5 ways to improve your home security

No one likes to imagine a home invasion, but whether we want to admit it or not, break-ins do happen. Sometimes it's an opportunistic burglar, and sometimes it's something more sinister. Either way, it's a nightmare when it happens, but thankfully one that can often be avoided by making your home a harder nut to crack.

To prevent anyone from breaking into your home, you must first ask yourself these questions:

• Are windows and doors sometimes left unlocked or open, even if they're not easily accessible?
• Is it obvious when you're not at home, or on holiday?
• Is there a spare key that would be easy to find, such as one hidden under a plant pot?
• Is accessing your house noisy? For example, is there a gravel path?
• Do your doors and windows have visible locks?
• How secure is your shed or garage?
• Do you have high walls or hedges a burglar could hide behind?

If the answers to any of these questions have worried you, follow our guide below to find ways to improve your home security.

To a burglar, a window is just another door. If they're unlocked or insecure, they'll notice, so don't give them the opportunity.

Don't leave windows open or unlocked anywhere in the house, especially at night, fit easily accessible windows with double or triple glazing (also consider laminated glass or plastic glazing film, which are harder to break), and buy locks that secure the window to the frame, rather than those that just secure the handle.

You can get attractive, solid-looking front doors for very little money, but these rarely offer adequate protection against break-ins. Front doors are our home's main source of protection, so they should be as strong, durable and secure as possible.

Aluminium front doors offer superior protection. They're strong, can last for decades, come in a wide range of styles and sizes to fit any home, and offer excellent heat and sound insulation, making it harder for a burglar to determine whether anyone's home or not.

If you can't afford a new front door, fit a chain, latch and viewer to your current door, as well as an internal cover plate to you letter box. And remember, keep it locked at all times.

The mere sight of a burglar alarm can be enough to make someone think twice about breaking into your house. If you have an alarm system, make sure 'bell boxes' are visible so any burglar can see it won't be an easy break in. Even if you don't have an alarm system, you can purchase fake boxes for £15–£20 , which will help to keep you safe.

Light and noise are the two great enemies of any burglar. A well-lit garden and entryway (at both the front and back of the house) will make it very difficult for an intruder to approach your house without being seen. The best lights are ones that turn on when they sense movement, rather than those you have to turn on and off manually (which might annoy your neighbours if you keep them on all night).

If you can make the surroundings of your home as hostile as possible, it will put off all but the most fool-hardy intruders. Here are some ways you can do this:

• Have gravel around your home. It's noisy, even when you tread lightly.
• Keep hedges trimmed back so your property isn't hidden from view.
• Install strong gates and fencing which is tall enough to require them to climb over it.
• Defensive gardening. Thorny bushes and shrubbery will stop anyone from hiding in your borders.
• Padlock and alarm sheds and garage doors.
• When you buy new, expensive items, don't leave the packaging in your outside bin or recycling for too long before collection day. It gives a tempting clue to the value of your home's contents.

You can never make your home 100% burglar-proof, but these tips will help to keep you, your family and your property much safer.