Home Security
Low Cost Home Security, Protecting Your Home Within Your Budget
by admin on Jan.29, 2010, under Home Security
At some point in our lives, or another, most of us find ourselves on a limited budget. We are constantly telling ourselves that we cannot afford this and we cannot afford that.
Sometimes we make the assumption that we can’t afford something before we investigate the cost involved. Do you make that mistake with your home security?
Perhaps we would all like the latest all singing, all dancing home security system, but maybe we are unable to stretch our budget to afford it just at the present. However, not being able to afford the very best in home security technology does not mean that we should neglect the security of our homes altogether, in fact it would be very foolish to do so.
Many of the most effective steps that you can take to keep the burglar out of your home do not involve technological wizardry at all, and are in fact common sense, low cost home security ideas.
Do you lock up every time that you leave your home, locking all windows and exterior doors? Yes, skilled burglars can defeat locks, but many burglaries are committed by unskilled opportunist thieves who look for the door or window left unlocked. How much does it cost to get into the habit of locking up when you leave?
How about your yard, is it overgrown, does it provide cover for an intruder? Keeping bushes and shrubbery trimmed to a reasonable height will deny burglars the opportunity to work unseen while they attempt to break into your home.
Displaying home security decals may make a burglar pass by your home. Will security decals and yard signs fool a burglar into thinking that you have a security system? Possibly not, but they may make a less experienced burglar think twice and if he is unsure he will likely move on. Home security decals are so low cost as to suit anyone’s budget.
A very effective and very low cost method of protecting your home is belonging to your local neighborhood watch. It doesn’t get better than this, neighbor looking out for neighbor, and the monetary cost is hardly anything at all. Neighborhood watch does cost you a little of your time though, members have to be actively involved for it to work. But you can afford a little time to protect your home and neighborhood.
Leave some lighting on when you go out, a home that is occupied is likely to have lighting on in more than one room, so to make the impression that somebody is at home leave at least two rooms lit up. Better still, use low cost timers to switch lights on at random times.
Other Low Cost Home Security Solutions.
Okay, so you can do a lot to improve the security of your home without spending out on technology. But you and your family may feel more secure if your home is protected by some sort of security system. Do they all cost the earth? No, there are many home security systems that can be labeled low cost.
It is often the case that when new products, including home security systems, are launched they carry a price tag that is on the high side. Then after a time the price settles at a more reasonable level. Could it be that home security devices and systems are now more affordable that when you last checked?
Most security systems are expandable. You could protect your home with a low cost home security system that covers the basics and add more sensors and detectors as your budget allows.
Whilst there is nothing that makes your home absolutely burglar proof, there are many low cost home security ideas that you can employ that will help to keep the burglar out of your home.
Sometimes we make the assumption that we can’t afford something before we investigate the cost involved. Do you make that mistake with your home security?
Perhaps we would all like the latest all singing, all dancing home security system, but maybe we are unable to stretch our budget to afford it just at the present. However, not being able to afford the very best in home security technology does not mean that we should neglect the security of our homes altogether, in fact it would be very foolish to do so.
Many of the most effective steps that you can take to keep the burglar out of your home do not involve technological wizardry at all, and are in fact common sense, low cost home security ideas.
Do you lock up every time that you leave your home, locking all windows and exterior doors? Yes, skilled burglars can defeat locks, but many burglaries are committed by unskilled opportunist thieves who look for the door or window left unlocked. How much does it cost to get into the habit of locking up when you leave?
How about your yard, is it overgrown, does it provide cover for an intruder? Keeping bushes and shrubbery trimmed to a reasonable height will deny burglars the opportunity to work unseen while they attempt to break into your home.
Displaying home security decals may make a burglar pass by your home. Will security decals and yard signs fool a burglar into thinking that you have a security system? Possibly not, but they may make a less experienced burglar think twice and if he is unsure he will likely move on. Home security decals are so low cost as to suit anyone’s budget.
A very effective and very low cost method of protecting your home is belonging to your local neighborhood watch. It doesn’t get better than this, neighbor looking out for neighbor, and the monetary cost is hardly anything at all. Neighborhood watch does cost you a little of your time though, members have to be actively involved for it to work. But you can afford a little time to protect your home and neighborhood.
Leave some lighting on when you go out, a home that is occupied is likely to have lighting on in more than one room, so to make the impression that somebody is at home leave at least two rooms lit up. Better still, use low cost timers to switch lights on at random times.
Other Low Cost Home Security Solutions.
Okay, so you can do a lot to improve the security of your home without spending out on technology. But you and your family may feel more secure if your home is protected by some sort of security system. Do they all cost the earth? No, there are many home security systems that can be labeled low cost.
It is often the case that when new products, including home security systems, are launched they carry a price tag that is on the high side. Then after a time the price settles at a more reasonable level. Could it be that home security devices and systems are now more affordable that when you last checked?
Most security systems are expandable. You could protect your home with a low cost home security system that covers the basics and add more sensors and detectors as your budget allows.
Whilst there is nothing that makes your home absolutely burglar proof, there are many low cost home security ideas that you can employ that will help to keep the burglar out of your home.
The Advantage of a Home Inventory List
by admin on Jan.24, 2010, under Home Security
OK, the worst has happened. You have arrived home to discover that you have had an uninvited visitor.
The door to your abode is ajar when it should be firmly locked and the place has been ransacked. You experience a raft of emotions, anger, fear, shock, even regret and foolishness that you didn’t get around to beefing up your home security as you had often promised yourself that you would do.
Crime reported, craftsman called in to repair the door and fit a more secure lock. Place straightened up. What now? You have insurance that lightens the burden a little. You will need to make a claim.
So what exactly was stolen?
Well there was the television, the empty space that it used to occupy before the low life burglar carried it away was one of the first things that you noticed when you arrived home to discover the burglary. What brand was it and which model? What was the serial number?
You can remember the brand, that’s a start, but you don’t have a clue as to the model or the serial number.
How much did you pay for it and how long did you have it? Can’t remember the exact cost, only a very vague figure comes to mind but you are quite sure that you purchased the television two years ago, wait a second, time flies it could have been three years ago.
And that is just one item. What about all the rest of your stuff that was stolen? Can you name the make and model of the CD player that you had rigged up in the den, its age and cost?
How about those family heirlooms that you kept in a box in a draw, all gone now. Do you know their value? How about grandfather’s pocket watch, can you describe it accurately? Did it have Roman or Arabic numerals on the dial?
A burglary is a bad enough thing to suffer, but a house fire is likely to take all of your possessions away from you. How do you make your claim to the insurance company then? How can you possibly remember, in the aftermath of such a trauma, every single thing that you have lost that was of any value?
The answer is to take action before the event. Make an inventory of all your possessions, listing the date of purchase, the cost and where applicable any serial numbers.
Having an inventory of all the valuables in your home could prove to be just what you need should you suffer a burglary, fire or other disaster. The list would help you to assess exactly what has been stolen or damaged – a very difficult thing to do if you rely on memory alone. And the information about the age and value of your belongings is exactly what your insurance company will need to know when you make a claim.
Your insurance company will want you to justify the amount that you are claiming and your home inventory list can make all the difference. If you keep your inventory up to date by recording new items you buy, and by keeping photographic records of your possessions you can greatly improve your chances of success if it comes to making a claim on your insurance.
If you are compiling your home inventory list yourself you will find the task much easier if you use downloadable inventory software, many examples of which are available online. The other option is to use a home inventory service.
Most homeowners find using a home inventory specialist brings many advantages.
The service will either help you with explicit advice on how to prepare your inventory or, better still, organize and carry out the job for you. Should you experience a loss through burglary, fire or flood the home inventory service will present your claim to your insurance company in a preferred format. This will often mean that your claim is settled sooner and fuller. In the event of making a large claim you will appreciate a settlement as soon as possible.
The door to your abode is ajar when it should be firmly locked and the place has been ransacked. You experience a raft of emotions, anger, fear, shock, even regret and foolishness that you didn’t get around to beefing up your home security as you had often promised yourself that you would do.
Crime reported, craftsman called in to repair the door and fit a more secure lock. Place straightened up. What now? You have insurance that lightens the burden a little. You will need to make a claim.
So what exactly was stolen?
Well there was the television, the empty space that it used to occupy before the low life burglar carried it away was one of the first things that you noticed when you arrived home to discover the burglary. What brand was it and which model? What was the serial number?
You can remember the brand, that’s a start, but you don’t have a clue as to the model or the serial number.
How much did you pay for it and how long did you have it? Can’t remember the exact cost, only a very vague figure comes to mind but you are quite sure that you purchased the television two years ago, wait a second, time flies it could have been three years ago.
And that is just one item. What about all the rest of your stuff that was stolen? Can you name the make and model of the CD player that you had rigged up in the den, its age and cost?
How about those family heirlooms that you kept in a box in a draw, all gone now. Do you know their value? How about grandfather’s pocket watch, can you describe it accurately? Did it have Roman or Arabic numerals on the dial?
A burglary is a bad enough thing to suffer, but a house fire is likely to take all of your possessions away from you. How do you make your claim to the insurance company then? How can you possibly remember, in the aftermath of such a trauma, every single thing that you have lost that was of any value?
The answer is to take action before the event. Make an inventory of all your possessions, listing the date of purchase, the cost and where applicable any serial numbers.
Having an inventory of all the valuables in your home could prove to be just what you need should you suffer a burglary, fire or other disaster. The list would help you to assess exactly what has been stolen or damaged – a very difficult thing to do if you rely on memory alone. And the information about the age and value of your belongings is exactly what your insurance company will need to know when you make a claim.
Your insurance company will want you to justify the amount that you are claiming and your home inventory list can make all the difference. If you keep your inventory up to date by recording new items you buy, and by keeping photographic records of your possessions you can greatly improve your chances of success if it comes to making a claim on your insurance.
If you are compiling your home inventory list yourself you will find the task much easier if you use downloadable inventory software, many examples of which are available online. The other option is to use a home inventory service.
Most homeowners find using a home inventory specialist brings many advantages.
The service will either help you with explicit advice on how to prepare your inventory or, better still, organize and carry out the job for you. Should you experience a loss through burglary, fire or flood the home inventory service will present your claim to your insurance company in a preferred format. This will often mean that your claim is settled sooner and fuller. In the event of making a large claim you will appreciate a settlement as soon as possible.
Is That Burglar Really so Stupid?
by admin on Sep.24, 2009, under Home Security
We’ve all read them and laughed at them, those stories about stupid burglars doing the dumbest of things whilst attempting to commit a crime and getting themselves arrested instead.
Like deciding to take a nap on the victim’s bed and still be laying there when the police arrive. Or getting stuck half way through a window, or leaving their wallet at the scene of the crime, or filming themselves with the victim’s video camera.
They get caught because they do stupid, dumb things.
Let’s face it these news stories are amusing. We read them and have a good chuckle to ourselves, perhaps even taking a little comfort from the news that those who would take our hard earned possessions are plainly inept and clueless.
But isn’t there a danger in those stories? Couldn’t these news reports lull us into being a little lax about our home security? After all, if burglars are so dumb there is no need to pay too much attention to protecting our homes right?
Is it not better to think of the housebreaker as having a few brain cells and protect your home accordingly? Are you tempted to ‘hide’ a spare key just in case you lock yourself out of your home. You likely would not choose to hide it under the welcome mat because that is a little obvious, but think of this, wherever you think to hide the key a burglar can think to look. Don’t hide keys, the burglar is smart enough to find them.
Given the choice which home do you think the burglar will pick to attempt to rob. The home with a garden full of overgrown plants and bushes that provide shadows for the thief to work unseen, or the home with a maintained garden that gives a clear view of the house, so that neighbors and passers by can easily spot an intruder. The burglar does have the savvy to keep out of sight, do all that you can to deny him cover from being seen and you will increase the chance that he will leave your home alone.
So whilst it is true that dumb criminals do exist, and even intelligent burglars make dumb mistakes, (so that the newspapers can publish those stupid burglar stories,) it pays to remember that the average criminal will apply at least a little thought to carrying out his wicked trade.
Do not be tempted to think of the housebreaker as a fool. He may think that honest citizens are fools enough to work long hours to fill their homes with goodies just so he can steal them. But the honest citizens should be wise enough to do all they can to protect their homes and families. Not thinking criminals to be dumb, and putting in place intelligent home security, reduces the chance of being burgled, the statistics prove it.
Like deciding to take a nap on the victim’s bed and still be laying there when the police arrive. Or getting stuck half way through a window, or leaving their wallet at the scene of the crime, or filming themselves with the victim’s video camera.
They get caught because they do stupid, dumb things.
Let’s face it these news stories are amusing. We read them and have a good chuckle to ourselves, perhaps even taking a little comfort from the news that those who would take our hard earned possessions are plainly inept and clueless.
But isn’t there a danger in those stories? Couldn’t these news reports lull us into being a little lax about our home security? After all, if burglars are so dumb there is no need to pay too much attention to protecting our homes right?
Is it not better to think of the housebreaker as having a few brain cells and protect your home accordingly? Are you tempted to ‘hide’ a spare key just in case you lock yourself out of your home. You likely would not choose to hide it under the welcome mat because that is a little obvious, but think of this, wherever you think to hide the key a burglar can think to look. Don’t hide keys, the burglar is smart enough to find them.
Given the choice which home do you think the burglar will pick to attempt to rob. The home with a garden full of overgrown plants and bushes that provide shadows for the thief to work unseen, or the home with a maintained garden that gives a clear view of the house, so that neighbors and passers by can easily spot an intruder. The burglar does have the savvy to keep out of sight, do all that you can to deny him cover from being seen and you will increase the chance that he will leave your home alone.
So whilst it is true that dumb criminals do exist, and even intelligent burglars make dumb mistakes, (so that the newspapers can publish those stupid burglar stories,) it pays to remember that the average criminal will apply at least a little thought to carrying out his wicked trade.
Do not be tempted to think of the housebreaker as a fool. He may think that honest citizens are fools enough to work long hours to fill their homes with goodies just so he can steal them. But the honest citizens should be wise enough to do all they can to protect their homes and families. Not thinking criminals to be dumb, and putting in place intelligent home security, reduces the chance of being burgled, the statistics prove it.
