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Make your home secure
Welcome to Home Doctor
Norwich Union is a leading provider of home insurance, and we believe we should give our customers more than financial protection for the things they care about.
We've drawn on our extensive experience and researched authoritative, expert resources such as the Police, the Fire Service, Health and Safety to bring you Home Doctor: a guide packed with essential advice to help keep your home safe and secure.
If you are already well organised, it may still highlight some things you haven't thought about. If you are no expert, you'll find it packed with practical solutions for reducing risks and improving the safety of your surroundings.
On average, the majority of attempted burglaries are unsuccessful thanks to the efforts of householders in improving their home security.
Basic measures include: door and window security, interior light timers and exterior sensor lights, and a burglar alarm.
Look after your home
Door and window security
- Lock all doors and windows before leaving your house and/or before retiring to bed overnight. Ensure keys are at hand but away from sight
- Don't leave spare keys in letterboxes, under doormats, in houseplants or dustbins, as burglars are likely to check these places
- Door locks should be changed if keys are lost or you are moving into a new property
- Fit an internal chain and spy-hole on your main door to use when answering unexpected visitors
Suitable locks
- Even the best locks will be ineffective if your doors and windows are in poor condition or are not securely fixed into the wall, so check for any problems and arrange any necessary repairs
- Windows, wherever easily accessible, should have key operated locks
- Entry and exit doors should be fitted with good quality robust locks. Read more about the types of locks that can be used to secure your doors.
Special attention should be paid to outward opening doors as these are generally hinged externally and can be forced by removing the pins within the hinges. To prevent their removal they should be fitted with hinge bolts to the top and bottom.
| Style of door | Advise |
|---|---|
| Timber | 5 Lever mortise locks or cylinder locks complying with BS3621 should be fitted centrally to the door. A cylinder lock adjacent to glazing should have the internal handle locked whenever the property is left unoccupied. |
| Plastic/UPVC | Multi-point bolt mechanisms are recommended. |
| Metal | Due to the varying door styles in existence, we recommend specialist advice be sought from a locksmith, preferably members of the Master Locksmiths Association. |
| Sliding | These are typically patio or porch doors and are vulnerable to lifting from outside, therefore, key operated anti-lift bolts should be fitted internally to the top and bottom of the door. |
External websites
Lighting
- The installation of lighting to the perimeter of a property is recommended as a deterrent for burglars
- There are two main types of external lighting available, and they should be fitted at a height not lower than 2.5m to prevent easy interference from potential burglars
Two main types of external lighting
- PIR (Passive Infra Red) activated units, which upon approaching them provide instant lighting to the area, which will surprise burglars and attract the attention of householders. Yet, they can cause false alarms when triggered by passing animals or traffic and weather conditions
- Light sensitive devices, which automatically switch on at sunset and off at sunrise. Whilst offering less of a 'surprise factor' than the PIR units, these do provide a good level of background lighting which may be more suitable for very dark areas
External websites
Intruder alarms
Alarms offer a deterrent and provide a means of alerting nearby residents in the event of activation. If you are considering installing or upgrading a system, here are some tips:
- Before deciding on the type of system, take professional advice from sources such as your local crime prevention office or installer
- To install and/or maintain the intruder alarm system use a reputable contractor, preferably registered with NSI [National Security Inspectorate] or SSAIB [Security Systems and Inspectorate Board]. Maintenance contracts typically include an annual inspection to check the system is in full working order
- Once the system is installed, in order to avoid false alarms, make sure that all the occupants, including key holders, are aware of how to enable and disable the system
