New Year, New Home Security

From a lick of paint, or fresh new blinds to a new kitchen or new bi-fold doors, there are many different home improvement projects which can be undertaken around the home.

And, with houses full of new gifts following the Christmas period, there are more opportunities for opportunistic thieves to take something valuable. As a result, home security should also be on the top of your home improvement list in the new year.

To help understand what home improvement security solutions will benefit your home as we head into 2022, the expert team from Yale has provided some advice on how you can upgrade your home security in the new year.

Secure your locks

The front entrance to your home should not only look visually appealing for guests and visitors, but it should also be secure. A welcoming door to visitors can also be appealing to unwanted guests, who would take any point of weakness to try to gain access to your home.

A prime focus for opportunists, it’s important to ensure your home is kept secure starting with your front door.

We would suggest looking at your front door as a whole and seeing if you think it might withstand a range of attack methods. Consider the door hardware and cylinders, as these can offer a high level of protection for your home. 

Heighten your security with a sturdy door handle, which has been fitted correctly, and a high-quality cylinder which provides a high level of security – ensure you choose a cylinder from a reputable, trusted retailer such as Yale.

If you’re looking to upgrade your front door security, we would suggest investing in a smart lock. Controlled via your smartphone, a smart lock puts you in control of your front door security.

With sleek and stylish designs, a smart lock will help to give your home that much desired kerb appeal. Letting you check who has entered your home and who has left, you can always know what’s happening at home, from anywhere.

A smart lock will not only provide you with security but also convenience. There’s no longer a need for keys, simply unlock your door using your smartphone, key tags, or key card. Fitting a smart lock as part of your home improvements can change your lifestyle, allowing you to check in on your door lock at any time.

Keep your eyes peeled

If part of your home improvement plans involves getting your garden sorted for the year ahead, then consider also installing CCTV or outdoor cameras to protect your outdoor space.

Easy to set up and install, smart security cameras can be a great addition to your security system, keeping an eye on areas of your home you might be able to watch all the time.

As opportunists often choose a home which is vacant, having visible measures such as a CCTV system can help to discourage your home from being targeted. It can also allow you to monitor your home from anywhere, via your smartphone, keeping you in control of your home security and giving you peace of mind.

Adding a camera to the front of your home can also keep you up to date with who has visited, that could be a family member, the milk man or delivery driver, with a smart security camera you’re able to talk to them through your smartphone.

And, with motion detection, you can get alerts any time of the day, or night, letting you know there’s activity outside, allowing you to take action and make your presence known.

Lock it up

Has your family had new bikes for Christmas, or maybe you’ve chosen to take up cycling as your new hobby? Well, it’s important to consider the security of your prized possession if you’re new to cycling.

Bike theft has continued to rise over the past year, in fact research revealed bike thefts increased by 66 per cent from March 2020 to February 2021, compared to the same timeframe in the previous year¹.

And so, whether you keep your bike inside or out, it’s important to keep it locked up and secure.

There’s a huge variety of bike locks available, suitable for different bike types and settings and so it’s worth doing some research to find out which bike lock would be most effective for you.

If you keep your bike outside, you might want to invest in a specialist bike shed, this will help to keep your bike dry, protected from the elements and secure. To keep all your bikes secure, attach them together with a chain or cable lock, giving an extra layer of protection.

If you’ve had a garage clear out in the new year and decided you need more space, why not consider attaching your bike to the wall. By simply adding a bike rack to the wall and then securing it with a high secure cable and padlock, your bike is not only kept out of the way but is also kept secure.

However, if you have made space in your garage or shed for your bike, then keep it secure with a high-security bike chain. And, for added protection, attach a hasp to the floor and lock-down your bike using a cable and maximum-security padlock.

Raise the alarm

If you’re planning home improvements in the new year, a handy DIY project which can have huge benefits to the security of your home, is installing a smart alarm system.

Simple to set up, and install, with a smart alarm you’re in control of the security of your home. Controlled through your smartphone, with a smart alarm you can arm, disarm and monitor your alarm from anywhere, at any time.

And, with additional accessories such as smoke detectors, smart plugs and water leak sensors, you can ensure your entire home is protected against any unwanted disasters.

There are many ways to upgrade your home security this new year, so it’s time to get peace of mind knowing your home is safe and secure with our home security tips.

To find out more about how to keep you home safe and secure and how smart security can give you more convenience visit our social media channels.

¹ https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/insurers-warning-as-bike-thefts-still-on-the-rise-since-start-of-pandemic