The month of October is National Home Security Month (NHSM). Research commissioned by NHSM has revealed that unsurprisingly, Brits love their homes 'more that ever' - having spent eight hours longer each day in recent months at home! 

Spending 46% more time at home, homeowners have been making changes and upgrades to their properties. With new found appreciation for our homes, it's more importance than ever to keep them safe. 

The research shows adults have spent an average of £592 on things for their house to make it feel more like a home. Therefore, as more people are investing in creating a home they want to enjoy, they should also consider investing in security to protect them. Especially as the research for NHSM showed that one-in-10 respondents admitted that they don't feel safe and secure in their home. 

The campaign highlights the importance of being vigilant and promotes ways to make sure your property secure this winter. 

With this in mind here at Discountelectrical.com we want to look at some everyday measures to stop burglars from targeting your home and some products available to keep you safe. 

• Make sure you lock your windows and doors every time you leave the house. 
• Make sure keys are hidden out of view and away from the letterbox and windowsills. 
• Keep valuables out of view of downstairs windows. 
• Leaving the radio and lights on when you're out can make your home seem occupied - you can use a timer on radios and freestanding lamps! 
• Make sure you do your garden maintenance - overgrown hedges provide perfect cover for intruders. 
• A good deterrent is a light that comes on outside when someone approaches your house. 
• Check your fencing is in good repair and ensure that side gates are locked. 
• Install - and turn on - your alarm! For more about alarms see below. 
• Be extra vigilant if you are having building work done. Burglars can be attracted by scaffolding! 

Homes with no security are five times more likely to be burgled than those with simple security measure installed. Whether you are just going out or going away, try and think about how your home might look to an intruder. If you are going away make sure you cancel your milk delivery and don't give too much away on social media! According to ADT security experts 78% of burglars use Facebook and Twitter to target potential properties! 

Is it worth investing in a burglar alarm? 

Burglar alarms not only help catch criminals, but they can also be a deterrent, as 'bell boxes' visible on the side of your house shows that there is an alarm installed. However, these aren't just for aesthetics make sure your alarm works and is activated, as your insurer might not pay up if it's switched off or fails to sound. 

Alarm installations through security companies can cost from £300-£600 for a basic system and some will have additional costs for maintenance packages. There are also wireless alarm kits available, which gives you access to your alarm system from anywhere in the world. The Curv360 alarm kit allows you to control your alarm from your phone, giving you peace of mind should you need to access the system or your alarm is triggered. 

As the nights draw in being vigilant about your home security is important, as it is well documented that dark nights lead to more burglaries and that in general there is a spike by more than a 1/3 during daylight savings time. Whilst lots of burglaries are opportunistic, there are additional ways that you can deter thieves from attempting to break into your home. 

Look into Smart Tech. 

The classic tactic of burglars is to ring the doorbell to see if anyone is in before sneaking around the back of the house. Having smart technology such as a ring doorbell which allows you to see who's there and to answer the bell regardless of where you are, will make them think twice. 

There are also many apps available today that can turn lights on and off, draw and open curtains, making it seem like your home is always occupied. The same can be said about reviewing CCTV footage of your home from anywhere in the world. 

CCTV is becoming more common among homeowners as products become more readily available to consumers. As well as helping catch intruders on camera, the cameras themselves can be a deterrent. There are lots of different kinds of camera kits available, so it's important to decide what kind of cameras you want in your home, options include wireless, remote access and even night vision. However, do remember when installing CCTV your camera can't point onto public land, or any part of someone else's property. 

Our CCTV products are manufactured by QVIS the UK's number one CCTV and security brand, with cutting edge yet affordable technology. If you are looking for a CCTV package for your home, visit our CCTV range>>

If you want to find out more about the national home security month you can visit their website for more tips and information on how to keep your home secure this winter. 

Finally, if you can't find what you are looking for on our website, please do get in contact on info@discountelectrical.com and we will see if we can source it for you or advise on an alternative product.