Monday, May 31, 2010

Self Defense Weapons

Guns have always been a sure way to protect yourself and your home, although things have changed quite a bit over the years. Even though those who live in the United States have a right to bear arms, there are also certain responsibilities that come along as well. Those who own guns have the responsibility of protecting their home and their family - and also their guns. Anyone who owns a gun may see it as a self defense weapon but he should also remember that guns (even your own gun) can get in the wrong hands.

Anyone who owns a guns should never allow them to fall into someone else’s hands. To ensure this never happens, the gun owner should always keep his gun collection locked away in a safe or gun cabinet. You can get many different sizes of gun safes, that will hold a variable amount of guns. Anything can happen if the wrong individual gets a hold of your guns, which is why you should always make sure that they are well protected - and locked up.

Gun owners can protect their own property as well, by storing their guns in fireproof gun safes. Fireproof gun safes can protect guns and keep them safe, even if everything else burns to the ground. Even though gun owners have the responsibility to keep their guns out of the reach of others, they also have the right to ensure that no harm comes to their guns as well.

Fireproof guns safes will also keep guns safe from children as well. All children are curious, and like to get their hands on anything they can. If you leave your guns lying around and not locked up, a child will eventually find it. You should also ensure that your guns are never loaded either, as a child can really hurt himself if he finds a loaded gun. Although you may keep your guns locked up in a fireproof safe - you should also make sure that the ammo is out of the guns and locked away in the safe as well.

Keep in mind that children may look for your gun on purpose, knowing that the guns are something that you use. Therefore, simply putting your guns on a higher shelf doesn’t really protect your children. If a child wants something bad enough, he or she will do anything possible to get it. The only real way to keep your guns safe from children is to ensure that they are always locked up in fireproof safe or traditional gun safe.

Children may show interest in guns at an early age, which can be a good thing but can also be a bad thing. At a young age, a child won’t know anything about gun safety. Therefore, if a child happens to come across your guns, bad things can happen. If you have guns if your home, you should always make a point to teach your children gun safety. This way, they will know that they aren’t allowed to handle your guns, and they’ll be aware of what can happen if they do.

By keeping your guns in a fireproof safe or traditional gun safe, you’ll keep your guns safe from children or others. Fireproof safes will also keep your guns safe from fire as well, which makes them an ideal investment. Although you can also get a traditional gun safe if you prefer, fireproof safes are by far the best way to go. You can keep your guns safe from children, others, and even fire - which makes them more than worth the money.

A gun may be the most lethal individual self defense weapon on the market, just make sure that you and your family know how to respect and use it if need be.

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Wireless Driveway Alarm

Those of you who want to protect your home from possible annoyances and intrusions, never miss out on a home delivery, or always be aware of someone coming up your driveway - should invest in a wireless driveway alarm. There are a variety of different styles, with each one offering you a truly unique and innovative way to keep up with what’s going on around your property.

You can get either a wireless driveway alarm or one of the handheld models, which vary in detection ranges, from the average 1,000 feet for small driveways to the larger driveways which span 2 miles or more. Some models will warn you of visitors with tones, while others use prerecorded messages. The more advanced models on the other hand, well you communicate with visitors through the use of an intercom system, which you install at the end of your driveway.

All types of wireless driveway alarms feature a receiver and a transmitter. Any presence in your driveway is detected by the transmitter, normally through infrared equipment, which notifies you through the receiver. Most models will allow you to speak through the receiver, transmitting your voice through the transmitter. If a solicitor or burglary is trying to visit your home, your voice is normally all it takes to turn them around in the other direction.

Even though the technical name is “wireless driveway alarm”, there are several uses for this technology. You can install the equipment in your yard, out of plain view, or even use the system as an intercom for anyone who pulls up to your gate. You can also install the system on your roof, or just use it strategically around your property. There are several uses for wireless systems, although the intention is to alert you when there is any type of human presence or movement on your property.

When you set up your wireless driveway system, you should always place it somewhere where it isn’t easy to see. You don’t want someone who visits your property to have plain view of your equipment, as it can easily give you away. Instead, you want to make sure that you are alert of any visitors, yet they aren’t aware that you are using any type of alarms.

Depending on how much money you have to spend, the systems that you can choose from will vary. There are simple wireless driveway alarms out there, yet there are also systems that can do just about anything you want. If you live in a suburban area, you may want to go with a standard wireless alarm. Standard alarms are best for this type of neighborhood, as they are easy to install and will immediately alert you whenever there is presence on your property. Another great thing about these types of systems is the fact that you can act immediately without having to physically be in touch with the receiver.

All in all, wireless driveway alarms are a great security measure for anyone who owns a home and wants to protect themselves from unwanted visitors. You can get a slew of features as well, depending on the type of alarm that you select. You can install most alarms yourself, although the more advanced models will require professional installation. The self installation types will come with instructions as well, so you won’t encounter any problems. Even if you’ve never used them before - wireless driveway alarms are a great investment that will alert you anytime someone decides to visit your property.

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Spy Video Camera

With crime on the rise, technology has lead to a decrease in home security prices. Although many devices have dropped in prices over the years, the spy video camera is one of the most popular to experience a decrease in price. What was once only dreamed about in movies such as James Bond is now a reality that is very affordable.

The spy video cameras of today are included with pin cameras, pens, and even cameras that are hidden in a pair of sunglasses. Most kits cost a few hundred dollars and will come with sensors and remote Internet access – complete with alarms. This way, you’ll have the chance to hook up your house wide cameras to your main cable system and watch the spy video camera from any screen in your house. To watch the video though, you’ll need to have your television set to a specific channel.

Along with spy video cameras there is also a variety of other devices that you can use to protect your home and yourself such as motion sensors, alarms, trip wires, spy cameras, surveillance cameras, finger print locks, digital locks, and many more. Almost everything is available at an affordable price, unless you choose to have professional installation. Professional installation will cost a lot more money, possibly even thousands of dollars if you have a big house.

If you aren’t familiar with the way spy video cameras and other spy related security works, it may be in your best interest to hire a professional. A professional can show you how to work the equipment and answer any questions that you may have. Even though it will cost you a lot more than if you were to do it yourself, it would be a lot better than messing something up. Spy video cameras and equipment can be very tricky – especially if you have no experience with home security.

The pin and sunglasses spy camera is among the most popular. These cameras may require professional installation, as you’ll need to hook the wireless panel up to a monitor or your computer. Depending on the type of spy video camera that you are using, hooking everything up can be anywhere from novice to professional level. Sunglasses can be great to use at home or anywhere else you travel within distance, as the camera is completely undetectable to those who are standing within your field of vision.

For protection around the home or anywhere else you travel, a spy video camera can be a great investment. These cameras are becoming more and more popular these days due to the drop in price. Although they were very expensive when they were first introduced, those times have changed. You can get a spy video camera now for just a few hundreds bucks – making it an investment you can never go wrong with.

Picking A Lock

When you don’t have the right key, lock picking is a great way to open just about any lock out there. Normally, picking locks is something we associate with crime and illegal activities, although crime isn’t always the case. There are a lot of instances where locking picking skills can come in real handy. Take for instance a lost house key or locking your car keys inside your car. Even though you could always break a window, calling a professional locksmith is the best to go - it can save you a lot of money in repairs, and get the lock open fast.

To properly pick a lock, you’ll need the right tool kit. Even the most basic lock picking kit will contain a lock pin and a tension wrench. If you have an emergency, you can normally replace the lock pin with a hair pin. Professional locking picking kits on the other hand will normally include a variety of tension wrenches in several different shapes and sizes, covering several different styles of lock pins. Some include a locking picking gun, which uses vibration to push all the lock pins up at the same time.

When picking a lock is necessary, the first thing to do is to insert the tension wrench into the keyhole and attempt to turn the cylinder. Next, you can use the lock pin and gently pry up on the pins. Once the pins reach the normal opening position, you’ll hear a clicking noise, letting you know that the pins are in the right place - and the lock is open.

There is also another technique to lock picking, which is known as racking. Racking uses a lower precision level, and uses a special pick known as a rake. To use the rake, simply insert it into the keyhole until it reaches the back of the cylinder, then quickly pull it out so that it hits all of the pins when it comes out. A tension wrench is also used as well, to turn the cylinder.

The hardest lock out there to pick are master locks. They offer an excellent protection system, and aren’t as susceptible to picking as other types of locks. Master locks were invented by Henry Soref in 1921, introducing the first lock to use laminated layers of solid steel. Although master locks use the same picking system as other types of locks, those that are in combined format will require a locksmith with a lot of patience - and skill.

To learn more about lock picking, there are several books and illustrations that you can buy, which will show you the techniques step by step. Often times, a video or Cd is included that will show you the techniques in action. Several books and videos were made by true locksmiths, although others are more directed for people who just want to learn a bit more on the subject. If you want to become a locksmith or a professional at lock picking, you can also find books and videos out there that will help you become proficient at picking locks.

Anytime you buy a lock, you should always keep in mind that just about any lock can be picked. Although most locks can be picked, there are some that take a bit more time and patience than others. When you buy a lock, you should always think in terms of safety and select one that you know it isn’t to penetrate. This way, you can have a sense of security in your lock - and know that you are safe and protected. One more thing that I would like to add. When moving to a new home, make sure you change your locks. Otherwise the old owner (or friends) can make their way into your place without having to pick your lock.

Friday, May 28, 2010

Buy A Home With Home Security In Mind

When looking to buy a house, the location of the house is very important. Most people want to buy a home in a decent neighborhood, as they have the intention to remain at their home for many years to come. If someone is planning to buy a home strictly for the resale value, then the location will prove to be even more important. The resale factor of a home is very dependent on the location, simply because someone wouldn’t want to buy a home that wasn’t in a decent neighborhood.

When buying a home, the general rule of thumb is to purchase a home that will appeal to a large number of potential buyers. To do this, you’ll need to look at the location of the home. As a real estate investor, I can tell you that the number one thing that I look at (not price) is the location of the home. A good neighborhood always sells homes. The community is very important, especially in terms of crime. If you buy a home in a neighborhood that is well known for crime you’ll more than likely have difficulty when you try to sale. Bad neighborhoods generally spark little to no interest. These days, people want to buy homes in the best possible neighborhoods that they can afford.

When buying your home, you should always narrow the choices down a few of the best cities around you. You’ll want to buy your home in a community that has a very stable economy and plenty of commercial and business districts. This way, when you decide to sell your house, you can rest assured that your house is in a good selling area. You should also look at the crime statistics for the area as well. If the crime rate is high, you should look into another area.

You should also look into the local school system as well. Even though you may not have kids now, you should always think about the future. A home that is within a short distance to shopping centers and quality schools are always easy to sale. If you buy a home that is in a bad neighborhood and has poor schools, you’ll quickly regret that decision. If you can’t afford to purchase a home that is in a good location, you should work on your credit and save up some money until you are able to purchase a home that is in a desirable location.

Although the size of a home is important, the location is one of the most important aspects to buying a home. The location is important for those living in the home as well as the resale value. A home that is in a desirable location is always easy to sale, for the simple fact that the location speaks for itself. If you’ve been thinking about buying a home for the resale value – you should always make sure that you pay close attention to the location.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Do You Need To Theft Proof Your Mailbox?

Although most people only think about their home and property when dealing with home security, the mailbox is equally as important. On a daily basis, there is a lot of personal information that goes through your mailbox. Even though burglary is a concern, identity theft is just as big of a concern as well. Most people don’t even think about theft proofing their mailboxes, which easily explains the increase in identity theft over the years. I can tell you that I've been a victim of identity theft twice. Once through information gathered at an ATM and the other time by mail being stolen. Almost all mailboxes can be easily broken into, giving thieves instant access to personal information.

Even though there are many mailbox designs in the United States, most of them are outdated in terms of security. They may perform their duties of receiving mail quite well, although they normally don’t offer the security needed to protect people from identity theft. These days, identity theft is a common thing – simply because people don’t do a better job with protecting their mailbox.

Each and every day we all get personal information delivered to us by mail. In some cases, we get credit card offers or bills that contain our personal information. Although we don’t think anything about it, most of us head out to our mailbox, collect the mail, and then go back in our houses. All it takes is a thief to beat you to the mailbox, just a couple of minutes. Once the thief has collected a few pieces of your mail, he can easily use your personal information to charge credit cards and other bad things using your identity.

To protect yourself against identity theft you should always include your mailbox in your plans for home security. The mailbox is very important, and should always be protected. If you have a traditional mailbox now, you should get rid of it immediately. As a replacement, you should look into a safe and secure mailbox. The ideal types are those made of solid steel. The top of the box should be accessible to the mailman, allowing him to put the mail in without a problem. The bottom side of the mailbox however, should only be accessed via key. Mailboxes that require a key to get into will protect you from identity theft – as the thief simply won’t have access to your mail.

You can find secure mailboxes at a local hardware or department store, even online. There are very affordable these days and will go a long way in protecting you for identity theft. Mailboxes that are constructed from solid steel are nearly impossible to break into, yet they will open easily for you to check your mail with the lock and key system. The next time you go out to the mailbox to check your mail – you should think twice about your safety and theft proof your mailbox to protect yourself and your loved ones from identity theft.

Home Surveillance - Video Surveillance Systems

When they were first introduced, video surveillance systems were mostly used with medium to large businesses. These days however, they are becoming more and more common in homes. Video surveillance security systems are also known as Closed Circuit TV (CCTV) and are used to monitor certain areas around the home and help to protect it from burglars and thieves.

The monitor is a key aspect to the video surveillance setup. The monitor will feed the video from the cameras that make up the system. The monitors are normally black and white and feature a higher resolution than that of a standard television set. Monitors vary in size and resolution, although the standard resolution is between 500 and 1000 lines.

Cameras are also important. When setting up the home video surveillance system, the cameras are placed strategically around the outside of the home, in the most vulnerable areas. They should be set up in areas where they are nearly impossible to see. The cameras are always working, sending the video transmissions to the monitors on a frequent basis.

Coaxial cables are also a must have for video surveillance systems. The coaxial cables are what transfers the video signals from the camera to the monitor. The cables are available in a variety of sizes. You can find them at a local electronics store in your area. Your home video surveillance system will come with coaxial cables, although you may need more depending on where you plan to set the cameras up at.

Home video surveillance systems also use switchers. Switchers allow you to run multiple camera feeds to one monitor. Normally, a switcher will cycle through feeds unless it detects movement going on around a camera. When the switcher detects any type of movement, it will automatically lock in to the camera that has detected the movement.

There are some video surveillance systems that you can get for the home that make full use of VCRs and digital equipment. These systems will use the VCR or DVD to record any live video feed that you program. This can come in handy if you travel a lot, as these mediums can capture a break in as it happens. If you end up going to court or to the police, you can use these recordings as evidence. Catch burglars in the act and make sure that your video camera cannot be readily seen

By utilizing the combination of a monitor and video camera, home video surveillance systems can easily catch burglaries and break-ins. They are very affordable these days, and used in thousands of homes throughout North America. If you’ve been looking for the ideal way to protect your home – a home video surveillance system is something you should look into immediately.