Keeping your home safe this Christmas

The gift of giving is one of the main traditions at Christmas. If you're like me, you love Christmas shopping and probably spend a bit too much on the festivities. Whilst kitting out our house in everything 'Christmas' and buying our loved ones gifts is great, this can entice unwanted visitors.

Unfortunately, it is a given that burglars know that we will be spending more around the Christmas period. 

Don't give burglars the opportunity to target your home.

Here at Total Safes, we have put together some top tips for keeping your home secure this Christmas.

Buy a Domestic Safe

As you may know, here at Total Safes we provide a large range of Home Safes. By buying a home safe, you can have peace of mind knowing your valuables are secure.

These security safes can have a range of locking options and come in a variety of sizes to suit everyone. 

Cash Safes & Jewellery Safes 

Do you have more cash than usual around Christmas? Buy a cash safe to keep all that money protected and out of sight. Make sure to check the safes cash rating as it determines the amount of cash that can be put into the safe.

Expecting jewellery for Christmas? You may only need a small home safe to store small pieces of jewellery. 

Insurance Approved Solutions 

You may be planning to insure some of your goods after Christmas. If this is the case, it will be worth purchasing an Insurance Approved Safe that will suit your insurance companies requirements. Look out for the AiS Approved logo on our safes to help find the right safe for you.

If you have been asked to purchase a Eurograded safe by your insurance provider, these particular safes will have higher cash ratings that start from £10,000. This will benefit you if you have high valued goods that you wish to insure.

If you are looking to insure your jewellery, check with your insurance company to see what Jewellery Cover your safe needs to have.

Install Your Safe

All our safes can be installed by our very own installation team. Having the safe installed means potential burglars will find it difficult to obtain your safe. 

A top tip for installing your safe is having the safe installed flush against a wall. By doing so you leave no room for thieves to pry out the safe from its position. 

Only install the safe directly to a solid wall or floor and avoid installing it to a cupboard or wardrobe as this may not a secure way of fixing the safe. 

Please keep your safe away from windows or any doors where people from outside can see in.

Underfloor Safes 

Underfloor safes are a great idea if you want a safe that is discreet and hidden. Having an under floor safe ensures it is out of sight to potential burglars. Although this is secure, this safe installation requires taking out a part of your floor so please check that the structure of your home can withstand this.

Avoid posting pictures of your gifts on social media

You may like sharing with your friends all the presents you get for Christmas on Facebook or Twitter. Before you do so, please bare in mind that there may be other people who will be able to see this. 

You may think you only have your friends on Facebook but how many do you actually know personally? My advice would be to avoid posting about any presents you receive for Christmas on your social media.

Not only this, but you should also avoid sharing a post that may indicate you are not at home. If you have gone on holiday for a few days or a week, do not let your social media know this as it signals to people that no one is at home. 

By not letting potential thieves know what gifts you have or when your property is vacated will help to keep your home secure this Christmas.

Purchase a smart home alarm system

Adding a Smart Home Alarm will ensure your property is protected at all times.

By having a smart alarm, you can control and see everything from your mobile or smart device. If there is any activity in your home when you are not there, you will receive instant notifications to inform you.

PIR devices (passive infrared detectors) and window/door sensors are fitted into rooms inside your home that once activated, trigger the alarm. PIR detectors are able to detect heat energy from humans and the sensors will signal when a door or window has been used. 

Most alarm kits will come supplied with a dummy siren or will have the option to add one on. Ensure you have this dummy siren placed on the front of your house so burglars know you have an alarm system put in place. This may well be the reason burglars decide not to break into your property.

CCTV Cameras/ Smart Cameras 

Double up your alarm kit with CCTV Cameras or Smart Cameras to create a highly secure security system. Use the cameras to stream live footage of your home or to monitor any unusual activity.

For those longer and darker nights, add a Floodlight or Spotlight Camera that activates a bright LED light when motion is detected. 

Smart Doorbells 

Our range of Smart Doorbells can be used as a smart alternative to a normal doorbell. They feature live cameras and a two way talking feature so you always know who is it at your door.

Lock Your Doors and Windows

This may sound like an obvious one but you will be surprised at how many break ins occur when doors and windows are left unlocked. 

Smart Locks

Smart Locks are a great item to invest in as it allows you to control the lock from your phone or smart device. If you have left your home in a hurry, you can check if you have locked the door on your phone. In the case that you haven't, you can lock the door with the touch of a button. It also allows you to give access at certain times to certain people. 

Another good option will be to install anti drill or anti tamper locks to your doors and windows. 

I hope these tips can help to make your home that bit more secure this Christmas. 

Whilst we want you to enjoy the festive period, we also want you to stay safe.