Home Security News

Gate Alarm for Your Backyard

If you're worried about young children getting into your swimming pool when you're not available to watch them, you might want to consider installing a fence around the pool and using a gate alarm to ensure no one enters without your knowing about it.  A gate alarm is also an option for anyone who wants to keep the side gates to their backyard secured. 

This programmable gate alarm from SmartHome has a keypad where you punch in a numeric code, just as you would to work an ATM.  If someone tries to get in without entering the secret code, the alarm will go off and pretty much everybody in the neighborhood will know about it.

This system can be installed on wood or metal gates or even sliding glass doors.  It's battery-powered, so you don't have to worry about running electrical wiring to it.  As far as home improvement projects go, this is an easy one.  This system will cost you $50:

Programmable Gate Alarm

Backyard Pool Surveillance?

We've mentioned the benefits of pool alarms before for swimming pool owners, but that doesn't solve the question of how to keep on eye on the kids while they are in the pool (and you don't want to be).  A short article from http://www.backyardagora.com called Why Video Surveillance Cameras for the Backyard Swimming Pool Make Sense goes into the reasons why cameras in the backyard and around the pool are a good idea not only from a security standpoint but from a watching-your-kids-to-make-sure-they're-being-safe standpoint.

Wearable Pool Alarm for Children

Part of home security is making sure your own family is safe around the house.  If you own a swimming pool, you may have already installed an alarm (to keep unsupervised children out of the water) as it is required in some counties.  That may not be true everywhere, but protecting children should always be a concern.  Most pool alarms I've seen are sort of integrated into gates/fences. Installation can be on the costly side, especially if you don't already have a fence around your pool. The Safety Turtle Pool Alarm System is a little different in that it's something your kids wear. Basically, you put it on your child's wrist like a watch, and it sounds an alarm if they fall in.  The potential for use may be even bigger for non-pool owners (maybe your children aren't good swimmers, but they're going to a birthday party at someone's lakefront or pool front home) as it can be used anywhere.