Home Security Advice

When the topic of home security springs to mind, most people seem to think of burglar alarms and little to nothing else.  Alarms can be a great way to protect your home, although they are only a small part of what makes up an effective home security system.  Burglar alarms are a key to protecting your home – although there are other things you’ll need as well.

Believe it or not, the windows are actually the key to home security.  Homes that have poor constructed windows tend to get broken into a lot more than homes with secure and sturdy windows.  When you are dealing with your windows, you should make sure that you have tough glass and locks that fit to the windows.  When you are away from home, you should always make sure that your windows are locked.  Even though some windows may be hard to reach, you should always lock them.  Burglars make a living out of stealing – and they will normally find a way in if they see the opening.

Along with the windows, doors are also known to be a weakness of security around the home.  Doors should always be strong and sturdy, complete with tough locks that aren’t easy to force open.  If you have a spare key, you should be careful where you leave it.  Losing your keys can also make you a target, especially if you have anything on your key ring that reveals your home address.

To better protect their homes, most people choose to invest in a home surveillance system.  These systems are great for monitoring the home, as they can record video and keep it stored for you to view later.  If you travel a lot, a home surveillance system can be an ideal way to keep a check on your home while you’re away.

Guard dogs are also common with home security as well.  A guard dog can protect your home from burglars, thieves, and other types of trouble.  Guard dogs can be very handy to have around, as most dogs are more than capable of scaring away trouble with their bark.  The only downside to guard dogs is the fact that you’ll need to train them and ensure that they always have food and water.

Last, but certainly not least are burglar alarms.  Burglar alarms can be effective to an extent, although they are primarily good for scaring thieves away.  If you put an alarm in a visible location from the outside of the home, most burglars won’t even attempt to enter your home.  Even though burglar alarms are great for scaring off thieves – you’ll still need to have other areas of your home safe and secure as well to get the most of your home security.

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Improving Your Security And Privacy

Due to the increase in door-to-door salesman, criminals looking to scope out your residence, and other annoyances, you may sometimes feel that answering your door isn’t worth it.  When you do finally answer your door and find a door-to-door salesman, you may have a very tough time getting rid of them.  They will continue to hassle you and keep coming back until you support their group or buy one of their “innovative” products.

To prevent this from happening and keep unwanted company from bothering you, you should use a protective barrier between your door and the street.  You don’t really need a 15 foot high electric fence, as even the most basic of fencing will do the trick.  You can install a simple decorative fence around your yard, complete with locking gate, to keep any type of solicitors at bay.

Although a fence is a great way to achieve privacy, not everyone has a yard that they can build a fence on.  You can also use a gate that blocks entry to your porch or front door, as this way you can keep the gate locked at all times.  The main idea and theory here is to make it difficult to approach the door to your home.  This way, salesman, solicitors, and even snoops will see that it requires a lot of effort to reach you - and they will normally just give up and move on.

Even though a fence or locked gate are great, you can’t overlook a dog either.  A barking dog can be very effective, as trespassers simply can’ t look over a dog that is barking.  Barking dogs aren’t the same as a fence or gate, although they are very common these days.  Keep in mind however, that the effectiveness of a dog with scaring off unwanted guests will greatly depend on the disposition and character of the dog you have.

Nearly every dog will bark when it sees a stranger, although not every dog will prevent someone from coming to your door unless it has been trained to do so.  A lot of door-to-door salesman and snoops deal with dogs on a daily basis, and will normally just ignore the dog and the barking and proceed to come to your door.  If the dog is more of a violent nature and appears ready to strike, then it will be a different store.  If the salesman or snoop notices the dog is ready to bite, he will normally stop in his tracks and turn around - out of the fear of getting bit.

Keep in mind that having a dog doesn’t mean that you have to blood train him or put him on steroids to keep unwanted visitors away.  What you need, is an aggressive dog that will stand his ground and help you keep your privacy.  When a solicitor visits your home and sees your aggressive dog, he won’t want to sacrifice a sale at the risk of getting bit by your dog.

As annoying as door-to-door solicitors are, there are ways that you can improve your security and your privacy around your home.  You can also invest in home surveillance systems as well, to further enhance your privacy and security.  For solicitors, fencing with a locked gate is the best way to go, if you have the room for it.  On the other hand, if you don’t have the space for a fence, you can always use a dog or other options. Privacy and security is very important - which is why you don’t want solicitors invading your space.

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Importance of Security Cameras

As crime and theft with businesses continues to get stronger and stronger, the need for security increases as well.  Although security personnel is a must have, businesses need another form of security that isn’t quite as noticeable.  Crooks can spot an individual without a problem, which is where security cameras come into play. 

Security cameras are very popular these days, coming in many shapes and sizes.  The wired types can fit in speakers, clocks, and even smoke detectors.  The wireless types on the other hand are far more flexible and can be placed nearly anywhere. Wireless security systems are a great addition to any home or business, as they can be placed in areas that a thief wouldn’t even begin to suspect.

For the home or business, Internet wireless security cameras are a great way to monitor remote video.  The system camera will transfer signals through a LAN adapter or wireless network on to a specific IP (Internet Protocol) address.  This can be a great way to keep a watchful eye on your property while you are on vacation or out of town.  There are some Internet systems that will alert you via email if there is any detection in movement.

The cameras that work with home surveillance systems are power driven, normally by 9 volt batteries, providing up to 10 hours of energy.  They are very powerful cameras, as even the slightest amount of movement will activate the motion sensors in the cameras.  Once the camera has been triggered, it will immediately start recording video, taking pictures, or transfer the live video feed to another computer.

There are also digital security cameras as well.  Even though they are smaller in size, they can still record video for a long period of time.  They are so popular these days due to the fact that the video or pictures that are stored on them can be saved and edited on a computer.  Digital security cameras also eliminate the needs for recording tapes as well, which can take up a lot of space and aren’t very safe for keeping in areas with high temperatures.  Digital security cameras store the information within their memory, which will help you keep up with the pictures and video feed.

Security cameras have been around for many years, gaining their reputation and popularity with businesses.  As years went by and they became more affordable people began to use them in their homes.  A security camera at home can be a great way to protect yourself from burglars and break-ins, keep an eye on the babysitter, or just monitor things while you are away.  Security cameras are very affordable and they can easily give the peace of mind in knowing that your home is protected no matter where you go.

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The Importance of the Home Location and Crime

When looking to buy a house, the location of the home is very important.  Most people want to buy a home in a decent neighborhood, as they have the intention to remain at their home for many years to come.  If someone is planning to buy a home strictly for the resale value, then the location will prove to be even more important.  The resale factor of a home is very dependant on the location, simply because someone wouldn’t want to buy a home that wasn’t in a decent neighborhood.

When buying a home, the general rule of thumb is to purchase a home that will appeal to a large number of potential buyers.  To do this, you’ll need to look at the location of the home.  The community is very important, especially in terms of crime.  If you buy a home in a neighborhood that is well known for crime you’ll more than likely have difficulty when you try to sale.  Bad neighborhoods generally spark little to no interest.  These days, people want to buy homes in the best possible neighborhoods that they can afford.

When buying your home, you should always narrow the choices down a few of the best cities around you.  You’ll want to buy your home in a community that has a very stable economy and plenty of commercial and business districts.  This way, when you decide to sell your house, you can rest assured that your house is in a good selling area.  You should also look at the crime statistics for the area as well. If the crime rate is high, you should look into another area.

You should also look into the local school system as well.  Even though you may not have kids now, you should always think about the future.  A home that is within a short distance to shopping centers and quality schools are always easy to sale. If you buy a home that is in a bad neighborhood and has poor schools, you’ll quickly regret that decision.  If you can’t afford to purchase a home that is in a good location, you should work on your credit and save up some money until you are able to purchase a home that is in a desirable location.

Although the size of a home is important, the location is one of the most important aspects to buying a home.  The location is important for those living in the home as well as the resale value.  A home that is in a desirable location is always easy to sale, for the simple fact that the location speaks for itself.  If you’ve been thinking about buying a home for the resale value – you should always make sure that you pay close attention to the location.

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Home Security Padlock

We all remember the days of the padlock. When they were first available, they presented a great way to keep your belongings safe. They were common with lockers at school, with just about every locker having one. Padlocks were easy to open as well; all you needed was the combination. Once you had the combination, all it took was three clockwise turns, two counterclockwise, and once last clockwise turn to hit the final number and open the padlock.

Although the combination padlock was popular for it’s time, people soon began to realize what happened when they forgot the combination. Combination padlocks were great for those who had a sharp memory although sooner or later forgetting the combination was bound to happen. Once the combination had been lost, a pair of bolt cutters would be required in order to cut the lock.

Shortly after the combination padlock came the padlocks of today – lock and key.  Padlocks that required a key were much easier to use, requiring no combination. All you had to do was keep the key with you at all times and you had no worries about the padlock. If you ended up losing the key however, you would need to cut the lock.  To prevent losing the key, most people chose to put the padlock key on their key ring or wear it on a necklace around their neck.

The most popular type of padlock today is Master Lock. The Master Lock brand has been around for generations, proving to be the hardest type of lock to break. It’s been well proven and well documented that guns can’t harm Master Locks. Even if you shoot the lock dead on with a shotgun or handgun, the lock won’t give. Master Locks are made of solid high grade steel and won’t give way to a few shots from a gun.  Although they may sustain damage from the blast, they will still be there once the shooting has stopped – protecting what you have them locked to.

Although Master Locks are the most popular and most common type of padlock, there are other types available as well. Multi-Lock, Medeco, and KW are all excellent examples of quality padlocks. These locks feature unique and innovative designs that are near impossible for thieves to get rid of.  You can use them around the house to keep doors locked, safes locked, cabinets locked, and virtually anything else that contains your possessions.

The best thing about padlocks is the fact that they are very affordable. You can find them in virtually any department or hardware store. You can shop online as well, and compare what each company lock will offer you. The next time you need to lock up something and you need a small lock – you can count on one of the many padlocks to give you the protection and safety you need.

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Knowledge About Home Surveillance System

If you are interested in protecting your home with a surveillance system, you should first grasp the concepts of the technology.  There are several home surveillance systems to choose from, making it in your best interest to learn all you can.  Most aren’t hard to install or monitor - providing you have the right guide to assist you.

No matter how hard you may try, it can be nearly impossible to ask the right questions or complete your goals without first finding yourself overwhelmed by possibility.  There are many alternatives and “what ifs” to any home surveillance system.  Selecting which type is best for you can be a bit easier, if you know what they offer and which one will work the best for you.

Closed circuit television and several other types of electronic devices are much more common these days, and easier to operate than ever before.  They are also more affordable as well, and becoming more and more popular with home owners everywhere.  The basics behind closed circuit systems lets you know that the signals the camera picks up aren’t broadcast through the air, but instead sent directly to the monitor, which can be observed from virtually anywhere - at anytime.

If you learn more of the basic concepts involved with home surveillance systems, you can make more sense of the language when you talk to salesman and others in the trade.  If you aren’t familiar with any of the technology or systems at hand, you won’t know what salesman or others in the trade are talking about when you inquire about your home surveillance system.

Therefore, you should always strive to learn as much as you can about the terms and subjects of home surveillance.  It’s actually easier than you may think, as long as you keep it simple.  Once you have built the foundation, you’ll find it easier to learn more. 

The first thing to know is that the camera is responsible for all images that are displayed on the monitor or captured.  The performance of the camera will vary on the reflected light available on the area that you are surveying, the quality of the components that you are using, and the overall performance of the camera.  Some cameras are high quality, while others can be very poor and lack in direction.

Overall quality with a home surveillance system however, will greatly depend on the weakest area of the chain.  To get the most from your system, you should always make sure that each and every component is of the same quality.  This way, you can get great display images without having to worry about shoddy quality.  If you do your research and compare, you can even get great quality at very affordable prices.

When you select the home surveillance system that you will be using, you should always take the time to research and compare.  If you understand the basic concepts of home surveillance, you’ll have a much easier of time of selecting your equipment and components. 

To make the best decision possible, you’ll need to look at certain areas of home surveillance systems, such as the illumination, lighting, resolution, sensitivity, and the video signal that is sent to the monitor.  The quality will vary among the different options you have available, which is why you should always look for the best system that you can afford.  This way, you’ll have the surveillance protection you need for your home - at a price you can afford.

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