How to Secure Your Home – Home Security Tips

• Steel doors have a solid core made from wood, resin or strengthened cardboard. They can also include galvanised steel internal reinforcements to provide further strengthening. This core is bonded between the interior and exterior metal leaves, making it stronger and harder to kick in.
• Steel is naturally heavier than other door materials and consequently requires stronger door hardware, locking systems and frames to support its weight. As a result, this makes them stronger, and more rigid and makes it a lot more difficult for intruders to brute force open your door.

• Wooden and uPVC doors are much more sensitive to weather fluctuations and time decay, and will gradually lose their structural integrity as they age. As they start to lose their shape, they can leave gaps around the door causing it not to close properly or fit its frame. This will leave easily accessible leverage points for intruders.
  
  Steel doors do not warp or crack. They are unaffected by moisture, particularly if treated (galvanised) to avoid corrosion, and can withstand much greater temperatures. Choosing a steel door will offer better protection against weather elements, ensuring longevity.

• Use Door Oil or Varnish
  
  For wooden doors, keep an eye on any early signs of warping. Ensure your door can resist warping by applying a door oil or varnish. An oil can nourish the wood from inside the grain and enable resistance against moisture. A varnish will provide a waterproof seal.

• Realign Your Door
  
  Cheap uPVC doors can warp. Check the gap between the door and the frame – open the door slightly and at the lock side, see if the gap is consistent all the way up and down the door and frame. If your door meets at the top but there is a gap at the bottom then it could just mean an adjustment to the hinge is needed to pull it back into shape.
  
  If your door meets at the top and bottom of the frame but not in the middle, your door is most likely to be warped and needs replacing.

• Theoretically, a burglar can “tap” an exposed hinge pin up and out, lift the door off its hinges, and remove the door without unlocking it.
  

• Use Butt Hinges with Non-Removable Pins
  
  These are pins that cannot be removed from the barrel. An intruder would have to cut the barrel off the hinge completely if they want to get the door off the opening.

• Use Dog Bolts (Security Studs)
  
  For further protection, dog bolts (or security studs) add fixed locking points to the hinged side of the door leaf, slotting into the frame as the door closes. The stud on one leaf mates into a hole on the other leaf.
  
  The door cannot be taken off its hinges as the studs will hold it in place. Even if the pin is removed from the barrel (or if the barrel is cut off the hinge), the door will remain secure as the two leaves will still be locked into one another. This may deter a burglar as they would have to pry the frame away from the door to detach it from its opening.

• Use 3-Inch Long Screws
  
  Hinge screws can wear out over time and become loose, the main function of a hinge is to open and close the door however they are also used to support the door’s weight. Faulty (or shorter) screws are at risk of falling out over time or being prised/bashed out of the hinge. To ensure this doesn’t happen use hinge screws that are at least 3 inches long. It is also advisable that hinge screws used on front doors should be made from a strong, non-corrosive metal such as stainless steel.

• Lubrication & Readjustment
  
  You may not necessarily have to replace your hinges altogether if they are faulty. Lubricating the hinges, or tightening the hinges via a screwdriver are easy ways of maintaining your door hinges.

• If your front door has a single-glazed window, we recommend that you replace the glazing in favour of thicker glass, either toughened or laminated. Glazing which features a laminate coating is ideal as it means the shards hold together when the glass is broken making it difficult for an intruder to pass through.
• Consider using security glass film which goes over the glass to hold it together in the event of it breaking, making it difficult to get through when broken.

• Lock-snapping (an attack method burglars use to exploit and snap the weak centre of the cylinder) is a growing concern. Euro cylinder locks are the most common lock profiles in Europe. Some brands are equipped with anti-snap, anti-drill, anti-pick and anti-bump technology to combat any tampering attempts.
• Double-cylinder locks have a key cylinder on both sides of the door. This means a key can be used to lock and unlock the door from either side.
  
  This lock format is usually used for doors requiring higher security, such as front or back doors. In the event a burglar breaks the glass in your door, they would still need a key to unlock the door, unlike a thumbturn cylinder which can be unlocked from the inside without a key.
• You should use a euro cylinder lock that fits the door correctly and does not protrude too much from the door’s profile. If any part of the cylinder is exposed, it is a potential vulnerability.
• Fix a security escutcheon over the euro cylinder to protect it.

• Look for euro cylinders with Sold Secure (SS312) Diamond Standard, TS007 3-star approved (British Standard Kitemark) & BS EN 1303 accreditations.
• These are the most popular standards of strong, robust euro cylinders available on the market that have anti-snap technology and are well worth investing in.
• For more information on euro cylinder locks, read our ultimate guide here. Alternatively, if you would like to learn more about the best anti-snap locks and certifications currently on the market, read our reviews here.

• Anti-snap – tested to confirm their protection against “lock-snapping
• Anti-bump – protects against attacks which involve the use of adapted keys to rotate the cylinder and apply torque to open the door
• Anti-drill – protects against drilling attempts by using hardened steel pins in the barrel and plug
• Anti-pick – protects against picking with special anti-pick spool pins

• A deadlock is a locking mechanism that is manually operated by the turning of a key or thumb turn. They are considered to be highly secure locks that are difficult to open, due to the fact that they are heavier and thicker than your standard spring latch (the kind you see in a doorknob). Spring latches can be pushed back manually, while deadlocks require a significant amount of force to pry the bolt back.
• You may need smaller or larger sizes depending on the size and thickness of your door.

• ‘Fishing’ is a common tactic used by burglars where they feed a coil or hook through the letter box and unlock the door from the inside. If your door has a letter plate, you can guard it by installing a letter cage over the letter box or fitting a windowless door.
• Alternatively, avoid using a letter plate and add a mailbox to the wall next to your door.

• Sliding doors present a special problem as they are often in the back of the house, and their locks tend to be weak.
• Add a High-Security Deadbolt Lock – Add a deadbolt lock to your sliding door, or you can embed a lever mortice sash lock into the rectangular pocket cut out of the edge of the door.
• Mortice locks are one of the most secure forms of residential hardware available, although most sliding doors come with these already built-in.

• Install a Security Bar – In addition to your main door locking mechanisms, this is a metal bar placed behind the door which creates a durable blockade for anyone who would try and open it from the outside. It strengthens the door frame and adds reinforcement to the pre-installed locks.
• Install a Drop Bar Kit – Drop bar kits are a physical solution, whereby box section metal bars drop into metal brackets which are fixed onto the door or frame, depending on whether the door opens inwards or outwards. They are by far the most effective solution for improving your door security, which can be installed in under 5 minutes.
• Use Shatterproof Window Film – Sliding glass doors are easily smashable. We recommend shatterproof window film – a polyethene coating that keeps a shattered glass door from completely falling apart.

• Replace Your Windows With Double Glazing – If your windows are made from single-glazed glass, consider upgrading them to double-glazing to give that extra layer of protection. When installing new windows, make sure they are in line with the British Standaard 7950 or PAS 24. This is a security standard that can only be achieved after a product has been thoroughly tested and assessed for high-security performance levels.
• Fix Faulty Window Locks – A window handle or keyed lock getting stuck or feeling loose is a sign that the lock is malfunctioning. To avoid the risk of an intruder easily forcing their way through, you can replace the locks – as opposed to replacing your entire window altogether.

• Make The Glass Stronger – Install safety glass or window laminate/film. This is a great alternative which is constructed from two sheets of glass which are bonded together with interlayers to create a permanent bond. Should a burglar attempt to smash through, this layer of extra protection will make it harder to break the glass out of the frame.
• Consider Installing Window Shutters – A solid stable window covering, usually consisting of a frame with vertical stiles and horizontal rails. They are a great solution for any privacy or security concerns and can protect against any intrusion attempts.

• Lock All Doors & Windows – Double-check that all doors and windows are securely locked. It is vital that you lock any interior doors in your garage that lead into your home. That way, an intruder cannot access your home, even if they manage to break into your garage.
• Opt for an Electrically-Operated Garage Door – There are various methods burglars can use to penetrate a garage door. We recommend investing in an electrically-operated system with a garage door opener. These not only provide greater security but allow you to control the door at the press of a button. If connected to a home automation system, you can check the status of your garage while you are away and control it remotely. Never leave your garage door opener in your car or somewhere it can easily be stolen. Consider keeping it inside your house.
• Opt for side-hinged steel garage double doors – Double steel doors weren’t typically considered for your residential garage entrance until they were manufactured with aesthetics in mind. Latham’s offers a security garage door without visible astragals and other traditional industrial steel door features. They are becoming more popular over time.
• Add locks to your existing garage door – There are garage door security items (such as garage door defenders and T-handles) and multi-point locking systems that you can purchase to add more security to your garage door. Your supplier will be able to tell you more about these.

• Invest in Motion-Sensor Lights – Rather than keeping your main outdoor lights on, motion light detectors will illuminate the general area when they sense movement. It will catch any burglar off-guard and potentially scare them off.

• Alarm System – Alarm systems can come with built-in motion detectors. They can be programmed to alert you whenever they sense movement on your property. You can also buy smart home automation systems that switch lights outside and inside your home at the press of a button, or scheduled at certain times. A well-lit house not only indicates that there is someone home but makes any suspicious activity clearly visible to you and your neighbours.

• Smart Locks
• Indoor & Outdoor Lights
• Security Cameras/CCTV
• Home Thermostat
• Audio Speakers
• TV Sets