Home Security

I put in a Wireless Burglar Alarm System, and we stopped the bad guys before they had a chance to get my stuff. Let me show you how we did it. You don’t have to be a victim any longer.

We caught those thieves with our Wireless Burglar Alarm System. Crime had really gone up over the last year or so in our neighborhood. We blamed it on the economy and the lack of jobs, but I worked hard from my things and wanted to keep them. When I was notified that the police where at my house arresting two jerks who had broken into my house, I was jumping for joy that we got results from or new wireless burglar alarm system.

A month or so before our home had been broken into and left in disarray. I vowed then to get the best alarm service I could find to protect my family and my possessions. I had heard from neighbors who also had been robbed, that their telephone lines had been cut and the thieves made their way into those homes undetected. There was no way for the monitoring company to get the break in notification. The alarm sounded, but no one in the neighborhood paid attention, and the police were not notified. This resulted in them loosing their valuable to the thugs. I knew I needed to get a wireless burglar alarm system to prevent this from happening to me.

I checked around and got options and quotes from over 10 companies. I am glad I took the time to research each company. Not all companies support wireless alarm systems, but the best and most reputable companies support the technology. The additional fees for wireless alarm service should be around two to three dollars more per month, depending on the monitoring service.

When I got that call from the police saying they had apprehended two guys who had tried to break into my home, I was excited, angry and thankful all at the same time. We got the results we were looking for from our wireless burglar alarm system. Take my advice, if you are looking for strong, secure protection; get a wireless alarm system to secure your possessions. Wireless worked for me.

By: Gautier Newby

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With the decline of the economy, there has been a rise in the amount of burglaries leaving many people on edge when they have to leave the home they have worked so hard for. Many have taken steps to help prevent this sort of thing from happening to them, yet they know it’s just as likely to happen to them as to one of their neighbors or family members.

Here are some steps to help with better home security:

Install a wireless home security alarm system that is connected directly into your local dispatch or private security company from which the system was purchased. Place their protection signs in obvious areas throughout your home’s grounds so that a burglar coming from any direction can see you are protected by a security system. Always set the system when you leave home because it is useless if not activated. Getting a well trained watch dog may be an option for those who find that the dog’s bark alerts them to someone on the property. Canine training is necessary, or you will find that the dog barks at anything moving, which is no advantage to your home security. Place dead bolts on all doors to the outside to prevent the lock from being picked. Close and lock all windows at night. Never leave a window with only a screen in it open, as a screen can simply be cut and entrance to the home gained easily. When traveling out of town, monitor your home with a top-rated SmartPhone-ready wireless home security system. When going out of town, purchase timers for the lights throughout the home so it appears as if they are being turned on and off by someone inside the home. Form a neighborhood watch to patrol for suspicious characters that are out of place in the community and report their activities to the authorities for further investigation. Never mention in public that you will be home alone or going out of town since you never know who is listening to your conversation and someone could follow you home. Always let someone know when you are going out of town and ask that they pick up your mail and maybe arrange for the grass to be mowed. Never place a message on your answering machine saying that no one is at home. Instead, simply say that you are busy and cannot get to the phone at the moment. Always check the credentials of those who come to your door representing the government or a utility company. Trust your instincts, and if you have a bad feeling about their identity do not let them in until you have made phone contact with their office to confirm their visit.

It is always better to use prevention techniques. Things like this happen many times a day to many unsuspecting individuals. Once it has happened, a person usually never gets their belongings back, and worse yet, have lost forever that peace of mind they originally so valued inside their own home.

By: Brian Watson

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To give your property the highest level of home security possible, you ought to expand your views about what your property includes. The leading school of thought may be that a security system will do the trick, but you should know that it’s only the first step in securing your home.

In fact, your property includes the land surrounding the home as well as any additional structures such as garages and sheds. Furthermore the best way to secure the entire property against potential burglary is to move past total dependence on a security system. It is certainly the first and most basic level of protection you can give your home. The alarm is proven to improve your chances that you will never become a victim of crimes against property. In order to supplement this important piece to home security, however, think about the things you can do on your home’s exterior.

In order to best implement security measures outside, first get to know your property. Learn about its current state and how well protected it is. Here is a list of questions to ask yourself in order to get to know your home’s exterior and upgrade your home’s overall level of security.

1. How well lit is your home’s exterior? Lighting is highly important to secure a home. It’s well known that burglars do not like being exposed, and light tends to do that very thing. It prevents them from staying hidden from your neighbors or passing cars. If your home does not have any exterior lights whatsoever or only a few lights that provide insufficient illumination, then consider adding some fixtures. Add them over the garage door, around the front door, and overlooking your backyard. Be sure to not go with extremely powerful lights, as these will only create darker shadows in the unlit areas.

2. Is your yard overgrown with low hanging trees or large bushes, creating dark places in which burglars can hide? Along the same lines, overgrown trees and bushes give burglars prime hiding places. If they are not trimmed back, then you are inviting potential burglars onto your property.

3. Do large trees provide access to your home’s second floor, where the windows or balcony doors are perhaps left unlocked? Trim down super tall trees or trim them away from the home.

4. Do you have a fence around your property; and if so, is it in good condition? Check for loose or missing panels or beams. Make the fence stronger if it is not in good condition.

5. Do you keep your fence locked? Is it your habit to keep the fence closed with a heavy-duty lock? If you do not, then it’s time to consider implementing this habit. You often keep valuable items laying around in the back yard, and a lock will decrease the chances those items will be stolen, though it won’t completely eliminate the possibility.

The answers to these questions will tell you a lot about the state of your home security. It will give you a better idea as to the measures you ought to take to improve it or the habits to implement to promote greater home security.

By: Laila Jefferson

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Home security systems have so many benefits that it’s difficult to see a reason why not to invest in one. They make as much sense as insurance. It is like taking an insurance policy out on your sense of security, with the perk that home security systems often are preventative as well. That’s something regular insurance policies could never claim. You buy this “insurance” so that in the case of a break-in, the intruder will become alarmed himself and stop, and you, your neighbors and the local authorities will be alerted immediately. It is much like taking out an insurance policy on your home as you are doing what you can to protect everyone and everything in it.

Needless to say, home security systems are a good investment for anyone. However, they are particularly beneficial to certain types of people. Here is a list of people who would benefit most from a home security system:

-Single people living alone would highly benefit from an alarm system. Whether you are old or young the fact of the matter is that people who live alone are more vulnerable to crime. It is less intimidating for someone to invade your home if they know there is only one person living there. Also, if there is a break-in or an attempted break-in there is only one person be alerted.

-Elderly people are particularly susceptible to home invasions. They are targeted because criminals think that they are easier to physically overtake and also that they probably have more assets to steal. Many elderly people also have physical disabilities, or problems with sight and vision. This can sadly make them easier targets for a home invasion that they may not even wake up or notice when it is happening.

-Young people are also targeted for home invasions for several reasons. The first of which is that they usually aren’t as savvy about protecting their homes or apartments. Most of them are living on their own for the first time and aren’t used to taking precautions. It is unlikely that a young person would invest in an alarm system and criminals know that. Finally, young people are also likely to have the most expensive electronic goods. With technology today, every twenty-something has a laptop, a cell phone, a gaming system, a home entertainment system, etc.

-People who travel a lot are often the target of break-ins and crimes of opportunity. The ideal situation for a thief is to stake out a home that is unoccupied. People begin to notice when homes are frequently unoccupied, noticing cars missing from the driveway, lights off at night, or mailboxes filling up. It is the prime scenario for someone to invade your home unnoticed while you are away.

-People who live in wealthy neighborhoods are also often targeted by criminals. When undertaking a home invasion the perpetrator wants to know that the reward will be worth the risk. It is common for people from outside of town to target wealthier neighborhoods because they know that these homes will be the most profitable.

If you fit into one of these categories you should really consider investing in a home security system. It’s an insurance policy on yourself, your loved ones, your belongings and your home. It will give you peace of mind that is truly priceless.

By: Levi Mortenson

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Home security has become a great deal more complicated than a lock on the front door and closing all of the ground floor windows. High tech security systems work to protect our homes day and night, and occasionally require some upgrading or additional efforts on the part of a home or business owner.

Today’s home security systems consist of several items and ideas, and they often require a bit of planning and organization. When performing a security assessment on your home, you must realize that both the interior and exterior of the house need protection. The type of neighborhood or area of a town that you live in may effect or impact your home security needs. Also, if your property has outbuildings such as a garages or sheds, these too should also be included in your home security system or plan.

The first factor to consider is reality – regardless of where you live there is always a chance that a burglar, or burglars, will target your home or property. However, there are always certain areas or even neighborhoods that see a higher level of crime or house burglary. If your home or property is within one of these areas it is necessary to develop a plan for home protection. Why not include neighbors and implement a “neighborhood watch”? This is a great way to bring awareness to a community, meet neighbors and significantly lower the security threat to many homes and businesses.

Once you identify your neighborhood trends, you should next identify your own habits. Is your house empty for the majority of the day, or night? Are you at work for long stretches of time? Are you planning on a vacation or extended stay out of town? A “yes” to any one of these questions means that your home may be an easy target for a burglar. There are many simple ways to eliminate the appearance of an empty home, or to remove some key clues that you are not home all day.

One of the simplest methods of making a home appear occupied is by turning on and off lighting and other electrical appliances. There is an abundance of simple to use timers that lamps, stereos or even televisions can be connected to and that will turn them on periodically during the day or night. It is also critical to have a friend or neighbor pick up your mail and newspapers if you will be away, as a stack of these items is a clear indicator that no one is at home.

In addition to awareness, and community connection, a good home security plan will also contain some basic equipment, which includes high quality deadbolts on all exterior doors. This should include any doors connecting a home to an outbuilding such as a garage or shed. All exterior doors should be reinforced, and many manufacturers make such doors in decorative styles to accommodate the market for attractive yet secure homes.

Windows should also be considered key pieces of home security equipment, with strong locking mechanisms, bars or bolts to secure sliding mechanisms and if at all possible to have shatterproof glass. A good home security assessment will also note if a window is hidden from the street or view of neighbors and steps should be taken to make sure such windows are completely secure.

By: Bruce Kelly

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Home security systems are vital to the security of our home, our family, and our treasured keepsakes. We’ve all heard the story about the neighbor whose alarm is continually going off during your vital hours of sleep or every other afternoon. Do we ever stop to think about the consequences of false alarms?

Frequent false alarms can significantly reduce the effectiveness of our home security systems. Like the boy who cried wolf when an alarm continues to go off neighbors and local emergency response teams are less likely to respond during an actual threat. In some areas homeowners could be heavily fined for false alarms or denied service by emergency groups. If a denial of service occurs law enforcement and other emergency personnel will be told to ignore the alarm. This could leave you home unprotected during theft and your family unattended during an emergency.

False alarms can be caused by faulty equipment or design, acts of nature and error on the part of the homeowner. It is important to ensure that all family members have been properly trained on how to use the equipment. This will help to minimize false alarms due to user error. Keep instructions on how to use the system in a place that family members can retrieve it easily. Secure your password and account information in a place that the whole family can get to but it not out in plain view where an intruder could discover it.

Pets inside the home can be another source of false alarms. If you have an old system that you modified to ignore roaming pets it may be time to upgrade to the new pet immune motion detectors. These detectors use a combination of light and heat infra-red sensors to distinguish between pets and humans such as the PIR Detectors used by ADT Home Security. If you have installed pet-immune detectors and they continue to cause a false alarm it may be necessary for you to have an installation professional come out to your home to install the motion detectors for you.

Another source of false alarms is open doors and windows. It is important that you get into the habit of checking that all doors and windows are closed and locked before setting the home security system. An open window or door not only can cause a false alarm but is an open invitation to potential intruders.

It does not take long to properly train family members on the system, check for open windows and doors, or periodically test the system. This short amount of time can save you hundreds of dollars, reduce false alarms, and give you the peace of mind that help is only moments away during any time of need that may arise whether it be intrusion, medical, or fire.

By: Bruce Kelly

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We live in an unpredictable age. Long gone are the days of leaving home with your doors unlocked and windows open. Many people don’t know the names of their neighbors. Some people are away from their homes for long periods of time. All of these factors should make homeowners aware of their need for home security.

Home security consists of several things, and requires some planning and organization. When reviewing your home security needs you must consider both the interior and exterior of the house. The type of neighborhood that you live in may play a role in determining your home security needs. If you have outbuildings such as a garage or shed, these buildings should also be examined for security risks.

Let’s begin with the neighborhood; some areas of towns and cities are prone to burglary and theft. If housebreaking or theft is commonly occurring in the areas around your home or neighborhood, it is a wise choice to develop a home security plan. Though public security agencies, such as the police or fire department, make regular patrols, they are far outnumbered by citizens and their homes. Entire neighborhoods can work together to help public agencies and make security a part of their community by creating what is called a “neighborhood watch” program. If one does not exist it is a good idea to work with neighbors to create this vital piece of home security.

Be aware of your habits – is the family out of the home most of the day? Are you at work for long periods of time, or do you take many frequent business trips? Will you be taking a vacation? If you answer “yes” to any of these items it is a good idea to create a home security plan to address these facts. Make it appear that someone is home by putting a stereo or house lights on a timer set to turn on and off throughout the day. Be sure that a neighbor, friend or family member will be picking up your mail and any newspapers or deliveries if you are not home for a few days at a time.

Even if your neighborhood is at low-risk for crime, it is still a wise choice to be aware of your home security needs. Basic home security requires sound locks and reinforced doors at every entry. Windows should have locking mechanisms and be installed with shatterproof or reinforced glass if possible. The approach to your home should be well lit, and all entries, including garages, should be equipped with motion sensor lights or exterior lights on timing mechanisms. Screened in or enclosed porches should have a locking door on the exterior as well as inside the structure – if a burglar is out of sight they will be able to commit a great deal of time to picking a lock or may even be able to break a window unseen or unheard.

Never forget that home security evaluations will always include garage spaces as well since these structures traditionally contain high-priced items such as vehicles, sporting equipment and yard equipment. Garages also allow direct access into a family home and because of this any connecting doors should be made of reinforced materials and have strong locks or deadbolts. A sturdy fence surrounding your yard or property will also serve as a deterrent to criminal activities against your home or property.

By: Bruce Kelly

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Wireless alarm systems are proving extremely popular in recent years due to their low cost, features and functionality as well as their ease of installation. Homeowners with average DIY skills can easily install a wireless alarm system. One of the best alarm systems currently on the market is the Skylink complete alarm system. A fantastic feature of this system is that it offers monitoring capabilities – but without the monthly costs. When the Skylink alarm system is triggered it will dial up to 9 different pre-programmed phone numbers in turn and will play your 40 second pre-recorded message. You choose which 9 numbers to store and these can be your cell phone, friends, relatives or neighbors numbers.

Burglar alarms are a tremendous way to offer you peace of mind and reassurance that your home is safe from burglar intrusion and wireless alarm systems are a cost effective and highly successful method of burglary prevention. Do not wait until it’s too late – by fitting an alarm system you will significantly reduce your chances of a break-in. Skylink wireless alarm systems are one fantastic alarm system that is great value for money with fantastic functionality. The Skylink SC-1000 wireless alarm offers monitoring but without the monthly costs! You simply store several telephone numbers and record a message. If the alarm triggers it will dial each number in turn until someone picks up. It will then play your recorded message. You could get it to dial your cell phone, works number, friends, family or neighbors. It is a fantastic piece of kit and well worth the investment.

By: Andy J Jones

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Recently the crime rate has been going down in my area. They say it is because of better crime-fighting techniques and greater police presence, but that is only half of the story. Individual homeowners have also been a major part of the solution, mainly because they increased the security of their homes in recent years. On my block, it is a common sight to see security alarm stickers on the windows and surveillance cameras above the doors. By taking responsibility for their own home security, the people in my neighborhood have also made their community safer place to be. I am sure that if you take your own home security more seriously, and put in a home alarm system, you and your neighbors will reap great benefits.

You must face the fact that crime is prevalent in this day and age. You need to take steps to provide your home with better protection, to keep your family safe and your possessions secure. Of course, you can just get yourself a gun. That may be good for giving yourself a sense of security, but it may not be good enough. After all, you can only use a gun if someone is threatening to break into your home or has already entered and is endangering your life and property. But you should have a means of keeping criminals away from your home in the first place. You need something that can act as a deterrent to intruders–even when you are not at home to put up a fight.

You can get a guard dog for your house–that can be your deterrent. There are some disadvantages to having a dog, however. You have to take care of it constantly, feeding it, grooming it, taking it to the vet. The dog may attack those who are not intruders, such as the postman. And the dog may cause other problems–digging in your neighbor’s flower beds, tearing up the newspaper, barking incessantly at night. Getting a dog may not always be such a great idea.

A home security system has many advantages over having a dog and a gun. You can wire all of your home’s entry points to an alarm and safeguard more areas than you can by your own self. The alarm system can watch over your house when you are all away or everyone is asleep during the night. It generally requires little maintenance on your part. In fact, many security systems are able to constantly check themselves to see if the system is running smoothly. Furthermore, your alarm system can be monitored at a distance by a security company, who can respond quickly should your alarm be activated.

By: Joseph Ducat

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The realm of home security is of vital importance to any homeowner in the country. No matter where you live, at least once you will question just how secure your home might be. In reality, it is a good thing to question your security. According to FBI studies, a home burglary occurs once every 8 seconds on average around the US. That’s a lot of homes being burglarized. 99% of the homes broken into do not have a security system of any type. That is the single biggest reason for installing a new security system in your home. When comparing the different options available on the market, take note of the ones offering security cameras. Why, you ask?

Added Security: If your home is broken into, even with security cameras, you’ll have images of the crooks right from the security system. You’ll also have images of them taking your belongings. This makes it much simpler for the police to track down the intruders and return your belongings. It can also come in handy during court with the video footage admitted as evidence against the criminals.

Security While Home: Home security cameras do not only benefit you when you are out of the home. If you are at home and someone suspicious comes to call, an entry door mounted security camera can let you get a good look at them prior to opening the door or alerting authorities. In addition, cameras around the property can be used to ensure that neighbors and animals remain safely where they belong and that your children are safe while at play.

Convenience: Many home security cameras can be configured to stream directly to your computer. With the provided software, you can record the footage, play it back if needed as well as enhance or zoom for better views. More than this, some systems will allow your computer to display multiple camera views at a single time, giving you the peace of mind you need. Most home security cameras can also be purchased in wireless versions, though the wired versions also have many benefits.

Options: The range of options available in home security cameras is staggering. You can use infrared, night vision cameras outdoors and indoors, hidden cameras, pin hole cameras and ceiling mounted dome cameras with a 360 degree field of view. The number of different camera options can also be routed directly to a DVR device, allowing direct recording to a hard drive or removable media such as a flash drive or DVD disc.

Taking home security seriously is something that all homeowners should do. Home security cameras offer the ability to view any area in or around your home and know for a fact that your children, family and belongings are safe and secure, even when you are not home. There is a wide range of systems from which to choose and they can be scaled to fit any application from homes with expansive grounds to apartments.

By: Bruce Kelly

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