{"id":24453,"date":"2021-03-29T15:23:31","date_gmt":"2021-03-29T15:23:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/?p=24453"},"modified":"2024-02-29T12:02:30","modified_gmt":"2024-02-29T12:02:30","slug":"locking-up-after-lockdown-keep-your-home-secure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/locking-up-after-lockdown-keep-your-home-secure\/","title":{"rendered":"Locking Up After Lockdown: Keep Your Home Secure"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<!-- SEO Ultimate Plus (https:\/\/seoultimateplus.com) - Code Inserter module -->\n<script async>(function(s,u,m,o,j,v){j=u.createElement(m);v=u.getElementsByTagName(m)[0];j.async=1;j.src=o;j.dataset.sumoSiteId='b68b392479b5981b8acf46565e9fe32a0734fc21a1f7c1e60121eaa6ca1a1c64';v.parentNode.insertBefore(j,v)})(window,document,'script','\/\/load.sumo.com\/');<\/script>\n<!-- \/SEO Ultimate Plus -->\n\n<p><b>Don\u2019t Forget to Lock Up After Lockdown<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With lockdown restrictions easing, more and more of us will be heading back to work, college or school. If you\u2019ve been spending long periods at home you may have taken the eye off the ball when it comes to home security. After all, if someone\u2019s in the house all day or you only pop out for a quick walk, it may be easy to forget to lock up properly.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>However, while you should be keeping your home safe, long you\u2019re away from it, if you\u2019re leaving it unoccupied for long periods, you want to be sure it is secure.<\/p>\n<p><b>Check your locks<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You might be one of the people who has spent lockdown getting on top of all those little jobs around the home. In that case, you\u2019ve probably already checked that your locks are in good working order. If not, now\u2019s the time to do it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check for loose handles or locks that stick or jam. And don\u2019t forget window locks. Ensure all your windows shut snugly and the locks on these are working. Make sure that you know where the keys are.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You may be able to fix minor problems by tightening up a few screws, but if you are in any doubt at all about how secure your locks are, ask a locksmith to give them the once over.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Upgrade your locks\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is it time to invest in your home? If a check of your current locks shows that they are less than ideal, why not consider upgrading to <a href=\"https:\/\/multipointlocks.co.uk\/product-category\/cylinders\/high-security-cylinders\">high-security door locks<\/a>? You don\u2019t need to change all the locks on your property to improve security. Your front door is one of the most common entry points for burglars, but fitting an anti-snap lock can stop them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Standard locks can be subject to lock snapping, where burglars break the lock to gain entry. However, anti-snap locks are designed in such a way to snap at a specific point that won\u2019t compromise their efficiency. Top-of-the-range anti-snap locks often have additional security features, such as a lockdown mode that activates a second lock inside the cylinder, making your door all but impregnable.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Check your boundaries<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019ve got any <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/enhancing-outdoor-spaces-with-wooden-planters\/\">outdoor space<\/a>, whether a small courtyard or a large garden, see how easy it is to get into it. Thieves may not only use your outdoor space as a route into your home; there have also been reports of householders stealing garden ornaments or plants.\u00a0 Gardens and yards can also provide access to garages and sheds, which may be home to valuable tools or bikes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Inspect hedges and fences for any weak points and fix anything obvious. You may also want to consider planting prickly shrubs such as Pyracantha that can discourage potential thieves from trying to enter your garden. Ensure you check locks and bolts on garden gates; fitting a swing bar lock on a garden gate is a simple way to make it even more secure.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you\u2019ve checked the boundary of your property, ensure that the locks on any sheds and garages are also working well. Ensure they are securely attached and the wood around any locks -particularly on sheds \u2013 isn\u2019t rotten. Replace any locks that are damaged beyond repair.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Think about lighting<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The easing of lockdown coincides with the evenings getting longer. As it gets dark earlier, you will become more aware of how adequate your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/boosting-outdoor-space-appeal-and-value-8-creative-ideas\/\">external or security lighting is<\/a> \u2013 assuming you have any. Security lighting, particularly lights with motion sensors, tends to put off potential burglars and is an excellent addition to any home security setup.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">External lighting can also make you feel safer when you come home, making it much easier to find your keys when you come home after dark.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Consider an alarm<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Checking your home security may have inspired you to increase it by installing an intruder alarm. If you are thinking about an alarm make sure you speak to a specialist alarm engineer who can advise you of your best options.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If your home already has an alarm, and you\u2019ve been working from home, you may have had less need to use it. Whether or not this is the case, having your alarm regularly serviced pays. Once again, speak to a specialist to carry out a full service.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Remind everyone of the importance of security.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you live alone, you only have to worry whether you remember to lock up. However, if you live with family or friends, it\u2019s worth ensuring they are as clued up on home security as you are.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many young people will be heading off to school or college for the first time in up to 6 months, and they can frequently be the last to leave the house in the morning and the first back in the evening. Therefore, they must be reminded of the importance of shutting windows and locking up before leaving.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whoever you live with, it\u2019s worth reviewing your home security measures with them regularly, particularly if you\u2019ve fitted new locks or alarms they may not be familiar with.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether you are returning to work full-time or spending the occasional day in the office, many of us will spend much more time away from home. With so much else to consider, ensure that home security is one worry you won\u2019t have to contend with.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h6>Ref THSI2230 |\u00a0<\/h6>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Don\u2019t Forget to Lock Up After Lockdown With lockdown restrictions easing, more and more of us will be heading back to work, college or school. If you\u2019ve been spending long periods at home you may have taken the eye off<span class=\"ellipsis\">&hellip;<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/locking-up-after-lockdown-keep-your-home-secure\/\">Read more &#8250;<\/a><\/div>\n<p><!-- end of .read-more --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":81,"featured_media":24454,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wl_entities_gutenberg":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","spay_email":""},"categories":[1,16],"tags":[],"wl_entity_type":[602],"modified_by":"Editor","_wl_alt_label":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Blog6.jpg","wl:entity_url":"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl0502\/post\/locking_up_after_lockdown__keep_your_home_secure","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24453"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/81"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24453"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24453\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30466,"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24453\/revisions\/30466"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24454"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24453"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24453"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24453"},{"taxonomy":"wl_entity_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wl_entity_type?post=24453"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}