Home Security in 2010

Well folks, we're back now from a long hiatus. We've been working on a ton of great stuff over at SafeMart, from new monitoring options to better more advanced system packages. I wanted to highlight just a few products/services to keep your eye out for in 2010. (Note: some of these have been around for years, but are worth taking another look at). So, in no particular order:

1. Freeze Alarms: Ok, thats pretty boring sounding. Plus, they've been around forever. True, but most of us haven't seen a winter this cold in a long time. If you don't have a freeze alarm and you don't want to spend thousands of dollars when a pipe busts, you should get one. Available http://www.safemart.com/Freeze-Alarms/Basic-Feeze-Alarm-wVoice-Alarm-FA-B-CCA.htm for $65.

2. The DSC Alexor: This is a fairly new system. It was released with a lot of hype but sort of died out after that. I would say this: If you are in the market for a versatile home security system, that is super-fast, and can handle some decent upgrades, the Alexor may be for you. Check it out here http://www.safemart.com/Wireless-Home-Security/DSC-Alexor-2-Way-Wireless-Alarm-Kit-KIT495-1CP01.htm. Starts at $299

3. New Releases in Home Alarm Monitoring: I'm not going to get into this much, even though its the most exciting thing coming down the pipe, since its not fully live yet. Just check back at this link from time to time if you have a Honeywell system. We'll be offering you great products at an incredibly low price. Stop by and see us. And if you simply want central station alarm monitoring, click the above link. Its available at wholesale pricing.

Home Security and Automation

There are home security systems that do everything a home security system should do. They monitor your home via security devices and alert the system when a door or window is opened, a motion detector picks up activity, or a smoke detector senses fire. You can then have your system contact a central monitoring station to take the appropriate action. These systems will definitely give you peace of mind. Then there are home automation systems that do everything they should do. They control lights, thermostats, home theater, audio and more. These systems will increase your comfort and convenience level and make day to day living more enjoyable.

Then there's the Elk M-1 Gold. It is a top-line innovative home security and automation system. It will do everything a home security system should do (and sometimes even more) and it will control home automation perfectly. It is the best of both worlds.

I'll be doing follow-up posts on the Elk M-1 to illustrate just how impressive this system is. But for now, I'll leave you with two simple examples of how the Elk can integrate your home security and home automation in pretty neat ways.

1. You can turn off lights in a room if the motion detector doesn't sense any activity for a set period of time (say 3 minutes). This will help cut down on your energy bill and your energy wastefulness.

2. You can have the front porch and front room lights come on when your car passes a driveway sensor that you've installed. It gives you the comfort of having a well-lit house in just the areas you want when you come home after dark.

Visit SafeMart's site for more information on Elk's amazing products. I think you'll like what you see.

Washington D.C. Home Security

Residents of Washington D.C. have a unique opportunity in home security. According to the following article from the Washington Post (click here), police are doing free home security evaluations. If you already have home security, this is a great way to see if your system "meets the mark." If you don't already have home security, its a good time to have someone come by to show you why you need one.

Also available in the same article are home security evaluations for Prince George's County and Montgomery County in Maryland, and for the city of Alexandria in the Old Dominion.

Common Sense on Home Security

Its an unfortunate reality, but its true nonetheless. When the economy dips lower and people feel the pinch more severely, crime increases. I'm not going to go into why it happens, or how it might be avoided. The fact of the matter is, economic depression generally equals crime increase. Just something to remember when you think that you don't need a home security system or that you don't want to make the investment right now. Sad as it may be, now is precisely the time to make this investment. Here's an article I saw today on this very issue.

Fake TV: A Burglary Deterrent?

We often have people ask us about burglary deterrents.  "Are there items that I can use to prevent people from breaking into my home even if I don't actually have a security system?"  This is not the preferred method of preventing a break-in, but sometimes, circumstances dictate this as the only option.  On the other hand, you may already have a home security system but want to add an additional deterrent.  In either case, the Fake TV meets that need.

The Fake TV is a small light that changes colors, motion time, etc. to mimic the light emitted from a real television.  Its incredibly affordable (just over $30) and doesn't take any installation beyond plugging it in.  

Since most burglaries are crimes of opportunity, and since most burlgars are interested in robbing homes without running into homeowners, the Fake TV goes a long way to scaring off potential intruders.  And, as always, SafeMart's low price guarantee applies.

Fair Home Security

Affordable home security is something that should be on the smart consumer's mind right now. With economic turmoil and ever-increasing prices, most homeowners simply can't afford to shell out thousands of dollars for home security. And that's completely reasonable.

What's not reasonable is some of the commentary on what to do. Certain "experts" are now recommending "cheap" home security. Except by cheap, they mean fake. I agree that having window stickers or yard signs is better than nothing....but not much better.

While its true that burglary is often a crime of opportunity, its also true that thieves are increasingly savvy. Simply having a yard sign just won't cut it. Why? Because, at best, it only covers one aspect of home security: deterrence. If the thief isn't deterred, then you don't have anything in place to notify neighbors or police. You don't have any sirens to scare off the thief when he hears them. If he chooses to enter your home despite your yard sign, he's in the clear.

So, what is the solution, then? The solution is an affordable home security system that you install and program yourself. The GE Simon 3, for example, is a reliable, effective home security system. And the Kit starts at $209.00. You can add more contacts for relatively little cost , and with a little ingenuity and know-how, you can attach hardwired contacts (much cheaper) to a wireless transmitter for next to nothing. Even with a large house, you can have complete home security for under $500. Then, you can sign up for monitoring at only $9.00 per month with no contracts. Now that's affordable home security.

Wiring Hardwired Devices in Series

Today is part of the FAQs section of the blog.  We frequently get asked how to wire hardwired devices in series.  Its not that complicated, but it does take the right knowledge to wire this correctly.  So, first things first, why would you want to wire hardwired devices in series?

Wiring hardwired devices in series allows you to place multiple hardwired sensors on the same zone.  So, if you have a room with five windows, you can place hardwired sensors on all of those windows and connect them to the same zone.  Since the number of zones you have is limited, this is helpful.  And since all of the windows are in the same room, you don't need your system to tell you anything more specific than that there is an event in the living room.

Here's how you do it.  You'll want to refer to the drawing up top while reading this.  At the top of the drawing are the two zone terminals on the control panel itself.  Your wire will run from these to all of the devices, so you want to be sure that you have enough wire to run through all of the devices.  When the wire reaches the first device, you should cut both wires.  After having stripped back the wire 1/4 of an inch to expose the copper, you'll use a splice to connect both ends of the high side wire (yellow in drawing) to both wires running from the sensor itself.  Then, splice the low side wire (green in drawing) back to itself.  Go to the next device and do the same.  You'll continue doing this until you reach the last device in the series.  When you get there, you'll splice the high wire (yellow) to the silver wire (black in drawing) coming from the device and then splice the low wire (green) to the copper wire (orange in drawing) coming from the device using an end of line resistor (red in drawing).

Once you have done this, you have successfully wired your hardwired devices in series.  All of these devices will now act as one zone on your hardwired home security system.

SafeMart.com: Expert Technical Support

When it comes to choosing a home security company, there are a number of factors to consider.  The company you choose needs to have the products that you are looking for.  They need to have accessories for that product in case you choose to add on at a later date.  They need to have competitive prices, if not the very best.  Finally, and perhaps most importantly to the do it yourselfer, they need to offer expert technical support... and they need to offer it for free.

This expert technical support is truly what sets SafeMart apart.  Yes, we offer all of the products that you need.  Yes, we carry any accessories that you would want, and yes, we are competitive on prices and will price match if you find a lower price from a legitimate competitor.  But, above all of that, we offer lifetime, free, expert technical advice on any home security products you purchase from us.

Our technical support staff has undergone extensive training in all of the various items that we carry.  They are able to walk you through any problem you may have with your home security system and are happy to do so.  They are available for tech support calls Mon. through Fri., 8:00 am to 5:00 pm CST.  They are also available for tech support on Saturday from 8:00am to 12:00pm CST.  That means that no matter where you live in the United States or Canada, you will be able to receive expert technical support at a time that is convenient for you.  And for the do it yourself installer, this is really the most important aspect: knowing that you will not be alone when installing your system.

Wireless CO Detector - New from SafeMart

Its time again for a new product release.  SafeMart is now offering a new, wireless carbon monoxide detector from Honewyell Ademco.  The new detector offers a variety of advanced technology such as:

Electrochemical Sensing Technology - this technology is the newest on the market and provides extremely accurate measuring of CO levels.

Local Sounder - basically this is a built in siren to notify you that carbon monoxide levels are becoming dangerous

Versatile Monitoring - the detector comes with helpful hardware to make mounting extremely easy no matter what the surface

Tamper Protection - there is a built in tamper switch that will continue to communicate with the control panel if the detector is removed from its base.  It is also impossible to remove the detector from the base without using a tool

There are many other features that make this one of the best wireless Carbon Monoxide Detectors on the market.  

"Ok", you're thinking, "so its one of the best on the market.  Why do I care?  Why do I need carbon monoxide detection anyway?" Each year many people suffer the results of carbon monoxide poisoning: nausea, dizziness, and in some cases, brain damage and death.  Carbon monoxide is silent, odorless and sightless, meaning that you won't know there is a problem until it is too late; unless of course you have a means of detecting the poison before its too late.  When it comes to your family's security and safety, there are no shortcuts.  This detector will provide an added level of protection and peace of mind.  And, as always, SafeMart offers the lowest prices on the highest quality home safety and security equipment.

Do It Yourself Home Security

If you have researched home improvement, automotive repair, or even home building in the past few years, you will no doubt have seen a trend emerging. This trend has been spurred on by an increase in available information and more user-friendly technology. So what is this trend? Its the growth of a Do It Yourself movement. In almost all industries that used to require a specialist, more and more people are choosing this route. There are now books, magazines and websites all devoted to this crowd. All of which is very interesting, but why am I mentioning it?

The reason I am mentioning this is because a similar trend is available in the home security industry. You no longer need a specialist to install and program your home security system. GE, Ademco, and many others are now making their systems easier for the informed consumer who is interested in Do It Yourself Home Security. At this point, the question is not can you do it, but should you do it?

The answer is an overwhelming yes. The best and most obvious reason is that you save money. When you purchase a system from a reputable company with the intention of doing it yourself, you don't have to sign lengthy and expensive contracts. Many fully comprehensive companies will offer you a free system, and maybe a minimal installation fee. At first sight, there seems to be no reason to do it yourself. However, as they say, the devil is in the details. You will probably have to sign a three to five year monitoring contract. That's not so bad, you think. And it wouldn't be except the monthly charge for monitoring with these companies is usually three times as much as a monitoring program purchased separately. If you sit down and total up the costs, do it yourself home security is vastly less expensive.

And remember, you can do it yourself. If you can program a VCR, you can program a home security system. And, a reputable company will offer you free technical support when installing or programming your system. If you run into any problems or merely have a simple question, they will walk you, step by step, through the process.

So, what about monitoring. Well, you can get full monitoring for as little as $9 per month. In the event of an alarm, your system will notify your central station who can immediately notify emergency personnel.

When its all said and done, do it yourself home security will save you a lot of money, and your protection will be just as good, if not better, than what you could receive from a fully comprehensive company. That's why SafeMart has consistently offered top of the line home security systems at the lowest possible prices. Our goal is not to push a system on you that you don't want and force you into a long term contract. We want to help you, the informed homeowner, make the right choice. If you are looking for home security, the do it yourself model is truly the best possible option.

Be Neighborly

As you know, I mainly write about security and safety tips for your home and family. Today, however, I want to talk about something a little different: Neighborhood Watch Programs, and why your community should have one.

As I've said before, the first goal in home security is deterrence. If you can prevent a thief from even thinking of entering your home or property, you have succeeded. As a note of caution, however, there will always be thieves. And all the preparation in the world will not stop every criminal, every time. Still, there are things that can be done to make it less likely that you will be a victim. Among these, neighborhood watch stands at the top of the list.

So, what exactly is a Neighborhood Watch? It is a group of volunteer citizens who keep an eye out for suspicious activity and, if they see any, report it to the police. The idea is not a new one. We know that the earliest civilizations had posted guards and sentries to keep watch for an attack. In colonial America there were similar posts. Today, we have Neighborhood Watch programs.

The nice thing about this program is that it is comprised of actual local residents. They are far more aware of who should or shouldn't be certain places, who is out of town, and what just looks suspicious. Now, to properly have this Watch program, it should be public. That is, people should know about it, and signs should be posted alerting people to the existence of the Neighborhood Watch. In many cases, burglars will go elsewhere to rob homes. However, even if they don't, the program makes it more likely that someone will see and report the criminal activity and bring the criminal to justice.

For more information on neighborhood watch programs, visit http://www.usaonwatch.org/. It is the official website, set up by the National Sheriff's Association.

April Showers Bring May......Thieves?

Pasco Police: Home Burglaries Up

Police in West Pasco, Washington are noticing an increase in burglaries and home invasions in the past two months. The thieves appear to be following a consistent pattern in their actions. I'm drawing your attention to this article, not because its unique, but because its relatively standard operating procedure for thieves.

In the article, the burglars are showing up during the day, going to homes that don't appear to have anyone there, knocking, and if they receive no answer, kicking in the doors. This is useful information for a homeowner because it allows you to take action to protect yourself.

The first step is to prevent the thieves from ever coming up your driveway. Anything you can do to make them think that you're home is a plus. During the night, thats obviously much easier, with automated lights, fake tv modules, etc. During the day, it's a little trickier, but you can probably discover one or two things to help. The next step is the knock at the door. Here is really the time that a security system, with yard or window signs will help. The article points out that thieves are not targeting specific houses. Rather they are targeting homes that appear empty at the time. We can safely presume that they don't want to get caught and will probably look elsewhere if there is a functioning, monitored home security system in place. This will hopefully deter them, but if it doesn't, at least your monitoring company will notify police. If you have a home security camera, the chances are even better that you'll catch the criminals. Just remember, your goal is to first prevent them from coming onto your property. If they do, you want to deter them from attempting to enter your home. You do this by making the robbery look like it will be more trouble than its worth. Finally, in the event of a break-in, you want to notify police immediately.

Now thats all for the home security side. The second part is a little scarier. In the article, they mention that thieves try to enter the home if someone is there when they knock. So, what do you do in this case? First, you should have some sort of peephole or a window that you can safely look through. If you don't know who it is, Do not open the door! In fact, what you should do is lock the door, if its not already so, and speak to the person through the door itself. If you feel uncomfortable at all with the person at your door, ask them to leave and call the police to report the suspicious activity. If you live in an area where this is happening, it would be worth it to purchase a driveway alarm for your front door. That way you will know someone is approaching and can respond before they kick in your door. Being prepared is the best way to avoid being a victim.

On a side note, I want to say that this post is not designed to frighten you. It is designed, like all of the other posts, to make you aware of potential threats and to give you the tools necessary so that you can have peace of mind and truly feel safe in your own home (as you should).

Home Security Offers Seniors Protection and Peace of Mind

Home Invasions Prompt Tighter Security for Seniors

Basically the article details a span of successful or attempted robberies aimed specifically at senior citizens.
This relates to the previous post detailing the positive benefits of new technology on seniors. This, however, is the darker side of the same argument. The fact of the matter is that seniors are more at risk than others. In the twisted mind of a criminal, the elderly are an easy, vulnerable target. Just last week, news sources were relating that an older man in England died as a result of the mental trauma received during a robbery. These people are cruel and their actions inexcusable. We can only hope that police quickly catch these criminals.

That being said, there will always be people who want to take advantage of others. Our job is to make that more difficult. Installing motion sensor lights, deadbolts, and a working, monitored home security system will go a long way towards preventing you from being the victim of a crime. As studies continually show, most burglars will leave if they believe there is a good chance of getting caught and if the home is too difficult to break into with ease. The investment of a home security system is worth it. Whether its for you or a relative who lives alone, or your parents who are a little older, it is a simple, easy step you can take to remain in control of your own home.

Food for Thought?

Burglaries Have Surged 21 Percent

I’d like to draw your attention to the above article for a couple of reasons. First, it reinforces the sad fact that burglaries are continuing to increase in many places in the U.S. The second reason I wanted to show you this article is the interesting connection that the executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, Chuck Wexler, draws between economics and crime, particularly burglary. Mr. Wexler…

said the sluggish economy could be spurring property crimes, an assessment shared by some police officials.

"It's an indicator of how economics can have some impact on crime," Wexler said. "The reality is, there is not a clear line you can draw between unemployment and poverty and crime, but there are some types of crime -- burglaries, for example -- that lend themselves to fencing."

It’s an interesting point, and one that most people don’t think of. As a disclaimer, neither I nor, I presume, Mr. Wexler are justifying the actions of these criminals. Still, he has a point. People who are willing to steal will be more inclined to do so as their own economic situation worsens. If the economic situation of the country as a whole worsens, so will individuals’ situations. This is why it is so important, especially today, to have a regularly monitored home security system.

Security Cameras Strike Again!

Security video helps with the capture of two Easter Sunday burglars

Here again is another example of just how well home security cameras work. Check the link above for the full story. Suffice it to say, two burglars broke into a number of homes, successfully robbing them. Someone caught the thieves in action on their home surveillance system, released the video to the media, the Sherriff’s Department and YouTube, and they were caught.

Security cameras offer a great deal of protection and peace of mind at a relatively low price. And, as the people in the story discovered, they’re worth the investment.

Technology Gives New Boost to Self Reliance and Security

Older People Want to Use Technology to Help Them Remain at Home

A sad reality in many cases is that people are unable to take care of their elderly parents. Sometimes it’s a difference of living halfway across the country; other times, the elderly parent has lived on their own for so long that moving in with their children is not something they want. In these cases, people frequently think that a nursing home is the only option. And perhaps in the past, that was true.

However, as this article shows, thats not the case anymore. It shows an increased willingness in people over 65 to make use of new technologies, such as home security or automation systems, so that they can remain at home. It’s an interesting article and well worth a read for anyone, but especially those who have to care for their older parents.

A specific example that would help is a security camera for the front door. This way when the doorbell rings, the homeowner can check first to see who it is, and if they want to answer. There are countless other options to help in this regard.

A home security system can't replace a loving relative. But, if you are unable to take care of an elderly family member, home security and home automation can go a long way towards restoring peace of mind.

Protecting Your Valuables

There are many reasons you might need a home safe. Now, as I'm saying this, try not to think of home safes from 1950's era movies; the huge ones with turn wheels large enough to steer one of Christopher Columbus' ships. New safes are much more discreet, more burglar proof, and easier to operate. Now back to my first sentence. Why do you need a home safe? Well, perhaps your wife has valuable jewelry that she only wears on special occasions. Or maybe family heirlooms that may not be worth much in terms of money, but are priceless to you. Yet another reason would be if dad has a gun for home protection that he wants to keep away from small hands. If you take a few seconds to think about your belongings, you'll no doubt come up with half a dozen items you'd like to keep safe.

That's why SafeMart now offers a whole line of home safes from V-Line. Some of these are desktop models. Others, such as the one in the picture, are closet vaults that fit directly into the wall. Another nice feature is that they're keyless. You won't have to worry about lost keys anymore.

Still, do you really need a home safe? Well, take a few minutes and think about all of the things you'd like to secure. Add up their total value. Now compare that to the costs of these safes. You'll probably see that the risk of losing just a few of those items clearly outweighs the cost of purchasing a home safe.

I'm going to leave you with one more consideration. If you have a home security system (and hopefully you do) a bold thief will still have a few minutes to grab whatever he can and leave before police arrive. In those few minutes, he certainly won't have the time to attempt to remove or open a home safe. Your valuables will remain protected.

Picture Frame or Wall Safe? Both!

Here’s something pretty interesting for you: SecureLogic’s new In Wall Safe, the InvisiVault. You can store cash, savings bonds, passports, etc. in the vault for complete security. The cool thing about this wall safe is that it looks just like a picture frame. In fact, it is a picture frame. You can put any 16x20 or 12x16 picture in it. The other nice feature is that it operates by remote. So, you use the remote, enter the pin, and…the safe opens.

The reason I like this product is that it is completely hidden. A thief or a nosy house sitter would never even think to look at your picture frame for your valuables.