Safety first: How to secure your home

Johannes van Graan Johannes van Graan
House Beswick, Hugo Hamity Architects Hugo Hamity Architects Casas modernas: Ideas, diseños y decoración
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With Christmas holidays fast approaching, many of us are already planning where we’ll be spending our year-end breaks. But not nearly enough South Africans are doubling up on safety measures to keep their homes and valuables safe, whether they’ll be away or at home. 

So, what does a super secure home in South Africa look like that’s ready for any would-be criminal? Here it is!


1. Secure your home: An exterior CCTV system

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As burglars will be targeting your home from outside, it just makes sense that the first element you need to secure must be the perimeter of your home. And for that, we recommend CCTV cameras to monitor your driveway, perimeter, sidewalk and front yard. 


2. Secure your home: Electric fence

The next clever step would be to opt for an electric fence to deter potential robbers from entering your yard. Follow these industry guidelines to ensure your electric fence is not easily compromised:

• The fence bracket must be at least an 8-strand square tubing (anything below is easily breached).

• Double check that your fence is always activated and working properly.

• Make sure the installation process proceeds smoothly and that there are no loose wires.

• Don’t install an electric fence on a precast wall.

• To avoid your electric fence not working due to load shedding or electricity outages, install strong batteries.

• Never switch off your fence if your alarm continues to be activated. Criminals use this tactic to create a short in the fence, hoping it will malfunction or that the owner will turn it off. 

homify hint: Double up on your perimeter security with exterior beams. These will pick up any movement and activate your alarm system. 

3. Secure your home: A sturdy driveway gate

Opt for a security gate with an anti-lift device, which ensures that it can’t be removed from its rails. Your gate motor should also be secured with an anti-theft bracket. 

Always use a cylinder lock or four-lever mortice lock for your pedestrian access gates and doors. If you use a hasp and staple, make sure the padlock is the right size. 

Read more: 12 pictures of garages you'll wish were yours


4. Secure your home: Burglar-proof windows

It’s a no-brainer that a properly secured home must have burglar bars on all windows. Make sure these are made of solid or strong steel and are built into the wall. Attaching them to your wooden frames are not enough! 



5. Secure your home: Strong doors with good locks

homify Puertas principales

Don’t think if you’ve ticked off numbers 1 – 5 on your home security list that you don’t require strong doors. Ensure they are solid, not hollow, with a four-lever mortice or cylinder lock for optimum protection. 

For your main doors, opt for a multi-lock system which locks at the top, middle and bottom. An extra point of resistance can be ensured with a deadbolt or nightlatch, and double check that a long metal strip is welded over any gap through which a crowbar can be jammed. 


6. Secure your home: An intercom system

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Make sure who you let into your home with an intercom and monitor. 


7. Secure your home: A interior CCTV system

A CCTV system which records continuously or as soon as movement is detected keeps track of all that happens in your home. Always check the size of the linked hard drives onto which the recordings are stored to know how many days / hours of recording it can take. And ensure the video is of decent quality so that you can clearly make out faces and details in the recording. 


8. Secure your home: A smart alarm system

A smart alarm system with door- and window contacts go off as soon as movement is picked up. To detect any window breakage, add vibration sensors with your alarm. And make sure that all entry points to your home are covered by your alarm system. 

9. Secure your home: Additional safety precautions

Smoke and gas detectors: Ensure your home is further protected with smoke detectors, gas detectors, fire extinguishers and blankets in the event of fire or a gas leak. Regularly check these detectors to ensure they perform at top-notch quality. 

Use a reputable security company who you know will value your safety and possessions as much as you do and respond to any intrusions as quickly as possible.

Alert companies about emergencies: If a senior citizen or someone with a medical condition lives in your home, obtain an app like ER24’s IDMe to alert ER24 in the event of an emergency. ADT’s FindU service also provides a mobile panic button for additional protection – simply shake your mobile phone forcefully to send out an alert to the nearest response officer (this will also film the events for evidence). 


10. Have a safe and secure home with the right professionals

homify Casas modernas: Ideas, diseños y decoración

Protect your home from unwanted visitors with MNM MULTI PROJECTS, a top-notch architectural firm in Johannesburg. For a safe and sturdy house, communicate all your security needs to them and allow them to provide you with the peace of mind with their house / building plans, aluminium windows, strong security doors, plastering and electrical installations, and more.

To further inspire you (and keep you safe), see these 14 beautiful ideas for your security gate

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