We don’t mean to cause an unnecessary stir but do you think your home could be broken into?

Perhaps your front door doesn’t look as solid as it could and perhaps it creaks every time you shut it behind you?

Are you thinking of putting off the repairs on that rear entrance of your home, hoping that with the long days of summer ahead, you won’t need to worry about it as much?

Are you being watched by someone, even in a respectable neighbourhood, who may later attempt to break in and steal your possessions, possibly harming you in the process?

It’s time to secure your home!

Summer 2022 is here and while the days are indeed longer, they don’t guarantee that your home is safe. Ever heard of daylight robberies? That’s not just a phrase, things happen in real life.

Let’s have a run-through of what might appeal to a burglar when they are considering a break-in to a home:

Poor doors

No s*it, Sherlock! Old, rusty doors, even those that seem to be scratched/ paint worn off, tend to give an impression of being less secure than a solid-looking door. If these doors haven’t survived the weather, there is a good possibility that they won’t survive a break-in attempt.

Locks

Speaking of doors, the devil is in the detail – locks. If getting a new door doesn’t fit your budget at the moment, think about replacing the locks. Don’t let the excitement get the better of your level-headed thoughts. You don’t know who had access to the house before you did, whether you’ve won the bid-wars or are renting. (If renting, you could always speak to the landlord or the estate agent and explain your concerns)

 

The Palladio Door Collection has various types of locking mechanisms and lock styles to suit your needs.

 

Find out more here: https://palladiodoorcollection.com/uk/locking-mechanism/

Alarm system

Houses these days, whether it’s a contemporary state-of-art apartment or a family home, should be equipped with a reputable alarm system. The last thing you want is to return from work or holidays and find your house broken into.

Create a more secure appearance

As they say, looks are deceptive. Give the impression that there is always someone in the house. If you are away on holiday or you have purchased a house that you are not living in, and this is obvious from the front, think of ways to make it look as if the house is occupied.

You could possibly check in every so often, be it having a car parked there at times or some movement seen from someone who might be looking in for you. Do up the driveway, and keep some plants on your porch, which not only gives a more lived-in look, but also boosts your kerb appeal. Use automated lighting – set up timers so that the lights turn on at certain times and turn off perhaps late at night. Most of the time, stalkers are deterred by using this simple tactic.

Decor

It might sound unusual, but keep your house looking well maintained, clean and tidy. This gives the impression that it is being looked after and lived in.  Little additions like a mat wouldn’t hurt, bringing in a warm welcome on the porch. But resist leaving a spare key under it:-)

 

While it’s your home and you can decorate it how you wish, try and avoid doing anything that might make the house stand out from the surrounding houses, especially if in an estate. That often gives an impression to the burglars that if you have spent extravagantly on doing up the house exterior, there might be something of much more value inside the house.

An option to consider is buying the most secure composite front door on the market, from The Palladio Door collection. Available in 31+ styles in 13 colours and now with The Avant Garde Collection available in 5 styles and 9 colours, our stunning collection of unique doors has something to suit every taste and every type of house. Our industry-leading design makes our doors the best composite door available in the Irish and the UK markets- no wonder we offer a 12-year manufacturing guarantee on our doors!

Create your own dream design today using our door designer tool here