Coming home to find that a burglar has broken into your home, gone through your things and stolen valuable items is every homeowner's nightmare. Unfortunately, home burglaries are not that uncommon in Australia, with approximately 335,700 break-ins recorded from 2009 to 2010. Immediately after discovering your home was broken into, one of the first people you should call after the police is an emergency 24 hour locksmith. Securing your home from further break-ins can really help you and your family feel more at ease. Here are 3 highly recommended preventive mechanisms.
Replacing All Locks with More Secure Models
Regardless of whether the burglar broke through the front door or simply walked in via an unlocked door, you'll feel safer at home if you replace all of your locks. You never know whether the intruder may have gotten their hands on a spare set of keys you had lying around.
Most locksmiths would recommend that you replace your locks with deadbolt locks that have at least a one-inch or longer throw. The throw is the bolt that passes from the lock to the door frame. Although locks with a single cylinder should be sufficient, you should ideally aim to get a double cylinder lock, especially if your doors have glass panes that are within 40 inches of the door knob.
Securing Sliding Windows
If you have sliding windows in your home, you should also consider having the locksmith secure them. Sliding windows are easy targets for professional home burglars, as the entire window pane can be pulled out from the frame. In addition, siding windows with standard factory locks can usually be broken into with relative ease. As the burglars are already familiar with the blueprint and layout of your home, they may choose to target any sliding windows or doors the next time they come around.
Locksmiths can help you further secure sliding windows by installing professional locks that jam the inside tracks, so the windows cannot be opened from the outside. There are also locks that will prevent the sliding windows from being lifted from their tracks, like through-the-frame pins for vertically sliding windows.
Installing a Peephole to Your Front and Back Doors
After being a victim of a home burglary, you may find that you'll feel uncomfortable opening your door to strangers for some time. As a result, you should consider having your locksmith install a peephole to both your front and back doors. This way, you can get a good view of who is knocking on your door before opening it. There are plenty of different types of peepholes with more advanced features. For example, some peepholes rely on improved technology and designs for a wider view. There are no places for those outside to hide.
Conclusion
After calling the police and reporting the break-in, call an emergency 24 hour locksmith immediately to secure your home from further break-ins and home burglaries. You'll regain control of your home and feel a lot safer.
Share16 November 2015
Hello! Welcome to my blog! My name is Julie and I live in a large house in the suburbs of Perth, Australia. My husband and I moved into our current home a couple of years ago and since then we have been working to transform it into our dream place. The house itself is lovely, but the interior looked like something from the 1970s. When we started our renovation project we didn't have a clue what we were doing. However, with each job we completed and each mistake we made, we learnt a new skill. I decided I would like to share what we have learnt here.