10 | NOVEMBER 2017
News
STAY SECURE AS DARK
NIGHTS DRAW IN
IronmongeryDirect, which has been
supplying architectural ironmongery to
tradespeople for over 40 years, issued
a new guide as part of National Home
Security Month. It offers advice to
tradespeople on how to secure property
using traditional security methods.
Basic guide to
securing a property
A recent survey of 733 trades-
people by IronmongeryDirect
found that 86% said their custom-
ers only asked them to fit secu-
rity products after a break-in to
their property. At the same time,
research by the National Home Se-
curity Month campaign shows that
a home is five times more likely to
be burgled if no security measures
are in place against those with two
or three measures taken.
Certain areas of a property are
more vulnerable to a break-in than
others, with doors and windows
obviously being the most suscep-
tible, while dark areas outside
provide the ideal cover for intrud-
ers. To address these vulnerabil-
ities, there are various products
available to help keep a building
safe and secure, with an extensive
range available from Ironmongery-
Direct.
Main entry doors
According to the Office of
National Statistics (ONS), forc-
ing locks is the second highest
method of entry for burglars (with
open or unlocked doors being the
primary means). So, it’s no sur-
prise that the IronmongeryDirect
survey revealed that 64% of trades-
people scored door locks as the
most effective way of securing a
building, and 72% said door locks
are the most popular security
product they fit for customers.
External timber doors are best
secured with a mortice lock, and
the addition of a nightlatch gives
an added measure of protec-
tion. Products vary in price but
all should meet British Standard
BS3621.
PVCu doors are commonly
used for front and back entrances
on properties, which feature a
Euro Profile cylinder that works
in conjunction with a multipoint
lock. The cylinders should meet
British Standard BSEN1303 and
feature anti bump, pick, screw and
drill protection, making them very
difficult to be broken. For maxi-
mum security however, cylinders
that are T S007 3 star rated, which
is the industry approved standard,
offer complete door security fea-
turing anti bump, drill, pick, pull
and snap protection.
Windows
The survey found that 67% of
tradespeople said their customers
were concerned about window
security, with window locks being
the second most popular security
measure they fit for customers.
There’s a wide range of window
locks available including locking
and non-locking fasteners, locking
bolts and pins, and window re-
strictors, all designed for different
applications.
External boundaries
and dark areas
The two most popular methods
of securing external boundaries
and dark areas around a property
are security lighting and CCTV. In
fact, almost a third of tradespeople
responding to the Ironmongery-
Direct survey said that securi-
ty lighting was the third most
popular product they fitted for
customers.
CCTV is no longer as expensive
as it used to be and with addition-
al features such as night vision,
it is an effective security method.
Furthermore, with the increasing
number of people embracing
smart security systems to link their
locks, alarms, smoke detectors and
so on it is now possible to inte-
grate CCTV as an extra precaution,
whereby users can view a live
feed from the cameras on a smart-
phone or tablet using an app.
Outbuildings and garden
A report from the ONS revealed
there were 730,000 thefts from
gardens and outhouses between
April 2015 and March 2016, equat-
ing to 2,000 each day.
With that in mind, the same
door, gate and window lock prin-
ciples should apply when it comes
to securing outbuildings and
gardens. Additionally, during the
summer people are more likely to
leave belongings such as barbe-
ques in their garden overnight, so
securing them using a heavy-du-
ty padlock and chain can help
reduce the risk of valuable items
being taken.
Gateways
Usually positioned at the side
or back of a home, a gateway
makes for an easy entrance for
potential intruders if not secured
properly. A sturdy gate bolt fitted
with a weather proof padlock for
instance is an ideal way to prevent
easy access, but strong hinges are
also required to ensure it can’t be
easily broken down. Wall spikes
can also be used to deter climb-
ing on walls and gates to prevent
access to other property entry
points.
For more information, visit
IronmongeryDirect.com or call
its team of specialist advisors
on 0808 168 28 28.