Home Security News

Why Hollow-core Doors Should Be Replaced

Hollow-core doors are too easy for burglars to break through. You want a door that presents a solid and sturdy front to your home. Even solid wood doors less than 1 and 3/4 inches thick may not provide enough of a deterrent to a determined thief. Better choices are solid wood doors approximately 2 inches thick or metal reinforced doors--metal is the superior choice. Metal-clad doors are the most secure because the steel exterior over the wood makes it very difficult for intruders to bust down. When you're replacing your front door, don't forget to take a good look at side, garage, and back doors as well. A strong front door might not be any help if you have a flimsy back door.

Reference: Replacing Hollow-Core Doors

Garages and Garage Doors

When you're setting up a home security system for your house, don't forget about making sure your garage is secure. The garage often provides an easy entry point into the house for would-be thieves. Garage door security is important (change the code on your garage door opener if you haven't since you purchased the system), but don't over look things like back doors and windows.

When you're away, even if you've just gone into the house for a bit, don't leave your garage door opening. It affords passersby the opportunity to check out your security or even make off with bikes, tools, or other valuable but unsecured items.

For more information check out Home Security: Garages--Is Your Garage Secure?

Smoke Detectors

Been a while since you thought about your smoke detector? Not even sure where your smoke detectors are or whether their batteries are good?

Every home should have at least 1 smoke detector per floor (located in a central area). Batteries should be changed and detectors should be tested at least twice a year (easy to remember if you do it the same time as you set your clocks forward/back on Daylight Savings Days).

Further Resources:
How Smoke Detectors Work
Smoke Detector Information

Alarm Systems: The Basics

Home security encompasses so many things that it's hard to know where to start when setting up a home security system. The spectrum ranges from simple door and window alarms (that go off when someone attempts to open them from the outside) to whole house and yard video surveillance systems that are tied into a central computer that is connected to the Internet and can be accessed and controlled via the Web or even a cell phone.

Whew, who knows where to start?

An article in the Columbian, entitled appropriately "Home Security" suggests a basic system might consist of "perimeter contacts at each of a home's exterior doors" and "a motion detector or two somewhere on the premises or in the house." The security system should have a keypad, or control panel--preferrably two--in the house in order to easily keep tabs on everything. The article recommends one control panel next to the most frequently used entrance and another in the master bedroom. As far as what's on this control panel, the article advises "a better-than-entry-level model with an LCD readout."

Total cost? About $1,200. The price goes up if you want to add cameras.

Many homeowners get fooled by security companies who offer to install a complete home security system for a very low price. Then they realize they've committed themselves to excessive monthly charges AKA "monitoring fees". Take that into consideration when you're hunting for a home security system and deciding whether you want to do it yourself or have a security company handle the installation.

If you don't have $1-2k to put down on a home security system right now, you could grab a starter kit from X10. I think of these guys as kind of security light. Their systems don't seem to be as long-lasting or sophisticated as more professional (read more expensive) systems, but if you're just looking for something that does work and gives your family a little piece of mind, you could try their Monitor Plus Security System, a basic wireless system for under $200.

In the end, no matter how attractive all the bells and whistles, make sure to get something simple enough that everyone in the family can work it. If Dad can't figure out how to program the VCR, chances are he's going to be lost when sirens and blinking lights start flashing at him on an evening when he's home alone.

Home Security Article

Investigate People

So, you want to investigate people? There are numerous reasons you might want to investigate someone. If you're thinking of hiring a nanny or housekeeper--someone who's going to be around your family--you want to make sure that person doesn't have any unsavory stuff in their background. Or maybe you just want to check out your daughter's new boyfriend. Either way, you can investigate people online these days without ordering expensive reports. A friend highly recommends Web Detective. It's a program that guides you through investigating people through the Internet.

Web Detective

Swimming Pool Alarm Systems

Swimming pool alarms can help keep your children safe around the backyard pool. Not all alarm systems are created equal, however. You need to be careful because not all pool alarms out on the market are adequate to protect your children. Check out Testing Swimming Pool Alarm Safety to learn about the results of a test by Good Housekeeping, identifying which pool alarms rate best and which are not adequate.

Other Swimming Pool Information Resources:

How Safe Is Your Swimming Pool?
Hot Tubs & Swimming Pools Information

Do It Yourself Home Security

So, you want to install a new home security system, and you want to do it yourself. But where to start? The easist type of home alarm systems, installation-wise, are wireless alarms. Wired alarm security systems involve drilling up the walls, running cable through them, and other noisy, tedious chores that the spouse might not appreciate. Wireless systems usually just involve messing around in one wall (connecting the control panel to the power outlet--that's one cable you won't want to leave out for a would-be burglar to simply unplug).

With wireless systems, it can be as simple as buying a kit and hooking everything up. However, if you are considering a monitored home security system, or a system that calls/pages you when something is amiss (requires hook up to the telephone system), installation will be more complicated, even with wireless.

You'll want to make sure and read the alarm specs carefully before you buy to ensure the installation is something you can handle yourself. For more complicated residential alarm systems, you may need the help of a certified technician (the law in your area may even require it).

Here are some resources with more information on the topic:

Browse Wireless Security Products
Home Security
How to Install a Wireless Home Security System
How to Choose A Home Security Company

Neighborhood Watch Effectiveness

On the fence about setting up a neighborhood watch? Not sure whether they're really effective? There are plenty of news articles every month that highlight the effectiveness of neighborhood watch programs in various neighborhoods. Here are a couple of recent mentions:

Woodway subdivision making their homes safer with neighborhood watch
Plymouth Neighborhood Watch helps protect residents

ActiveHome Software--What's It Do?

ActiveHome and ActiveHome Pro, software applications put out by X10, provide the backbone to any home automation you want to install in your house (apartment, condo, whatever). The software gets installed on your computer, and from a fairly simple user interface, you can add and control your home's lights, electronics (DVD player, tv, stereo, etc.), and appliances. ActiveHome also comes with a remote, so you can control all the lights and appliances in your house without getting off the couch if you want. You can create schedules that operate your lights, etc. while you're away from home, turning them on at the same time every night or different times--whatever you program it for.

Basically, ActiveHome is a fun toy for the do-it-yourself person, but it can also be an important part of a home security plan (if burglars think someone is home, they won't chance breaking into your house).

More information:

ActiveHome - Home Automation Software and Controls

Dogs vs. Home Insurance

Is your dog effecting your home insurance rates?

According to the American Kennel Club, some homeowner's insurance policies may refuse coverage or raise rates when they find out you have a dog. Applications can be denied based not only on whether or not you have a dog but what breed it is. The reason is because insurance policies have had to pay huge settlements in cases where dogs have bitten people.

Your options if you've been denied? Basically, keep shopping around. You'll find someone that will carry you, but unfortunately you may have to pay higher rates.

Further Resources:

Good dogs, bad dogs and homeowners insurance policies
Homeowners' Insurance and Dogs
Dogs & Homeowners Insurance

Travel Safety

Travel much? If you do, especially if you travel alone, you may want to look into safety and security options available. Consider getting a portable alarm, or at least a wedge alarm, for your room at night.

The following sites have numerous recommendations for staying safe when you travel:

Travel security tips
Hotel Safety Tips For Travelers

And a few books to read on the plane:

Travel Safe: Using Your Head as Well as Your Feet/Including U.S. State Department Guidelines
The Complete Sas Guide to Safe Travel
Travel Advisory! How to Avoid Thefts, Cons, and Street Scams While Traveling

So You Want to Buy a Safe

Buying a safe for your home or office is a good choice, especially if you have small valuables (too large for a safe deposit box) or important documents that need to survive a fire. Not all safes are created equally though. Make sure the safe you're considering has a seal describing its Underwriters Laboratory rating. No rating? No good.

For safes, the Underwriters Laboratory is kind of an inspection and classification system that rates safes according to how fire resistant they are. A "Class A" safe is the absolute best you can buy, guaranteed to protect paper documents in temperatures of 2000°F for up to 4 hours. All safes with UL ratings should be able to resist damage from dropping from a collapsing building.

One other key thing to remember when buying a safe is that it shouldn't be light enough that a thief could just waltz out with it slung over his shoulder. Shell out the extra bucks for something sturdy and heavy. Even better, have a floor or walll safe built into your house as it's being built or remodeled.

More resources for safes:
Information on Buying a Safe
Browse Safes at Amazon

Forums / Message Boards

Amongst all the sites out there existing merely to sell you home security systems, there are a few forums where you can go to ask for help, advice, or just chat with other home do-it-yourselfers.

Here are a few related to home security:

Do It Yourself Home Security Alarms Forum
Electronic Alarms & Home Security Devices
The Home Automation Forum

Securicam Network DCS-5300G Internet Security Camera Review

PCWorld's most recent edition offered a short review on the Securicam Network DCS-5300G Internet Security Camera from D-Link. Unfortunately, it's only available in the print version (so no link) but the gist of it is:

D-Link's newest network camera is useful for homeowners and small businesses concerned about security in the office/home. The DCS-5300G can be installed on both wired or wireless networks. You can pan, tilt, and zoom via onscreen controls. You can schedule uploads of images to a web server at certain times or when the camera senses motion.

At $549, it's not a cheap toy and may not be that great of a purchase due to image quality. While the features may be interesting, "its image quality [is] at times quite poor" (Andrew Brandt "D-Link's Network Camera"). Reviewer Brandt gave the camera 3 out of 5 stars.

"D-Link's Network Camera" was published in the Nov. 2004 volume.

Browse Wireless Security Products

Beginner's Guide to Home Automation

Whether you're thinking home security or I-wanna-live-like-the-Jetsons, home automation can make your home safer and more convenient by centralizing switches, setting timers on lights and appliances, networking electronics, setting up security cameras, or doing something altogether new. Home automation can be a little daunting, however, if you're just getting started.

PC World has an excellent article entitled Digital Home Buying Guide that serves as a beginner's guide. It covers different technologies (including wireless), hardware, alarm and surveillance systems, and if that's not enough, they provide a plethora of home automation links for further reading.

Home Video Surveillance Options

Most of the new home surveillance systems involve using your PC (connected to the Internet) in conjunction with one or more security cameras placed inside or around your house. These can be either wired or wireless cameras (wireless tends to be more expensive but is also easier to install since it doesn't involve digging into your walls to lay new wiring). Hidden or "spy" cameras are also an option, especially popular with folks who want to monitor a nanny ("nanny cams") or someone else who may be in the house while you are away. The tie in with the home computer makes it so you can check your cameras from work or wherever you may be (just log into your control panel via the web).

If you're not much of a PC buff, there are still many camera systems that work with a TV and VCR.

How much can you expect to pay for a home video surveillance system? Well, as you can imagine the prices vary greatly depending on how many cameras, quality of equipment, range of cameras, sophistication of software, etc. etc. In short, you can get a simple webcam/software setup which can watch one room for under a $100. For a whole house security surveillance system with built in backups for power outages and emergencies, expect four-figure prices.

Some simple home surveillance system kits out there:
Wireless Video Surveillance Camera and Monitor (This comes with a monitor rather than working with your PC)
Video Entry System Surveillance
Weatherproof and Infrared Surveillance Set (Good for outdoors/night time)
Video surveillance cameras

More Articles on home surveillance:
Wireless Video Surveillance System Information
How to Install a Wireless Home Security System

Home Automation Software & Kits

In case you're in the market for home automation software or a set-up kit, X10 (a home security equipment retailer) had some nice sales going in when I stopped by today. More than %50 off on some of their kits. If you've been thinking of automating some of your switches or appliances, check out their home automation gear.