Security is an essential component of the home and
is vital for keeping your family and possessions
safe and secure. Burglary and theft is an unfortunate
part of Australian life and choosing the right security
measures for your home will deter would-be thieves
or intruders. Security can be as simple as installing
stronger locks or as complicated as installing a
full closed circuit television system with remote
monitoring capabilities.
Locks and Peepholes
Engaging the services of a locksmith to install
stronger locks on your doors and windows can make
your home much more secure than it was before.
Peepholes are a great way to see the person at
the door before you open the door itself, and
can help you to assess a potential threat.
More information on door and window locks can
be found in the “Locksmiths” article
on this site.
Fences, Gates and Lines of Sight
An important part of home security is your fences
and gates. Fences should be strong, tall and have
no gaps for intruders to enter through. Gates
should be fitted with some kind of locking device.
To find out more about fences and gates, please
refer to the “Fencing” article on
this site.
Also try and keep the lines of sight from windows
and doors clear. Be careful of where plants and
trees are located, as intruders will often use
these for privacy and cover if given the chance.
Security Barriers
Security barriers are simply barriers that are
fitted to doors and windows to make them less susceptible
to intruders and usually take the form of bars,
screens or mesh. For more information on security
barriers, please refer to the “Security Screens
and Doors” article on this site.
Lighting
Every home should be fitted with sensor lights
around the outside of the property. These welcome
visitors to your home as well as deter potential
intruders. Sensor lights can be hooked to the
main electricity supply or operated via an extension
cord. However, think carefully before installing
sensor lights in areas where there are pets, as
your pets may set the lights off every time they
move within the area detected by the sensor.
Also consider putting your interior lights on
a timer if you plan on being away from your home.
This will make the house appear occupied and make
it a less attractive target.
Alarm Systems
An alarm system can be as simple or as complicated
as you choose and installing an alarm system may
mean that you will get a discount on your home
insurance from your home insurance company. There
are several components that may be included in
an alarm system and some of these are:
Movement detectors/sensors –
can be either infra red or microwave. Infra red
sensors activate when an object crosses the beam
while microwave sensors use the same principles
as radar, sending out energy and waiting for it
to be returned. Sensors can cover a wide variety
of angles, depending on your needs and, if you
have pets, there are sensors that can distinguish
between animals and humans so that your pets don’t
set your alarm off.
Sirens/lights - these operate
both internally and externally and are designed
to let other people know that your property has
been invaded. If an intruder is already inside
the house, the light or siren is disorienting
and forces the intruder to leave. However, there
are regulations on how long a siren or light is
allowed to run for so check with the local authorities
first.
Panic buttons - these buttons
trigger the alarm system and are normally linked
to the police station or the security company.
Control panels - this is where
all the components of the security system can
be operated. It also periodically checks the functionality
of the alarm system with the security company.
The keypad is for the day to day running of the
alarm system and is where the pin codes are entered.
Closed circuit television -
otherwise known as CCTV, this is a great way to
monitor the outside of your property – from
who’s at the door to strategic points in
the garden. CCTV can be as simple as one camera
hooked to a small television to a network of cameras
directly feeding footage to the security company
for remote monitoring.
Using Professionals
To determine the best security system and components
for your property, it is important to talk to
a professional. They will be able to look around
your home and assess its existing security levels,
as well as identifying areas that need to be improved.
They will also design a system that is tailor
made for your property, as no two properties are
the same. Professionals will also install every
aspect of your security, from locks to alarm systems
and ensure that everything is working correctly. |
