We all put a lot of effort into securing our homes, but many forget to give equal attention to outbuildings. Dr Steffan George, pictured, development director of the Master Locksmiths Association (MLA) – a trade association for locksmithing – highlights common security flaws and tells us how to avoid them.
When it comes to protecting your outbuildings, it’s important not to cut corners in terms of quality – buying good quality, strong locks and bolts is an investment. The first place to start is with the door, attach mortice security bolts to the top and bottom, ensuring they are well fitted so that they cannot be ripped away from the timber. If your shed door (or frame) is too small and thin for a mortice lock, it’s vital to invest in a good hasp, staple and padlock. Pay attention to door hinges too, ensuring thieves cannot easily remove them and take the door off that way. Fitting a pair of hinge bolts to each leaf should hold the door in place if someone tries to break the hinges.
It seems obvious but, if your shed has windows, ensure they are fitted with working locks. Extra security measures include grilles and welded mesh sheeting which can be fitted on the inside, and netting or reflective sheeting can be used to stop a potential thief from seeing objects inside.
Additional security can be added inside the shed so that, in the unfortunate case that someone does get in, the highest value contents are still protected. For things like power tools you can get steel containers fixed securely to the floor. Consider adding ground anchors to chain objects inside the shed too – such as ladders, spades, forks, tools and bikes, and padlocking them to the floor. Security products independently tested for outbuildings can be found at www.soldsecure.com and a MLA approved locksmith can help advise what grade of security you need.
Maintenance is often forgotten but very important in terms of security. Rusted locks, chains and hasps and staples, cracked panes of glass and even rotten frames and sills are all things that opportunist thieves look out for, so it’s important that you perform regular and thorough maintenance checks on all areas of outbuildings.
If your outbuilding is attached to your home, it’s vital that you check any linking doors for damage too, and treat these doors the same as you would your final exit door, as criminals may use them as means of entry to your home and if hidden from view may have more time to spend trying to break in. If you do notice any wear and tear on locks or fittings, ensure you get in touch with a professional to help you replace or fix them using the correct products, if you chance it yourself and get it wrong this could negatively affect both your security and your insurance in the case that a break in does occur.
In addition to window and door security, consider installing alarms, outdoor security lighting and CCTV systems, all of which will alert you to intrusion immediately and work as deterrents.
We advise that you get in touch with your local MLA approved locksmith who will be able to perform a complete security assessment of your home and any outbuildings, advising you on a full range of security measures that not only offer you peace of mind within your home, but will be in line with your home insurance requirements.
