How safe is your home in Amsterdam?

Amsterdam is the most populous and busiest city in the Netherlands. With over 860,000 residents and millions of tourists annually, it’s important for residents to secure their homes. We’ll walk you through the key points for home security and provide a handy checklist to easily verify if your home is burglar-proof. Read on for more information on how safe your home is and discover essential anti-burglary tips from our professionals!

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Home Security in Amsterdam

Do you already live in Amsterdam or are you planning to move? Regardless, it’s always important to ensure your home is well-secured against burglary so you always feel safe in your own home.

How do I know if my home is safe?

This is probably the first question that comes to mind. To answer this, our experts will work with you to consider how burglars think. Not every burglar is the same, but generally, they first look at the entrances and exits that are directly visible, such as your doors and windows. Are these fitted with reliable locks and can they be properly closed? If not, it’s a good idea to purchase them. A certified locksmith can help you with this.

The home’s surroundings

Besides doors and windows, burglars often look at the condition of your home and its surroundings. Statistically, the number of burglaries in cheaper houses is much higher than in more expensive houses. This is because hinges and locks are often of lower quality, making burglars more likely to target these homes.

Additional important points for home security

Key storage

One of the most common mistakes regarding home security is storing keys outside. Burglars know all the hiding places and check them first, giving them easy access to your home.

Lighting

Installations such as motion sensors or twilight switches significantly reduce the chance of burglary. When you have outdoor lighting, your house also appears much better secured, which makes burglars more likely to skip the property.

Shield your mailbox

Burglars sometimes ‘fish’ through the letterbox in the door for your belongings or keys if they are still in the lock. Therefore, shield your mailbox and do not leave your keys in the lock.

Wear and tear of your door fittings

Over time, your door fittings will wear out. If you notice that your door fittings are worn, you should have them replaced as soon as possible with new and sturdy components for the safety of your home. Hire a locksmith for this.

SKG-certified locks

Locks with an SKG (Stichting Kwaliteit Gevelbouw – Foundation for Quality in Facade Construction) mark meet strict safety requirements and offer optimum protection. It is therefore advisable to install this type of lock in your home.

Alarm systems

An alarm system offers very good security. This is not only useful against burglary, but also in the event of fire and water damage. With this system, you are immediately alerted when someone enters your home.

The Slotenmaker Amsterdam anti-burglary checklist

We offer you a simple checklist so you can quickly and clearly see what your home meets and what is still missing:

• Door locked and all windows closed
• Valuable items out of sight
• Store the key safely
• Leave the lights on if you are away for a while
• Replace your single-glazed doors and windows with double glazing
• Maintain your locks

Extra security features

In addition to the general points of attention, there are also more specific means to minimize the chance of burglary in your home.

Security fittings

These are thick metal cover plates for locks or door handles. The screws are not visible with these plates and can be unscrewed from the outside with core pull protection.

Security bolts

You insert these metal pins just below or above a hinge in a door. By making a hole in the frame at the height of the security bolt in the door, the pin falls into the hole in the frame.

Anti-burglary strip

With an anti-burglary strip, it is practically impossible to break in. The strip consists of two hard metal profiles that are placed on the outside of the door and the frame. When a door closes, they interlock, making it difficult to force the door.

Door viewer

A door viewer is a peephole in the door. This allows you to easily and quickly see who is at your door.

Anti-burglary bar

You place this sturdy metal bar on the inside of the window or shutter to prevent a burglar from slipping in. We recommend using this bar for small windows or shutters.

Security hinges

Security hinges are specifically for the attachment of exterior doors. These hinges are characterized as a heavier type of hinge with a built-in security bolt.

Sliding door

This is a glass wall that slides open to create a large passage between the house and the garden.

Camera

By placing cameras in and around your home, you have an overview of your property when you are not at home. This provides extra security and certainty.

In addition to all these points, it is also important to replace or maintain your locks and other installations where necessary, so that your home is secured.

Has the damage already been done?

Have you already been burgled or do you want to prevent burglary in your home as much as possible? Slotenmaker Amsterdam is available 24/7 to support you in repairing burglary damage or extensively checking the security of your locks. Need advice on the security of your home? Call us and discover what we can do for you or contact us via our contact form!

Emergency

Our 24/7 locksmith service is ready for emergencies.

Make an appointment

For all your lock-related matters in Amsterdam.