If I told you that in less than an hour you could make your home much safer, would you do it? Of course you would! You don’t even have to spend an arm and a leg to protect your family – these quick tips do require a few purchases, but you should be able to keep your costs under $50…and they could ultimately save your lives. Install smoke detectors Everyone knows that you should have a smoke detector in your home…but not everyone has enough of them. One smoke detector in a large three-story home isn’t going to cut it. If your alarm is in your bedroom upstairs and fire starts in the basement, it probably won’t go off until long after you can get out safely. Install smoke detectors on every floors of your home, and install separate ones where you need them most – your bedrooms. While you’re at it, tour your home with the family and make sure that there are at least two escape routes from every room. If you have to rely on windows to escape, should the door be blocked, make sure there are step stools so that every member of the family can reach them. Install deadbolts Deadbolts on your doors can only be locked from the inside, but when you’re at home, you’ll have peace of mind that no unwanted people are going to come in – at least, not without a struggle, which you’ll be able to hear. If you can’t afford a security system, deadbolts are better than nothing. Also, consider taking a weekend to attend a self-defense course as a family. If someone does break into your home while you’re there, you want to know how to handle the situation as best as you can. It’s less scary when you’re prepared with a few self-defense moves that you can use if you have to. Install motion sensor lights Lastly, invest in a few motion-sensitive lights for around your house, which will spring to life as soon as something moves in the dark. They’ll help prevent falls for you, as well as work to deter anyone who might be thinking about breaking into your home. You can put motion lights on a timer so they only come on after dark if you’re worried about saving electricity. Again, if you don’t have the means to invest in a security system, this is a less expensive alternative that is way better than nothing at all. Keep in mind that as you install these safety items, you might be eligible for insurance discounts with your homeowners or renters insurance company. Call to ask for this policy price reduction and it will help offset the costs of the upgrades.   This guest post is from Allison with www.RentersInsurance.org, where you can go to learn more about this type of policy.   Read more »

The purchase of outdoor security cameras should not be one that is made on impulse.  You should take several factors into consideration before buying, such as why it is you think a surveillance camera will benefit you.  If you decide that you are in need of a security camera, it is important that you research the various options available and to find the best deal possible on the type of camera you need. How’s The Visibility One of the things to consider when buying is the visibility of outdoor security cameras for your home.  Since the majority of crimes occur during the nighttime hours, the security camera you choose should be capable of capturing night videos.  Another factor is if you would prefer to have outdoor security cameras wireless or wired. Don’t Waste Money on Fake If you own a data entry from home business and are considering a fake camera as deterrence for crime, it is recommended that you not waste the money.  Fake cameras are easily detected by criminals and the majority of them are aware of how to break in and will often do so because they know the fake camera is not capable of recording them doing so. Inquiring About Installation Before buying wireless outdoor security cameras you should also inquire about the installation, warranty and refunds if you are not satisfied.  The majority of wireless cameras are easily installed; however, if the camera is for someone who is unfamiliar with electronics, it is recommended that you have the system installed by a professional.  If you prefer wired outdoor security cameras, installation could be slightly complicated but, the majority of electronics stores have a technician available to do the installations.  If you purchase the cameras from an online source, inquire about local technicians to install the camera for you if you are unfamiliar with security camera installation. Read more »

Where do you store your guns today?  Maybe in a gun safe in the basement?  Maybe in an oak gun cabinet in your family room.  While both of these products have their benefits, they also have their problems. Gun Safe-This expensive piece of steel can be very difficult to move as many of the larger ones weigh over 500 pounds.  While they are very secure, they are also very unwieldy if are moving locations.  Additionally, most of these gun safes are housed in the basement storage room.  It is probably not a great place to show off your gun collection to your guests.  I doubt you want them to see your storage room! Oak gun cabinet-This wood gun cabinet is great at showing off your gun collection, but it is not very secure.  Most of these pieces have small locks that can easily be defeated by a crowbar or even a letter opener.  Alternatively, a burglar is probably going to be less concerned and simple break the glass on the front of the case, gaining quick access to your guns. A hidden gun cabinet really has the best features of both a gun cabinet and a gun safe, but it also adds the element of deception.  This cabinet looks like a regular curio cabinet or bookshelf as it sits in your family room or den.  Most burglars will not give it a second looks, but if they did they would realize that the shelves are not as deep as the cabinet itself.  They would also see a small key lock on the side of the unit. Inserting the key and opening it will allow the user to pull out the back gun rack or pivot doors that open to reveal the gun collection.  This cabinet is also a must for the home where one spouse loves guns and the other does not want them seen. You are benefiting from being able to show off your gun collection easier than with a gun safe, but with better security than a standard gun cabinet can offer. Read more »

Getting organized is sometimes more than just having a neat filing system. Sometimes it means placing the right things in the right place and that includes valuables and important documents. Some of us prefer storing valuables inside our houses. Some of these are important documents, cash, bonds, or jewelries. Although these things can also be stored in a bank safe deposit box, it could be such a hassle having to drive all the way to the bank just to retrieve them should you need them at one point. There are all sorts of safes for your valuables, but one of the most popular in the market is fireproof safes. Since fire is one of the leading causes when it comes to home destruction, you’ll want to make sure that your valuables are safe should a fire break out. When choosing a fireproof safe, the first that you would need to check is the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) ratings indicated on the safe. This rating indicates the temperature the safe would maintain inside it even if there is a roaring fire outside. If the UL rating says UL350, for example, this means that the temperature inside the safe would remain below 350° even if it’s exposed to open flame. A UL rating of 125 would be perfect for items with low burn point such as videos while a UL rating of 350 would suffice for papers and documents. Aside from the Underwriters Laboratory rating, you would also want to consider the duration of fire protection the safe can offer. Most fires only last about an hour, but you might want a safe that can offer you at least three hours protection should you not be able to take the safe out right away. Since firefighters would need to use water to take the fire out, it is very important that you not only have a safe-fireproof safe, it should be water-proof as well. This is especially true if you will be storing important documents inside your safe. The main purpose of buying a fire-proof safe is to keep your valuables safe from fire, but you might want to buy something that would keep your things safe from burglars as well. There are available fireproof safes which come with combinations or key locks, and you can easily check them out online. They also have Underwriters Laboratories standard determining the burglary-safe of a safe, such as TL-30. A safe with this rating means that a professional has tested the safe by opening it using different techniques for 30 minutes but wasn’t successful. If space would permit, you might want to go for safes that are bigger as they are more difficult to carry out of the house than smaller ones. Read more »

Push button locks are wonderful in that you do not need keys to operate them. All you need to do is punch in a pre-programmed code to have the door swing open. They are also very secure locks that work well on all exterior entrances. They are installed in many public facilities and locations where a large number of people need access, often at varying times of the day or night, thus cutting back on the need of having multiple keys cut. There are two main types, the electronic push button lock and the mechanical push button locks. Mechanical locks are very basic locks with no electronic components installed. They work well, are sturdy and rarely break down. If something does go wrong with this type of lock it is fairly easy to have the parts replaced and the lock repaired. They do not usually have as many options for entering differing pin codes, but they are excellent to use in places where you need a fairly heavy duty, low maintenance lock that gets a lot of use.  Electronic locks are preferred in places where you need to assign different entry codes to different people or where the lock needs to be accessed from a distant location. They are a little more complex in nature than their mechanical counterpart. When it comes to installing push button locks in a home, to either the front or back entranceways, usually the electronic lock is chosen. There are many types of electronic push button locks that are designed specifically with the home owner in mind. They are usually smaller locks with the option for setting quite a few different codes so that each person in the family can have their own customized code if need be. You can also assign a temporary  code to any visitors so that they can also have access to your home. These type of push button door locks work well if you have a number of family members who arrive home at different times of the day. The one major benefit with them is that there are no keys to lose or misplace or forget, thus family members have instant access to the home at all times. As far as security goes, they afford excellent security in part because there are no keys that others can use to gain entrance to your home and also because the locking mechanism itself is very secure. If you are in the process of upgrading your home security, you may want to take a look at the selection of electronic push button locks geared for the home owner. Read more »

If you own a handgun you should plan to own a safe. There are countless tragic examples of children finding an unsecured (and loaded) handgun and killing or injuring themselves or another child. Read more »

These days, the use of a dependable and reliable security door has been increasingly popular due to the growing incidence of house theft and break-ins. Read more »

If you love spy movies, you no doubt have seen scenes during the film where the hero or villain must enter or exit high security areas. Whether its a bank vault in Switzerland, or a highly guarded bad guy's lair, chances are you have probably noticed that many times the movie portrays the security of the facility as being extremely difficult to get past. Read more »

Home invasions are a huge problem in the United States. One happens on average every fifteen seconds and there’s almost a sixteen percent chance that your home could be broken into. Read more »

When most people think of a gun cabinet, they think of it as being a way to showcase their firearm collection for all to see. And to some extent, this is one of the main intents of a gun cabinet. Read more »