Home Security News

Facts About Burglars

The Home Security Test is a concise article that starts out with a list of home theft related factoids such as "Most crimes happen because someone gave a criminal an opportunity to act...Little planning goes into most burglaries...Professional burglars are very rare...Most burglars are neighborhood juveniles...Most burglars are never caught...Most stolen property is never recovered."  Though it's a ten year old article, most of the information is still pretty pertinent.  The second part includes a checklist to help you insure your home is not vulnerable.

Electronic Pet Doors

Pet doors can be a bad idea from a home security standpoint (if your dog can slip in the backdoor, so can a thief--even doors for small dogs are  problematic, since someone can stick an arm through and unlock the lock), but electronic pet doors may provide a more secure alternative. With these pet doors, your dog or cat wears a special collar embedded with a radio or infrared transmitter.  The receiver in the pet door opening mechanism only tells the door to open for your pets.  If the door is designed correctly, burglars should have a hard time gaining entrance through the entrance.

Related articles:

Guide to Pet Doors
How to Install a Pet Door

Home Security Survey Helps Identify Weaknesses

How secure is your home? Responding to neighborhood burglaries, the Virginia Beach Polie Department created a home security survey to help its citizens find out what areas they were deficient in. They put a copy online, so anyone can use it--there's nothing that is specific to any particular region. If you're trying to figure out where to start, or you already have a home security system and want to make sure it's up to snuff, try taking the survey.  It's only a couple pages and doesn't take long to read through. There's nothing you have to submit--just print it out and have at it.

Home Security Survey (it's a .pdf file so you need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view it).

Lockboxes for Keys

I admit, I'm guilty of just throwing my keys on the table next to the door when I come home, but if you look at that from a home security perspective, it sure would make things convenient for a thief. In order to make it harder for someone to snatch your house/car keys if they got into your house or garage, you can get lockboxes that mount on the wall.  Working somewhat like safes, these lockboxes are opened with either a key or a combination that you punch into a keypad.

Example:

Key Lock Box Safe

Check Your Alarms Annually

They had a good tip tonight on It Takes a Thief.  Even if you have a home security system, it won't do you much good if it's been neglected.  The show suggested having your alarm company come out once a year for a routine maintence check.  Some of the things they can check for are loose wires, wires gnawed on by wildlife, and faulty motion detectors or sensors.

Beware of... Vacuum? (VC-RP30W Robot Vacuum Cleaner)

According to the March/April 2005 issue of Smart HomeOwner, the VC-RP30W Robot Vacuum Cleaner is a home vacuum cleaner than can do double duty as a home video surveillance monitor. The Samsung vacuum does all the typical cleaning stuff you'd expect from a robot vacuum: dirt pick up, air purifying, "auto-charging and sensor maneuvering," but it also can be controlled through the Web. You can use a keyboard to move it around the house or let it run on automatic.

So, what's the home security catch? The VC-RP30W, thanks to an onboard web cam, can be used for surveillance while you're away from home. It doesn't sound like it can replace your home security system (yet), but for those who love the latest in home automation toys, it could be fun.  At $3,000, the Samsung vacuum is arguably only for a select few (and right now it's only available in South Africa and Japan), but no doubt the technology will come down and price and be more widespread in the future.

More information:

Samsung Unveils Its Multifunction Robot Vacuum
www.samsung.com

Locking Mailbox for Residential Use

As you've no doubt heard, identity theft is on the rise, and one of the ways would-be ID thieves obtain your personal information is by taking the mail right out of your box.  Once they have a credit card offer (and who doesn't get these on a daily basis?), they can open a new card in your name and charge up the limit.  So, what's the answer?  It might just be a high security locking mailbox. 

The "Secure Mail Vault" is certified by the US Postal Service.  It has a drop chute on top, big enough to accept magazines and packages but designed to prevent anyone from sticking their hand inside to snatch your mail.  The homeowner can open the security mailbox via a deadbolt lock with an electronic keypad.  It's made of steel and built to last.

The Secure Mail Vault runs about $350, and you can order online from shops like Amazon: Energy Technology Labs Secure Mail Vault

High Tech Door Locks

High tech door locks, once the domain of big commercial buildings, are growing in popularity among homeowners.  According to This Old House article "Keys? Who Needs 'Em! High-tech Locks Open with the Touch of a Button," plummeting prices are encouraging the growth of high tech locks in the residential industry.  "First adopted in the 1980s by hotels and other security-minded businesses, keyless locks — such as digital keypads, magnetic cards, and remote-controlled deadbolts — have lately exploded onto the home market."  Convenience (no need for keys) and price are the main reasons for their popularity.  Where commercial systems once ran $20,000, "Now you can get good residential models for $400."

Smarthome offers a full range of High Tech Door Locks

1 Laptop 1 WebCam = 1 Security System?

Popular gadget blog Endgadget published "How to Turn Your Laptop into a Home Security System" last month.  They use a laptop (though any computer would work), a webcam and evocam software. 

It's a very thorough, helpful how-to, but I feel the need to note that setting up a little surveillance system like this shouldn't be the end all to your home security system. First off, the burglar would probably be gone by the time you called the police and they arrived.  Second, it's not going to do you a lot of good when you wake up in the middle of the night to someone stalking around in your house. 

Go ahead and set up a surveillance system with your webcam (kind of fun actually), but update your doors and window locks as well.  Then install an alarm system if you can afford one.  Preventing burglars from ever entering is a lot better than catching them in the act (or hoping to catch them afterward), and they will be deterred by alarm stickers and sturdy doors and locks.  They'll always go after the easier mark first.

Humidity and Temperature Controls

One of the most common things people automate around the home are temperature controls. You can get thermostats that sense the interior temperature and raise the heat or turn on the air conditioning accordingly.  Programmable thermostats can turn on the heat 15 minutes before your  alarm goes off.  Pretty simple stuff.  From there it can get more involved.  Some automated temperature controls can do things like lower the blinds when the sun gets too hot or close the windows once the sun sets.  Others can detect humidity and switch on a humidifier. Some systems are being networked so you can ring up the unit on your cell phone and instruct it long distance. 

To get an idea of what sort of automated humidity and temperature controls are on the market you can browse Temperature Controls & Sensors at Smart Home.

Home Security Monitoring--How Much Does It Cost?

Monitored home security systems are popular since an alarm alone might not be enough to scare away a burglar in time.  With monitored systems, when the alarm goes off, it will alert your security company and they'll (depending on what you sign up for) send a car or alert the police.  According to Beefing up Your Home's Security, an article up at Bankrate.com, the monthly cost for the services of a security monitoring company run $20-$30/mo.  You have to consider the cost of the installation as well, but many companies offer low cost installation as long as you agree to term of X years or months with them.  Bankrate also has an article on Home Security System Basics.

Monitored Security Systems

According to a news report at Washington D.C's NBC news station, Washington Consumer's Checkbook tested a number of monitored home security systems. The price range was around $2,000 (give or take $500) for the inital installation and then "The cost of the monthly service also varied. For three years of service, the total cost ranged from $720 to $1044." Their finding for top home security companies is only relevant to the Washington D.C. area, but the article also offers some tips for improving security without installing an expensive system: Checkbook Magazine Tests Home Security Systems.

ZigBee for Home Automation

ZigBee is a new wireless connection technology, somewhat related to Bluetooth and Wi-Fi but targeted for a different use. It will be big with home automation and energy conversation. Though wireless automation has seen some use in the homes, most home automation experts still prefer wired applications because of their reliability. Tearing open the walls to installing wiring is costly, though. ZigBee may be a step up from what's out there in the wireless world, and it's slated to be fairly inexpensive as well.

For more information, try ZigBee is Changing the Rules for Home Automation

Stainless Steel Doors

Stainless steel doors got a mention on the Home and Garden channel yesterday (yes, I admit to watching this channel... I'm trying to remodel my kitchen, leave me alone).  That was the first I'd heard them mention stainless steel inso far as housing trends unless it was about appliances.  Apparently, doors made of the sturdy stuff are becoming popular both for the look and for their security (just try and kick down a steel door, eh?). 

Here's a company that does stainless steel doors for residences; the pictures up on their site look pretty good.

If you're more interested in cool locks for your doors, Smarthome offers a full range of Access Control Security Products.