How To Improve The Security Of Your Property

The physical nature of security is all about deterring the potential intruder from gaining access to your property. It is important as the first line of defence against an intruder or unwanted visitor. You will want to do everything you can to prevent physical access to, or theft from your property and belongings.

This can be as simple as having secure locks on all of your outside facing doors/windows to steel security screens or high security gates. Security advisors have also used materials that are less suitable like wood for boarding up windows. It may be a cheaper option, but in the long run it will degrade quicker and be easier to penetrate after a while.

There are several layers or tiers of physical security that you should be considering when reviewing your home security. They could include things like obstacles that are designed to delay intruders breaking into your property, alarm systems, external lighting or CCTV. Two main layers of physical security are:

• Environmental Design
• Mechanical Security

Environmental Design

Environmental design is the initial layer of physical security for a property and is generally more for commercial properties but could be employed in a residential dwelling. These can include deterrents such as barbed wire, spikes installed on top of walls, temporary concrete barriers, metal barriers and warning signs. Concrete barriers are by definition difficult to shift or damage, but need to be installed by a reputable security company.

Mechanical Security

This layer is concerned with mechanical aspects of security. These include communal doors, gates, locks, windows. The approved method of access through the gate or door can be accessed via metal key or electronic key or keycard. In a large establishment, door access can be managed easier with use of an electronic key rather than keeping track of keys. Biometric access control, using thumb print readers is another form of physical security which is gaining support.