Tag Archives: home security

General Safety Issues, Home Safety Products, Uncategorized

HOME SECURITY CHECKLIST BEFORE YOU TRAVEL (GUEST POST)

Traveling is stressful enough without worrying about a possible break-in while you’re away. Keeping your home safe and secure during your absence is a common worry for many travelers. However, some basic vigilance can help prevent many break-ins. Many breaking-and-entering scenarios are not premeditated, but instead criminals finding opportunities left by homeowners. Criminals will look for things like obviously unoccupied homes, open garages, easy points of entry to a house, and so on. Using caution and planning ahead can help keep you from falling victim to a break-in while you’re away from home. 

Here is a basic checklist of things to do (and not to do) before you travel:

  •  Make sure all doors and windows are locked. Double-check them just to make sure. Doors should be locked and bolted, windows should be closed and latched. Especially look in areas like the basement or attic, which can frequently be forgotten.
  •  Check all appliances (stoves, water heaters, fans, computers) and turn off anything that doesn’t need to be in use while you’re gone. Unplug the television and the coffee maker.
  •  Have a neighbor or friend check in frequently while you’re gone, or get someone to house-sit. Give them any emergency numbers or information they might need. Make sure you trust the right person with safeguarding your home while you’re away. Don’t just trust your home safety with anybody; make sure that neighbor is one you know well and have a rapport with.
  •  Arrange for the care of your pets — have that same friend or neighbor dog- or cat-sit, or board your pets to ensure their needs are met while you’re on vacation. If you have a family dog, their barks can sometimes be a deterrent to criminals, but there is no guarantee of the dog’s safety. Make sure your pets are looked after.
  •  If you have a security system (or the budget to install one), make sure you understand its use and capabilities. Inform the alarm company before you leave of your travel plans, and instruct anyone who will be stopping by to visit or house-sit on how to use the alarm system.
  •  Avoid leaving any emails, voice mails, Facebook posts, or other messages announcing your upcoming absence. You never know who might get those messages. Do inform the people who should be informed, but be careful about giving out this information.
  •  Cancel or suspend your mail or newspaper service while you’re away, or have someone pick up your mail and newspaper, so it doesn’t pile up around the house.
  •  Leave some lights on around the house, so your home isn’t dark, unlit, and obviously unoccupied. If you can, buy and install some timers for your lights, and program them to turn off and on at random intervals.
  •  Pre-pay any bills that might come due while you’re gone, not only to avoid any unpleasant shut-offs or nasty surprises when you get home, but so you don’t undermine other security efforts (like leaving your lights on).
  • Store away any loose yard and household items, like hoses, grills, lawn ornaments, etc. If you have any vehicles that will be left behind, park them safely in the garage.
  •  Stow any irreplaceable valuables in a locked, hidden safe, or take them out of the house to a safety deposit box.

 If you are truly concerned about home safety and the possibility of a break-in, install bars or grills on your windows, and document your valuable possessions in case something does happen while you’re gone.

Even if you can’t afford an alarm system, creating a “lived-in” atmosphere with light and sound, and having trusted neighbors or friends watch your house while you’re away, are all good ways to ensure your home remains safe and secure for your return.

Sidney writes with Design55.  She frequently travels, meaning she has become somewhat of an expert at securing her home.

General Safety Issues

THREE LATEST HOME SECURITY GADGETS THAT ARE PROVEN TO KEEP YOUR HOUSE SAFE (GUEST POST)

Home Security is one of the issues that is most of the time taken for granted. It really is important to invest in this safety precaution as one can never give a value to one’s safety. One cannot put a price on the safety of one’s home and its inhabitants. In this scenario, prevention is really key. Home owners think that a lock and a double lock are safe enough. Some put a chain to lock their doors. Some people have already put in motion detectors that shine a very bright light when some motion sets it off. Some have gone to the extremes of installing CCTV cameras.  While all these are quite adequate there is a spiked rise in crime and neighborhoods are no longer the safe secure havens they were a few years ago. There is now a need for more concrete and updated gadgets designed as home alarm systems. In this article, we will talk about the latest gadgets that will help secure your home.

1.       LED TV Lights.

Some people would keep their lights on and make everyone assume that people were in when in fact nobody is at home. This is the same concept behind the LED TV lights. These lights are projected against the wall in varying shades and depths making it appear as if the TV was on and that someone was watching. This can be kept on at night. Any possible burglar will be spooked and will not try to enter the home. 

2.       Biometric fingerprint locks.

This is something right out of the movies. No longer is security a matter of codes and passwords, it is now automated by biometrics. Any burglar will think twice of trying to break into a house that has biometric finger locks. It is really too hard to overcome. This lock works just like the lock with a code. If there is a possible burglar, with the wrong set of fingerprints, the authorities are alerted and sent to one’s house. And even if one tries this with copying the owner’s fingerprints, will anyone go through such a hassle just to do some petty thieving? 

3.       Twittering laser tripwire with webcam capture.

Let’s say you’ve installed the LED TV Lights and the Biometric fingerprint locks. Let’s say that a burglar was ingenious enough to overcome these. One more fail safe precaution would be to install a Twittering laser tripwire. This too is something right out of the movies yet, it is an effective means of capturing someone who has stolen from your home. A tripwire activates the webcam which takes the photo of someone who is stealing from your home. The picture taken will be uploaded onto Twitter.   With electronics and Social Media, the world can know who this burglar is. This will help in identifying the burglar and ultimately catching him. This is also ideal for those who have help around the house and have items missing here and there. No longer should this shameful act be kept in private. Announce it to the world and let this serve as an example to others.

 Home security is a very serious matter. It should be really researched and thought about. Every precaution must be taken to ensure that the home and all its inhabitants are safe and that it stays that way. One must really look at the design of one’s home and build on what they have to add to one’s security. There are many more gadgets out there, but with these 3 latest home security gadgets, all the bases are covered.

Author Bio:

Lara Chamley is head of security at one of Melbourne’s luxury apartment villages. She conducts a yearly talk on home security and has recently started a business training women self-defense.

 
General Safety Issues

A FEW PRACTICAL TIPS FOR IMPROVING SAFETY AND SECURITY AROUND YOUR HOME (GUEST POST)

 In this day and age, improving the safety and security around your home is something in which I encourage all homeowners to consider investing in. After all, your home is where you live, where you raise your family. It contains expensive electronics, jewelry and other valuables like financial records that could lead to identity theft in the wrong hands. Therefore it is important to protect your property both indoors and out as well as secure your family’s peace of mind.

Consider installing security cameras

One easy way to improve the safety of your home is by installing security cameras. When installing surveillance cameras as part of a security system you can typically expect to earn a break in your insurance and can expect the system to pay for itself in a short amount of time and is ultimately a lot less expensive than having your home burglarized.

Home security cameras are often installed above the main entrance point. This is a great way to keep aware of who is coming and going from your home even if you are not present. Moreover, some security systems allow you to unlock a locked front door from a remote location. This is an extremely helpful way to let your kids in the house when they lose their key while you’re at work.
Also, be aware that you can also set up your own remote home monitoring system without the expensive dedicated setup and save some additional money. However, I’m not sure if this approach would qualify you for any discount on your homeowners insurance.

Take your landscaping into consideration

Burglars are always looking for an “easy mark,” and when they pick a home to burglarize it’s rarely, if ever done at random. One of the first things a burglar does is scope out the neighborhood. The last thing a burglar wants to deal with is a nosy neighbor and one of the main things they look for is a home with the least visibility from the street.
Burglars can get exceptional cover from tall privacy fences; break into your home without being caught by using tall trees and unkempt shrubbery that conceals windows. They look for things like un-mowed lawns that could indicated the homeowner is away from home a lot or kids toys left on the lawn because kids in most instances means a mom lives there which means there’s a good chance there’s jewelry inside.

Improve the lighting in your yard

One of the most important steps to take when making your home more secure is by installing adequate lighting outside your house. These lights can be solar-powered which prevents you from having to replace batteries, times so that they come on as the sun goes down and go off as the sun rises or they could be motion sensitive lights that are triggered when motion is detected in the lights “protection zone”.

Choosing the type of security lights to install is largely a matter of your own personal preference and not every type of light will meet the needs of every homeowner. Nevertheless, since security lights do a very good job of highlighting someone’s approach, they can be powerful deterrents to anyone who wants to enter your home uninvited.

Secure your front door

Although many homeowners may be unaware of this fact, one of the main entry points for burglars is through the front door. This is because homeowners often times neglect to replace a worn out and brittle door. Therefore, the burglars can sometimes break the door and gain entrance with little or no real effort.

About the author

Alex Goodwin is a writer, husband, father and aspiring novelist. When he isn’t writing for HomeDaddys or completing chores from his “honey- do” list, he’s most likely spending quality time with his wife and kids or working on his novel.

First Aid Safety, General Safety Issues, Home Safety Products

MODERN HOME SECURITY SYSTEMS – A HOMEOWNERS’ NEW BEST FRIEND? (GUEST POST)

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 Long gone are the days when homeowners simply purchase a “burglar alarm”. With current technology, home security systems are now the product of choice as they offer a full range of protection against much more than just home break-ins.

Fire and Smoke– From cooking mishaps to unattended candles, there are many potential fire sources in your home. Between 2006 and 2010 alone, The National Fire Protection Agency reported that one in every 310 homes experienced a fire. While standard smoke alarms offer some protection, you never know when a battery can die and leave you unprotected. When looking for a home security system, look for one that offers fire and smoke detection which can make your home much safer against the threat of fire and smoke damage.

Carbon Monoxide– Often referred to as the “silent killer”, carbon monoxide is an odorless and colorless gas that can cause severe health problems and death when humans are exposed to it in high quantities. It is often emitted by home furnaces and other appliances. Many modern home security systems contain carbon monoxide detectors that can alert homeowners immediately if the gas is found present in the air.

Water Damage– The National Flood Insurance Program’s website tells that even just 3 inches of flood water in a 2,000 square foot home can cause close to $39,000 in damage. A comprehensive home security system may include water sensors that detect when water (from a flood or burst pipe) has entered the home. As any flood victim knows from experience, the longer flood water is in a home the greater the threat of dangerous mold to grow. Tending to the issue immediately can often save homeowners thousands of dollars in additional damage.

Medical Emergencies– Slip and fall injuries are some of the most common household injuries to be sustained, but they are certainly not the only ones. If you are a senior citizen or if you have a senior citizen living in your home, it is often a good idea to have a security alarm that includes a medical emergency response system. Typically this equates to the homeowners just having to push one button on their security system panel to alert the police and an ambulance that a response is needed at your address.

Power Outages– When you are home you are likely to know about a power outage right away. However, if you are away from home (especially for an extended period of time) you may not realize that the power to your home has been lost. Since the power in your home is needed to operate your refrigerator and freezer, as well as security lighting, it is important to never lose power even while you are not at home. Many newer home security systems can run on battery back-up in the event of a power loss and notify the homeowner immediately upon loss of power.

This article was contributed by C. Wiley of the SecurityChoice.com Blog.

Other types of home security include having flashlights handy in case of blackouts, as well as first aid kits, in case of minor accidents.  pb

 

 

General Safety Issues

FIVE EASY WAYS TO GET SAFE NOW (GUEST POST)

These days, “home security” is a rather holistic term. Not only do we want to keep an eye on our house while we’re gone, we also want to set the lights, turn up the thermostat, and make sure the sprinklers are firing properly. The amount of technology involved in securing one’s home can seem daunting at times.

While home security companies offer a variety of packages suited for any individual, there are certain basic security measures that can be taken and should be kept in mind regardless of the level of protection provided by one’s home security provider.
The following tips may seem like common sense, but they should act more like a jumping-off point to provide yourself and your family the perfect level of protection.

Tip #1
Just because you have a wooden fence or security fence surrounding your property doesn’t necessarily make you safer.  Fences not only block intruders trying to get in, fences can also hide an intruder who has already jumped over and breached the property. So if you have a security fence on your property, install a few motion-activated lights that shine along and inside the fence’s perimeter.  

Tip #2
Even though 81 percent of burglars enter a house on the ground level (34 percent walk right in the front door!), windows on both floors can still pose a threat. Common sense tells us we should always keep our windows locked, but you can take this advice one step further and have your windows glazed. This is one of the most effective ways to save your windows from break-ins.

Tip#3
Install deadbolt locks on every door that leads from the inside of the house out.  In fact, step it up a notch when choosing your lock and make sure the deadbolt is a vertical (surface-mounted) deadbolt instead of the less effective horizontal deadbolt. Locks that require keys and even sliding chain locks are no match for a determined thief.

Tip #4
Always be aware of your surroundings, whether at home or on the go. Make it a little easier to check out your property by installing proper lighting outside every entryway. The goal is to prevent an intruder from being able to hide in the shadows, so make sure that at least every doorway to your house is well lit.

Tip #5
Don’t have the means to install a home security system yet? You don’t have to let a low or non-existent budget stop you. By purchasing a home security sign and stickers for your yard and windows, you can make it look like you have a fancy security system and scare off possible burglars for a little less than twenty dollars.

Now that you know how and where to start with your home security system, don’t be a victim! Getting a safer and more secure home really is a lot easier than you thought.   

Jennifer Harrinson is a freelance writer and independent researcher for www.securitychoice.com. Her fortes include personal security and mobile technologies and she shares her insights on various mobile technology and home security blogs.

General Safety Issues

HOW TO PROTECT YOUR HOME FROM THE INSIDE OUT (GUEST POST)

Protecting Your Home From the Inside Out

It becomes more evident every day that the world can be an unstable place. The uncertainty of tomorrow can be frightening, but there are many measures you can take to improve the safety conditions of your life. There are many unfortunate events that could happen around your home, but taking the right precautions can help to keep you and your family as safe as possible.

Keep All Weapons Locked Away Safely

The number of accidents caused from inside the home due to improperly stored weapons is unnecessarily high and growing every day. If you are a gun owner, it would be wise to consider investing in a gun locker, especially if there are children around. Locking up your weapons securely and safely can help to eliminate the chance of them falling into the wrong hands, and many safety experts also recommend keeping the keys on you at all times as well as locking up the ammunition separate from the weapon.

Reduce Fire Hazards in the Home

Home fires can be devastating and extremely dangerous, but fortunately, fires are another type of accident that can be prevented when the right precautions are taken. First off, clear any dust around heat vents and electrical outlets as dust can clog outlets and combust with the right amount of heat. It’s very important to keep your electrical outlets up to date as well; if the outlets have trouble holding a cord in their socket, it’s time to replace them. Also, make sure to keep an eye on the cords of your electrical appliances, and stop using them once they become frayed or thin. 

Never turn your back when you’re cooking something on the stove or in the toaster, and always double check to make sure the oven has been turned off.

Avoid placing something flammable near a flame. Candles should never be near any fabric, and it’s a good idea to blow out a candle if you’re planning on leaving the room for more than a few minutes. If you’re a smoker, always make sure that you put your cigarette completely out before leaving it unattended.

Keep All Entries Locked

This one might seem obvious, but it’s amazing how many people leave their doors unlocked even while they’re away. Don’t allow intruders to have easy access to anything. Make sure all doors, garages, and windows (windows are the easiest to forget) are shut and locked, and always double-check that everything is sealed up before you leave the house or go to bed. Also, use two locks on each door to prevent lock picking.

Secure Your Home with Lights

No criminal wants to be in the spotlight when committing any illegal acts. If you surround your home with bright LED lights, you are at least making a statement to any future intruders that you have taken a precaution to eliminate their ability to blend into the night. Motion sensory lights are a cost effective form of home security due to the fact that they do not stay on all night and run up your energy bill like other outdoor lights.

Leaving on a visible house light is a common practice to make it look like there is someone home. To save on the electric bill, you might want to consider purchasing an electronic timer that can turn your lights on and off automatically after being set to a certain time. This will save you money and make it more believable that someone is inside.

Invest in a Home Alarm System

Home alarm systems don’t mean what they used to; they don’t have to involve complex wiring through your walls. In fact, there are many fairly priced and easy-to-use wireless home alarm systems out there that can fit any budget or home. A more advanced system would clearly be the best bet, but any alarm system in your price range would help to tighten the security of your home.

Create a buddy system with your neighbors

Creating good bonds with your neighbors is great for security strength. When you know the people in the homes around you, they are more likely to notice suspicious activity and are more likely to let you know if they see something questionable.

Install a mail slot in your door

This is a good way to prevent mail and identity theft. Mail boxes are wide open, and anybody could walk by and open up your mailbox. With a private slot, your mail goes right into your (hopefully) locked door.

Home is where the heart is; it’s also where your family and valuables are. There are many ways to tighten the security of your home, so you can keep it a place where comfort and safety are felt and good memories flourish.

James Anderson is a sports enthusiast, survivalist and blogger born and raised in West Virginia. He writes about secure storage for school lockers.   

 

General Safety Issues

DON’T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT SECURITY (GUEST POST)

By John Anderson 

Getting away for the holidays is both hard work and a rewarding experience.  After finalizing on what you should bring and where you should go, look at the security of the house you’ll leave behind.  Crime against property is at a high of 400,000 from November through December according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

You probably have a checklist for what to bring, here’s a practical list of what to do to secure your home. 

1.       Visibility:  Leave a  good number of lights on, it‘s a double edged advantage.  The burglars will think twice whether you’re at home or not. It would be better if you could have a timer attached to the lightswitch.  It’s best to keep a good visual from the outside looking in making it easy to spot trouble.  So leave a few curtains open. 

2.       Social Network Updates after the fact:  You don’t need to announce to the world that you’ll be going to someplace exquisite for the holidays.  For robbers, it just translates to “Nobody’s home and nobody can get home quickly”.  Show your pictures when you get home.  You’ll enjoy the travel more. 

3.       Arrange upkeep:  Have a friend pick up your mail and water the plants from time to time.  An unkempt house is an obvious signal that no one is looking after the house.

 4.       Unplug: it’s been proven that appliances do consume electricity even if they’re turned off.  A power surge may also destroy your appliances. 

5.       Modern-day Security:  The burglars get smarter too.  They learn from the latest technology and some actively profile their victims on the web.  Equip yourself with a good alarm system and/or have the house insured. 

The steps should be taken to ensure the safety of the home especially when there’s nobody home. Enjoying the holidays will only happen if you know that the home you have left behind temporarily remains safe and secure. 

Author Bio: 

John Anderson has been a freelance writer since 2008. His work is almost exclusively on web content about home improvement, home security, technology, green and simple living, and business.   John Anderson, a Southeastern American, specializes in home improvement and occasionally writes about alarm systems. He graduated from Tennessee State University. He’s a blogger and a freelance writer. His Twitter account is @johnanderson090.

General Safety Issues, Uncategorized

SENIOR SECURITY: SAFE AT HOME (GUEST POST)

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By Maddy Olsen.

Whether you are enjoying your golden years or a family member of a senior, there are things to look out for to increase their safety. Even if you live in a retirement community, some of these will still apply. Seniors tend to be the target of scam artists and hoodlums. They will case a home before they strike and sometimes it doesn’t end well. Being well protected will ease everyone’s mind.

  • Windows

Having double paned windows are great for energy efficiency, but they also have very secure locks on them. However, in the event that one is left unlocked, another safety measure should be taken just to ensure complete home security. It is as simple as having wooden dowels cut to fit in the tracks of all the windows in the house, even the bathroom. Home improvement stores generally carry these and will cut them for you if you ask.

  • Doors

Traditionally, we just lock our front door and rely on us not losing the keys to get us back in. Now, there is a way to unlock the door using the cell phone. The app is easy to navigate and requires an electronic device be put on the deadbolt area of the door. It can be easily installed with a screwdriver and is accessible from anywhere in the world, on most accounts. They can also be programmed to work with multiple phones, so family can unlock it in case of emergency or if the parents ever get locked out.

  • Garage Doors

Any outside entrance to the home is a concern. Garage doors are one of those safety issues that should be addressed. But it is only a garage door, you say? Well, that is true, but it is one of the biggest threats to home security. Having a newer model of garage door opener will reduce the risk of anyone being able to copy the code used to open the door. However, carry the opener in your purse or invest in a keychain opener. If anyone were to get into the car, they would take the opener to be able to get inside the home. When going on a trip, use padlocks to secure the door by the handles near the ground. But even more importantly, always lock the door that leads from your garage into the house. If possible, install a deadbolt to reinforce the door and make it that much harder to get in.

  • Smoke Alarms

This doesn’t deter thieves, but it is a very important part of safety and feeling secure in your home. Fires kill more than 4,000 people every year. That is not including those that die from complications due to the fire. That’s a lot of casualties that might have been prevented. Change the batteries in all smoke detectors each month. Just testing the alarms may not ensure that the batteries will work when there is a need for them to. New fresh batteries will keep them in tip top shape all the time. Practice an escape plan so if there were a fire in the home, the residents will know what to do based on the circumstances. 

Security of the home is so very important and so many of us pay little attention to it. If there are any concerns, address them sooner than later. Ask for help if you need it, but don’t be the victim of a terrible event because your locks and codes are subpar. Your personal safety should be a priority.

Maddy Olsen  blogs on a variety of subjects that are deep topics and can change lives. Writing for Brookdale http://www.brookdaleliving.com/ assisted living is a very rewarding passion she enjoys. Several losses in her family to Alzheimer’s Disease has prompted her write about the topics she has researched or practiced.

General Safety Issues, Home Safety Products

WHEN MONITORED HOME SECURITY IS NOT AN OPTION (GUEST POST)

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 Sent to us by Melonie McLaurin.  Another timely article to share with our readers during Crime Prevention Month.

If you live in a highly urban area, or even a moderate-to-densely populated residential suburb, the importance of a reliable, monitored home security system for your home and family cannot be overstated.  Each year, crime statistics can vary from state to state and among cities of varying sizes and populations, but watching the nightly news will confirm that crime is on the rise in neighborhoods, including wealthy suburban areas on the outskirts of the inner cities.  A large part of home ownership involves investing in the protection of your home:  from fires, floods, break-ins, home invasions, and other dangers that could present a problem for you whether you are present or away.

In the early days of home security systems in the United States, simply having an alarm installed could suffice to keep criminals at bay.  Once they heard the alarm, they would flee the area without waiting around to see whether anyone followed up.  Today, criminals are more brazen than ever and the sound of an alarm is not by itself enough to send them away from your home.  In these times, a monitored home security system from a trusted brand like ADT is the best way to go.

Monitored home security is security that connects to a monitoring center staffed by real people who are trained to respond to your home alarms remotely, and take the correct action to insure your home is protected.  This is very different than the alarms that simply ring; these alarms are connected to people who, if after attempting to contact you to find out whether you are safe, will have authorities dispatched to the location immediately if no answer is received.  This means that even if you, for some reason, are unable to respond to their attempt to reach you, they will still send help right away.

If you entrust your home to substandard home security, or worse, no home security at all, you run the risk of inviting crime rather than deterring it. Difficult economic conditions contribute to spikes in crime attempts, especially thefts of valuable items such as laptops, jewelry, and other portable objects that can be quickly traded off for cash or other goods.  Why make it easy for them, when you could have electronic, wireless, monitored home security from ADT helping you deter crime 24 hours a day, ready to respond in the event of unplanned emergencies?  Living in the city doesn’t have to cause you worry with adequate home security installed.  Consider it an investment in your peace of mind.