Thursday, May 31, 2007

The Benefits To A Wireless Security Camera

Wireless security cameras offer many more benefits than the wired surveillance models. The ease in which they can move around is only one reason these security cameras have become so popular.

People generally use a wireless security camera to watch over areas that they need to know what is going on at all times. For example, an office or business. It could even be in your home so you can be sure the babysitter is watching your kids properly and not entertaining other friends while you're away.

You can never be too cautious when it comes time for your children. A security camera will alert you to any problems. I don't know about you, but I want to know that children are being taken care of the right way. You're putting your trust in someone who may be a stranger, or not very well known to you.

A wireless security camera will not only allow you to see that your children are safe, but that your home is safe as well.

Business owners find hidden security cameras especially useful in keeping an eye on employees. You'll be able to know if an employee is working or goofing off while you're away. These cameras can also be placed in sensitive areas where money is exchanged, such as a cash register or office. Theft is a serious issue for businesses and most of the time it occurrs from within, not from a robbery.

A wireless security camera is simple to install, and it is portable, so you can put it anywhere you need it. It's always ready to use and provides surveillance around the clock.

You can't be everywhere to look in and see what is going on. Now you can have some help with a wireless security camera.

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Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Wired And Wireless Home Security Cameras - Which One Is Better

Wireless home security cameras are becoming very popular these days. But how to decide which type of camera is suitable to you? Read on..

It is important that each and every house to have home security cameras these days. Even rural areas are not safe anymore. Most people have started installing surveillance cameras around their houses because of this. The surveillance camera, or in other words home security camera, is a piece of equipment that works like your eye but could monitor the all around the house all the time, even if you are asleep.

The purpose of installing home security cameras, as you know, is to protect your assets and also prevent theft and robberies. Apart from that there is another reason; that is protecting your house against any possible hazards, such as fire and so on. To serve this purpose there are two different types of home security cameras, they are the wired and the wireless home security cameras.

A simple camera, wired or wireless would cost not more than a thousand dollars. Many companies in the trade of home security offer both wired and wireless cameras at very affordable prices combined with special packages from which the customers can much benefit.

Deciding On a System

Irrespective whether the camera is wired or wireless it has to give quality pictures at least to identify, or clearly see, the face of the persons who are entering or trespassing the house or building. However, the expensive one has added features such as zoom function, infra red viewing, and so on. Perhaps theses features are not necessary for a house, yet sometimes they can be very helpful, especially if you are using the wireless home security cameras located far from the targeted spot where it is usually dark.

Anyway, unlike the wired ones, the wireless home security cameras have more maintenance to take care of, such as batteries, transmission and so on. When the data is transmitted on air over say ten meters you have to make sure that the path is clear without any disturbances. Finally, it is up to you to decide what is best for you. If you think you should spent bit more on securing your properties, then you could go for wireless home security cameras. On the other hand, if you are just looking for common and plan security system, and not willing to spend much or you can't afford much, then you might as well just go for conventional wired home security cameras.

Sunday, May 27, 2007

How to Protect Your Property and Your Family

This article is going to be looking at Alarm systems. Alarm system means any mechanism, equipment or device which is designated to detect an unauthorized entry into any building or onto any property, or to direct attention to a robbery, burglary or other emergency in progress, and to signal the above occurrences either by a local or audible alarm or by a silent or remote alarm or that is designated to detect smoke or fire hazards.

A burglary takes place every 12 seconds and produces an average loss of $1,675 per event. Most homeowners only think about installing a home security system after they themselves or a neighbor has been a victim of a burglary.

Statistics show that homes without burglar alarm systems are four times more likely to be targeted. Therefore Alarm systems are seen to be a visual deterrent to burglary and a worthwhile investment in the protection of your home. Losses due to burglary average $400 less in residences with security systems than for a residence without security systems and 90 percent of police believe alarms deter burglary attempts.

All alarm systems generally have the same three components; the actual alarm, the sensor (which senses intrusion) and the control that causes the alarm to go off once the intrusion has occurred.

There are remote alarms which automatically call the local police department. On the other hand, there are also alarms that simply let out a siren noise. There are alarms that activate due to sensing motion, alarm systems that require an access code, wireless so that you can move them, alarm systems that will dial a neighbor instead of the police if preferred, and many more.

Burglary alarm systems can be divided into two broad categories: active and passive.
Burglary, robbery or other emergency alarm systems which use a local audible or visual alarm device to attract the attention of the public will be equipped with an automatic cutoff device which will terminate the audible or visual alarm within thirty minutes.
Whether you buy from a national alarm monitoring company, or choose to install your own alarm system, make sure you understand why you need an alarm

Just like your home, businesses without alarm systems are more likely to be burglarized than those that have an alarm system.
Alarm systems are also great for fires and other emergencies. Alarms systems for homes or small to even medium sized businesses can take up to eight hours to install.

Monitored alarm systems are a key component to deter crime, and protect your loved ones. The best alarm systems are those which combine perimeter and interior detection devices. Some alarm systems are tied to video surveillance systems so that current video of the intrusion area can be instantly displayed on a remote monitor, not to mention recorded. Most burglar alarm systems are equipped with sophisticated battery and/or cellular backup systems that kick in right away should your power or phone connection fail.

It is crucial to assess your home security needs before you begin consulting with a home security advisor or alarm company. With the variety of alarm systems out there, it is important to understand what you need before you begin shopping.

Friday, May 25, 2007

Summertime and the Thieving is Easy!

There is no doubt that the long lazy days of summer perk us all up and put a smile on our faces. No doubt either that the burglar is also perked up by summer because it is the season that many homeowners make things so easy for him.

The summer warmth means that it is time to open up the windows and let the breeze blow through the house. After all you are at home so what risk is there in opening up a window or two? Unfortunately many a homeowner has suddenly made the decision to take advantage of the weather to go out back and attend to a spell of gardening, forgetting that the windows at the front of the house are open.

Along comes Mr. Opportunist burglar. It does not take him long to size up the situation and see his opportunity. He may not even need to climb in through the window, he sees a couple of your items that are close, reaches in and takes them. The thief is not particularly looking for a rich haul, just something he can sell on to a fence to get him his fix for the day.

If he does climb into your home and rummage through your stuff, you will be unlikely to hear him; you are preoccupied with tending to your gladioli and hollyhocks.

Worse than leaving windows open and working in the back yard is making a trip to the store and leaving open windows. You are not safe by leaving upstairs windows open. Some burglars are very agile and it is no problem for them to climb on top of your garage or find some way to get in the window.

Burglars have also been known to climb in the open window of one room while the family sat in front of the TV in another room, no doubt with the sound turned up a little too loud.

Consider fitting window alarm screens. That way you can enjoy air blowing through your home and a good degree of protection. (You should not leave your home with the windows open even with alarm screens.)

Summer is vacation time, the great get-away. And that means more opportunity for the burglar. Before you leave for the big trip arrange with a neighbor that you trust to keep your lawns cut and your garden tidy. Ask you neighbor to pick up your mail and any flyers left in your porch, perhaps even park his or her car in your drive for part of the day. The idea is to make your home appear occupied.

Timer switches are not expensive and can be set to make a good job of switching on and off lights, TV sets and radios. Exterior lights should also be controlled by a timer. Activate your alarm system before you head off and have your home phone divert to your cell phone.

The longer summer days, in some neighborhoods, mean an increase of gangs and groups of teenagers hanging around street corners. Most of these mean no harm but sometimes can get a little rowdy. For others the longer days mean increased vandalism and petty crime. Not much you can do on your own, but by being an active member of your neighborhood watch you help prevent things getting out of hand.

Enjoy the summer, it is over much too soon, just take simple precautions to prevent the burglar from enjoying summer too much.

Friday, May 18, 2007

Managing Home Automation Products

Newer ways to manage your home automation systems are soon appearing in markets. There are some leading providers of home automation systems in the US who are making use of networking technology to reduce and manage consumption of energy. They have introduced a new integrated circuit, which promises to simplify and speed the functioning of home automation products, much faster and convenient then it is now at present. There are some transceivers available in the market today, which allow manufacturers to create home control products that are networked and automatically get installed when they are plugged into some wall. This reduces the fear that most consumers face or think of when they consider home automation product installation and other technology complication. These new transceivers are really making all the home automation hardware and software products really popular in home control markets.

The main idea behind efficient home automation is that of effective energy management and all the devices that help in making homes more convenient, such as air-conditioners, blinds, lights, fans, etc are already well wired to the power supply. The power line technology helps to connect these devices wirelessly to the network. All these home automation appliances come with an in built smart chip which facilitates easy and automatic installation the moment all the devices are connected to the network. So these smart chips are giving rise to wireless networks for home automation systems in homes, which are completely installation and other general setup related hassles free.

The best part about these solutions is that is extremely convenient, easy to set up, available at affordable rates and does not need an electrician to come over and do all the installations. Just look at the amount of time, effort and money one is saving in this process! This new chip technology makes an allowance for all those products that were created in agreement to the CECED, the European community of domestic appliances manufacturers. It is inexpensive to create and can be manufactured without problems.

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Outdoor Security Cameras - Keeping Reality TV Larger Than Life

Big Brother and Cheaters have one thing in common: an abundance of people who gossip and connive against each other. The two shows have another similarity, too: the presence of an army of cameras.

Reality TV has a glut not only of eager participants, but also outdoor security cameras that monitor these participants' interaction with one another. In fact, in a reality TV set, it is not uncommon for there to be as many as ten outdoor security cameras. What goes on outside enclosed spaces is just as interesting as the goings-on from within, after all.

What Are the Functions of Cameras in Reality Shows?
Reality shows focus on human activity and interaction – from the mundane to the unusual. For each reality show episode, it is not uncommon for hundreds of hours of film to be shot. That's right—hundreds of hours! To ensure that the juicier parts of these activities and interactions are captured, cameras are placed in strategically located places. Inside Big Brother's house, it's not very easy to hide these electronic eyes. Outdoors, however, outdoor security cameras can be quickly camouflaged to lull people into a sense of complacency. People are at their most honest when they are at their most unguarded.

Are Outdoor Security Cameras As Useful As Indoor Surveillance Cameras?
In reality shows, indoor and outdoor cameras have equal importance. Again, what goes on inside the house is just as telling as what goes on out of it. In Cheaters, for example, many a husband or wife has been caught in flagrante delicto with a lover inside the master's bedroom. Outdoor security cameras are as effective as indoor cameras. Guilty parties have been captured by outdoor security cameras riding boats, having picnics, and even using a car for more than driving!

What Is an Outdoor Security Camera?
Outdoor security cameras are one type of surveillance camera. They are used for a variety of everyday purposes, such as securing banks and homes. There are several reasons outdoor security cameras are ideal for filming reality shows:

- The lens is protected from rain and snow. This ensures that the lens remain clear and dry.

- Outdoor security cameras can work even in complete darkness. This feature is particularly useful for shows such as Cheaters, where there is a need to catch those who believe that night time is the right time.

- Outdoor security cameras do not produce any noise or flash. This helps the camera remain hidden.

- Outdoor security cameras do not require wires or film. This makes the filming of reality shows lighter on corporate pockets.

- Outdoor security cameras don't need to be focused, and they have no complex settings. This makes it the perfect device for upholding the rule of KISS (Keep it simple, stupid).

- Outdoor security cameras contain a time and date setting. Therefore, it's easier to organize the miles of footage shot for each reality show episode.

Reality shows hold audiences spellbound because they depict what people do in real-life situations. They provide us with mirrors we can use to look at ourselves. Some say reality TV has peaked and will soon lose its popularity. Whether or not reality TV continues its iron grip on primetime ratings, one thing is certain: as long as there are reality shows, there will be outdoor security cameras.

Friday, May 11, 2007

Garage Door

If you've ever driven through Levittown, Long Island, you've seen the paradigm of post-World War II housing. Designed for the young parents who were giving birth to the baby boom generation, Levittown houses were built in accordance with the principles of pre-fabricated housing constructed for servicemen, but they incorporated the "must-haves" of post-war life: big yards, modern appliances, a television antenna, and other conveniences. Promotional photos for Levittown over a period of years show that the evolution of the garage followed major trends in the changing American lifestyle.

The earliest house plans from the 1940s show boxy, Cape Cod-style homes with a living room, dining room, bath, and two bedrooms. There were no driveways: the single car owned by most families was parked on the street. By 1950, the company brochure offered five houses in a modified Cape Cod/Ranch style, each with a driveway leading to a single attached carport. And in the sister suburb of Levittown, PA, in 1954, the developers presented a variety of homes that incorporated the latest essential in home design - an enclosed garage.

Today, if you drive through even the most moderate suburban neighborhood, you're likely to see a gaping, two- or three-car garage opening directly onto the street, with living quarters sprawling behind and above. The garage has become the façade of the modern American home.

The growth in the importance of the garage has coincided with the presence of more and more cars in the typical American family. When Henry Ford lowered the price of his Model T so that "the workers who build them can afford to buy them," the option of owning an automobile became a reality for families of modest means, and through the decades from 1910 to 1930 car ownership grew steadily.

Auto sales fell as World War II limited both income and the availability of raw materials, but millions more women learned to drive as they filled jobs previously held by servicemen. By the time the subdivision building boom began shortly after the war, nearly any young couple could afford a house for $8,000 and an $800-dollar station wagon. Typically, after driving her husband to the commuter train station, the housewife used the car to shop and run errands. (African American and other minority families, including Jews in many suburbs, were shut out of housing opportunities by restrictive covenants in the North and Jim Crow laws in the South. But that's another story.)

Soon, though, a single car wasn't enough: Dad wanted the family car, and Mom needed her own. By the 1960s, it was not uncommon for a teen to get a vehicle - often a grandparent's old car - for his 16th birthday. Instead of parking on the street or under a single carport, a family now needed at least a double garage plus room to park a third or even fourth vehicle. Today, in addition to a garage for two cars (or, more likely, one car plus an attic's worth of clutter), many suburban and rural homes include an additional, oversized garage for the RV.

Garage doors have changed, too. The earliest ones in the late 19th century were simply barn doors that allowed a farmer to bring a horse-drawn buggy into the garage for loading and unloading or storage out of the weather. They hinged outward or rolled sideways on steel tracks like a sliding closet door and were used for mechanized vehicles - tractors, cars, and trucks - as they came into wider use. Carriage houses, originally built by the wealthy for horses and carriages, also began to hold automobiles.

By the early 1920s, as more and more middle-class families could afford Model Ts, a modified version of the garage appeared. Usually a small shed (often only eight or ten feet wide), the garage wasn't wide enough for a sliding door. A single hinged door would be too heavy and ungainly to move, so a split, hinged door, each half three or four feet wide and seven to eight feet tall, was used instead. These old wooden doors can still be seen in rural areas; they often look homemade, with small windowpanes and one-by-six-inch diagonal cross-braces across the front. But their weight put great stress on hinges, screws, and the frame, and, when there was snow on the ground, it had to be shoveled out of the way before the doors could swing open.

The invention of the articulated (folding) door was the first real innovation in garage doors. A door split into hinged vertical sections could slide or roll back into the garage itself. In 1921, Mr. C. G. Johnson designed an overhead garage door with horizontal articulation. Lifted from the bottom, the door rolled up and out of the way, each section leveling out as it followed the curve of parallel steel tracks. Five years later Johnson invented the electric opener, to assist people without the strength to raise the heavy door. Johnson's company became the Overhead Door Corporation, still a leading manufacturer of garage doors.

Later developments included the slab door raised on a strong track, and doors using lightweight materials, like Styrofoam-insulated steel, and steel alloys and fiberglass that roll into a compact space - the roll-down security doors seen at many businesses today.

Along with changes in technology came changes in style. As garages were gradually incorporated into houses - that is, going from a separate building to an attached one to part of the structure itself - the look and palette of garage doors evolved. No longer limited to the red-stained barn-door model or the white paint of early 20th-century design, they began to echo French Provincial, English Manor, Colonial, and California Ranch houses, among other popular architectural styles.

The modern garage, far from being an outbuilding or an afterthought, is as much a part of the typical American home as a family room and kitchen. And, in accordance with that status, garage doors today come in all the materials and styles favored by homeowners: traditional wood - with or without glass inserts and with or without resin impregnation - articulated steel and alloys, fiberglass, vinyl coatings, and aluminum.

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

Do You Need a Panic Room in Your Home?

You have a safe to store your valuables, so why not have a safe to store your most precious possession of all: your life?

Escape to a Panic Room

A panic room, a room in your house that is outfitted with reinforced walls and insulation and features sturdy metal doors that lock tight, acts as a vault for people. Inside, you can keep comfort and survival items like cots, canned goods, water, a cell phone, and a radio.

Keeping Safe

Arizona couple Ed and Patti Warner feel safe in their 3 million dollar, 10,000 square foot secluded home because they have a 4 foot by 6 foot fireproof panic room tucked under their staircase. "If you go in there and shut the door, nobody can get to you – nobody. You could take your cell phone and call the police – it would be safer than running outside," says Patti.

Think it sounds a little paranoid? Not to the millions of American families who are building additions or retrofitting their homes to include a panic room. The price of safety and peace of mind can range from around $3,000 to over $1 million. But no matter the price, the purpose of the panic room is the same: to protect you in an emergency.

The idea of a panic room became more popular nationwide after the terror of 9/11 and the release of the Jodie Foster movie Panic Room, in which Foster and her character's daughter are sequestered in their home's panic room when their house is invaded. The idea of a safe haven in the home took off with worried Americans who feel more and more threatened in this modern society.

"Business spiked a little way up after Sept. 11, and it's mellowing out a little now, but this is an industry where demand goes up every year," says Bill Rigdon, vice president of construction for Los Angeles' Building Consensus, which designs and builds panic rooms for wealthy clients ranging from movie stars to CEOs. "Since 1995, there's really been an uprising for these rooms – people don't even feel safe in their own homes."

When Do You Use a Panic Room?

There are multiple scenarios in which a panic room can save lives.

Home Invasion: If intruders invade your home, you can immediately retreat to the panic room and remain out of harm's way until the police arrive.

Hurricane: A panic room's reinforced walls make it the room in your house most likely to survive a major storm. As long as your home is not threatened by the deadly storm surge, you can ride out a hurricane in your panic room until it clears.

Tornado: Hurricanes are predictable and you have plenty of time to prepare, but tornados put the "panic" in the term "panic room." In the event of a tornado, you may have only seconds to seek shelter, and an easily accessible panic room at the center of your home could literally save your life. You can stay safe there until danger passes. The rest of your house may crumble, but a panic room is designed specifically to withstand disaster.

Yesterday's Fallout Shelters

Today's panic rooms are yesterday's fallout shelters. Both reflect the fears of their time: nuclear war and modern terrorism in all its forms. But today's panic rooms are a little more high tech than their cousins of yesteryear.

Available Features of a Panic Room

1, Dummy electrical wires (So the intruder thinks he's cutting the power, but he's not.)


2, Steel-reinforced walls that deflect armor-piercing bullets.


3, External ventilation systems.


4, A separate phone line.


5, Bathroom facilities.


6, Security cameras.


7, Shielding from nuclear rays.

A panic room can be anything you dream it to be. It can be as complex as a multi-room bunker or something as simple as an extra-sturdy walk-in closet stocked with a few days' survival supplies. All panic rooms offer the same basic benefit: safety and peace of mind in an emergency situation. Everyone wants to know they have a place where they can be safe. Do you?

"People are transformed when they go into one of these rooms or areas," says Al V. Corbi, president of The Designer, which designs high-end residences. "It's like you can see them exhale for the first time in years. We're always on our guard, even driving to work. A safe core is the only place where you can really let down your guard."

Sunday, May 6, 2007

Home Safes Explained

Why use a home safe?

Well things have changed a lot in modern society, more and more of us have a lot more valuables or items of sentimental value. We also need to protect important documents too in this day and age. Identity theft is a fast growing crime and a safe can prevent this.

What type of safe do i need?

A commonly asked question by our customers and a very relevant one too. Before purchasing any type of safe you need to write down a list of what you want to protect and also what from. By this we mean do you just want to stop a thief from taking your valuables? Do you need the safe to protect documents against fire? Do you need to protect valuable data in the form of computer media from theft and fire? Have you been asked to get one by your insurance company?

Once you know what you require of the safe its time to look at the options available.
If its an insurance requirement they will normally specify an amount it should cover. What this means is that safe has a "cash rating" or "jewelery rating" of X amount. As a general rule the jewelery rating is normally ten times more than the cash rating. For example a safe with a cash rating of £1000 has a jewelery rating of £10000

Now you know the cash rating they require you can start to look at the next options available. Firstly how big does it need to be? what are you going to put in it? ie: a laptop or just small items like cash, passports etc. Once you know how big it needs to be you need to work out a suitable place for it to be fitted. Ideally the safe should be bolted down to the floor and or to a wall for maximum security. If space is limited there is the option of having a floor or wall safe. A floor safe can offer excellent security but isn't suitable for many home uses and is inconvenient to retrieve items from. A wall safe is easy to use and can be hidden behind a picture etc but generally these safes don't have very high cash ratings.

Another option you have when choosing a safe is the type of locking options available. You may have key operated, digital electronic keypad, combination or a mix of these. Key operated safes are usually quite reliable and you only have to keep the key safe. These types of locks can go on for years without any problems and are a cost effective choice. Digital locks offer convenience and can also allow the user to change the code if need be. The downsides are you need to change the batteries every so often and also electronics don't always offer the same longterm reliability that a key operated safe can. The manufacturers are bringing out better products all the time to combat this downfall and there are some excellent digital locks on the market now. Unfortunately digital locking options can be more expensive over a key operated option. Combination locks are popular in America but not so common in the UK on home safes.Lots of commercial safes are fitted with them and they offer good levels of protection. The code can be changed by the home user but its not always an easy procedure to tackle first time.

Lets not forget about the cheap safes you see everywhere now with digital keypads and also overide keys. Ok they are a safe but they offer a very limited amount of security (the reasons why are another article in itself). We get a lot of calls to these types of safes where the keypad has failed or the keys are lost and generally the charge to open it is more than what the safe cost to buy, so choose carefully.

If you want a safe for fire or data protection you need to choose wisely and consult your local safe supplier for more in depth information.

Safes can be expensive items to initially buy but look at them as a long term purchase. A good quality safe will give you many many years of trouble free security which can be taken from property to property. The peace of mind provided by having one is a small price to pay.