How to Look After Your Valuables: Home Safes, Contents Insurance and More
We all have items of great value to us, whether that’s in terms of high monetary value or sentimental significance. Naturally, you want to protect your high value items from theft or damage and it’s important to have the right precautions in place.
There are many ways to look after your valuables, from practical additions to your home like a safe, to safety measures like leaving valuables out of plain sight. If you want to know more about how to look after your valuables, read on for our handy guide.
Install a home alarm system
Statistics show that 60% of burglary attempts on homes with alarms are unsuccessful, but a whopping 71% of homes still don’t have a functioning burglar alarm. A home alarm system is one of the most efficient ways to protect your property and the valuables within it, and sometimes just the visual sight of an alarm is enough to deter thieves.
There are many different options when it comes to choosing a home alarm system, including audible alarms (which emit a loud, high pitched noise when activated), or monitored alarms, which make no noise but will send an alert if triggered. CCTV isn’t just for businesses either, and some homeowners like the added protection of a full CCTV system for their property.
These systems can be adjusted to suit your requirements and many can be controlled remotely via your smartphone or tablet, so you can keep an eye on things even if you’re elsewhere. CCTV can also help to recover any valuables if you do suffer from a burglary and police can use the images to trace the perpetrators and hopefully find your items.
Keep valuables out of sight
The majority of break ins are opportunistic, so don’t leave your valuables on display in either your home or your car. The most common items stolen from a home are computers, cash, small electrical goods and jewellery, so keep your tablets, laptops etc hidden from view. 21% of people never hide their valuables when they leave the house and 37% of people leave portable electronics on show, increasing the risk of a break in to your home.
It only takes a few seconds to put your items away, so get into the habit of putting electronics or other valuables away before leaving the house. You should also hide car keys in a jar or safe place away from the door, especially if your door has glass panels.
Home security safes
If you’re looking for additional peace of mind, a home security safe ensures your valuables stay protected even in the event of a break in. You might think that you need to be a celebrity or a millionaire to use a safe, but they’re extremely useful for protecting valuable documents like passports, birth certificates and other important papers.
Home safes come in different models and sizes, including underfloor safes, wall safes, and specialised jewellery safes. It’s important to ensure that your safe is securely fitted to either the floor or wall, as some thieves will simply take the entire safe if it’s small and freestanding. Unfortunately, theft isn’t the only risk for your valuables, but a fireproof safe will ensure that your important documents and items are protected in the event of a fire. Most models can withstand the extreme heat of a blaze for up to one to two hours, which is usually ample time for fire services to get the fire under control.
Upgrade your locks
Protecting your valuables starts with making sure your property is well protected, so consider upgrading your locks if they’re old or worse for wear. Most modern uPVC doors come with strong, sturdy locks as standard, but if you have an older wooden door then it’s probably time for an upgrade.
Five lever deadlocks offer exceptional security for wooden doors and you can add a door chain for extra security when you’re at home. A professional locksmith will be able to give you advice on the best lock to suit your home and they’ll be able to provide emergency lock repairs if you have suffered from a break in.
Don’t forget your windows either; roughly 23% of burglars break in through a first floor window, so it’s important to have strong window locks in place. Don’t forget to use them either; many people leave windows on upper floors open or unlocked, but unfortunately the height isn’t a deterrent for some thieves. Always check windows and back doors are locked before leaving your home, and add window bars or shutters if you want even more security.
Contents insurance
Contents insurance is designed to protect your belongings in the event of loss, damage or theft and it gives homeowners monetary compensation to help you replace damaged or stolen items. There’s no obligation for anyone to purchase contents insurance, but it’s a very sensible idea to do so.
Contents insurance can cover anything you want it to, including furniture, electronics, jewellery, clothes, antiques and kitchenware. It’s a good idea to keep a list of any high value items (usually over £1,000) as these are classed as more high risk in terms of theft. You can choose to add up the total value of contents in your home (in case it was lost in a flood or fire), or you could choose to cover high value items only, it’s up to you.
Proper storage
Looking after your valuables isn’t just about protecting them from theft, it’s also important to ensure that they stay in the best condition possible. Proper storage is essential for older or more delicate valuables like artwork or antique furniture to help prevent damage. If you own any valuable artwork, avoid touching the canvas as little as possible and store your paintings in an environment with a stable temperature. Humidity and prolonged exposure to light can damage the sensitive surface of paintings, so display your artwork out of bright sunlight and avoid humid rooms like the kitchen or bathroom.
Delicate glassware should be stored in a dry, dust free environment and protect antique furniture with dust sheets if you’re planning on any painting or decorating. Store valuable jewellery in a safe or locked jewellery box when not in use and remember to remove silver jewellery when cleaning, as household chemicals can tarnish the metal.
Home Security Solutions from the Experts at Campbell & McGovern
If you’re looking for expert security solutions to protect your valuables, get in touch with the professionals at Campbell & McGovern. We’re proud to offer a range of home security systems and products, including CCTV systems, wooden and aluminium door locks and emergency lock repairs.
If you’re in need of a home safe then we have a full range, including underfloor safes, secure wall mounted safes and fireproof safes for added peace of mind. We’re on hand to give advice about which type of safe would best suit your requirements and we can install the safe on your behalf too. If you have suffered from a break in, don’t panic – our emergency locksmiths are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and we aim to be at your home within the hour to solve the problem. To find out more about how our security and locksmith services can help keep your valuables safe, give us a call today or visit our website.
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