Winter Home Security Tips

Securing Your Home in Winter

Making your home as unappealing as possible to burglars is the key preventing it from being burgled during the winter period and is one of the most effective forms of crime prevention.

The darker and colder nights can mean ‘easy pickings’ for criminals, with December and January being the peak time for burglaries within the year. Studies have shown that homes are 50% more likely to be burgled during the winter months, so your home security is more important than ever when the colder weather arrives.

The clocks going back also means that evenings become darker earlier, giving burglars mor opportunity to go unnoticed. With less daylight during the hours when many people are still at work or travelling home, taking a few simple steps to protect your home can make a big difference.

Even though the danger of burglary varies depending on the kind of property and the amount of protection that is in place, it’s worth it to take the required steps to effectively protect yourself and your home from a break in.

The darker and colder nights can mean ‘easy pickings’ for criminals, with December and January being the peak time for burglaries within the year. The clocks going back also means that it gets dark much earlier in the evening, increasing the amount of time homes can appear unoccupied while people are still at work or travelling home. Studies have shown that homes are 50% more likely to be burgled during the winter months, so your home security is more important than ever when the colder weather arrives.

 

How to Secure Your Home This Winter

 

Secure Doors and Windows

Make sure all doors are securely locked at all times. Winter days are usually the darkest days in the year, so we suggest you always make sure your doors and windows are all securely locked to avoid those who might exploit the dark.

 

 

Make Your House Seem Occupied

If you are going out, we all know the trick of leaving a light on, but you can give the illusion that someone is home through timed lights. Set lights to come on and switch off at different times in the evening rather than leaving one light on constantly, as this can make your home appear occupied. Smart home security is becoming more and more popular across the UK and is definitely something you should consider to help secure your home in the winter!

 

Install Outdoor Motion Lighting

The gloomy winter months are excellent for criminals to discreetly sneak up to and enter a house. So, installing motion-sensor security lights outside your house or your front door would be a significant burglary deterrent to any potential burglar, making your home a less attractive target and giving your home another layer of security.

 

Secure All Garages and Sheds

Garages and sheds are great outdoor spaces for storage but can be a high-risk target. As garages and sheds are normally used to store expensive items such as cars and bikes, or items such as power tools and ladders, there is a lot of potential for a burglar to try and steal them.

Of course, you wouldn’t want anyone taking your bike but the bigger risk is that if you have any tools stored in your garage or shed then you could be at risk of someone using them to get into your home! We suggest that you re-evaluate your garage security and make sure you have precautions in place!

 

Fence Security

Check the perimeter of your home for weak spots, apart from the perimeter being the first line of defence of securing your property, it’s important to check it before winter starts. Find out more about securing your garden fence.

 

Mark Any Valuables

Mark any valuables with a UV pen and register them on Immobilise in the hopes that if they are taken you might be able to recover them. We suggest writing your name and address on any valuables so when checked under blacklight they can be proven to be yours!

 

Keep Curtains or Blinds Closed at Night

We all know to keep valuables away from view, but a good habit to adopt is closing the curtains or blinds to keep your home away from view at night. A potential burglar might try and look through your windows to see if there is anything to attract them, so closing the curtains helps prevent this!

 

Don’t Share on Social Media

With many holidays falling within the colder winter months, going away on holiday to visit family is quite common, so secure your home whilst on holiday by not sharing anything until you are back so that people aren’t aware your home is empty!

 

Be Careful with Christmas Presents

Christmas can also bring extra valuables into your home, from new TVs and game consoles to laptops, phones and other expensive gifts. Avoid leaving presents or expensive items on display through windows, particularly when your curtain or blinds are open.

Once Christmas is over, be careful about putting packaging for expensive gifts straight outside. Boxes can advertise exactly what new valuables are inside your home, so break them down and put them inside your bin where possible.

 

Get Spare Key

If you are going on a winter break leave a spare key with a trusted neighbour or relative so they can keep an eye on your home whilst you’re away.

 

Install Burglar Alarm

Have a burglar alarm fitted! Burglar alarms are one of the best burglary deterrents and past burglars have even said that they wouldn’t target a house if it had an alarm fitted.

 

Can Cold Weather Affect Security Cameras?

Outdoor security cameras are one of the most effective deterrents to burglary and ways to protect your home. However, like most technology low temperatures, ice and rain can play havoc with them. If you are looking at getting some outdoor security cameras installed there are a few things to keep in mind so that they work efficiently in the winter!

 

 

Choose a Security Camera with a Higher IP Rating

Anything built for the outdoors will have an IP rating, which essentially rates that product’s ability to deal with various weather conditions. We recommend an outdoor security that has at least IP66 as this will be resistant to harsh weather like snow and sleet and be protected against the classic British rain.

 

Night Vision Security Camera

During the winter, sunlight is limited and it can get dark quite early into the evening so you want to make sure that your camera can operate no matter the lighting. Choosing an outdoor security with night vision ensures that your camera is protecting your property 24/7.

 

Security Camera Maintenance

Whilst the camera itself will have some weatherproofing, it’s important not to forget all of the other components that are included with a camera. Regularly checking any cables and connectors in the winter help to reduce the chance that they have degraded and effect the operation of the camera.

 

 

Winter Garden Security

About 87% of UK houses have gardens, which is why garden security and it’s effect on our overall home security is so important. Once of the best ways to secure a garden is to plant bushes and other plants around the perimeter to create more obstacles. Whilst plants and greenery tend to go into hibernation in the winter, it’s actually just before this when you want to start thinking about your green thumb.

Autumn is the best time to plant greenery as they have the chance to cement their roots before the winter and then spring back to life in the spring. This means that if you prepare and plant in the autumn, just before the winter, by the spring you’ll have added to your garden security!

 

Can Cold Weather Affect Door Locks?

Most weather conditions can affect door locks, but in the winter, cooler temperatures, frost, ice, and snow can all play apart in stopping your doors from working. Common issues like the lock seizing, being unable to lock the door properly, unable to lift the door handle, can all effect how your locks work and how they secure your home.

Having issues with a uPVC door this winter? Read our Guide to uPVC Door and Window Lock Issues.

 

How Can This Affect your Security?

Locks are designed to be worked smoothly and without issues, in the winter you might find that your locks become more difficult to use and it can even prevent you from locking your doors. Keep i mind that if you don’t lock your doors then you can be invalidating your home insurance and leave yourself unable to claim should the worst happen.

Likewise, locks that aren’t working correctly can mean that your door might be thrown out of alignment and aren’t offering you their peak security. If you’re having issues with your door locks, call out a Keytek® local Locksmith on 0808 164 2928 to help!