How have you fared in testing your own defences thus far? Did your perimeter and garden security pass the test? Were you able to identify and eliminate some of your blind spots? The core purpose of your home security is protecting that which matters most to you, keeping your family safe and securing your hard-earned possessions.

Follow these safety tips to improve your home security.

1. Ensure your panic buttons are installed in accessible areas and that your children can also reach them. Show them where the panic buttons are located and explain how they work, so they are familiar with the process in case of an emergency.

2. For optimal functionality and to reduce false alarms, ensure the passives you have installed suit the environmental need. There are four types: standard sensors, for harsh environments where temperatures fluctuate such as kitchens, microwave sensors that detect motion, and pet friendly detectors.

3. Get an accurate assessment of your security requirements from the outset, to ensure the panel is big enough to accommodate all your zones.

4. All security panels need to be protected by a passive to prevent tampering.

5. Keypads need to be installed in easily accessible and reachable areas, especially if your alarm has entry and exit delay, to prevent false alarms.

6. It’s advisable that you have a smoke detector installed, specifically in your kitchen area, and have it link to your alarm system.

7. Do not rely solely on magnetic contacts on windows, these should be backed up by a passives as an additional security measure.

8. Arming and disarming your alarm system via remote is advisable, and offers the convenience of not having to rush to beat the entry and exit delay. In addition LED lights can be installed that indicates which zones have been armed, which is advantageous in both reducing false alarms and deterring burglars.

9. It’s important to properly maintain the good condition of your alarm system. Regularly test it to ensure all the additional components are in good working order.

Tips to help identify and eliminate your blind spots:

If a burglar manages to infiltrate your perimeter security and sneak through your garden defences, you want to prevent him from gaining entry into your home. Identify and eliminate the blind spots around the exterior of your house with the help of CCTV, burglar bars and security gates.

CCTV surveillance cameras are your eyes outside and are ideal to monitor entrances from the safety of the inside of your home. If you have security cameras installed, keep the below tips in mind to ensure optimal functionality.

1. Ensure your cameras’ field of vision cover all the vital entry points or vulnerable areas surrounding your house, like your driveway, garage, and front and back doors.
2. Link your CCTV cameras to your alarm system in order to trigger recording when the alarm is activated.
3. Make sure your security cameras are set to only start recording when it picks up motion, instead of continual recording, as this will save on wasted memory space.
4. You want to ensure your cameras have a clear view, so regularly check that there aren’t any trees or branches obstructing its line of sight.
5. Clean the lenses often to ensure clear footage will be captured. Use a soft, dry cloth to wipe away any dust particles, and stay clear of using water and cleaning agents.
6. Sometimes monkeys disrupt security cameras by climbing onto them or bumping into them. Ensure they are mounted securely and often check that they haven’t been damaged.

Assess all the entrances to your house, including windows, doors and the roof, and make sure they are properly secured.

Burglar bars form part of your layered approach to deterring criminals, and is a psychological prevention tactic as they prefer to work quickly and quietly and to avoid complications. Use this to your advantage and ensure all your windows are fitted with burglar bars.

Invest in a good quality security gate that will buy you time in an emergency situation. Keep it locked at all times and don’t leave the keys in a place where they are easily reached.

Consider fixing additional locking devices, such as a safety chain or catch, to your front door to reinforce resistance. This will also lead to intruders spending more time on gaining entry, making more noise and alerting you to their presence.

Housebreakers often gain entry into homes through the roof. Place dual technology detectors in your ceiling to activate your alarm. They are optimised to detect movement and temperature change and therefor won’t be triggered by vermin.

Weed out the weak points in your garden security:

Now that you’ve assessed and reinforced your first lines of defence by optimising your perimeter security, it’s time to peel back that next layer. Do you have devices in place that will alert you when an intruder steps foot into your property and make his way toward your home? Put your garden security to the test and weed out the weak points.

Outdoor beams are essential early warning devices. Point-to-point beams form a reliable and stable direct barrier that ranges between 10 to 100 metres and are mounted on walls or brackets, while outdoor motion detectors are affixed to building walls to pick up movement up to ten meters away, within a 90 degree angle range.

Point-to-point Beams:

• Identify weak spots in your yard and ensure the main vulnerable areas are covered. These are places where criminals will most likely be able to gain access to your property, so you want to stop them in their tracks.
• Try to keep the beams out of sight, to prevent intruders from spotting them and using that to their advantage.
• Ensure there is a clear line of sight between the two units and regularly check that no foliage, shrubbery or trees are disrupting the beam.
• It’s important that the beams are accurately aligned with one another, thus ensure they are not installed on sloped terrains.

Outdoor Motion Detectors:

• Outdoor motion sensors are best utilised affixed to your house to cover areas such as a courtyard, or outside your kitchen or laundry room.
• For prime functionality beams should be dual-stacked. To prevent a burglar from bypassing the sensor, the bottom beam should ideally be 30cm above the ground to stop someone from crawling underneath, and the top beam placed at 1.5 metres so it can’t be jumped over.
• Windows at the back of a property are often left unsecured and are an easy way in for criminals. If any of your bathroom or bedroom windows are potential weak points, we recommend installing detectors strategically around these spots to minimise the risk.
• If you have pets roaming around your property, ensure you choose pet-friendly sensors.

When it comes to managing your beams, we urge clients to be thoughtful of false alarms. Consider your lifestyle and arming patterns and plan how to best implement and optimise your outdoor beam security. If you are having a braai with your family, it’s advisable to keep your point-to-point beams armed, but deactivate your motion detectors if your outside entertainment area falls within its range.

Dogs are also excellent at giving you an early warning of any unwanted persons on your property with ill intentions. Man’s best friend will make criminals think twice before entering your property in the first place, and will ideally send them scarpering when they set foot in your yard.

Tips to optimise your perimeter security:

When last did you take a walk around your property to look for weak points? We urge our clients to think like a criminal and put your perimeter security to the test. Notify us that you will be testing your alarm and rope in the family to try and beat your own defences and identify gaps in your security.

1. If you have an automated gate, ensure that it has been programmed to auto-close after a predetermined time. Remember to keep an eye on the gate to ensure it closes all the way.

2. Regularly check that your gate track is free from any obstructing particles such as mud, overgrowth, leaves or debris, especially after a rainy day. If the gate is stopped in its tracks due to this reason, it will simply open again and remain that way, making your home an easy target.

3. Install an anti-vandalism bracket on your gate motor to prevent it from being tampered with.

4. Have an anti-gate crashing kit fitted to your driveway gate that will be linked to your alarm system, which will ensure the alarm is activated when criminals tamper with your gate.

5. If you have your electric fence connected to your alarm system, regularly check that the strands are clear from encroaching vegetation to prevent false alarms. Foliage in contact with the wires can also cause short circuits and reduce it’s effectiveness.

6. Preserve the good condition of your electric fencing by habitually checking that everything is in working order. Get any damaged parts like broken or corroded strands replaced, and remove any dead insects or other debris inside the insulators that could ground the strands.

7. Make certain your electric fence wires are well tensioned. If wires are earthing your battery will run down faster.

8. Always ensure you have sufficient external lighting so that there are reduced dark areas surrounding your perimeter. Report broken streetlights to the municipality.

9. Cut back any vegetation around your property that could form potential hiding places for criminals.