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No matter what area you live in, there is always the potential for opportunistic intruders to decide to try their luck. Whilst cities will have much bigger problems, even small villages have their share of break-ins and with fewer houses to choose from, there is still a chance that even in the sleepiest of towns you could be the unlucky one.

What you do about this potential threat will depend on the area you are in. For example in smaller villages a simple dummy alarm box and care to ensure that you appear at home even if you are not may well suffice. In larger areas and specifically ones with a track record for burglary, much different home security systems will be needed.

Wherever you live, making sure that accessible windows aren’t left open at night and no items that could be used to force entry are left lying around are two easy ways to cut down your chances, whilst utilising outdoor lighting will make the dark-loving intruders much less likely to target your house.

In bigger towns or cities, having full alarm systems and even CCTV will not be going too far, as not only will their presence make you feel safer, but the more experienced criminal will often know the difference between the real deal and something fake.

Wherever you live, we have a range of the very best security solutions around and the experience to advise you on exactly what you might need depending on exactly where you live.

Surveillance cameras are being used every where these days, all the malls and almost all stores and small shops have installed surveillance cams to stop thefts and burglaries. You must have probably heard of the net of cams in the Las Vegas casinos, yes without cameras the surveillance staff won’t be 1/10th as effective.

Taking the cue from the commercial segment many companies introduced home security camera a few years back, but, back then only the rich could afford the expensive home security camera systems. However, nowadays with development of technology, as home security camera is getting cheaper more and more people are able to afford them. Yes, today even a $30 cam can be turned into a home security camera, it’s no more a rich only option.

When selecting a home security camera, make sure it can take clear pictures in the radius you want to set it up. Systems like analogue closed circuit television may run cheap but it’s not worth the money. It saves recorded coverage to tapes which are not only expensive in the long run but will also take up a lot of space.

With the advent of internet and like I said earlier, development of technology, we have cheap yet good quality home security camera available that send live feeds to the internet and save coverage at a secured location. You can either watch the feds live or browse through the saved data at any point of time. Install two-three home security camera in a room depending on how big the room is and you can watch what is going on in your house from 5 miles or 5,000 miles away.

For those on a very tight budget, there are the fake home security camera which are very much like the original ones and some even swivel on their axis like the original ones but this strategy is only effective in preventing the crime rather than catching the crime.

However, if you aren’t on a budget you should go for tiny cams which can be hidden behind or within objects and are hard to find. These cams when combined with the right software can give you the perfect home security camera system. On the other hand if you want to make it clear to the burglars that your house is not a good choice, install a large cam,  a must do for people installing fake cameras,  at a location where it can easily be seen.

As more and more people are getting aware of the importance of securing their houses by using the various home security products different companies are launching new home security products everyday. It’s a new market, yet the number of options available in each category of home security products can be overwhelming for the starters. Well, here is some good news, this article was written just for you and it summarizes some of the best home security products which you could use to make your house a safer place and reduce chance of burglaries and break-ins.

The best, and sometimes most effective home security products in preventing burglary, is just a signboard saying that your house is protected by this and that securitization system. Such a strategy is not effective in catching the criminal but researchers found it to be very effecting in preventing a crime in the first place. Most of the home security products generally come with such a signboard but they are mostly small or may not be visible in the background of your house, so you might consider buying one specially customized for your house. A similar product is the dummy camera for those on a tight budget. Installing a dummy camera on a very visible location outside your house might discourage the burglars right away as they might not want to risk entering your camera protected property.

Preventive measures are good for “preventing” but sometimes the preventive home security products aren’t just good enough so you’ll need some actual home security products to completely safe guard your house. Alarms and cameras are the most commonly used home security product today, the two can be used separately or together for enhanced safety. Alarms generally go off when someone tries to force entry through windows or doors, make sound and try to attract your neighbor’s attention, while some can be linked with an alarm monitoring system which can notify the authorities after a routine check for accidental alarm.

For those who can afford high end products and need additional safety there are home security products like talking devices, master control panel, sensors, motion detectors, key pads, back up power supply for the home security products and so on.

Home Security System are used throughout the United States, people know what Burglar alarms are and what they are used for. Nevertheless they may not know how they operate. Let?s see how this protection system works in detail.

The Circuit

Home Security Systems are a simple electric circuit. To open or close a light, you simply throw a switch. In a burglar alarm it?s the same except the switch detects the movements of the intruder such as the opening a door or window.

Two categories

In a closed-circuit system, the electric circuit is closed when the door is shut. This means that as long as the door is closed, electricity can flow from one end of the circuit to the other. But if somebody opens the door, the circuit is opened, and electricity can’t flow. This triggers an alarm.

In an open-circuit system, opening the door closes the circuit, so electricity begins to flow. Also in this system, The Alarm is triggered when the circuit is completed.

Magnetic sensor
A magnetic sensor in a closed circuit consists of a few simple components.

- a battery powering a circuit
- a spring-driven metal switch built into a door frame
- a magnet embedded in the door, lined up with the switch
- a separately-powered buzzer with a relay-driven switch.

Control box

The control box is hooked up to one or more alarm circuits, but it also has its own power supply. Once the alarm is triggered, the control box won’t cut it off until somebody enters a security code at a connected keypad. In most installations the control box is kept in a veered place so that the burglar can’t even think of disabling it then the alarm goes off.

Lock picking is the activity that opens a lock without the proper key. When we are thinking of it, usually we are associating it with illegal activities. But that isn’t always the case!

Let’s think for example what we can do if we have lost the house key or if we have locked ourselves outdoors. If we live on the ground floor we could jump through the window (if it’s not open we can easily break it with a stone). But if we are not, we either unlock the door or… break it (which is not a cheap solution). With a bit of talent and an unsophisticated lock, we can manage to unlock it ourselves. Though the reality is not quite like in the movies (when a door is unlocked in a couple of minutes, just in time for the hero to save the heroine). The best solution is to call for a professional locksmith, who is trained to deal with these situations. Read more…

Before departing for your much earned holiday be wise and review your home security. The latest figures from the FBI show a burglary occurs every 15.4 seconds in the USA. The majority of these break ins take place when the householder is away from the home. A great number of these burglaries could be prevented by beefing up your home security and installing a home security system.

The installation of a home security alarm, and home security surveillance cameras is one of the most common and effective ways to improve the security of your home instantly. Many of these home security products also have the option of home security monitoring.  But the installation of these devices does not guarantee you immunity, other steps and precautions need to taken to improve you overall security. Read more…

History

From the beginning of humankind people have felt the urge to protect what they possess. They start by covering the entrance of their caves with stones; later they hid their gold and jewels in the ground.

Then they discovered locks. These were first made of wood and rope. They served the purpose well, although they were not so nicely designed. There is a lot of historical proof which certifies the use of locks long before we could imagine. Even in the Bible (Old Testament, Books of Judges) we have frequent mention of locks and keys.

Types

In modern society we have keys and locks for everything: the house, the office, the car, the bike. We even have more than one key for the same building; keys and locks are so much a part of our daily routine that we don’t take them into consideration (or maybe we do that only when the ring of keys is too heavy to be placed in our pockets).

But we do give a lot of thought when we have to pick the type of lock or the type of key. Basically we are talking about mechanical locks (based on mechanical activation of the keys) electro-mechanical locks (can be both mechanical or electrical activated, but usually the key is replaced with numbered buttons that have to be pressed) and electrical locks (activated by a card key that has a particular code, programmed to be read by a card reader which is controlled by an automated central or a local processor).

How to pick the lock?

It is not as complicated as we think, but also not as easy as it appears in a lot of movies. Some say that this requires both art and science. We have to have a good knowledge of the lock mechanism and, some practice.

Firstly we insert a tension wrench in the lock (a screwdriver for example) and, with a slight pressure, turn the plug (the lock cylinder) like the proper key would have done (we have to figure out what is the normal direction for the key to be turned). It will help create a small place between the lock pins (placed inside the lock). Then we have to insert a lock pick in order to lift them up (like the proper key will do when inserted in the lock). Doing this and continuing to apply pressure on the tension wrench we will hear a slight click (made by the pins when they fall in the right position) and the lock will be unlocked.

For unsophisticated locks we can use a metal hair pin as a lock pick. But professional locksmiths need an adequate pick tools kit. Basically this contains a tension wrench (they have different shapes and sizes) and several picks(long pieces of metal which are curved up at one end). Some can use an electrical pick gun (contains long pieces of metal and when they vibrate push the pins up and unlock the lock).

Re keying lock

The process of re keying is quite simple (takes couple of minutes) and it shouldn’t be confused with the process of replacing a lock. Actually it consists of disassembling the lock cylinder and replacing all the old lock pins with new ones, to match the new key. Then the cylinder is reinstalled in the lock!

When for example a member of the family loses the house key we can assume that a burglar has it. We should immediately re key the house lock to prevent a potential theft. It doesn’t cost a lot in time and money, but it can spare us a big stress. The same procedure is advisable when moving into a new house/apartment.

The better the lock is, the harder it will be for a burglar to break in!

Now that you’ve weathered the winter, the door is open for you to focus on the maintenance of your home-not only the inside of your home but outside, too, making sure the house is safe and properly maintained. Doing this will help to prevent safety risks and costly repairs in the future. Dan Steward, president of Pillar To Post, North America’s largest home inspection service, offers these suggestions:

Inspect the deck: Wooden decks can become damaged and corroded from the harshness of winter. See if nails or screws are popping up. Clean the deck and seal it. Check electrical outlets and extension cords: Replace any loose-fitting plugs or frayed extension cords to prevent a fire hazard.
Read more…

Unlike an overzealous reporter, who shoves his microphone into your face in his efforts to get your take on the latest, breaking news story, there is a multitude of reasons why you might just want to keep your listening devices a secret. One of the many ways in which you can do that is by using listening devices that look like a pen.

These clever little devices are actually very sensitive pen microphones, and when worn in a pocket on your shirt or jacket, are easily mistaken for the real thing. One such listening device is permanently stowed inside the clicker part of a Bic pen and it will work with virtually any recorder that contains an external microphone input with power. Plus it is ultra high sensitive. But you don’t have to just use these great pen mikes just for covert purposes. Granted, if you are standing near someone and need to secretly listen to their conversation, these pen mikes are great.

But there are lots of other reasons to use these sensational listening devices as well. Let us say that you are attending a lecture and you want to record it so that you can carefully go over it later at home when it is time to study. By wearing this hands free device you can do so easily. Or what if you are planning to attend a live music concert and you want to make a recording, you can be sure that by using these particular listening devices, you will get an excellent recording with clear, crisp sound, and deep bass.

Your home is a safe haven from the world, a place to relax and unwind with family and friends. Unfortunately, hidden dangers may be lurking behind the walls that threaten your safety and that of your loved ones. That’s why it’s a good time to find out just how safe your home is from electrical hazards.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, there’s plenty of reason for concern: Nearly 32,000 fires in the home were caused by faulty house wiring or damaged wiring devices each year between 1999 and 2002. However, there is something you can do to safeguard your home from dangerous electrical hazards. The Leviton Institute recommends that with May being National Electrical Safety Month, homeowners conduct an inspection of their home and outdoor areas as part of their regular spring-cleaning projects.

First, make sure pool pumps, hot tubs and outdoor appliances that require electricity are plugged into GFCI-protected outlets with weatherproof covers. Ground fault circuit interruptors safeguard you and your loved ones from dangerous electrical shock. GFCIs detect when current is leaking from an electrical circuit to ground and automatically shut off the power at the receptacle. They have saved thousands of lives since their introduction in 1972. When choosing a GFCI, it’s important to ensure the device is stamped with the UL logo.

In addition, kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, or any other place around the house that has a water source within six feet of the receptacle needs GFCI protection. Check all outlets and switches for cracks, broken parts or loose-fitting plugs. Replace defective devices immediately, as well as those that feel hot to the touch. You should also inspect all power cords and extension cords: Those showing signs of cracking, fraying or obvious wear should be replaced immediately. Never run extensions under rugs, carpets or furniture where damage can hide.

Make sure outlets are not overloaded. Most household outlets are typically rated around 15-20 amps. Plugging too many appliances into one outlet can exceed that rating and create a fire or shock hazard.

When you use an extension cord, always plug the appliance into the extension cord first before plugging the extension cord into the outlet.