Burglary Prevention & Home Security Secrets!

By: Andy Jon

Fortunately, most burglaries are committed by amateurs or opportunists. It is much easier to be one step ahead of these types of burglars by following some straightforward advice. Don’t think it will happen to you? Don’t you believe it. There has never been a better time to be more home security aware. Act now and don’t wait the until unfortunate happens.

Your Smoke Detector. Are You Certain It Really Works. Or Has It Been Fooling You

A long time ago, before the invention of the smoke detector by Swiss scientists back in the 1940 era, the best protection from smoke or fire was either a cat or dog. These friends of ours are very sensitive to smoke and will either bark or meow loudly while running back and forth in the home. Some didn’t with dire consequences.

There are two types of smoke detectors in use today. One is an optical detector that detects large particles of debris from a slowly burning or smoldering fire. The second type is the ionization detector which detects minute particles form fast burning blazes.

Either type may be powered by battery or electric current. It is a good idea to have both set up in your home and you should have at least one installed on each level of your home. Better yet, place one in every room. They are inexpensive sentinels that can save you life and those of your family.

Visit your local hardware store and you will be amazed at the variety of detectors offered and on display. The big question is, how do you know which is best. Probably your best source of information on this subject will come form review sites. Take some time to check the reviews before purchasing.

Recently a friend told me about an apartment fire in his building. The fire began when a heavy drapery was installed above an electric baseboard heater. The drape was too long and covered most of the heater. A small capillary switch became confused by the thermostat calling for more heat and the heaters inability to dispense the heat properly. It did this switching on and off rapidly for 14 hours before sparks began when the insulation burned off from the heat. The sparks started a fire on the drape and the rest is history.

Following the fire management checked the rest of the apartments in the building and found that over 30 percent had their batteries disconnected. Further inquiries found that each renter had replaced the battery in his/her unit during the past few months. The question then was, why did the detectors not work when checked?

Everyone had the same story. They had checked their detectors, found the batteries were dead and replaced them. They opened the detector cover, placed the new battery in the space provided, the detector beeped a few times. They closed the covers and went to bed secure in their belief that they were safe. Little did they know they were totally without protection from smoke.

Anyone who has ever placed a 9V battery in any apparatus will have discovered that the batteries do not simply slide into the leads but must be squeezed onto the leads with quite a bit of force otherwise they will not make a good connection.

Through trial and error, management found that because of the confined area within the small detectors a finger could not be inserted to hold the battery lead while trying to push the battery onto the leads. Because of this the battery would touch the leads at first, causing the alarm to sound. The cover was then closed but the connection was still not made.

Management then made the effort to educate all of the residents so that they would be safe in the future. Play it safe. If you are not sure your smoke detector works properly, ask anyone for assistance. Don’t take a chance with your life.

By: Joe Mac Millan

Home Security & How Can I Improve It?

Burglars are often opportunists, but are very good at targeting properties that appear undefended that leave doors and windows open. The first thing you should look at when improving your home security is securing your doors and windows. Consider installing deadbolt door locks for your doors and secure window catches for windows, especially the catches that don’t allow your window to open more than a few inches. It may be worth replacing your doors and/or windows if they are old and in need of repair. The worse condition they are in, the easier it will be for an intruder to break into your property.

Improving your exterior lighting will considerably increase your home security as intruders obviously don’t want to be seen when breaking into a property. Make sure you choose a position to mount your security lighting so that very poor lit areas of your garden will be illuminated. A popular choice is the PIR motion sensor exterior security light which senses changes in heat and hence will illuminate when something is within its range. These can also act as a welcome-home light to illuminate your path when you arrive home at night. It is also worth cutting down overgrown bushes and trees as these often shield a burglars attempt at the break-in.

Interior lighting is just as important as you will want to give the impression that someone is always at home. A dark, unlit house is a magnet to the burglar. Use timers to switch your lights on and off. You could also leave a radio switched on.

One of the most effective ways to defend your home is to install a home alarm system. The visual presence of a siren/bell box together with signage will often put off a burglar, even before they set foot onto your land. But for those who think they are smarter than the alarm system will get a surprise when they trigger the sounder. A professionally installed alarm system will prevent virtually all burglaries attempted by opportunist intruders. Ultimately, when a burglar sees you have an alarm system, they will move on to an easier target.

For real peace of mind, install a monitored burglar alarm system. These systems are connected via your phone line to a monitoring center. If your alarm system is triggered then the monitoring center are notified and they immediately call your home. Unless whoever picks up the phone can give the correct pass-code or if there is no answer then they will call the authorities straight away. If you are concerned that the burglar may cut your phone line then you can install a wireless monitored alarm system. These use regular cell phone technology to dial the alarm center so no phone line is needed.

Always go for a quality alarm system and the best you can afford. Less expensive alarm systems may be easily disabled by a burglar. Take advice from a leading alarm company before you purchase a system so that you get the correct and most effective security solution for your requirements.

By: Andy Jon

Travel Away from Home with Peace of Mind with a Home Security System

With the summer travel season approaching in a few months, many people are planning on taking extended vacations away from their home. While this may be an enjoyable time for the family, it is also a time when the home is vulnerable to break ins and burglaries. Before you take that trip this summer, buy yourself a little peace of mind and have a home security system professionally installed. Having a fully monitored home security system means your home will be protected from theft and intrusion while you are away enjoying your vacation and you can rest assured that help will be dispatched if the alarm is triggered.

Having a home security system with professional installation and live monitoring is a good investment for any home. With crime statistics showing home invasions and burglaries on the upswing, it’s important to have protection for your home all year round. Having a monitored home security system is a sure way to have help dispatched to your home when the alarm is triggered so a burglary can be stopped in its tracks. This is important regardless of whether you are at home or away on vacation. While you are a way on vacation, as long as your system is armed, you home is protected by around the clock monitoring. You do not have to worry if your home is safe from intrusion. Monitoring guarantees that help will be summoned immediately to your home hopefully in time to apprehend any intruders who were not scared off by the high decibel alarm that sounded when they broke into your home.

When you are travelling away from home, the last thing you should worry about is your home’s security. That is why having a professionally monitored home security system is a good idea. It allows you to travel away from your home with the peace of mind that your home is protected around the clock by state of the art technology and live monitors who are standing by in a centralized monitoring center ready to act should an alarm be triggered at your home. They are well versed in the protocols of what to do when an alarm is triggered in your home, and if they are unsuccessful in their attempts to reach you, they will immediately call the police to your location.

Live monitoring means never having to depend on neighbors to act when they hear your security alarm sounding. Many people disregard security alarms or figure that the homeowners are handling it in their own way. The monitors make sure that each alarm that is triggered is handled in a professional fashion and that police are dispatched to every alarm that is verified as valid by the monitor. This means that your home is covered and police will respond to an alarm whether you are home or not.

With the travelling season of summer approaching, many homeowners who will be taking extended vacations should really consider investing in a monitored home security system. It is a surefire way to make sure you home is protected while you are away from any unwanted intrusion and burglary with a guarantee that help will be dispatched when the alarm is triggered.

By: Laura Williamson

Honeywell Security System

Honeywell security systems are considered one of the best in home security service. Majority of home security system companies all over the United States extensively use Honeywell security systems for residential and commercial property protection and monitoring. You would be able to function peacefully, only when you know that your home and all your loved family members are safe and everything is secure. Data prove that in-security systems had helped in protecting property and in preventing loss of human life. As such, the money spent in a good home security system is one of the best and wisest investments that anyone could think of.

Honeywell security systems for residences had been designed with special care for complete protection. The heart or the brain of the home security system is the control panel, which is normally placed in a basement or a closet. Several sensors are located throughout the house and they are connected to the control panel. When the security system is armed or activated, the sensors detect any intrusion or tampering of the doors and windows. Immediately they send a signal to the central control panel and in turn, the control panel connects to the monitoring station and alerts the dispatchers monitoring the installations on a 24×7 basis. The dispatchers notify the relevant authorities like the local police station or the fire service station.

The specialty of Honeywell security system is that the latest systems function on the breakthrough technology of wireless connections. They overcome the problem of the burglars cutting the telephone wires, as well as the telephone system failing due to a power outage or faulty telephone lines. At the same time, they are very flexible during installation. Drilling of holes in the walls and ceilings are avoided. The wireless Honeywell security system is not only cleaner but also faster. The wireless keypads allow you to operate the Honeywell security system at the touch of a single button. It is also quite small like a car alarm key. Hence, it could be attached to a keychain and carried around easily.

Another innovation of Honeywell security system is known as the interactive telephone module. When this interactive telephone module is appended to the home security system, you would be able to access the system from any landline or a cellular phone, irrespective of your remaining in any part of the world. This system allows you to operate your lights, thermostat, air conditioner, and other home appliances on a remote basis, which is an added advantage at a very small extra cost. Further, the Honeywell security system also comes with add-ons like smoke, fire and gas detectors and pet immune motion detectors for absolute protection of your loved property. The passive infrared motion detector or PIR monitors the entire house and triggers the alarm when somebody intrudes in the property. Install Honeywell security system in your home and enjoy complete peace of mind. Honeywell security system dealers are present in Houston and all other cities in the US.

By: Writers Den