CCTV cameras are commonly used to monitor commercial premises such as offices and warehouses. They are useful for deterring criminals, and if a break-in does occur, CCTV footage can serve as evidence of the crime and help the police to identify the perpetrator.

These are all great reasons to protect your business with a CCTV system. But is it worth setting up CCTV cameras outside your home, too?

Bernard Hogan-Howe, the former head of the Metropolitan Police, thinks so. In 2015, he advocated putting CCTV "in every home" to help police detectives solve more crimes.

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When it comes to protecting your home with top-tier security equipment, the cost of some systems may be enough to put people off. But never fear! You don’t have to risk putting your property in danger for the sake of saving some pennies as there are a bunch of DIY home security ideas that you can implement to increase the safety of your home. Protecting yourself, your family and all of your treasured belongings inside. So, let’s take a look.

1.      Installing DIY Home Security Cameras

Installing security cameras is one of the obvious and effective home security tips available – did you know that homes with security systems are 300% less likely to be broken into? The great thing about security cameras is that there is a wide range available on the market, so regardless of your budget or security requirements, you are most definitely able to find something that suits you. The most common places where intruders break into homes are at the front door, windows, garages and basements. So, installing a camera at these locations on your home should go some way to increase the protection of your home.

2.    Putting Up Signs & Stickers

A relatively cheap and effective form of DIY home security is to erect signs and place stickers around your home, namely on the lawn. These usually indicate that there are security measure present and installed on the property. Now, whether they work or not is anybody’s guess, but security signs and stickers will most definitely make burglars take notice and think twice about breaking in. More experienced intruders may not fall for this attempt to foil their intentions, so best to pair the signs and stickers with a camera for added security.

3.      Keeping Your Garden & Landscape Tidy

Tall, thick, bushy and unkept shrubs and hedges are the perfect places for potential burglars to hide. A very simple DIY home security tip that you can implement fairly quickly is to keep your brushed trimmed and your lawn mowed, leaving intruders with no place to hide around your property. Even better, to provide an extra layer of protection around your home, why not plant offensive plants such as thorny bushes, bougainvillaeas or cactus. These plants can provide an inhospitable hiding place and even go some way to injuring the intruder.

4.      Close Blinds & Curtains

Probably the most obvious DIY home security tip; close your blinds and curtains! Especially when you are out and not in your home. By providing a means to look into your home and advertising your possessions is a sure-fire way to increase the chances of your house being burgled. Eliminate this by simply closing off the inside of your property to the public, this way your home will less likely be targeted.

5.      Secure/Dispose of Valuable Documents

One thing that often goes amiss with home security is personal data. Over the last decade or so, gaining access to people’s personal data has become increasingly popular and a cause for concern for every household, leading to identity fraud and a whole host of problems. This is often caused by individuals either not disposing of the personal documents properly or not keeping them in a safe enough place. Bills, invoices and statements that contain sensitive personal information should always be kept away in a safe and secure place and thrown away, should be done in the correct way i.e. shredded.

6.      Install Light Timers

For homeowners that are often away from their property most of the day, a simple way to improve home security is to install light timers. These can be set up to turn the lights on in your home at a certain time of the day or night. If a home has its lights on, the chances of it being targeted by an intruder are somewhat reduced as they believe someone is inside and would carry a risk to enter.

7.      Set Up a Neighbourhood Watch

Teamwork makes the dream work, right? Why not combat crime in neighbourhoods by setting up a neighbourhood watch where members of your close community take responsibility for observing and reporting suspicious behaviour. This will lead to increased communication between your community and could even get the word out to potential intruders that your home and neighbourhood is one that should be avoided.

8.      Be Cautious on Social Media

Going on holiday? Be sure to not let your hundreds or thousands of friends know on your social media profiles. Your home is more likely to be targeted if people know it is empty because you and your family are away on holiday. A good DIY home security tip is to share your experiences and holidays away once you have arrived back.

9.      Get a Guard Dog

Dogs are not only man’s best friend and a companion for life, but they also make a great deterrent to intruders. Now, we’re not encouraging you to just get a dog just to increase your home’s security as there are definitely cheaper ways that require far less attention and commitment, however, if a guard is something you are interested in be sure to get the right one. Pick a breed of dog that is not only easy to train but is bright enough to sustain the training you give them, such as German Shepherd and Dobermans. Teach your dog basic obedience and keep practising every day until you feel comfortable to allow your dog to roam freely and secure your home.

10.      Invest in Home Alarms

Now, if money isn’t much of an issue for you and you would like to add a guaranteed measure of security for your home, an alarm system is a way to go. Like security cameras, there is a variety of home security alarms available on the market that suit whatever needs you may have. But these don’t always have to deter potential intruders, they can also protect your home from the dangers of smoke and carbon monoxide. Integrating home alarms with other methods of DIY home security is the best way to ensure your home is fully protected all-year-round.

Here at IDS Security Systems, we provide homes up and down the country with sophisticated home security systems that increase the safety of both the people and possessions inside, whilst acting as an effective deterrent to unwanted visitors. From CCTV cameras to intruder and fire alarms, our range of security systems goes some way to ensuring homes are as secure as they could possibly be from inside dangers as well as outside dangers.

If you are looking to bolster the security of your home with an effective home security system and are interested in what IDS can do for you, be sure to get in touch with a member of our team today. We would be more than happy to help and answer any DIY home security questions that you may have.

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Equipping your home with a personal CCTV camera can be extremely useful for a wide variety of reasons, ranging from deterring criminal activity to catching the culprits red-handed.

However, it can also act as an avenue for capturing the weird, the wonderful and the unexplained and commonly crops up in the news across the world for its ability to

Weird, Wonderful and Unexplained

While there are literally hundreds of examples of amazing home security footage the world over, ranging from chilling ghost sightings to attempted burglaries gone awry, we’ve picked a small handful of the best light-hearted examples of what goes on when the red light is showing.

The Weird: Taste Test

The electric doorbell has been a useful addition to home technology worldwide since its invention way back in the early 1900s. That being said, one use the humble doorbell isn’t famed for is its taste.

However, it seems nobody told Roberto Daniel Arroyo that fact and the California resident decided to put it to the test one winter evening.

In January 2019, Arroya was caught on a home security camera licking a doorbell of a local neighbourhood home… for three hours, no less.

Following the bizarre incident, Arroyo was charged with loitering while the moreish doorbell was thoroughly disinfected and presumably offered counselling.

Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFJy2gFQgF8

The Wonderful: Ludwig Van Beartoven

A family in Colorado returned home from a weekend away to find that their house had been broken into. However, upon closer inspection, the security footage told a far grizzlier tale…

Home cameras had recorded the whole incident, which showed that their house had in fact been visited by a wild bear.

The large black bear was seen prowling around the house throughout the video, nosing around the living room and other areas.

Luckily, the placid character refrained from exercising his right to bear arms and damage was kept to the bear minimum.

I did, however, stop to have a quick play on the piano during his brief stay.

The Unexplained: Creature of the Night

In June 2019, Vivian Gomez made a spell-binding discovery when viewing her own home security camera one Sunday morning.

The video, taken the night before, seemed to show a bizarre creature strutting down the driveway, performing a chicken dance.

Gomez made her weird home security footage public when she posted it on Facebook and it didn’t take long for the clip to go viral.

Many watching the video liken the creature’s appearance and movements to that of Dobby the house-elf from Harry Potter.

Meanwhile, others have taken a far less imaginative approach to the fantastical beast and chalk it up to her young son goofing around with pants on his head.

Either way, it remains a bizarre and disturbing sight!

CCTV from IDS Security

While CCTV can undoubtedly be great for recording cool and unusual sights that would have otherwise gone by unseen, it’s worth remembering that they are primarily designed as a security feature to keep you, your family and your home safe.

At IDS Security, we offer a variety of security camera solutions for your property, ranging from conventional CCTV cameras to high-tech digital IP cameras, all of which can be tailored for your home and personal requirements.

With IDS Security, your home is in safe hands. Our state-of-the-art products, coupled with the expert knowledge of our experienced team of staff, makes for a winning combination that gives you true peace of mind, wherever you are.

If you are interested in finding out more about CCTV cameras for your home or any other method of home security at IDS, why not drop us a line today? Call now on 029 20 753 251 or get in touch online by clicking the button below.

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On Sunday 27th October the clocks go back, which means it's time to update your home security routine. When the dark nights draw in, there's often an influx of house robberies and car thefts as criminals take advantage of the earlier dusk.

Securing your possessions is of utmost importance at this time of year. Many of us are starting our Christmas shopping, and nothing screams 'easy target' to a criminal more than the brand new PlayStation you've haphazardly left in the boot of your car. Taking a little extra time to make sure your home and vehicles aren't vulnerable can make all the difference, but this isn't the only step you should take. Let's dive into some other important precautions...

Light it Up

A great way to give the illusion that someone is home is by leaving a couple of lights on around the house. Worried about your energy bills? Try plugging your lamps into timer switches or switch to energy-efficient bulbs.

Similarly, pick a parking spot that's in a well-lit area rather than parking your car in the shadows. Burglars are far more likely to target cars in secluded side streets! You could even add external lighting to your home or driveway to keep these areas safe and sound. 

Lock and Check

Make sure easily accessible windows, doors and gates are locked before you head out. Taking five minutes to whip around your house and garden to double-check everything is secure will save you days of stress and heartache when you come home to a house that's been ravaged by burglars. 

Keep an Eye

For an added layer of security, why not consider adding CCTV inside or outside your home? Speak to our advisors about adding CCTV that can be remotely accessed from your mobile phone wherever you are. Even if you're working late one night or visiting a Christmas market, you'll be able to keep a close eye on your home & belongings! 

Intruder Alert!!

A great alternative to a CCTV camera is an intruder alarm. We offer intruder alarms with 24/7 monitoring packages, so if someone did attempt a break-in, we'd be on the case immediately. Concerned the police wouldn't get there in time? We use the latest digital signalling equipment to make sure the relevant emergency service units are contacted automatically if an incident was to occur. 

If you'd like to speak to a member of the IDS team about improving your home security before winter truly takes hold, get in touch! 

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When you’re buying a house, security should be a top priority. After all, nobody wants to move into a new home where there is an inherent risk to your safety.

However, when you’re selling a house, home security can be just as important – particularly when it comes to property value.

Keeping your property up to date and up to scratch with the appropriate security measures can seriously pay off.

How so? Let’s find out…

Does a Security System Add Value to a Home?

Thinking about it logically, if you were buying a house, would you rather buy a house in a safe area that’s backed by top-quality CCTV or a property in a dodgy neighbourhood that doesn’t even have a front door?

While that example may seem a little extreme, the point remains. When you’re selling a house, a safe and secure property is a far more desirable proposition than one that poses potential risks. As such, it really does pay to cover any chinks in the proverbial armour.

Naturally, properties that pose minimal security risk are likely to garner a higher price tag. What’s more, they also provide a more attractive option to potential buyers in terms of overall investment, as they also present your would-be buyer with potentially cheaper insurance premiums.

Types of Home Security

If you’re considering ramping up your home security in the interest of adding value to your home, there are a few different routes you can take.

At IDS Security, we recommend considering the following options to keep your property as safe as houses.

Burglar Alarms

The holy grail of home safety, the tried and tested burglar alarm is perhaps the most popular and common form of home security in the UK.

At IDS, our cutting-edge intruder alarm systems are specifically designed to keep your home safe using the latest digital signalling equipment.

IDS can provide design, installation and maintenance of your home intruder alarm system for ultimate peace of mind, ensuring your system is installed correctly and always in full, working order.

Surveillance Cameras

Whether you’re looking to install traditional CCTV or hi-tech digital IP cameras, you can rest assured that our surveillance technology is top of the line and state-of-the-art.

Our expert team of installers can help you set up a security camera system that’s appropriate and fitting for your property.

Ranging from simple one-camera setup to multi-camera networks, we can provide your home with the level of security needed to suit your property.

Access Control

Providing technologically-advanced door entry solutions for your property, our access control systems provide electronic and magnetic door release for ultimate security.

Limiting entry through your chosen method of access – from smart card and key fobs to intercoms and biometrics – you can secure anything from a single internal door to multiple points of entry.

Fire Protection Systems

In addition to intruder security measures, we also offer protection from fire hazards as well in the form of our fire alarm systems.

Utilising state-of-the-art fire detection technology, our specialist fire alarms provide unrivalled reliability and reassurance, installed by expert fitters with a wealth of industry experience.

Our maintenance package also includes a 24/7 monitoring service with a round-the-clock call-out service included.

What are you waiting for? Add value to your property today with home security from IDS. Call now on 029 20 753 251 for more information or click the button below to enquire online.

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