As important as an alarm system is for protecting your home, remember that this should be seen as part of your home security alongside physical measures such as doors & locks to provide ultimate security.

Check your insurance policy

The majority of insurance companies now require a certain amount of physical security, which is described in your policy. Check the fine print, and if you’re still unsure, contact your broker before it’s too late. Some insurance providers may even give you a discount if you protect your facilities or have security inspections done to guarantee you get the best advice possible.

Doorsets

External doors must meet BS PAS 24:2012, WCL2, or LPS 1175 SR2 requirements and be certified.

ENV 1627-30 (WK2+) should be tested and approved for any sliding doors. Please contact Design for Security if circumstances preclude this.

ENV 1627-30 (WK2+) certification should be obtained for all revolving doors. Please contact Design for Security if circumstances preclude this.

Outdoor escape-only doors should be certified to BS PAS 24:2012 or LPS 1175 SR2 (as should other external doors). It’s critical that the door hardware be approved for use on these doors as part of the product’s security certification.

Internal letterboxes must be at least 400mm away from the internal handle and locking hardware.

LPS 1175 SR2 overhead garage or sectional doors must be inspected and certified. Please contact Design for Security if circumstances preclude this.

Individual offices and storage rooms should have 44mm solid core doors with three hinges and a mortised sash lock to BS3621/8621 to secure the rooms while not in use.

Mechanisms for Mortise Locking

If your home has wooden exterior doors, you should install a mortise dead lock that requires a key to open from either side of the door. If you choose one that meets British Standards (BS3621) or has at least 5 levers, this should be fine.

Many people install two mortise locks, widely separated, to spread the force on a door when someone attempts to kick it down.

Check that the door is thick enough to accommodate the locks while maintaining its strength. However, it’s best to get guidance from a trained locksmith.

Bolts

Mortise bolts, as opposed to tower bolts, which are lodged in the door and frame, are more secure. One key fits all with a mortise bolt. When you turn it in the keyhole, a bolt comes out of the door and into the door frame.

When two are put on a door, one at the top and one near the bottom, they are most effective.

Keep the key on the inside of the door; keep it on doors you don’t leave open.

Gated Entrances

A metal gate might be installed externally over an exterior entrance to boost security. The gate might provide some of the advantages of a roller shutter, similar to a standard side gate from a home.

Roller shutter doors

Shutters must be tested to LPS 1175 SR2 (or SR1 if perforated laths are necessary) and fitted according to the manufacturer’s specifications. Metal security shutters may be useful depending on the specific criminal danger to your property.

Consider the sort of locking mechanism that has been installed. Most shutters would benefit from extra padlocks installed every 6 to 10 feet along the bottom of the shutter.

An alarm contact should be installed on all shutters so that the alarm is triggered the minute a thief attempts to gain entrance.

BS PAS 24:2012 or BS 7950 compliance and certification is required for Windows.

Ground floor and readily accessible opening windows must be key-lockable and have fixed/lockable opening restrictors (not releasable from the outside) restricted to 100mm (escape needs to be allowed).

Locks for Windows

To choose the right kind of lock for a wooden-framed window, look for one that does not need any of the window catches. The sort of lock that uses a key to pull the window into the frame is usually stronger. They may even deter someone from pushing the window open or attempting to reverse it via a smaller window.

Install two window locks if the opening area of the window is relatively large. A locksmith can provide and install window locks, but most kinds can be installed by anybody who can use a screwdriver.

Self-locking window locks are pricier than other varieties, but they may be easier to use on regularly opened and closed windows (canteen or lavatory windows, etc.).

On the bottom level, louvre windows should be avoided. If you are unable to replace a louvre window, contact a glazing company to see if each pane of glass in each frame may be secured with strong glue.

Standards for Double Glazing

If you choose double-glazed windows, be sure it’s not simply the handle that prevents the window from opening. Many windows have many bolts that extend from the opening frame into the fixed frame and are activated by turning the handle. To open the window, you need to have a key.

Whether the glass is glazed from the inside or outside, you should be certain that it cannot be removed without breaking. Existing externally beaded frames should be able to be secured by a skilled glazier who is conversant with UPVC frames.

Extra locks on UPVC or aluminum-framed doors are frequently beyond the capabilities of the average DIYer. If the door does not lock all the way around, get guidance from a glazier or locksmith and see if they can help.

Before installing any extra locks on windows or doors, verify with the firm who installed the double glazing. Unauthorized installation may void the warranty.

Glass

At least one pane of laminated glass classified as P4A per EN 356 must be used in glazing to a height of 2400mm (or if otherwise accessible). In a double-glazed unit, the remaining pane may comprise toughened glass.

For security and safety reasons, laminated glass is preferred to toughened glass. Toughened glass fractures into numerous little fragments throughout the whole pane of glass when it is shattered. Laminated glass breaks like regular glass, yet it stays in place in the window, preventing a thief from breaking in or a kid from injuring themselves. The thicker laminated glass panes are sometimes referred to as “unbreakable.”

Georgian wired glass is built for fire protection rather than security.

During typical usage, polycarbonate, a “plastic” kind of glazing material, is unbreakable. However, the majority of varieties are readily damaged and discoloured with age.

Most varieties of existing glass may be fitted with a security film by specialised specialists. These may typically pay for themselves via energy savings, in addition to providing protection against criminals and bomb explosions.

Internal Commercial Secure Room Doors: BS PAS 24:2012, WCL2, or LPS 1175 SR2 certification is required.

Internal doors that are locked while you are gone from the office might occasionally deter a thief from breaking farther into the building, but they can also result in a lot more damage if the door is bashed down

Keys

Before installing any lock or bolt, examine the strength of the wood in the door and how effectively the door frame is fastened, just as you would with external doors.

Spare keys for your windows and doors should not be left around the premises. All keys that must be used during the regular working day should be kept in a lockable cabinet constructed specifically for this purpose.

Who borrows keys should be strictly controlled, with a trustworthy employee allocating just that particular key.

Only security keys, which can be replicated only by an authorised locksmith with valid authorization, may be ideal for your company.

Never leave your keys in the lock. This allows a thief to easily open locks and take heavier goods from your home.

Walls and roofs

Although replacing roofs or walls is typically not financially effective, weak areas, particularly in newer industrial buildings, may need extra protection. Internal cladding may improve the security of a wall.

Deep eaves on roofs may help make them more secure. Guttering should be flush or recessed. Fixing expanded metal to the topside of rafters may prevent attempts to obtain access to roof voids by removing a few tiles. In certain situations, it may be feasible to defend the roof void by installing coiled barbed tape inside that gap. All ceiling hatches should be bolted from below.

Consider expanding your burglar alarm system into the roof void and interior wall regions as well.

Mailboxes

Both the dedicated arsonist and the joker have simple access to igniting a structure via letter boxes.

Separate from the structure, specially designed post boxes are accessible. Heat sensors and fire extinguishers are now included in some.

Safes If you want to secure high-value valuables, talk to your insurance provider first to see if they have any recommendations.

Some safes look to be inexpensive to buy, but they are quite complex to install. A knowledgeable locksmith can assist you by discussing your requirements.

Standard EN 50131-8: Units that produce smoke

When an intruder is discovered, systems now exist that fill an area with heavy smoke in seconds, making it hard to see for more than a half metre.

Rather than trapping a thief inside, these devices are meant to keep an intruder out.

This sort of security equipment is always becoming better. There are now numerous “types” of smoke, allowing these devices to be installed in almost any area without causing damage to your property or stock.

Fire

Manufacturers or certified alarm companies may provide further information.

With all of this safety, some individuals are concerned about fleeing a fire. The goal of good security is to keep robbers out, not to keep people in. Burglars like to work silently and unnoticed, but you want everyone to see and hear you if there is a fire.

Although fire prevention may be required by law, it is clearly in everyone’s best interest to ensure their safety. Always seek professional counsel if you have any doubts.

Remember to be both safe and secure.

Planning permission/approval

Remember to take into account any local authority planning approval requirements when contemplating the use of any exterior protection.

Your local Planning Department is there to help you.

Alongside physical security, a home security system will help you to deter intruders. For house alarms & CCTV in Glasgow, go to Ultimate Alarms