Your home is a place where you come to feel safe, away from the increasingly chaotic and stressful world outside. It’s a place where countless memories are made, where families are raised, and where you can rest at the end of a tiring day. For all this to happen, it’s important that your home is a secure space, safe from potential intruders who intend to break that veil of safety. Being confident in your home security is essential in order to feel comfortable in your home - luckily, there are more solutions than ever before that can be put in place to increase the safety of your property.   This article acts as a comprehensive guide if you’re seriously considering upping your home security measures, whether you're looking for lock fitting services or to do it yourself... this guide covers what you need to be aware of. Read on for the latest industry advice.   Windows In a lot of homes, windows represent the weakest link in an otherwise strong security system. You may have fully updated your doors, garden security, and locks, but if you still have old fashioned single pane windows with weak rotten frames, a burglar will be able to enter your home with relative ease. There are a number of ways that you can increase the security of your windows.   Reinforced glass One effective measure is to use reinforced glass. Tempered glass is a relatively inexpensive option that is harder to break than normal glass - a good option for those on a budget. Laminated glass, or safety glass, is another option. Safety glass consists of two panes of glass with a piece of vinyl attaching them together. To break laminated glass, it must be hit again and again in the same spot, a noisy and somewhat lengthy process that will deter most burglars. It’s a little more expensive but truly effective.   Security bars If you live in an unsafe area and want a truly effective safety solution, then you may want to go with safety bars. They’re not aesthetically appealing for most people, but they are very effective at blocking entry. With safety bars, it’s also important to note that they also block windows as exit points in the case of a fire.   Thorny plants An aesthetic and often effective option when it comes to window security is to encourage a thorny plant to grow below the windows. You can place wooden frames in the area, and encourage things like roses to grow up over time. Be careful not to plant anything that a potential intruder could climb up, or your plan may backfire.   Doors While doors are the normal way to enter a house, they’re also the most common entry point for burglars. The door and the frame The first things to check when you’re looking at your doors are the outer edges of the door and the door frame. With wooden doors, the edges are [...]

Wondering if door chains are actually effective when it comes to home security? With most door locks, there are two obvious ‘options’ – open and closed. While this is obviously ideal if you’re leaving or entering your home, matters are complicated slightly when it comes to opening the door to let people in, especially strangers. There are several options to make this process safer, such as smart doorbell cameras, traditional door viewers, and door chains. Door chains are common in a lot of homes, but how effective are they really? Let’s take a look.   What is a door chain? Door chains are chains that restrict how far the door can open, allowing for a midpoint between fully open and fully closed. They can be different lengths, but are typically just a few inches long – they allow the door to open just enough to see out, but not enough for someone to reach in. They’re often chains (hence the name) but can also be constructed from solid pieces of metal. The space they provide is designed to be enough to communicate with whoever’s outside, without allowing that person to come inside until you can ascertain if they’re who they say they are.   Do they actually work? When door chains are made to a high standard and installed properly, they can be highly effective. Especially important for vulnerable individuals, they allow for a more in-depth conversation with someone to take place before letting them in than the alternatives, such as door viewers and doorbell cameras. Door chains are also highly affordable to buy and install, especially compared to door viewers and smart cameras. While a modern intercom can provide a similar service, they’re priced far higher, and the installation process is more complex.   Quality and installation are important The issue with door chains is that a lot of the options on the market are poor quality. Even if the chain is made to a high standard, if it’s not installed appropriately, a potential intruder could likely kick the door in. If you’re considering having a door chain installed, buy the chain from a reputable source, and have it installed by a professional locksmith. They will make sure that the appropriate fixings are used, and that each end of the door chain is attached to an appropriately strong point on the door and door frame.   Who are they especially useful for? Door chains can offer an extra layer of protection for any household, no matter the inhabitants. They can be especially useful for elderly people, or anyone who is in a situation that would make them especially vulnerable to burglars. Not only are elderly individuals more susceptible to break-ins, they’re also targeted more by burglars than the rest of the population. Considering the low combined cost of the device and installation, door chains should be considered by anyone who wants to increase the security of their home.

Older houses can be wonderful - packed with character and history, a place that generations have called home. What’s often not so wonderful is the dated security in these buildings. Let's look at 5 ways you can make your home more secure. Here's how you can make your older home more secure - 5 Recommended Approaches   1. Windows Windows are a classic weak point in older houses. Older wooden frames can often easily be forced open, especially if there’s any rot, and older single glazed glass is an easy smash target. Consider updating your windows to double glazed, laminated glass, with modern locking mechanisms. If you get plastic window frames, you also won’t have to worry about rot in the future. All new windows should be up to date with British Standard 7950 or PAS 24.   2. Doors Doors in older houses can often suffer from the same drawbacks that are listed above for windows. Older wooden doors were often made thinner, and over long periods of time, rot can spread - often from the bottom. Hinges are another weak point, with steel hinges susceptible to rust over time. Consider getting a new door, at least 4.4cm thick. While it can be tempting to get doors with glass panels, these are also weak points.    3. Locks It’s possible that the locks on your older home will be ancient, making them both outdated and potentially worn out. The ideal lock for doors on your home will be a five-lever mortise deadlock, in line with British Standard 3621. Consider also fitting a chain, so that you can open the door a little before letting someone in, especially if you don’t have a viewer. If you’re updating the lock, make sure that the door it’s protecting is at least as strong as the lock. A locksmith will be able to advise you on whether either your lock or door need updating. 4. Alarms Visible alarm systems are one of the most effective deterrents against burglars. Burglar alarms generally have an external sounder, and are also frequently connected so that they alert the local police department. As technology advances, alarms are increasingly being integrated with camera systems and door bells, many of which can be viewed remotely from a smartphone. In a Which survey that interviewed ex-burglars, alarms were the main deterrent they cited, with 71% stating it put them off from burgling properties. They may be expensive, but they’re also clearly effective.   5. Lighting Security lighting is another great way to prevent break ins. You can either have lights that you turn on, or motion sensor activated lights. Either way, it will make it much harder for potential burglars to approach your house without being seen. Security lighting can be very cheap to buy and install, and can have a significant impact. Consider also having lights on in your home on a timer when you’re out, to make it seem as if there are [...]

There are a variety of situations where it might be necessary for a professional locksmith to open a door. The key may have worn out, the lock might be malfunctioning or, as is often the case, someone might have locked their key inside their house or car. While it’s often a panic filled moment, there are a number of different ways that a locksmith might try to open doors without a key, many of them non-destructive. Let’s take a look at some of those methods.   The main methods Locksmiths use to open doors Bump keys A common method that locksmiths will use to try to gain entry is with bump keys. Bump keys are special keys, designed so that an expert can pick a variety of pin-tumbler locks. They typically look like a generic key, without the variation between the valleys - a locksmith will ‘bump’ the key, inserting it almost the whole way, and then knocking it in when the pins are suspended above the cylinder. A lock that has been bumped should not be damaged, although there may be signs of the impact from when the key is knocked in.   Lock picking Another common way that locksmiths will enter is by using traditional lock picking techniques. They will come equipped with their lock picking kit, a complex array of specialist tools that will allow locksmiths to unlock most locks without a key. Locksmiths will almost always try to either pick or bump your lock before attempting a more destructive method, however, picking can take some time and isn’t always possible. A lock that has been picked shouldn’t be damaged - the key, once retrieved, should work again, as normal.   Drilling In some cases, the locksmith won’t be able to unlock the door via the methods listed above, and in these cases it might be necessary to drill the lock. Drilling a lock out should be a last resort method, as the drill will almost certainly break the locking plug.  In many cases though, the mechanism will still work. Before drilling your lock, the locksmith should discuss the decision with you, making it clear the damage that might be expected. They should also explain repair options, and how much those options might cost.   How you can prevent lockouts  While sometimes it’s unfortunately necessary to call out a locksmith to open your door, there are ways of reducing the risk of it happening: Lock maintenance Locks can deteriorate over time, but that deterioration can be slowed down through regular maintenance. A locksmith can service your lock, getting rid of any dirt deposits and potentially greasing it if appropriate.   New locks If your lock is becoming tricky to open and a locksmith thinks that it’s worn out, then it might be a good idea to get the lock changed. If the lock only has a few more months of life in it, then it’s best to have it changed on your [...]

There are plenty of options to choose from when updating your door lock. Which option you choose will be dependent on a number of factors, including the type of door you have and the size and location of your letterbox.   What is a thumb turn door lock? Thumb turn cylinder locks are a kind of lock that uses a key on the exterior side of the door, and a thumb turn on the interior side. They offer a convenient locking solution, as you can lock them from the inside without the key. They can also offer increased safety in the case that a quick exit from the building is required, such as in the case of a fire or other emergency, as you don’t need to locate the key first to unlock the door.   The advantages of thumb turn locks There are several pros to using a thumb door lock. They’re convenient, and as a result might make it more likely that you’ll remember and be bothered to lock the door from inside. As mentioned before, they also offer increased safety in the case that you need to leave the house in an emergency, as you don’t need to locate a key to unlock the door.   Where thumb turn locks aren’t so great Thumb turn door locks aren’t perfect, and there are several things you should be aware of when deciding if they’re right for you. The main concern with thumb turn locks is that if someone wanted to enter and they could reach the thumb turn from outside, they’d easily be able to get in.    This is only really an issue in certain circumstances, and can be protected against. For example, if you have a letterbox near the lock, you can fit a letterbox guard to protect against people reaching in. Similarly, if you have a glass panel in the door that could be smashed in order to reach inside, you can either reinforce the glass or replace the door with a new, safer, glass free door.   Standard locks The term ‘standard’ lock refers to a broad range of locks which use keys on both the inside and outside to secure the lock. As a result of the range being so large, there are standard locks which are both significantly more and less secure than the average thumb turn lock.   When to choose a thumb turn lock It’s hard to speak of the pros of standard locks in general, as they’re so varied, but that variety is perhaps one of the pros itself! The main pro of standard locks is that even if a burglar were to break the glass in a door, or reach through a letterbox with a piece of wire, they would still need a key to open the door. If you have a door with glass in it that you’re keen not to replace for aesthetic value, then it’s a good idea to go [...]