we’re going to tell you the best ways to upgrade it.
4 Tips for Upgrading Your Home Security System
If you’re wondering how you can make your Oxford home more secure by upgrading your home security system, read our top tips below.
-
Upgrade the locks on your windows and doors
Review the entry points to your Oxford home, such as your windows and doors, making sure they’re in good condition, properly fitted and meet your home insurance requirements. When upgrading your home security system, it is important to inspect the locks on your doors or windows. This is also key if you’ve just moved house and strangers had access to your house. Other ways you can upgrade your locks include installing a deadbolt, upgrading to smart locks or installing a video doorbell.
You can also install door chains as an additional way to check who is at your door before allowing them inside.
-
Remotely accessible CCTV systems
When you’re not going to be in your property, an effective way to monitor your belongings and keep a watchful eye is through installing a remote CCTV system. Many of the benefits of this include being able to access it via your smartphone. Also, some alarms notify you when the alarm has been triggered, allowing you to go in and check what is going on in your home.
If, in the unlikely event that you see an intruder in your home, don’t engage. Instead, notify the police.
-
Visible security alarms
If you have installed a security alarm or burglar alarm then you will need to change the code regularly in order to keep it as effective as possible.
Make sure that your burglar alarm system is clearly visible. If you can’t afford a sull alarm system fitted, you can set up a fake burglar alarm box. There are other ways to burglar-proof your home and garden including adding gravel around your home to act as a deterrent, make sure your hedges are trimmed so your property is not hidden from view. You can also take this a step further by adding some defensive gardening such as plant shrubs with thorns, or strong gates or fencing.
-
Sensor lighting and light timers
Another way to improve or upgrade the security systems within your home is through installing front and back door sensor lighting, as well as setting interior and exterior lights on timers (particularly useful if you’re going away!).
Outdoor lights are a great way to ensure any opportunistic thieves or burglars are more visible, which will help put them off. The only thing to consider when putting up outdoor lights is to make sure they aren’t directed towards your neighbours as this could annoy them.
-
Hiding your valuables
Always put your valuables out of sight from windows and easy access, especially on the ground floor. So where should you hide valuables in your home? You should avoid hiding valuables in living room drawers, dressers, pots and pans and locked safes as these are not secure locations on the ground floor and areas in which burglars will check first.
The not so obvious locations to hide valuables include hiding items in cereal boxes, pasta boxes or children’s toy boxes.
Contact Matrix Fire & Security
If your home is based in the Oxford area then you’ve come to the right place, Matrix Fire & Security can help meet your home security requirements. If you would like to find out more about house alarms, access control, CCTV systems, security fencing or automatic gates for your home and whether Matrix Fire & Security solutions are right for you, give us a call on 01296 614440 or fill out an online contact form.
