Home Security - Installing Home Security

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That thief is on the lookout for an empty house - it need only be empty for a short amount of time perhaps while you are out shopping or visiting a neighbour. You might even be just out in the garden. He is looking for quick and easy ways in and easy ways out again.

 

Now consider your own home. If you locked yourself out could you get back in again easily? Do you know of a window that has a loose catch that can be knocked open from the outside? Or a door that has a weak lock and opens under shoulder pressure? Or where there are some ladders you can use to reach an open upstairs window? If you can get back into your own house without keys, so can a burglar and he won't mind if he does some damage in the process.

 

Remember too that the back of your house is more at risk than the front.

 

Approximately 60% of burglars break in from the back of a property where they are less conspicuous and can therefore work at ease. Many burglaries also occur in the day when noises such as breaking glass attract less attention than at night time.

 

Home security is all about making life as difficult and risky as possible for the potential burglar. Your house needs to appear as unattractive as possible to him. He must be made to believe that there might just be someone at home. He needs to be made aware that you, the homeowner, have taken steps to make life difficult for him. He needs to be made to feel so unsure that he will go elsewhere. It is not difficult or expensive to achieve this.

 

Anything which delays him will deter him and the best deterrents are quality locks fitted to all the vulnerable entry and access points. Door and window locks will deter many casual thieves who are looking for a quick and profitable opportunity.

 

At night good approach lighting is also worthwhile so that your house is well illuminated, making a burglar very conspicuous. This is best achieved using exterior Passive Infra Red Sensors - PIRs - controlling floodlights. Another deterrent - especially for the more determined burglar - is a complete Burglar Alarm system installed in the house and made obvious by the siren housing sited on the house wall.

Diagram A shows most of the risk areas around a house and some of the 'aids' which can help a burglar.

 

 

Gates, Sheds and Fences

Your first line of defence is outside the house. If you have a side gate, particularly one leading to a secluded passageway at the side of the house where an intruder could work on a window or the back door unseen, fit a security hasp and staple and padlock, or padbolt and padlock, to it on the inside.

Put padlocks on garage doors and outside sheds too. Don't leave garden tools lying around. A burglar would welcome a spade to assist him in gaining access to the house. Make sure that ladders are locked away safely. Even stepladders can help a burglar get onto a flat roof and, from there, into the house through an upstairs window.

 

Windows

All ground floor windows, plus upstairs windows which would be reached from a flat roof or a climbable drainpipe are at risk. A burglar will happily break a window but in doing so his intention is to put a hand in and open the window completely. He does not want to climb in through broken glass or dive out again through it to escape. He wants a clear, safe entry and exit. If however, all opening windows at risk are fitted with key operated locks he will not be able to undo them as easily.

The Wickes range of window locks is wide. Every type of window - wood or metal, sliding or hinged - can be fitted with a secure lock, operated by one type of key or another. In all cases the key is removable. However you must ensure that your family and any other people in your home know where the keys are kept in case of an emergency such as fire where several escape routes may be needed.

NEVER leave the keys in the locks or lying around where an intruder can find them.

Wickes window locks are supplied with full fitting instructions. A few are shown here. Diagrams B, C, D and E.

 

 

Doors

Given the chance any burglar will try to gain entry through a door, either by attempting to force it or by breaking glass to reach in and undo the lock.

Whatever method he does use to get into the house he will want to have a door open to remove large items and to give himself another escape route. For these reasons all external doors must be fitted with key operated locks and rack bolts as well where possible.

 

Front doors should be fitted with a 5 lever Mortice Deadlock certified to BS 3621 and bearing the Kitemark. This type of lock is set into the door stile about half way up, with the lock shoot operated by key only, engaging in a metal box - the keep - on the door jamb. There is no latch or handle to this type of lock. It should be locked every time you go out and leave the house unattended.

 

DO NOT lock it at night when the house is occupied. You may need to get out of the front door in a hurry in the event of a fire and hunting for the key will delay you.

It is normal to fit a cylinder rim night latch as well to the front door and this is the one that is locked at night. It is unlocked only by turning the knob or handle. Additionally front door security should include a door chain which should only be used to check the identity of a visitor. Don't leave it permanently connected as, in an emergency, you may have to leave the house quickly and a secured chain could cause a delay. As an alternative to a chain use a door viewer to see who callers are.

 

Back doors should be fitted with a 5 lever mortice sashlock also certified to BS 3621. This type of lock has a key operated deadlock and also incorporates a latch operated by handles of your choice. This combination of a deadlock and latch means that, at night, you can securely lock the back door, but, when the house is occupied in the daytime, you are free to go in and out of the door using purely the latch facility.

In addition to the locks, front and back doors should be fitted with security mortice rack bolts near the top and bottom. If this is not possible surface mounted security pressbolts can be used. These provide additional security against the door being forced open.

If a door opens outwards with the hinge pivot pin accessible to a determined burglar, fit hinge bolts to the hinge stile of the door. Even if the burglar removes the pivot pins he still cannot lift the door out of the frame.

French doors and double doors should also be fitted with rack bolts at the top and bottom of each door operating into the head and sill of the door frame. Although modern patio doors are normally fitted with one good central lock, they are still easily forced open. Special patio door locks should be fitted at the top and bottom of the doors to prevent them being slid along or lifted off their runners and removed if the main lock is forced.

 

 

Other Hints and Tips

Relatively few burglars will attempt to get into a house which obviously has the owners at home, so do try to create this impression at all times. If you are out for the evening, draw the curtains and leave an upstairs light on - a bedside light perhaps.

If away for several days, get a neighbour to check the house daily to ensure that letters, leaflets, etc., aren't left by the letterbox - an obvious sign that you are away. To make the house look occupied, buy timeclocks and light adaptors that will automatically turn lights and perhaps a radio on at predetermined times. Timeclocks work by plugging the light or appliance into the timeclock then plugging this timeclock into a standard 13 amp socket.

The light/appliance will then turn on at the times you set the clock to. You can choose from a daily timer which will mean that your light will come on at the same time every day or a weekly timer whereby you can programme your light to turn on at different times each day of the week. The weekly timer is also available with a digital clock which can be programmed accurate to the minute. Light adaptors are devices which are designed to either make a standard light fitting turn on automatically between dusk and dawn, or at random times. Make a note of the serial numbers of appliances you own, and mark these appliances (TV, Hi-Fi, etc.) with your name, postcode and house number using a special UV pen which can only be read under a UV light. It is also a good idea to photograph all valuable items for identification.

Don't lock internal doors when you are out. A burglar will force them open and create some damage in the process. Your home is not only at risk from burglars. Fire can also be a devastating disaster. Fitting smoke alarms can give earlier warnings of fire, making it easier to escape and may also reduce the amount of damage.

 

Remember

DON'T leave the house empty for even a short time without securing it completely.

DON'T leave keys in the locks or lying around - certainly not under mats.

DO make life as risky as possible for the burglar.

DO become security conscious and protect your home and possessions.

 

Wickes Security Systems Exterior Lighting

It is a well-known fact that outdoor lighting is one of the most effective ways to protect your property against vandalism and burglary. Intruders obviously do not want to be visible as they attempt to break and enter a house or do damage to property. Therefore approach lighting, back door lighting and certainly lighting along a side alley to your house should be fitted. Remember that the back and sides of your house are often more vulnerable than the front.

There are different types of outdoor security lighting you should consider:

 

PIR Motion Sensor Lighting

PIR sensor controlled lighting only turns on if the sensor detects body heat or movement i.e. someone walking by within its detection area. PIR sensors are available with floodlights, more subdued approach lights and porch lights. They are also available separately so you can locate the sensor away from the light. All PIR sensor controlled lights can be left to operate automatically on detecting body heat or movement or the sensor can be over-ridden and the lights turned on manually.

 

Dusk to Dawn Lighting

In addition to PIR lighting UK crime prevention officers promote constant all-night illumination as an effective deterrent to intrusion. Ask yourself, which of these properties would YOU choose to break in to?

Dusk to Dawn lighting provides all-night illumination. The light will automatically switch on when natural light dims to a certain level. This level is adjustable by you. The benefit is that your house will look occupied at night, even when you are away on holiday, providing a deterrent to intruders. This lighting is often very energy efficient as less power is used and can cost as little as 1p per night to run.

 

Hi-Lo Lighting

Hi-Lo lighting combines the advantages of both PIR and Dusk to Dawn lighting. It switches on automatically to a low level of brightness when natural light dims at dusk and remains on until dawn. When it senses movement or body heat within its detection range, it switches to full brightness for a period of time you can predetermine.

Many of the features of Security lighting are adjustable. How adjustable will depend on the particular light you chose. See in store for details or our latest range.

 

Burglar Alarms

 

Burglar Alarm systems are chiefly based upon the use of (a) magnetic contacts on doors and windows which will activate the alarm if the contacts are separated, and (b) interior Passive Infra Red Detectors which react to body heat and movement in an arc in front of the units. If any unit senses disruptive movement when it is in an 'armed' mode, the unit causes alarms to be sounded. With the Passive Infra Red Detectors - PlRs - carefully located it is clear that it would be possible to have units keeping a watchful 'eye' on all parts of the house. In reality just two or three strategically placed will provide an excellent level of security.

 

Wickes supply a range of alarms to suit most dwellings. In fact the Wire Free alarms can be expanded to include outbuildings and caravans within the radio detection area (see individual kits for details). All Wickes alarms and most accessories are protected by anti tamper devices and Wire Free models incorporate Jamming Detection technology for additional protection. A back up battery, depending upon the alarm kit, is either included or available to keep the alarm system operating in case of power failure.

 

Each system is complete but additional items are available to extend the number of detection devices. For example, you can purchase extra PIRs, magnetic contacts and transmitters/remote controls for wire free systems and dummy outside alarm boxes.

Each system, Wired or Wire Free, is 'personalised' by you selecting your household Personal Identification Number - PIN - and setting your system to only react to that number. When using the control panel to set or deactivate the system you will have to use this number. As further protection some PIRs and other components are also personalised by the setting of a series of internal switches called dipswitches. The exception to this is the shed/garage alarm that is key operated.

 

Planning the Secure Zones

When choosing an alarm you will need to identify the number of "at risk areas" or protected zones that you will require. Protected means watched over by one or more devices that will, when in an 'armed' mode, detect anyone moving in that area and set off the alarm.

In a first floor flat, for example, the one and perhaps only risk area would be the hall adjacent to the entry door. Since access to the flat can reasonably be assumed to come only via the door, the hall would clearly be the place to fit a PIR detector to make it a protected zone.

In a house with front and back doors you immediately have two areas to cover with detectors set to react to anyone entering through the doors. You could have a magnetic contact on each door or a Passive Infra Red Detector (PIR) positioned on a wall opposite the doors covering the area generally and the doors and adjacent windows as well.

In practice the front door is generally classed as the entry/exit door and the control panel is programmed for this. It is normal to fit a magnetic contact to the entry/exit door. When going out you set the system at the control panel or by using your remote control.

With Wire Free systems the remote controls have a panic/P.A. button which is pressed to sound the alarm at any time.

Another system circuit should be used for detectors in rooms which, when the house is empty or you are in bed at night, need to be fully protected. When the system is set the alarm will be activated if anyone enters such rooms. The lounge and dining room, for example, are best linked to this circuit and, at night, when the system is in 'Part Set' or 'Home' mode you simply must remember not to enter the protected areas.

Don't allow a dog or cat in either! You will however be able to move around freely upstairs and, depending upon the location of other PIRs, perhaps even be able to go to the kitchen to make a cup of tea.

When in 'Full Set' mode every single detector is armed and nobody can move around anywhere in the home. This is the setting to use only when everybody is out of the house.

To help choose your alarm draw a rough line drawing of the floor plan showing doors, windows and possible means of entry to your house. This will help you decide on how best to protect your property using the available detectors and whether additional items are required. See Diagram B.

Each alarm system sold by Wickes explains how to set it up to suit your requirements. Each one is different and no attempt is made here to explain each option.

 

 

 

Accessories include:

• Dummy alarm boxes can be used for additional visual deterrent.
• For the Wire Free systems additional Remote Control Units are available.

The wired systems are supplied with one or three PIR detectors, but further PIRs can be added. Magnetic window contacts can be used on the circuit, but determining the activated device could become difficult.

There is no limit to the number of detectors that can be added to the Wire Free systems provided they are within the radio range of the alarm system.

When you come to fit the system you will always find a telephone helpline number to call if you encounter difficulties.

 

Do's and Don'ts

 

DO remember an alarm is an effective addition to home security but is not a substitute for good security locks on doors and windows

 

DO get in the habit of setting your alarm, as a matter of course, an armed alarm is more effective than just a visual deterrent.

 

DO regularly check for low battery indicators on Wire Free detectors

 

DO keep spare batteries for prompt replacement

 

DO test system regularly, every 3 months recommended

 

DON'T leave the house unsecured, even for a short period of time.

 

DON'T annoy neighbours with nuisance alarms, this lessens their response to your alarm. Review system layout to eliminate false alarms

 

DON'T give your PIN to strangers such as builders. If you must, change your PIN afterwards.

 

DON'T let pets into areas protected by Passive Infra Red movement detectors.