According to research, the average spring clean takes us Brits 16 hours and 20 minutes, spread over four days*. But aside from sorting cupboards and scrubbing floors, the annual spring clean is the perfect opportunity to undertake a quick and simple home security audit, just to ensure that your property is as secure as can be.

With that in mind, the security specialists at Yale have put together their top ten tips for anyone thinking of sprucing up their home security this springtime.

• Check your front door security. Update your letterplate to avoid fishing crime, and check any door viewers and chains are in good working order.

Replacing the lock cylinder is an effective and easy way of making your home secure, without having to change the entire lock or door. Always opt for British Standard versions.

• Consider fitting a smart lock to your front door. They can allow you to access your home remotely, by PIN code, keyfob, keycard, keytag, or even a smartphone.

• Ensure all your windows are fitted with at least one appropriate lock, especially ground floor windows which have the potential to be accessed easily. 

• Check your home alarm is still in good working order, or invest in one if your home is currently unprotected. Yale’s easy-to-fit home alarms start from as little as £100 and can be installed in an afternoon.

• To protect yourself from identity theft, important documents, passports and other valuables should be stored in a home safe, bolted securely to the floor or wall.

• If you have a side gate to your back garden secure it using a weatherproof padlock and hasp to deter thieves from gaining access.

• Secure valuables in your shed using an anchor and hasp. Also consider securing items such as ladders and tools, which a burglar could use to gain access to your home.

• Consider fitting a CCTV system; they allow you to keep a careful eye on your home and its boundaries while you are away and recorded footage can be supplied to the police in the event of a break-in.

• Opportunist thieves can even use wheelie bins to gain access to your home. Move them out of view if possible and away from any flat roofs or window ledges.