Feeling safe within your own four walls is a basic need. However, building owners do not necessarily have to resort to expensive technology to protect themselves from burglars. In this article you will find some tips about burglary protection.
the essentials in brief Easily accessible windows on the first floor and basement should be protected by window grilles.
Always close doors and windows properly when you leave the house. However, refrain from lowering the shutters.
Cheap TV simulators can deter burglars.
Window burglary protection
Window grille
About 80% of burglars enter the house through the windows. With this information in mind, it quickly becomes clear that successful burglary protection must be measured first and foremost by adequate security measures on the windows. Of particular importance, of course, easily accessible windows on the first floor and basement.
Window grilles are divided into 7 resistance classes: RC 1 N / RC 2 N / RC 2 / RC 3 / RC 4 / RC 5 / RC 6. RC 1 N is the lowest resistance class and RC 6 the highest. In the private sector, the police advise using window grilles of security level RC 2. However, regardless of which variant they ultimately choose, builders should pay attention to some basic features. Firstly, the bars should be at least 18 mm thick. Secondly, it is recommended that the distance between the bars is not more than 12 cm. It is also important that the bars are welded at their points of contact with the lattice frame. In addition to choosing the appropriate grille, builders should continue to ensure that the window grille is anchored stably in the building structure and that there are more than four attachment points.
However, window grilles have two major drawbacks: they interfere with the view and are also aesthetically not everyone’s cup of tea. True, there are many different models and window grilles made of decorated cast iron, for example, can emphasize the style of a romantically designed house. Nevertheless, many builders would have window screens installed at most in rooms where the view from the window is not important, such as the bathroom or basement.
Therefore, the other windows of the lower floors, if you want to do without window grilles here, should be adapted to the following recommendations of the police.
Safety glass and mushroom-headed pin fittings
There are also seven resistance classes for window glass, RC 1 N to RC 6. In the private context, glass of resistance levels RC 1 N to RC 3 is mostly used. The police recommends resistance class RC 2 as burglary protection for windows on the first floor and basement. Appropriate glass will withstand an attempted break-in with simple tools for at least three minutes. For added protection, police advise lockable window handles and the installation of mushroom-headed hardware. The mushroom-headed pegs are attached to the window sash and corresponding closing parts to the window frame. If one were to attempt to pry out the window frame, the mushroom-headed stud hardware would catch and could prevent a break-in.
Doors
The same resistance classes apply to doors as to windows and window grilles. For doors, the police advise to buy a model of resistance class RC 2. Door frame, door leaf, hardware and lock of these doors were successfully tested for stability. They must withstand at least three minutes of attempted burglary with simple lever tools. In comparison, a front door of resistance class RC 3 can repel an attack for at least five minutes. However, doors of resistance class RC 1 can be easily broken open with tools and serve merely as protection against physical violence.
In addition, a door viewer and an intercom system, if desired also with a video camera, ensure security within your own four walls.
Other entrances to the house should be secured with solid sliding bolts, for example, made of sectional steel. Especially if the garage is connected to the house, it is advisable for builders to think about possible burglary protection measures at an early stage, since it is almost impossible to retrofit them later. It is also important to have an anti-lift device for the garage door. However, if there are no particularly valuable items in the garage, builders might also consider whether a lockable connecting door to the house would be enough for them. This should then be secured to match the other side entrances to the house.
Safety does not necessarily require expensive technology
Even the police do not necessarily recommend the installation of alarm systems and other electronic protection against burglary. Professional alarm systems are often quite expensive and ultimately serve to report a burglary that has already been committed. To prevent this from happening in the first place, he says, basic mechanical security for the house is essential, including grilles on windows that are particularly easy to access, security glass, and mushroom-headed hardware on window frames. Nevertheless, the installation of alarm systems could be useful if particularly valuable objects are kept in the house.
Alarm systems
Provided that homeowners decide to install an alarm system, some tips should be followed. First of all, it is important that the alarm system has been tested, for example, by the VdS, Association of Property Insurers. Furthermore, it is essential that the device is regularly serviced and maintained by an electrical engineer. And of course, the alarm system could not fulfill its usefulness if it were not connected to an emergency hotline around the clock.
In addition to these basic precautions, homeowners must select for the proper level of security for their alarm system. There are four grades, with Grade 1 being the lowest and Grade 4 being the highest level of security. For an ordinary single-family house, the police recommend a second-degree alarm system.
However, there are also major differences in the mode of action between different models of the second degree. If homeowners would like to guard house entrances and windows, opening detectors, locking detectors or break-through detectors are a good choice. Individual rooms, on the other hand, are secured with motion detectors, infrared or light barriers.
Favorable measures for increased safety
Cheap ways to deter burglars in advance are TV simulators and light timers. Especially when homeowners go away for a long time, such purchases can be useful. TV simulators turn on automatically at dusk or can be set to operate continuously. From the outside, the changing lights look like a running TV, faking the presence of the homeowners. TV simulators are available for as little as €15. Another way to keep the house from looking uninhabited during extended trips is to use a light timer. Homeowners can set them to turn lights on and off in different rooms of the house at specific times.
Simple rules of conduct
To secure your home against burglars, you don’t necessarily need expensive alarm systems and elaborate smart home technologies. Simple rules of conduct also help to protect yourself and your home. Especially when leaving the house, make sure that all windows and the patio door are closed. The same applies to the front door. If you do not lock the door properly, it makes it much easier to break in. In addition, during the construction of the house, future homeowners can already make sure that easily accessible windows on the first floor and basement are equipped with grilles.
On the other hand, it could be counterproductive to leave the shutters down when you leave the house during a vacation or even for a few hours. Unless the roller shutters have a special anti-lift device, they do not provide any protection against burglary. On the contrary, lowered shutters signal that no one is home at the moment and an opportunity might present itself.
Conclusion
It does not necessarily need an alarm system. More important are the mechanical precautions: Doors and windows with a good security class and window bars on particularly exposed windows. In addition, for example, during prolonged absences, psychological tricks such as the timer for the TV or for various lamps can help keep burglars away. When building a house, builders should therefore also check the specific equipment of an offer for safety aspects. It is always more cost-effective to include security technology when building a house than to retrofit it later.
Sarah Völkl hat Architektur studiert und ist seit Jahren das Gesicht von a better place. Mit ihren Videos ist sie bei YouTube vielen Personen schon länger bekannt. Sarah teilt Ihr Wissen jetzt auch bei den Bautipps von Almondia.
