Home Security News

Storing Money and Precious Metals in Your Home

With the ongoing threat of bank failures and other crazy economic woes these days, it's not a bad idea to keep some cash on hand (and maybe gold and silver too if you're into investing--AKA hedging against inflation--in precious metals). 

Most of us keep less than $200 in our wallets or purses, since we've become accustomed to simply swiping our ATM cards for "cash" purchases.  But if there were an extended banking holiday (meaning the banks close completely--no ATMs, no access to safe deposit boxes, no checks cashed, etc.), which has happened before and could certainly happen again, that's when you'll be glad you have some money stored at home.

How should you store that money though?  No, you don't want to just stick it under your mattress.

If you've seen the show It Takes a Thief, you know burglars check there (and tear apart everything else to find your not-as-clever-as-you-thought hiding places).

The most secure thing to do is invest in a good home safe, one that is bolted to or even sunken into a concrete basement floor.  Most burglars aren't going to have the time to sit there and figure out how to get into it or how to remove it (the longer they stay in a house, the greater their chances of being caught). 

Please see my article on How to Install an in Floor Safe for more details.  Alternately, you can get a wall safe that is secured to the studs. 

What you do not want is a safe that merely sits on the floor, even if it's a heavy safe.  A burglar isn't going to take the time to crack such a safe--he'll just call in his cohorts, and they'll port that thing out of the house to open at their leisure.

What if you can't afford a safe?

It's much wiser to invest in a safe than simply hiding your money, gold, etc. in hollowed out books or under floor boards and the like, but if you can't afford--or refuse to invest in--a safe, you can follow in the time-honored practice of "midnight gardening."

In other words, bury your valuables in the backyard.  As long as you keep your yap shut about having it back there, it's unlikely anyone is going to roam your premises with a metal detector.  It behooves you to let family members know where it's kept, so your spouse isn't out in the back with a garden trowel looking for your family's life savings after you get hit by a car.

Best Books for Home Security

If you're new to home security or you've just moved into a new apartment, condo, or house, and you're not quite sure where to start, the best thing you can do is buy (or check out from the library) a couple of books on the subject.  I've perused several books in order to find ideas on home safety and security issues to blog about, and here's a look at the best ones out there:

• The Complete Idiot's Guide to Home Security -- This one doesn't have the best reviews or ratings over at Amazon, and it's a few years old, but it's not a bad place to start. I'd recommend checking this one out from the library over buying it.
• Home Security: Your Guide to Protecting Your Family -- This one is from the Better Homes & Garden people, and it's got a lot of nice full-color pictures (something the Idiots' book lacks). It's pretty thorough, but it's also not the most recent publication.
• Affordable Security: A Do-It-Yourself Guide to Protecting Your Home, Business, and Automobile -- This is one of the most recently published and provides good overall information.
• Think Safe: Practical Measures to Increase Security at Home, at Work, and Throughout Life -- This one falls more into the realm of personal security than just home security, but it's definitely worth reading and thinking about.

Different Types of Burglars to Watch out for

The Crime Doctor site has a lot of great information on home security.  In particular, they've got an article called "Home Invasion" that has a section called the Criminal Profile.  It gives a bit of insight into what thieves are looking for when they target a home, and details that there are two different kinds of burglars: "residential burglars" and "home invasion robbers." 

The residential burglars "work mostly during the day and when a residence is more likely to be unoccupied. Most burglars work alone and tend to probe a neighborhood looking for the right residence and the right opportunity. Alarm signs and decals, bars on windows, strong locks and doors, big dogs, and alert neighbors can sometimes deter burglars. Also, burglars will avoid a confrontation and will usually flee when approached."

On the other hand, the home invasion robbers "Home invasion robbers, in contrast, work more often at nights and on weekends when residences are more likely to be occupied. The home invaders will sometimes target the resident as well as the residence... Many home robbers have been in your home before as a delivery person, installer or repair vendor.  Home robbers rarely work alone and rely on an overwhelming physical confrontation to gain control and instill fear in their victims. The greatest violence usually occurs during the initial confrontation and home invaders often come prepared with handcuffs, rope, duct tape, and firearms."

The article goes on to detail how these people get in and, more importantly, what you can do to prevent both types of criminals from targeting your home.  It's definitely worth a read.

http://www.crimedoctor.com/

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.

Houseboat Security

If you're lucky enough to own a houseboat, you need to think about home security just as us landlubbers do. Fortunately, the basics are the same. An article in Houseboat Magazine called appropriately, Stop that Burglar! suggests you start with these security checkpoints:

If you can get into your houseboat without a key, so can a burglar. Lock all windows and doors. Use timers on lights and the radio to create the illusion that you’re on board. Get involved with others at your marina to form a neighborhood watch group.

The article goes into more depth, so I suggest giving it a read.

Residential Fingerprint Door Locks

Still opening your front door with keys? There are lots of manufacturers putting out fingerprint activated locks for residential doors now. From a home security standpoint, a keyless lock makes sense. No need to worry about unsavory types getting a hold of your keys and, likewise, no need to worry about losing them yourself. Fingerprint locks are usually batter-powered and family simple to install. They start at about $300 for systems that hold 30-50 fingerprint profiles.

More at Fingerprint Door Lock Information

Home Security Basics

What are the basics to smart home security? Advances in home technology mean there are a lot of bells and whistles available, but there are some basics that you want to make sure you pay attention to.  Some of them (like trimming trees and bushes around windows to eliminate hiding spots) don't cost much, while others (like a full home automation system and a monitored wireless alarm system) can get pricey.  Here is a look at the simple stuff:

Home Security Basics

• Key Control (Don't give out keys to people who don't live at your home; don't hide keys outside the house; have locks rekeyed if a key is lost)
• Exterior Lighting (doorways and paths should be well lit at night so burglars don't have a place to hide)
• Sensors (as part of your home security system, arm doors and windows with sensors to alert you to unauthorized entries)
• Landscaping (when planting, keep doors and windows free of trees and bushes; privacy is great, but it also gives burglars a place to hide)
• Fences & Gates (they are a deterrent, plus they make the removal of large items difficult)
• Deadbolt Locks (a solid door with a deadbolt lock is one of the best deterrents)
• Secure Glass & Garage Doors (glass doors should have window guards, security screening, or burglar-rated glazing--dowels alone won't keep a thief from removing a sliding glass door)
• Alarm System (an alarm system is a good purchase and may even help lower homeowners' insurance, but keep in mind all of the above as well)

Source: The basics of home security

Alarm Companies

Looking for the lowdown on home security alarm companies? An article called, appropriately, Alarm Companies offers a bit of history and information on some of the industry slang. It also gives some advice for choosing an alarm company and some of the problems people have encountered and how to look out for them when you're shopping around.

Panic Rooms

A good home security system and security plan should keep you and your family safe, but some homeowners decide to add panic rooms, or safe rooms, to their homes, especially if they are having a house built from scratch. This can offer an added sense of security. Panic rooms are almost like a safe for a person where you can hide if a burglar enters your house. You can call 911 from inside its secure bounds. Here is a short article with some basic information on panic rooms/safe rooms or if you're ready to have one installed, check out this information on design and construction.

Basic Components of a Security System

Shopping for a home security system? Before you talk to a salesman or alarm company, you should know the basic components and be familiar with the available options you can add on. Here are the basics:

• A control panel (hooked up to the telephone line if the system is to be monitored by a security company).
• A basic keypad for controlling the system, usually has one-touch fire/police/emergency services programmed in.
• Door & window sensors
• Decals for the windows and signs for the yard

Here are some of the other options available:

• Passive, infrared, photoelectric, or microwave motion detectors
• Panic buttons
• Glass-break detectors
• An external siren
• Smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors
• Closed Circuit Television or PC-based video surveillance

Source: November/December 2004 issue of Smart HomeOwner (a more complete list of options is listed there)