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If you watch the evening news on any given week day, you’re bound to be inundated with information about murders, burglaries, kidnappings and international crime. I know that I am in the home security business and need to stay on top of the crime that happens but it really sickens me to see the majority of any news broadcast being devoted to such a negative topic.  It can be hard not to wonder about the safety of your home and family after hearing about how many depraved individuals are roaming the streets at any given time.

Thankfully, there are still relatively safe neighborhoods left in this country, although the population boom and unemployment rates are making them harder and harder to find. Whether you consider your neighborhood to be safe or not,  is no excuse for not taking every possible precaution to protect your family. Consider the wide variety of home security solutions that are available on the market today, and choose the one that’s best for you. Here are some ideas to start with.

First of all, if your budget for home security solutions is very tight, think about purchasing equipment to reinforce or replace the security features that your home or apartment already has. These basic home security solutions are usually locks, chains and other locking mechanisms that can be installed on your windows and doors. If your home is old, the chances are that the locking mechanisms designed to keep you safe are also old. Examine door jambs to determine the weight of the screws that are keeping locks and latches in places. Rotting wood or loose, lightweight screws are an invitation for a thief to kick your door in with no problem.

If you are happy with the strength of the locking mechanisms that are included in your home already, then you might want to take your home security solutions up to the next level by adding electrical protection. Although many people immediately assume that you need to have a professional wire up your whole house before you can be safe, this is simply not true. There are many do-it-yourself home security solutions like magnetic alarms and wireless motion detectors that can be installed on a Saturday afternoon with the help of just a few tools.

If you are unsure of what type of home security solutions will really meet your protection needs while adding value to your home, you might want to speak with a local representative from a security specialist. Many of these companies will perform a safety assessment on your home at little to no cost. You can also ask the sales people at the home improvement stores that carry these supplies.

 If you have recently purchased your own home or if you are thinking about starting a family and really setting down roots in the home and neighborhood that you already live in, it’s a good time to start really thinking about how important it is to ensure that your family members and belongings are completely safe. Depending on your financial situation and the type of home that you live in, you may have more or less options when it comes to choosing the right home security system for your needs. You’ll be happy to learn that cost and complexity are not the only factors for determining the quality of a security system. Discount home security options do exist, you just have to know where to look for them.

One of the first places that you should look for discount home security options is your local yellow pages. Often, the smaller home security specialists will run promotional specials during the year that are designed to attract new customers. Small discount home security dealers must keep their prices very low to compete with the national companies that have huge advertising budgets.

If Ask friends and family members that live in your community to recommend someone that they have worked with in the past. If you contact them via referral, a home security company is more likely to be flexible and work with your budget.

Something else to keep in mind when you are researching discount home security online is the full service that is included in the contract. Sometimes home security installation specialists will not be upfront about the exact services that are included in the cost that they are advertising. Once you get a security system assessor out to your home, you might find out that the original price only includes one door and two windows, when you are looking to get a whole house security system.

Regardless of what method you choose for researching discount home security systems, you should always seek out a company that is willing  to train you on how to properly operate the burglar alarm equipment once it is installed. This means helping you to program keypad codes and passwords, as well as helping you to arm and disarm the system from any and all keypad locations. This training will prove to be invaluable in the event you ever find yourself in a break in situation. Make sure you inform all of your eligible family members about the training so that they can attend.

Surveillance cameras have come a long way since I was first introduced to them more than 17 years ago.  It seems to me that back then there wasn’t such a thing as a wireless surveillance camera system.  You really only had a few options available to you then.  Spend a lot of money for a good black and white wired camera system or spend even more money for a good color wired camera system.

With today’s technology, we have so many surveillance camera options that it makes it really confusing.  For my money though, I would go with the IP Network Cameras.  Here are 5 reasons why:

• Easy to install.  The majority of IP network camera systems available today come with everything that you need to install the system. 
• Easy to use.  If you can use a computer, you probably won’t have any problems using a remote surveillance camera system.
• Great picture quality.  Depending on the camera resolution that you get, you can get great picture quality.  Even the ones with the lowest resolution give you a better picture than the cameras from back in the day.
• Affordable.  In today’s economy, people are always looking for a good deal.  And while IP network camera systems may be a little more expensive than non IP based surveillance camera systems, they are still a lot cheaper than the camera systems from 15 years ago.
• Remote viewing.  This is the best part about having an remote system is that you can see what’s going on at the camera location from anywhere in the world that you have an Internet connection.

If you are in the market to purchase some surveillance camera equipment, consider getting an IP Network Camera System.  In fact I would recommend getting your system from Lorex and if you act now you can save an additional 10%.

Because I have a relationship with Lorex, I was able to secure a coupon code for my readers to get you an additional 10% select surveillance camera equipment.  To get the 10% savings enter the coupon code, QPPPPPVJ OF HROTHLGK, before you check out.

You can get to the Lorex website by clicking Official LOREX® Website

Do you hate Spam as much as I do?  How common is Spam?  Does everyone get it or am I  the only lucky one?  It doesn’t look like I am alone in getting massive amounts of spam emails.

According to Scott McAdams, OMA Public Affairs and Communications Department (www.oma.org): “Studies show unsolicited or “junk” e-mail, known as spam, accounts for roughly half of all e-mail messages received. Although once regarded as little more than a nuisance, the prevalence of spam has increased to the point where many users have begun to express a general lack of confidence in the effectiveness of e-mail transmissions, and increased concern over the spread of computer viruses via unsolicited messages.”

Well it looks like I’m not the only one getting hit with as many spam emails as emails that I actually want to get.

What About The “Can Spam” Law

In 2003, President Bush signed the  “Can Spam” bill, in December of 2003 which is the first national standards around bulk unsolicited commercial e-mail.  The bill forbids senders of unsolicited commercial e-mail from using false return addresses to disguise their identity (spoofing). It also prohibits the use of misleading subject lines and requires that emails include a way to opt-out.  One thing that I noticed about this opt-out option is that if the email is Spam, the only thing opting out does is let the violator know that they have a good email address and before you know it your inbox is receiving even more spam than before.  The legislation also prohibits senders from harvesting addresses from websites. Violators will be charged with a misdemeanor crime  and subject to up to one year in jail. 

How well has the “Can Spam” law worked?

Well, I can only speak for myself but it hasn’t changed a thing with my inbox.  I get just as much spam email today as I did before the bill passed.  The reason is because spam is now coming from other countries in ever-greater numbers. These emails are harder to fight, because they come from outside our country’s laws and regulations.  Because the Internet opens borders and thinks globally, these laws are fine and good, but do not stop the problem.

So what do you do about this? 

Her are the top 5 Rules to do to protect yourself from spam.

1.  Do what you can to avoid having your email address out on the net.   There are products called “spam spiders” that search the Internet for email addresses to send email to.  If you are interested, do a search on “spam spider” and you will be amazed at what you get back.  Interestingly, there is a site, WebPoison.org, which is an open source project geared to fight Internet “spambots” and “spam spiders”.
2. Get spam blocking software.  There are many programs out there for this.  (go to www.cloudmark.com or www.mailwasher.net for example).  You may also buy a professional version.  Getting the spam blocking software will save you time.  The blocking software is not foolproof, but they really do help.  You usually have to do some manual set up to block certain types of spam email.
3. Use the multiple email address approach. There are a lot of free email addresses to be had.  If you must subscribe to newsletters, then have a “back-up” email address. I use this method myself and it works pretty well.  I have one email address that I use to get just newsletters and stuff like that and I have another email address that I use if I even think that I may get a bunch of unwanted spam and I have a third email address that I give out to only my trusted friends and associates.
4. Attachments from people you don’t know are BAD, BAD, BAD.  Actually, attachments from people that you do know can also be bad if you didn’t ask for it.  A common problem with spam is that they have attachments and attachments can have viruses embedded in them.  General rule of thumb:  if you do not know who is sending you something, DO NOT OPEN THE ATTACHMENT.  Secondly, look for services that offer filtering. Firewall vendors offer this type of service as well.
5. Email services now have “bulk-mail” or “junk” baskets.  If what you use currently does not support this, think about moving to a new email service.  The concept is simple.  If you know someone, they can send you emails.  If you don’t know them, put them in the bulk email pile and you then “choose” to allow them into your circle by white listing them.  Spam Blocking software has this concept as well, but having extra layers seems critical these days, so it is worth looking into.

I wish I could say that you can eliminate all spam but it looks like it’s here to stay.  I’m glad that the “Cam Spam” bill was passed but I feel that it only keeps the honest people honest and the violators will just find a way around it and continue to send junk.

Since people know that I am a home security system specialist and have worked in this industry for the last 17 years, I often get asked what the best home security system is.  It may suprise you to find out that the most expensive security system is NOT the best, nor is the cheapest home security system the best.  People often expect me to say that the best home security system is the one that my company installs but that may not be the case for everyone and since I can’t get away with lying to people (really, I can’t people see right through me) I tell them that the best home security system is the one that they will use.

Here is my reasoning behind that answer. 

You can install the best home security windows but if you don’t lock them, they won’t keep out a burglar.

You can install the best most expensive burglar alarm system or on the opposite end install a cheap home security system but if you don’t turn it on and/or keep it well maintained, it won’t do anything to keep out a burglar.

You can put in a do it yourself home security system or hire a burglar alarm company but if you never use it, it just uses your electricity and does nothing else.

Your home is where you are supposed to feel comfortable and secure, and using your home security system should be the last thing you should have to worry about.  Using your security system should be second nature to you not a chore that you have to remember.

That’s why I say the best home security system is the one that you will use.  If you know you won’t feel comfortable using a traditional burglar alarm system, then don’t install one in your home. 

I know that there are more than a few burglar alarm professionals cringing at the very thought of what I just said but I said it anyway.  I can hear what they are saying to themselves and they are right.  The best time to install a home security system is BEFORE you need one.  I totally agree with that but I also know that if you don’t feel comfortable using it, you probably won’t.

Therefore, take a look at YOU.  Only you know what you are comfortable using. 

If electronics isn’t your thing, then make sure that you have the best home security windows and door locks that you can afford.  Train yourself to lock them until it becomes second nature.

If you are a dog lover, then you may want to consider getting a dog to guard your home.  Just remember that if you go on vacation, you will be leaving your house unprotected.

There are some things that you can do to increase the appearance of having some sort of home security that doesn’t need to be turned on daily to work.  Things like, flood lights that are motion activated, a home security sign, unobstructed views of your doors and windows from the street, and a whole lot more that I have discussed on this website and will discuss in the future.

Just remember that what works for one family, may not be the right home security solution for you.  Until next time, stay safe.

These days, we use our computers for just about everything.  We use them to keep in touch with friends via email, for online banking, online shopping (my favorite), and even investing.  The more we use our computers in our daily lives, the more we open ourselves up to potential security issues.  While some computer hackers are looking to phish your personal information in order to resell it for identity theft purposes, others just want to use your personal home computer as a platform from which to attack other unprotected computers. 

Do You Know Who Is Watching You Every Keystroke?

Cybercrime is definitely becoming more prevalent and to make sure that you know how to protect your computer from cybercrime, here are some easy, low-cost steps you can take to increase your computer security.

→Make a backup of the important information that you store on your computer and keep it in a safe place away from that computer.  Consider making a boot disk in case your computer does get infected by a nasty virus.

→Update your operating system frequently.  If you are using a Windows operating system, you can go to www.windowsupdate.microsoft.com to get the latest update which often includes computer security fixes.

→Check your browser and email security settings to see what level they are set at.  While cookies are relatively harmless when it come to computer security, they do still track your visits on the Internet. 

→Install a firewall on your computer for added security.  A good firewall will help to protect your computer against viruses, malware, adware, and the like.

→Install antivirus software on your computer and make sure to set it for automatic updates and scans.

→Do not open, run, or save programs if you don’t know where it came from.  The same goes for unknown email attachments.

→When you aren’t using your computer, turn it off and disconnect it from the network.  I haven’t heard of a computer hacker that can attack your computer when it’s turned off and disconnected from the Internet.

I’m sure that there are some other things that we can and probably should do to protect our computer’s home security.  If you have any suggestions, I would love to hear about them.  Feel free to leave a comment with your suggestions.  Until next time, be safe and secure and watch out for computer bugs.

Depending on where you grew up, you may remember never locking the door to your house.  It may seems like  yesterday for some people, but those days are long gone.  Our way of life has changed rapidly.  Churches, schools, and neighborhoods are no longer social institutions linking entire families into a single community.  Most people do not know their neighbors as well as they once did.

I grew up in the projects of Missouri and I can tell you that we only knew one other family in the area.  Not because it was in some far out of the way area but because we didn’t feel safe interacting with others in the neighborhood. Crime and fear of crime threatens a community’s well being.  People become afraid to walk in the streets, use and enjoy the parks and suspicion erupts between neighbors.  Crime in turn feeds on the social isolation and lack of community ties.

The following are some crime facts in neighborhoods today.

- Auto thefts and car break-ins are the most common neighborhood crime.
- Home burglaries are one of the easiest crimes to commit, and to prevent.
- Most home burglars are young amateur thieves looking for easy to break-in targets.
- In over one-half of household burglaries, there was no forced entry involved.
- Most home invasions or break-ins occur during daylight hours while homeowners are away.  The burglar, in many cases, will watch your home for a few days to see when you are out and what your daily routine is.

You may think that the only choice you have is to either be burgled or turn your house into a high tech security fortress with state-of-the-art home security systems?  But that doesn’t have to be the case.  The first step is to know the ways burglars break into your home and what to look out for to reduce your chance of your home being broken into.  Here are some inexpensive ways you can strengthen your home security…

• Inexpensive home security precautions like installing better door locks will make your home more secure while at the same time a less desirable choice for burglars. 
• Installing outdoor motion sensor lights is an inexpensive way to reduce the risk of someone coming onto your premises at night, thereby reducing your chances of experiencing a home invasion. 
• Surveillance cameras have become quite affordable these days.  Some surveillance camera systems are wireless and can be easily installed.  Simply mount the small surveillance camera to monitor a particular area and the image can be viewed through your television, your computer, or a dedicated CCTV camera monitor. 
• Making sure you do not make it obvious that you are away from home is another inexpensive home security precaution that you can take.  Have a neighbor pick up your mail, make sure the newspaper is picked up or stop it altogether while you are away, have lights on timers so that it looks like someone is at home are all things that you can easy do. 
• Neighborhood Watch is a proven crime-reduction program.  Members of the Neighborhood Watch look out for their neighbors and report suspicious activities to their local police department.  Neighborhood Watch has helped to restore the “front porch” by bringing neighbors into contact with each other once again for a common purpose – to make our homes and streets safe.

What about installing a home security system or a surveillance camera system? 

Without a doubt the largest benefit you receive when a burglar alarm is installed in your home is the peace of mind in knowing that the percentage of homes that are broken into with a burglar alarm system is 97% LESS than homes that do not have a burglar alarm.  The homeowner should have a basic knowledge of the types of burglar alarm systems available to make the most cost effective choice.  Perimeter sensors protect each door and window and detect an initial entry attempt.  Motion sensors detect an intruder moving inside the house.  Burglar alarm systems come either hardwired, wireless, or some combination of the two.  Once an home intrusion is detected the burglar alarm system can sound a local alarm or contact an alarm monitoring company.  The burglar alarm security representative surveying your home and your needs should make recommendations for your best home protection.  However, that isn’t always the case.  Be sure to check out the burglar alarm company before you even make an appointment. 

With the level of home invasions growing everyday there has never been a better time to make sure your home is secure.  Especially when the economy is the way it is right now.  When the economy is down, burglary, theft, and crime goes up.

 What are your thought?  Do you have any specific questions about home security that you would like to see answered?  Did I miss anything that I should have discussed?  Let me know,  I would love to hear from you.  Don’t be shy, I assure you that I won’t bite.

Good New Bad New About Crime

The bad news is that crime statistics; death, injury, home invasion, and loss of property don’t seem to be getting any better with time.  It may be hard to believe, but according to FBI statistics a burglary occurs every 15 seconds in the United States.

The good news about crime is that there has never been a time or better technology available to use as protection against burglary, home invasion, injury, and loss of property.   There is a lot of quality security equipment available, and at affordable prices.  Let’s fight back!

When talking about home security systems, one size does not fit all.  Home security systems must be tailored to meet the particular needs of each house, company and the people that own them.  One may need entry detection, while another needs camera surveillance, and another may need motion-detection floodlights.  Let us look at some of the many choices available. 

Home Security Systems – Many articles have been written on this subject and the basics are probably known by most readers.  If you would like to know more about the basics of burglar alarm systems, then read ” Burglar Alarm Basics” .  Home secruity systems are either wired or wireless, just as the names imply. 

For a renter, a wireless burglar alarm system may be the logical choice, as the installation does little if any damage to the premises.  And, the security system can be taken when the renter moves. 

Wired is the home security system of choice in the majority of owned residences, but it has its pros and cons.  Because wires are run from every protected point to the alarm control panel, holes must be drilled and wires ran.  However, when done by a professional burglar alarm company, the work is done with care and is for the most part concealed.  The labor need to install a wired home security system will be the main factor to the systems installation cost.  At today’s labor rates, several alarm technicians working in your house for a week can run up quite a bill.  A money saving tip here is do-it-yourself.  If you have the basic electrical knowledge, you can read the wiring diagrams and install a wired burglar alarm system at a fraction of the cost. 

Your car, motorcycle, camper, or boat on trailer, can also be connected to your home security system.  Many types of motion detectors are available, some even “pet friendly”. 

Regardless of wired or wireless, ultimately either burglar alarm system can sound a local alarm, connect to a monitoring station, call your mobile phone, or be custom tailored to meet the exact needs of the user.

Surveillance Cameras – Like home security systems, cameras come in two types, wired or wireless.  When the door bell rings, it can be very comforting to see who is at the front door before opening it.  Now, even low cost surveillance camera systems can view multiple points, and display all the surveillance cameras on just one split screen monitor. 

Surveillance camera products change rapidly, offering more and more features at lower and lower prices.  One of the best recent offerings is an outdoor motion-activated floodlight and color camera combination.  It does not get any better than that! 

Disturbing statistics show that we cannot always trust the people that we let into our house, like the baby-sitter or a serviceman.  A wireless hidden camera system provides an ideal solution for this case. It is, in fact, one of the most popular home security camera items.  Other uses for an indoor surveillance camera include keeping watch on your prized possessions, and of course keeping watch over your most precious family members.

Don’t let the rise in crime affect you.  Fight back by getting a security system that is right for your needs.  With the home security system choices available today and prices lower than ever before, there really isn’t any reason not to have a security system.

In the last year that the Bureau of Justice released Crime Statistics (2005)
–77% of all crime was property related
–On average nearly 17 % of all crime domiciles were violated by a burglar
–In 84% of burglaries, the offender gained entry into the house or other building.

Ask any expert in the field and they will tell you that 90% of all burglaries are preventable. So if the odds are so good that it will happen to you and it is such a preventable event-what is it you have to do to stop the burglars? I am so glad you asked.
Sometimes the best home security is implemented when you are the one making the assessment and any corrective action- a do it yourself home security plan.

Home Security Tips

Here are home security tips to think about that will definitely discourage or flat out stop a potential intruder from entering your house. It is not an all inclusive list but one that if followed will certainly go a long way toward making your home more secure.

1. Take a critical look at your house from the outside. Is your house well lit? Are there hiding places near doors and windows? If you can spot a potential weakness in your home’s “look” you can bet a professional burglar can exploit it. Remember that light is a burglars’ enemy-darkness a friend.
2. What could slow down a burglar from entering your home? Simple home security devices such as locks on doors(deadbolts are best) and windows, bars, grates-items that are visible from the exterior of the house will not only act as a deterrent but slow down an intruder should he decide to try to enter. The more time it takes to break into a home, the more discouraged a burglar will become. Time is the enemy of the burglar.
3. How noisy can you make it if someone gains entry? Noise is also the enemy of the burglar. There are many home security alarms activated by doors or windows opening or by motion. The sound of a barking dog, real or recorded, are very effective and will scare most burglars away.

Lights, noise and time-they are the three biggest enemies of an intruder. If you implement these home security tips to fortify your house you may well avoid a lot of potential break-ins. But there are some other things that will help as well.

• Move valuables away from outside view. Don’t risk tempting someone. Consider putting small valuables in Diversion Safes.
• Start or join a neighborhood watch. Strangers usually stick out in a neighborhood and should be reported immediately to police.
• Make your house look occupied when you are gone. Burglars are much less likely to consider a house they feel is occupied.
• Lock your doors and windows Even when you are gone for a short period of time. Summertime presents a huge temptation to leave doors or windows open. Don’t give in to the temptation. I have seen so many garage doors open only one or two feet to let the heat out-just enough to let a burglar in.

Many police departments as a public service will offer advice on how to make your home more secure. Call for availability in your area.

There are several simple things you can do to make your home less prone to intrusion by a burglar. Start with an assessment on how to make your home well lit, more secure, and in the event of an entry-how to make it very noisy. Light, time, and noise are the enemies of the professional burglar.