In order to meet your needs, home security must be approached from a comprehensive perspective. This is primarily because, as defined by the RAE dictionary, the quality of being “safe” implies being “free and exempt from all danger, harm, or risk”. And the reality is that, these days, there are quite a few threats that can compromise the peace of mind in a home.
In fact, when it comes to taking care of our home, we need to be clear about two distinct—yet equally important— concepts: protection and safety. Although these terms are sometimes confused, they actually address two different types of hazards.
That’s why today at CULMIA we want to talk to you about both, so that by the time you finish reading this article, you’ll understand the difference between safety and security—and, that way, you’ll be able to address each one as needed.
Safety and security: two sides of the same coin
It’s easy to tell the difference between the two, because the key lies in the type of risk that could affect our home. So, we have:
- Safety: This term is associated with the concept of protection, as it encompasses all actions aimed at preventing risks or hazards that could accidentally or unexpectedly threaten our home. Thus, it includes mishaps that may occur in everyday life, such as fires or floods, as well as external events, such as natural disasters or environmental damage.
- Security: This refers to security in the strict sense of the term , as it includes measures designed to prevent anyone from intentionally threatening our home. Thus, it focuses on preventing or stopping acts such as theft, break-ins, assaults, vandalism, etc.
Given these characteristics, addressing one and neglecting the other is tantamount to leaving our home unprotected and at risk, since dangers today can come from either direction. And the data confirms this: in 2023, there were about 900,000 household accidents, an average of 2,500 per day; while there were 122,444 burglaries in homes and other facilities.
Differences Between ” Safety ” and ” Security“: How to Pay Attention to Each One
Safety
Although accidents and mishaps at home often happen unexpectedly, it is important to keep in mind that they can be prevented and anticipated. Of course, the risk of experiencing one can never be completely eliminated, but fortunately, we have the tools and measures to minimize it as much as possible.
The first key point is to gather relevant information about these incidents. For example, according to data from the 2017 National Health Survey:
- 3.04% of the Spanish population suffered unintentional injuries at home.
- The group most affected by these incidents was people aged 65 and older (7.17%). In addition, children under 5 are also particularly vulnerable.
- Injuries at home are more common among women (4.02%) than among men (2.02%).
- According to the analysis by social class linked to occupation, the risk increases as skill levels decrease.
On the other hand, it’s also helpful to know that the kitchen and the bathroom are the most dangerous rooms in the home, ahead of the bedrooms, the living room, and the yard. This is mainly because this information can help us prioritize and implement more specific preventive measures in those areas where there are greater risks.
What are the most common accidents at home?
As highlighted by the consumer organization FACUA, the most common accidents in the home are injuries and bleeding, burns, falls and blows, choking and suffocation, poisoning, and electrocution.
Each of these hazards has its own characteristics, so it must be analyzed separately in order to implement the appropriate preventive measures. We must also not overlook factors related to the people living in the home, because factors such as age and physical condition should also guide our decisions.
For example, in the case of infants, it is necessary to take extraordinary precautions to prevent the most common accidents at this age, such as electrocution, choking, or poisoning; whereas for older adults, the priority is to prevent falls and injuries in places such as the bathroom or bedroom.
Security
Continuing with the differences between “safety” and “security,” the latter encourages us to prepare our homes to be secure against external criminal acts. And, just as with accident and incident prevention, information is also “power” that helps us understand where we need to take action. That’s why we’re providing you with some useful information here:
- On Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. are the times thieves most often try to break into homes. Mondays also see a particularly high number of incidents.
- January and March are the worst months. January includes two particularly intense days: January 1 (New Year’s Eve) and Three Kings’ Night; while March is notable for the Holy Week festivities. And let’s not forget the summer, since between June and September, these crimes increase by up to 6.7%.
- 43% of the properties that were broken into were villas or chalets (single-family homes), while 15% were apartments. This is because criminals seek out secluded and quiet areas to carry out their crimes.
- The average amount stolen in each burglary is €1,494 (2019).
- Most home burglaries last less than 10 minutes, so burglars usually assess both the property and what might be inside before striking.
The Three Key Factors to Keep in Mind When It Comes to Security
Security (understood as the measures to be taken against intentional attacks) can be approached from three areas. They are as follows:
- Preventive measures: These are measures we take to prevent any criminal acts from occurring. For example, if we have a single-family home with a yard, building high walls around the perimeter will make it more difficult for anyone to try to enter.
- Deterrent measures: Their goal is to convince the burglar not to carry out their plan to break into our home. A clear example of this is using home automation systems to simulate our presence (even when we’re not there) by programming lights to turn on or off. Or installing a sign in a clearly visible location that indicates the presence of an alarm system.
- Deterrent measures: In this case, these are useful ways to make things difficult for burglars once they’re trying to break into the house. This is what happens when an alarm goes off while they’re trying to force open a door or window, or if they encounter a guard dog inside.
Pay Attention to External Signs
Vigilance is crucial when it comes to security, because we must not become overconfident. Typically, in the case of a planned burglary or robbery, the criminal makes certain moves that can give them away. We’re talking about leaving marks or clues on our door, making calls to the phone or intercom to check if we’re home, stealing mail to gather more information about us, loitering in the neighborhood, or even tampering with the lock in advance to check its condition or to make a copy of our key, just as happens with the “imprinting”technique.
Therefore, understanding burglars and how they operate is also an excellent way to anticipate their moves and strengthen the security of our home. This is what we can do, for example, by installing a high-quality lock on our door that protects against “clean” lock-picking techniques, such as the aforementioned impressioning and bumping , or lock picking; since two out of every three burglaries occur using these methods.
Fully protect your home with the help of CULMIA
As you’ve seen, although the differences between “safety” and “security” are clear, it’s not easy to give each the attention it deserves. In fact, a lack of knowledge can lead us to confuse the two and, as a result, make mistakes or commit fatal oversights. That’s why we encourage you to download our “Guide to Home Safety Measures” below—it’s completely free .
In it, we discuss both topics at length, explain everything you need to know to protect your home, and—most importantly— offer specific tips you can put into practice in your daily life. So, with just one click, you have access to a comprehensive guide that can help you avoid surprises down the road!
Click on the banner below to access it and see for yourself:
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