We tend to believe that our homes are built to be as safe and secure as possible; however, such is not always the case. The way that houses are built means that they may be many weak points that potential criminals could exploit. Therefore to fix those weak points, you firstly need to be aware of them.
Whenever we think of our homes, we tend to believe that they are well protected from break-ins, but this is not always the reality. Regardless of the security measures you already have in place, you still need to be aware of the common weak spots that your home might have, as it will assist you in improving the level of your home’s security. Below are some weak points you should look out for.
- Garage Door
Most garage doors are made from a thin sheet of metal, and they contain locking systems that are pretty easy to break into. This makes them a significant security risk as it would give criminals easier access to your home. Therefore, you should update your garage door to one that offers a better locking system as it will offer better protection for your home.
Even if you do have newer automatic doors, these are also vulnerable as they might have an outdoor keypad that is designed to give the owners access to the garage. Though you can program the keypad using an entry code, some people will end up using easy to guess numbers that might leave the home more vulnerable. Therefore, you should opt for entry codes that are much more complicated and remove the factory pre-set code.
We also strongly suggest you consider installing security gates with advanced locking mechanisms for added protection. These gates act as a formidable barrier against unauthorized access to your garage. Trellidor has a robust range of security gates such as the Trellidor Trojan Classic, Trojan Alu Classic & Trojan TX.
- Sliding Glass Doors
Sliding glass doors offer great aesthetic value to your home as they allow a lot of natural light to enter your home. These doors also give you easier access to the fresh air that is outside. However, criminals will also be able to use these doors to gain better access to your home. Nowadays, sliding glass doors include strong locks, but there is not enough protection to the actual glass part. It is extremely easy for a criminal to break through the glass and easily unlock the door from the inside, especially when they know that you are not around.
There are, however, methods that you could use to make sliding glass doors secure, such as installing keyed dead latches as they require keys on both sides to unlock the door. Though this might seem like an inconvenience, it adds extra protection as it means that even if the burglars manage to break the sliding glass door, they will find it difficult to unlock the door.
Consider adding security shutters to your sliding glass doors. These robust barriers not only provide protection against break-ins but also offer additional privacy and insulation benefits. There is also the option of going for a high-quality and strong range of security gates such as the Trellidor Trojan Classic, Trojan Alu Classic & Trojan TX.
- Back Door
Back doors are one of the access points that burglars will use, which is why they could be vulnerable. They can be considered a weak point because these doors are usually out of sight, which offers burglars the opportunity to enter your home without being detected by anyone. Therefore, you must take even more security measures than you would take for your front door, such as installing motion sensor lights as they would eliminate darkness. You can also improve the security of the door locks by installing deadbolt locks and adding motion cameras, as they will alert you if anyone were to try to gain access into your home.
Security gates can also be installed at the back entrance, acting as a physical barrier and discouraging unauthorized entry. The best option would be Retractable Security Gates.
- First-floor Windows
All windows are regarded as easy points of entry by burglars, especially if you leave them open. It might be easy to think that if you leave your windows closed then, criminals won’t be able to enter your home, but this is entirely false. Criminals can easily pry them open, or they could smash them to use them as an entryway. Therefore, you can install burglar bars or grilles to your windows, which will offer your home with the protection that your home requires.
Trellidor Burglar Bars such as Burglar Guard and Cottage Guard, can be a valuable addition to your windows. They provide a sturdy and tamper-resistant layer of defense, making it significantly harder for burglars to break in.
- Hidden Key
Most of us have a hidden key that we use as a backup for times when we accidentally lock ourselves out of our homes, or that pet sitters can use if they want to gain access into our home. However, this method poses significant security risks. Firstly, burglars are likely to look at typical places where people usually hide keys, such as a flowerpot or under the doormat, which means that you would give them easier access to your home. Therefore, you should avoid this method altogether. You can use home automation systems that enable you to lock or unlock your doors remotely from your smartphone, which can be helpful when you need to give pet sitters or cleaners access to your home while you are at work or on holiday.
Conclusion
There are many weak points that our homes have that criminals could use to gain access into our homes. By becoming aware of these weak points and upgrading the security in those places, you will have better peace of mind as your home will be safer and better protected.
Stay safe. See 6 Home Security Hacks That Anyone Can Do.