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The complexity of an alarm system depends on the establishment it is going to be used. The more entry points, the more complicated the electrical circuit for the alarm system. Most of the time, complex alarm systems are installed in business establishments like stores. The need for a complex alarm system for this kind of establishment is higher than any building.

Most homes use simpler versions of alarm systems. In many cases, smaller homes use simple unmonitored alarm. Using alarm systems in homes is grounded in the concept that even homes and the persons residing in it needs protection too.

Alarm systems vary according to the task it is going to do. For example, when a person wanted to detect smoke or fire, he may choose installing fire alarm system in his house. Every type of alarm system works specifically to a certain job. The most common used alarm system type is the burglar alarm system.

Burglar alarm systems vary too according to the size of the building. Also, the installation complexity of such may change depending on the number of entry points to be integrated. In addition, burglar alarms may also be monitored by the police or relayed to a telephone line.

Most burglar alarm systems are installed by professionals. In many cases, the company where one bought the alarm systems is the one responsible for the installation of the alarm system.

However, there are also alarm systems that can be installed by do-it-yourselfers. These alarm systems are being sold in kits. Every kit contains complete components that one needed for the installation. 

Before installing an alarm systems take note of the following considerations for a proper installation:

• The number of entry points in the house. Knowing how many entry points you have in your home will determine how many sensors you need to install. Entry points are not limited to doors. It can also be windows, fire exits, etc.

• The type of alarm system you brought. Is it a burglar alarm or a combination of a burglar alarm and a fire alarm? The more sensor types the complex the circuit will be.

• Note of the strategic place where you are going to put the control panel.

In installing the burglar alarm system, the very first component to be mounted must be the sounder or other known as the buzzer or bell. Think of where you want it to put. Most of the time, sounders are located in places that can easily be seen to warn off any burglar intending to break into the house. When the sounder is installed outside, one must make sure that it is mounted away from extreme heat or moisture. It is also advisable to enclose the sounder in a box to protect it from any atmospheric condition. Make sure also, that the sounder is placed in a way that it can be heard loudly.

After installing the sounder, the next component that must be installed is the sensors or the switches. Carefully install the sensors in edges of the windows and doors. Make sure that the magnet and the sensor is not too far from each other so that the sensor will have enough magnet reception. Do not put it otherwise too close to each other or else the magnet may sag to the sensor which can damage any of the component part.

Mount the wires neatly and integrate the rest of the components to the control panel. Test the system if it works properly by closing and opening the entry points. Make adjustments when there are components that do not work properly.

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The Basics of Home Security

Every homeowner needs to be active and aware of their home security concerns. With home invasions and break-ins on the rise, it is time to take some steps towards protecting your family and your valuable belongings. It would surprise most people to realize how simple it is for a burglar to break into their home. By following these simple steps, you can reduce the odds of coming home to discover your home has been broken into and your cherished valuables have been taken.

For a burglar, the three greatest enemies are noise, time, and light. If a burglar must make a lot of noise, take a lot of time, and work in a well-lit area to get into your home, chances are that he will not bother. In most cases, he will move onto an easier “mark”. These are things that work in the favor of homeowners. I always tell my clients that, in order to defeat the burglar, one must think like the burglar.

Take some time and “case” the exterior of your home for points of entry. Imagine yourself as a burglar. Where would you try to get in? Where are the security weaknesses? You could even conduct a little experiment, by locking your home and trying to break in. If you, honest citizen, can break into your home with relative ease you can be sure it will be no problem for an experienced thief to gain entry.

Doors and windows are the first places to check when assessing the security of a home or business. Make sure that your home is equipped with a hard wood or metal exterior door, that is at minimum 1

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Home Security System Basics

Government statistics reveal that 60% of burglaries on homes fitted with burglar alarms are unsuccessful, which proves that they can act as a useful deterrent in most cases. Burglars tend to search for less challenging targets than houses equipped with an alarm.

Choosing the right home security system can be overwhelming task, especially if you not acquainted with the basics. However, you

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Home Security

Your home is your haven where you feel comfortable and secure, and it should be the last thing you should have to worry about. Thanks to technology, now you can pick and choose from a variety of home security systems, residential alarm systems, installation kits, do-it-yourself electronic goods and services, and secure your home or business in an easy but effective way.

A home security system can foil the attempts of the burglars. In an advanced system, the control box will activate a siren or other loud alarm noise flashing outdoor lights and a telephone auto-dialer. This alerts the occupants and neighbors that someone has broken into the house. It drives the intruder away and cna inform the police which house has been broken into.

The telephone auto-dialer can dial the police directly and play a pre-recorded message giving the address of the house and any other relevant information. This message will usually play over and over again to allow the police to hear it even if the call is put on hold for some time. Alternatively, it can dial the security company that installed the equipment that will then relay this information to the police. They can even dial your cellphone to alert you!

Home security is a rapidly growing field, and there are new and improved burglar alarms being invented all the time. All these systems are more or less built around the same basic structure. There is a central control box that monitors several motion detectors and the perimeter guards and sounds an alarm when any of them are triggered.

It is now quite common to have burglar alarms installed not only in stores and other businesses, but in private homes as well. These systems range from inexpensive do-it-yourself kits to sophisticated whole-house security networks that must be installed by professionals. However, some of the most effective alarm systems are also the simplest. The most basic burglar alarm is a simple electric circuit built into an entry way; it is as effective as the family dog. But the problem with it is that the intruder can cut off the connection by snapping the wires and render it useless.

To overcome this flaw the modern burglar alarms incorporate the control box into the circuit. It has its own power supply and monitors the circuits and sounds the alarm. The control box won’t cut off the alarm until somebody enters a security code at a connected keypad. To make it even more secure, you should place the control box in an out-of-the-way spot, so the intruder can’t find it and try to destroy it.

Another simple option of home security is the basic floor mat that uses an open circuit design with two metal strips spaced apart. These metal strips are pushed together when somebody steps on the mat and the circuit is completed.

All of these circuit systems are effective home security devices for guarding the perimeter of a house or business from the points an intruder is likely to enter the building. Once the entry points are taken care of your home security system is in place and you can feel absolutely safe and secure in your house.

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Security In Your Home

Physical security is very important to a home owner. Your home is one of your most important possessions since this is where you and your loved ones reside.

Once you know that your home is safe from intruders, you can rest assured that your material and personal possessions as well as your loved ones, are secured.

There are several parts of your home that you need to secure by using electronic devices:

- The perimeter of your house to prevent burglars from intruding on your home.

- Enclosed areas within the house should be secured as well, in case of fire.

- Your garage should also have an intruder alarm to protect your vehicles, aside from the anti-theft device on the car itself.

It does not matter what style of life you lead. Home security should be and essential part of your budget to give you peace of mind. In addition to providing physical security in the home, your home security system should also help you find help should an emergency ensue.

Here are some tips when planning for the security of your home:

1. Make an initial survey of your house and from there, develop a home security plan.

Check all of the rooms and the area outside of your house. Determine if the neighbors have a clear view of what is going on within your house.

Having a very open area that can be easily observed by anyone from the outside may be a threat to your security.

2. When placing burglar alarms or intruder sensors, place them in strategic areas in and out of your house.

Home security need not be expensive. You do not need to put in alarms and sensors on each and every part of the house.

As long as they are installed on the proper places, then your house will be secured enough.

3. Review your way of living and the size of your family.

Do you often have visitors who may roam around freely? Do you have a member of the family who may come inside the house in the middle of the night?

These factors will help you decide on the “level” of security system that you will install on your home.

4. You can place sensors within your house. These sensors can be installed on windows to alarm you of intruders.

In addition, you may install sensors within the house, specifically in hallways, to warn you of intruders within the house.

5. Place fire alarms in areas around the house which is most likely to gather heat or smoke.

An unusual level of smoke, fire or heat can easily be detected to warn you of impending fire threats.

6. There are mechanical locks and sensors that you can install on doors for good measure.

7. For households with babies, you may purchase a baby monitor or a video surveillance.

A video security system in your house will give you peace of mind. You may also “automate” your home, and watch your children from your TV screen so that you can keep track of what they are doing.

Whether you choose to install it yourself or get the services of a company which specializes in building security systems, home security should not be taken for granted.

You should put in extra time and effort in order to ensure that you and your family have a happy and physically secure environment.

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Let’s look at locks.

History

From the beginning of humankind people have felt the urge to protect what they possess. They start by covering the entrance of their caves with stones; later they hid their gold and jewels in the ground.

Then they discovered locks. These were first made of wood and rope. They served the purpose well, although they were not so nicely designed. There is a lot of historical proof which certifies the use of locks long before we could imagine. Even in the Bible (Old Testament, Books of Judges) we have frequent mention of locks and keys.

Types

In modern society we have keys and locks for everything: the house, the office, the car, the bike. We even have more than one key for the same building; keys and locks are so much a part of our daily routine that we don’t take them into consideration (or maybe we do that only when the ring of keys is too heavy to be placed in our pockets).

But we do give a lot of thought when we have to pick the type of lock or the type of key. Basically we are talking about mechanical locks (based on mechanical activation of the keys) electro-mechanical locks (can be both mechanical or electrical activated, but usually the key is replaced with numbered buttons that have to be pressed) and electrical locks (activated by a card key that has a particular code, programmed to be read by a card reader which is controlled by an automated central or a local processor).

How to pick the lock?

It is not as complicated as we think, but also not as easy as it appears in a lot of movies. Some say that this requires both art and science. We have to have a good knowledge of the lock mechanism and, some practice.

Firstly we insert a tension wrench in the lock (a screwdriver for example) and, with a slight pressure, turn the plug (the lock cylinder) like the proper key would have done (we have to figure out what is the normal direction for the key to be turned). It will help create a small place between the lock pins (placed inside the lock). Then we have to insert a lock pick in order to lift them up (like the proper key will do when inserted in the lock). Doing this and continuing to apply pressure on the tension wrench we will hear a slight click (made by the pins when they fall in the right position) and the lock will be unlocked.

For unsophisticated locks we can use a metal hair pin as a lock pick. But professional locksmiths need an adequate pick tools kit. Basically this contains a tension wrench (they have different shapes and sizes) and several picks(long pieces of metal which are curved up at one end). Some can use an electrical pick gun (contains long pieces of metal and when they vibrate push the pins up and unlock the lock).

Re keying lock

The process of re keying is quite simple (takes couple of minutes) and it shouldn’t be confused with the process of replacing a lock. Actually it consists of disassembling the lock cylinder and replacing all the old lock pins with new ones, to match the new key. Then the cylinder is reinstalled in the lock!

When for example a member of the family loses the house key we can assume that a burglar has it. We should immediately re key the house lock to prevent a potential theft. It doesn’t cost a lot in time and money, but it can spare us a big stress. The same procedure is advisable when moving into a new house/apartment.

The better the lock is, the harder it will be for a burglar to break in!

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