Many people see burglars breaking into their home as a nightmare. Fortunately, it's easy to prevent if you pay attention to secure locks and hardware. The delay a burglar experiences by forcing a secure lock is already a deterrent, as they could be caught at that point. With these simple tips, you can further secure your home.
A surface-mounted or mortise lock on the front door is insufficient. These are mainly found in older homes. An SKG 2-star or 3-star lock is independently burglar-resistant and delays a burglar by three to five minutes when trying to break the lock. A multi-point lock (with SKG certification), for example, allows you to lock your door at multiple points. This ensures that a burglar can force open the entire door after breaking one lock.
Security fittings with core pulling protection prevent criminals from pulling the cylinder. This method involves disabling the cylinder with a screw. Door fittings with core pulling protection have a heavier shield, and a plate in front of the cylinder prevents it from being pulled out of the lock.
Burglars can force hinges to open a door or window from the hinge side. Anti-burglary devices prevent a burglar from entering after forcing the hinge. If you prefer not to install completely new hinges in the door, you can install separate anti-burglary devices above the hinge.
For many older cylinders, the core pulling method is very simple. You can make your older cylinders burglar-resistant with SKG-approved core pulling protection. In that case, you don't have to replace the entire cylinder. If you choose new cylinder locks, it's best to have an SKG 3-star cylinder lock installed. This is independently burglar-resistant and cannot be drilled through.
In older homes, window latches are secured by push-button casement bolts. A simple bolt is also common. For burglary protection, it's best to choose casement bolts with a lock. A casement bolt is an additional lock that can only be opened from the inside and is therefore less suitable for front doors. These locks are usually installed on wooden windows, balcony doors, or back doors. If you do want to install such a lock on your front door, you can install them upside down. This prevents them from immediately locking when you close the door behind you.
When you're planning to buy a house, it's important to assess its burglar-resistant properties. A building inspection can provide more clarity on this. Simply request an inspection by email or phone. Feel free to contact us. We'd love to see what we can do for you.
The cost of a building inspection (up to 250 m²) is only €489 including VAT. We'll conduct a comprehensive building inspection and you'll receive a building report. Do you have any questions? We're happy to help and can schedule an appointment with an expert inspector right away if you wish!
