How secure do you feel in your home? In his essay ‘The Psychology of Security’, Bruce Schneier writes, “Security is both a feeling and a reality. And they’re not the same.” The reality of security is a mathematical probability, based on various risk factors combined with their various countermeasures. Whereas, the feeling of security is based on psychological reactions to both risks and countermeasures. Most burglars will attempt to gain entry this way making it the most important line of defense. To ensure your property is protected from break-ins and to increase your sense of security, investing in a steel security door will give you that peace of mind we all seek.
- What are Steel Security Doors?
- Why it's Important to Understand the Psychology of Security
- The Psychology of Security
- The Benefits of Steel Security Doors
- Increasing Confidence in Home or Business Security
- Recommendations for Achieving the Greatest Sense of Security
- Conclusion
- FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
How secure do you feel in your home? In his essay ‘The Psychology of Security’, Bruce Schneier writes, “Security is both a feeling and a reality. And they’re not the same.”
What are Steel Security Doors?
When you think of a steel security door, it may not initially be what you envisage for your dream front door. Due to their industrial nature, steel security doors had a ‘stigma’ of being perceived as unattractive and not ideal for residential properties. Thankfully, design and technology have vastly improved, which has resulted in steel security doors that look just as ‘homely’ and attractive as the less secure wooden or PVC doors.
Steel security doors consist of a steel door and steel frame. This makes them much stronger and more secure than a conventional front door. They can also be custom-made to individual sizes and specifications and made from various thicknesses of steel. The most effective way to secure an entrance into a property is by installing steel security doors. Front doors are traditionally made out of wood or PVC but these types of doors are relatively easy to attack and break through.
Why it’s Important to Understand the Psychology of Security
When we invest in products to make our homes and businesses more secure, we are also paying for the idea and feeling of security. Installing a secure front door, an alarm system, or security lighting instils in homeowners and business owners a sense of protection and safety. In very many cases a physical response may never be required. This is why we must understand the psychology of what makes people feel secure.
The Psychology of Security
Over thousands of years, human brains have developed complex mechanisms to deal with threats. Understanding how those mechanisms work, and how they fail, is critical to understanding the feeling of security. Four areas of research will help explain how these mechanisms to deal with threats work. Behavioural economics and the psychology of decision-making are two closely related areas. The third is the psychology of risk, and the fourth is neuroscience itself, which studies the processes by which we actually think.
These fields explain where the divergence between the feeling and reality of security comes from, and how that manifests in behaviour. This means security companies can create security systems by which a customer’s feelings about their security are enhanced.
Psychology of Risk
The study of security is directly related to the psychology of risk – both actual and potential. These are some of the general concepts that make up the psychology of risk:
- People exaggerate extreme but rare risks while downplaying common ones.
- They have trouble estimating risks in unfamiliar situations.
- People tend to overestimate risks that are under public discussion.
- People underestimate the risks they take voluntarily while overestimating risks in situations outside of their control.
- Finally, personified risks are perceived to be greater than anonymous ones.
Overall, most people will go without potential gains rather than risk losing what they already have. Therefore, security systems are designed to protect those things that customers and clients already possess: their family, their wealth, their possessions, and their own physical and mental well-being.
The Impact of Feeling Secure on our Mental Health
It is imperative that you feel safe in your own home. Feeling secure, safe, and stable has a huge impact on our mental health and wellbeing. Feeling safe in our homes and neighbourhoods will positively influence our social habits and build our sense of freedom. If we feel safe, we find it easier to relax and do the things that comfort us, this in turn helps us to focus on the work or study we need to do to ensure stability in our day-to-day life. We spend a large amount of time in our homes, which means it is essential to feel secure and safe there. It’s also beneficial to connect with your local community, such as social events or group exercises, as this will add to your sense of stability.
How Security Measures Affect Anxiety Levels
Anxiety is a feeling of unease that can be mild or severe. Feelings of worry and fear are common in everyday life, such as worrying about an exam or job interview. It’s normal to feel like this but it can be hard for some people to control these worries. This is when anxiety can be debilitating and is the main symptom of many conditions, including panic disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Living in an unsecured property can leave you feeling vulnerable to threats to your home and health. Knowing that your home is without a line of defence against a break-in can increase feelings of fear and anxiety, which could have an emotional and physical toll on your everyday life. Using security measures will have a positive impact on your mental health and well-being, as the sense of protection will increase, and your anxiety will lessen. By updating your front door to a steel security door, not only will you curb potential crimes, but you will also relieve some of your anxiety.
The Benefits of Steel Security Doors
A door made from galvanised steel comes with a multitude of benefits for your home and its security. Benefits of steel doors:
- Available in a range of thicknesses and weights. Typically, the thicker and heavier the steel that is used, the stronger it will be.
- Prevents burglary and works well as a visual deterrent as an opportunistic burglar would see it as an obstacle they cannot overcome, as a potential burglar would much rather attack a wooden or PVC door than a steel one
- Steel doors are available with strong, secure, multi-point locking systems. A multi-point locking system usually locks the door into the frame at multiple points with a simple turn of the key, giving a higher level of security.
- The accompanying door frames are also normally made of steel. This prevents the likelihood of splintering or snapping the frame to get access, making it much harder for an intruder to gain entry into your home.
- The cores of steel doors can be filled with insulation, such as mineral wool or foam. This significantly increases the insulation of the door, improving energy efficiency and sound insulation. Some of our steel doors can be rated up to 38 dB.
- Galvanised steel (steel immersed in molten zinc) provides an anti-rust, weatherproof finish, resulting in a product requiring minimal maintenance.
- A decent powder-coated finish will mean the door should never need to be repainted. This is not often the case with wooden doors which will likely require repainting every few years.
- Unlike uPVC or wooden doors, steel doors do not warp or react with moisture or extreme heat.
- Steel doors are great at blocking unwanted noise. The acoustic value of doors is measured by the number of decibels that they can block. Look for this information in the manufacturer’s product specification.
- Steel doors are more resistant to fire by design. However, they can also guarantee against fire spread for a given amount of time if a fire-certified door is chosen.
- A range of styles and colours are available.
Description of Steel Security Doors
Steel front doors typically include a steel frame and are manufactured by filling a mineral wool, polyurethane, or polystyrene foam core between two double-skin steel leaves. The steel frame and double-skinned leaves guarantee that the door is secure and won’t warp over time. The core adds another layer of protection with the added insulation. If the door is made from galvanised steel and powder coated it’ll last many many years without rusting or becoming weaker. Our range of front steel doors comes complete with a frame and heavy-duty hinges. They boast thick steel leaves, mineral wool insulation, and a range of optional extras, such as upgraded cylinder locking systems, which are available for extra security.
Steel Security Doors Provide Peace of Mind
Living in an unsafe environment can be damaging to your mental health. If you live in an area that has a higher crime rate, you may fear what could happen to your home or business. Living in a constant state of worry is debilitating, and it’s important to address the feelings of fear and anxiety. If you have previously been a victim of a burglary, a report revealed that there are long-term effects of break-ins on our mental health. Installing new security products in your home, such as a steel front door, will give you greater peace of mind.
Explanation of Peace of Mind
‘Peace of mind’ is a feeling of being safe and protected. This is what we strive to feel, and have every right to feel, in our homes. If we feel vulnerable in our homes, due to a lack of security, this will lead to feelings of anxiety and fear.
How Steel Security Doors Provide Peace of Mind
Feeling safe and protected in our homes can be achieved through a range of security measures, including installing a steel security door in your home or business. A steel security door is the most secure type of front door for your home or business, acting like a very strong barrier against opportunistic intruders. When confronted with a steel front door, the first impression any criminal will get from your home or business is that it’s not worth their time or effort to attempt a break-in. Even the most determined burglars who try to break into your premises or home will be considerably slowed down by facing an obstacle, such as a reinforced steel security door. It could prove so difficult that the burglars will eventually give up and leave empty-handed. This leaves homeowners with peace of mind, knowing the home is protected and safe from criminals.
Personal Accounts of the Effect of Steel Security Doors on Peace of Mind
We have many satisfied customers who chose to invest in a steel security door for their home and business. This is what they had to say about their experience:
Increasing Confidence in Home or Business Security
Confidence in your home or business security can be increased by using your initiative to put security measures in place. This will instil a sense of security, leaving you feeling confident that your property is protected against possible threats in the neighbourhood.
How Steel Security Doors Increase Confidence
Having a steel security door installed in your home or business will give you confidence knowing you have the ultimate protection against would-be intruders. Compared to a wooden or PVC door, steel security doors provide better protection as they are made from galvanised steel that is much harder to break through.
Other Security Measures That Can be Combined With Steel Security Doors
One thing that the most common break-in methods have in common is that they are preventable with the correct physical security measures in place. Along with installing a steel security door, you could also consider investing in the following security products to maximise the protection of your home or business.
Replace Weak Locks on Doors and Windows
Locks are the weakest point on a door. Make sure you have a grade 1 or grade 2 deadbolt lock that penetrates the door frame. It’s also advised to install locks on all of your windows. Key locks work best, otherwise, criminals can simply break the glass and turn the lock.
CCTV
Due to easier installation and falling prices, CCTV is becoming an increasingly popular choice for security-conscious homeowners. It’s good to consider how much protection you require and your budget. You could opt for a full CCTV system that requires professional installation. Or you could choose the more affordable option of a wireless security camera that you can operate by an app on your smartphone. This allows you to have peace of mind that your home is secure and safe whilst you’re out at work or when you go away on holiday.
Security Lighting
Motion-sensitive lights are a very effective measure to startle criminals and deter them from attempting to gain entry into your home. It also helps to signal to you and your neighbours that there is activity outside.
Security Alarm
It’s important to choose the right alarm system for you as there is an extensive range on offer. Alarm systems range from extremely complex and expensive for those that provide offsite monitoring and mobile access, to relatively affordable door and window alarms you can install yourself. While more features might make your home safer, having any sort of alarm system is usually enough to deter burglars.
Eliminate Hiding Spots
Burglars will be deterred if your front garden has no hiding spots. If you have overgrown bushes and trees, have them cut back. Also, consider privacy fencing or thick shrubbery with something more transient. Burglars seek privacy when attempting to break into a home, so make it as difficult as possible for them.
Recommendations for Achieving the Greatest Sense of Security
To achieve the greatest sense of security, there are many processes we can carry out for ourselves, that will alleviate anxiety and fear. We have every right to feel secure in our homes and workplaces, but the threat of crime can leave us feeling vulnerable. As we have discussed earlier, being and feeling safe is the foundation of living a fulfilling life. If we’re not feeling safe, our thoughts and energy are directed toward finding safety and security.
So, we must establish a sense of security in our lives and homes. Firstly, there is physical security – we need to be protected from the elements and other dangers. To achieve this we can input all the security measures we have discussed into our homes and business. Begin with installing a steel security door to combat the threat that most burglars will attempt to gain entry into your home or business via the front door. You may choose other security measures and products. Everyone will have their own particular needs.
For instance, if you live alone, you may feel particularly vulnerable. Or if you live in an area with a high crime rate, for example, a city centre, then you may require more advanced security initiatives for your home or business. However, mental security is just as important – we need to feel that we belong that we have control of our lives, and that we are safe. By using your initiative to make your home, belongings, and loved ones safe, will provide peace of mind. It will also mean you are taking control of your home security, giving you confidence that you are as safe as possible at home. Building relationships with neighbours and other members of your community will also help you feel safer in your surroundings.
Conclusion
To conclude, even though we live in a world filled with the threat of crime, there are many measures we can take to build our sense of security and gain peace of mind.
