NEWSLETTERS
Home Security - What Works and What Doesn't
By Ralph Winn
Home security can get a little overwhelming sometimes. With so many home security trends and tools, how do you figure out what works and what doesn't?
Are you security-savvy? Is your home a fortress, or are you rolling out the welcome mat for potential burglars? Take this quiz to find out how much you know about effective home security.
1. Darn it! You've locked yourself out of the house again. It's a good thing that you left a spare key:
- A. Buried in the flowerpot
- B. Hidden under the doormat
- C. At your trusted next-door neighbor's house
Correct answer? C. You should never leave a spare house key anywhere outside your home. It's the oldest trick in the book, and burglars know it. Leave a spare key with someone you trust instead.
2. The best guard dog is:
- A. A giant Rottweiler
- B. A yappy Chihuahua
- C. An intimidating German Shepherd
The answer is: All of the above. You don't need a ferocious guard dog to ward off potential criminals. Studies suggest that the barking of any dog is enough to scare away the average thug.
3. The key to an effective home alarm system is:
- A. Spending big bucks on the latest technology
- B. Remembering to set your alarm every time you leave the house
- C. Putting the little metal sign in your front yard
Correct answer? B. Even the most expensive alarm system you can afford won't protect you if it's not armed. Always take the extra time to set your alarm, even if you're just leaving the house for a couple of minutes.
4. I live in an apartment, so I should rely on my landlord or management company to provide security.
And the answer is . . . False. Even if your landlord makes tenant safety a top priority, you should make a point to step up security in and around own apartment. Always lock your doors and windows, and never open the door to anyone you don't know. Consider investing in a wireless alarm system - you get all of the benefits of a hard-wired system, but you can take it with you when you move.
5. I just moved to a safe neighborhood, so I shouldn't worry about crime.
False. Crime can happen anywhere. From big, crowded city blocks to peaceful gated communities, everyone needs to make home security a priority.
Home security trends come and go. But the truth is common sense and a few basic precautions can help you protect your home from burglars. It's OK to try the latest security fads like barking alarms and nanny cams, but don't get so caught up in home security trends that you forget the cornerstones of defending your house and family. You don't have to be trendy or spend thousands of dollars - you just have to be smart and aware of your surroundings.
Ralph Winn has over 35 years of education and experience in the security industry. Are you one of the many Americans who have begun to look into improving their home security? This is an important matter and the Home Security Store offers the best protection against burglary and vandalism.
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Staying Safe - Home Security Trends
By Buffy Pollock
The concept of home security, more often than not, elicits images of false alarms and confusing control panels with wires running every direction. Going the way of most technology types, modern security is more suited to the task of protecting Home Sweet Home.
"In the last 30 or so years, home security has really evolved from hardwire-based systems, where everything had to be home run back to a master control panel," says SOS Alarm consultant Henry Knepp. "Most companies, nowadays, utilize wireless equipment, frequency technologies, alarm and status signals "&brkbar; it's come a long way."
"If they're plugged into a whole house system, they'll phone us on early smoke detection," says Duncan. "If no one is home, or smoke has caused someone to go into a deep sleep and become unresponsive, the battery-operated kinds will sound off until their little hearts content but no one would know."
For homeowners wanting "the works," systems can range as high as $25,000, says Knepp, and be wired to communicate with home automation systems or to grant access via Internet or cell phone from anywhere in the world.
Specific sensors can be installed to maintain temperatures in special rooms, such as wine cellars or art displays, or to allow homeowners to check in on service personnel. Pool areas can be outfitted to alert homeowners to disturbances — or the hot tub can be heated before the family arrives home for the night!
Other types of monitors stand watch for carbon monoxide, water flooding and broken windows.
Security cameras, more often than not, are not part of monitored systems, but can be installed for homeowner use. A set of four cameras and a monitor, for example, were available recently on the Internet for just $700 while one local company quoted $1,500 to install a pair.
A more extreme theft deterrent is finding a place in a select number of homes. Banditsolutions.com recently unveiled a fog deployment system that emits a thick, white fog, filling an entire room within three seconds. A basic unit costs $3,500.
Regardless of loud sirens, fine-tuned sensors and burglar-spooking fogs, perhaps the most important component in any security system is off-site monitoring.
"The electronics that are in your house are just half the battle," Knepp says. "The other component, and the one that's most important, is the actual office where monitoring takes place. It's really important to have someone local who's keeping an eye on things."
He adds, "Not only are you shopping for the bits and pieces that make up your security system, but also for the service and maintenance of the system. That's really what home security is all about. What's behind that siren."
Shopping for home security
Today's home security industry offers as many options for home security as there are reasons to have some in place. BSG offers a free evaluation to discuss a customized system.
Plan to answer questions pertaining to lifestyle and security needs.
Lifestyle
What type of "foot traffic" does the house have? A home with lots of activity (teenagers, service personnel, etc.) or with plenty of sound all day long might not want as restrictive a system, whereas an older couple with few activities could opt for a more sensitive and elaborate setup.
Size of home
Include room size, number and size of windows and quality of door locks. Some homeowners may want every room secured to the hilt while others may simply want obvious entry points for an invader, such as lower level windows and doors.
Pets
Some security systems include motion sensors. Households with a number of pets, large dogs or a bird with "free reign" might not do as well with motion sensors as a pet-free home.
Security levels
Are you considering a security system for when the house is empty during summer vacation, or for day and night when occupants are home?
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Home Security Lets Us 'Nest' in Peace
By Deborah L. O'Mara
You're driving home from a tough day at the office and thinking about a long soak in the hot tub in the back yard—but you don't relish waiting for the water to heat up. Or perhaps you rushed out of the house without setting the alarm system, an omission you remember when you're already at the office. Or maybe you need to let the nanny in, so she can be ready for the children after school, but you're about to go into a meeting on the other side of the country.
The solutions to all these dilemmas could be right in your pocket or briefcase. The new genre of home automation and security products can be operated through cell phones and laptop computers. When it comes to home security and automation, convenience is king, and wireless is a close second in command. The computer-based systems are easy to install and intuitive to use.
Today, home security is at the top of the "must have" list for many homeowners. Home- buying or remodeling customers can be sold on burglar- and fire-alarm systems easily when remodelers stress the latest in emerging convenience factors. Most people love the idea of being able to use their touch-tone telephones, cell phones, laptops, PDA/handhelds or Blackberry devices to arm and disarm systems and check security status remotely — even from hundreds of miles away.
Quick and easy installation
Wireless systems, sometimes piggybacked alongside hardwired equipment, are great for remodelers who don't want to disturb their customer's residences with unnecessary drilling. Wireless connectivity has become an integral part in all types of monitoring and security applications. Alarm or system-status information can be sent directly to a cell telephone or a pager. Some systems even allow video to be viewed over hand-held units such as PDAs or other mobile devices.
"Day-to-day convenience and automatic or remote control, as well as more intuitive controls, are where the home security market is headed," says Gerald Rooks, president of X-10 (USA) Inc., based in Tampa, Fla. X-10 was a pioneer in early development of home automation, and today the company's communication protocol is widely used to relay signals to products and appliances within the home.
Gerald identifies two current trends in the residential market: the emergence of very cost-effective wireless systems, and remote control and other technologically advanced features that come from more robust panels and sensor offerings. The panels are microprocessor-controlled and can host a variety of security, lighting and other applications, making them multi-functional and multi-tasking. The newest sensors can have special "pet alleys" to accommodate cats and dogs within a home, or they can be set specifically for environmental signals such as temperature changes.
Wireless computer networking systems and CCTV (closed-circuit television) with remote viewing capabilities are also growing in popularity in the home environment. With these systems, homeowners can check in on their homes or watch caregivers or childcare providers. The latest wireless video systems now boast the ability to remotely view live, high-resolution video with audio, via the Internet.
Generally electric
A majority of new homes built in 2004 and beyond will have networks, according to Jay McLellan, president of HAI Inc., New Orleans. More and more electronics are being built into homes, he says, and now they're communicating with each other.
One of HAI's newest products, Web-Link II software, allows for access and control of systems through the Internet. Users can check and adjust the temperature, lights and security in their homes through their PCs, PDAs or Web-enabled phones
Now if only someone would invent a way to use electronics to walk the dog...
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