Your garage door is an entry to your home. And, if you’re like many people, you may not lock the door into your home. It may not make a difference. If a thief can get into your garage, they can shut the garage door and take all the time they want to break into your home.

Here are 8 Tips to Make your Garage Safer.

1. Unplug. If you’re going away for a weekend or a longer vacation, unplug your automatic garage door. Sure, you’ll have to have someone go through the front door and plug it back in before you can pull into the garage. That’s a small inconvenience for making it harder for a thief to enter while you’re away!
2. Make The Emergency Release Tamper-Proof. You may have seen it on TV – if not it’s on the Internet. Watch a thief break into a garage door with just a wire clothes hanger by hooking the emergency release. The fix is very low tech. Get a zip tie and tie the emergency release lever to the track. That’s a “how to” that’s also available on the Internet.
3. Go High Tech. Consider one of the new automatic openers that let you control the door from your smart phone. Someone left it open? You don’t have to worry or run home – you can close it. Another option is an automatic opener that closes the door after a certain length of time.
4. Light It. Put motion-activated lights on the outside of your garage. No power plugs? Select from the many new solar light option. You’re not using any power and they come in motion-activated models.
5. Lock Your Car. Lock it up all the time! If you keep your garage door opener in it (that’s not the best idea), it’s super important. At least lock that opener in the glove compartment! It’s best to lock your car even when it’s parked in the garage.
6. Lock The Door. The door between the garage and your house should meet the same standards as your front door. Make sure it’s not hollow-core (law may require that it’s fire rated) and it should have a deadbolt. If someone accesses your garage, make it hard for them to get inside.
7. Out Of Sight Is A Good Thing. If your garage is filled with expensive power tools or anything else that is either expensive or precious to you, put it in a box or a cabinet. Don’t leave them hanging out in plain sight. Another good step, frost the windows or put up blinds.
8. What’s Your Code? If you’ve moved up to a key pad on the outside, give that code some thought. Your address or 1-2-3-4 probably isn’t your best bet. It’s easy for a thief to try 0-0-0-0 or something that simple to see if it works.

Be sensible. Good safety habits and locked doors all protect what’s in your garage and your home. Keep your things and your home safe – and, keep your family safe. Be sure to have a yearly garage checkup from a registered garage door service company at least once a year to make sure those high-tension springs and cables are in good shape and there’s no accident waiting to happen.

Gas makes an instant, efficient and reliable form of energy which explains why it is a popular choice for many households. But just like any other energy form, you need to be careful around your home so that you minimize accidents. Here are a few tips that can help you live with your gas supply safely at home to enjoy its many benefits in the different household areas.

Installation

Safe installation should be your priority when it comes to gas around your home. It is actually only through proper installation that your appliances will manage to work correctly and efficiently so start by focusing on proper installation.

Get a registered gas fitter to handle the installation or make any gas supply alterations that are necessary in your home. When you use a registered fitter, you can be sure that everything from appliances to ventilation is in working order.

If yours is a new gas installation, ensure that the fitter gives you a certificate showing that the work was completed according to regulations and also manufacturer recommendations for safety purposes.

Never try to make any changes to your gas system, however simple it might look in your eyes. Instead, always get a certified gas expert to evaluate the problem and offer the best solution.

Maintenance

For the sake of efficiency and safety, ensure that your appliance gets regular checks from a competent, authorized expert. Most energy providers supplying gas can offer such services so you can take advantage of them for your safety at home.

Ensure also that all your gas appliances are serviced on a regular basis. If you are not sure how often the servicing should be, contact your appliance retailer or get assistance from your gas fitter or expert. Space heaters need to be serviced annually and so do most of other appliances.

Ensure that a gas worker working on other issues around your home does not leave without checking how safe and efficient your gas appliances are. Most plumbers are registered gas fitters so you can also ask they check your appliances.

Handling an emergency

One of the things you cannot forget to do once you become a gas consumer is to know the signs of a leak. The good thing about natural gas and also LPG is that they have an odor so that it is easy for you to tell when there is a leak. Rotten egg like smell or smell that is similar to garlic is usually the first sign of a leak. As soon as you suspect that you have a leak even when you really cannot smell anything, you should:

· Turn off your gas supply

· Turn off the gas appliances that were on

· Extinguish any naked flames and avoid lighting any matches or open fires

· Open your windows and doors to ventilate your home

· Immediately call your gas fitter if you still do not know what the problem was or you just want to be sure that all is well.

We all want our pets to keep us safe but there are times when you may need to make sure that your pets are safe as well. Using a Vimtag camera can help you to keep an eye on your pets while you are away from them. The Vimtag cameras are easy to use and watch the recordings.

Watch Dogs

Yes, people have dogs in their homes as companions but there are just as many people that have dogs in their homes to help to keep them safe. Your dogs can be valuable to you while you are at home and while you are not at home. If the dogs tend stay in certain areas of your home while you are away, it is probably a good idea to place security cameras in the area to keep an eye on your dogs. It is important that you know what your dog is going to do if an intruder would try to enter into your home. You may also want to keep an eye on your dog just to see what they are doing when you are not at home. Your dog may need some extra training on what he should be doing while you are away from your home.

Sick Pets

Another great use that you can get out of these types of cameras is to keep an eye on your pets that are sick. It is always best to be around your pets when they are sick but we all know that this is definitely not something that everyone is able to do all of the time. These cameras should be placed in parts of your home where the sick pet is at. If you have to place your pet in a crate, it will be super easy to keep an eye on your pet while you are away from your home. If you let your pet have a run of the house, you just need to place the cameras in different parts of your home so you can keep an eye on your sick pet while you are away from him. Placing these security cameras in your home to keep an eye on your sick pets will definitely give you a peace of mind when you have to be away from them. These cameras will also let you know how your pet is acting while you are away from them and what types of things you may need to do to keep your pet safe and more comfortable while you are away from them.

Conclusion

A Vimtag camera is a perfect type of security camera that you can place in your home to keep an eye on your pets while you are away from them. You can place the cameras in your home if you want to keep an eye on your pets that are supposed to be keeping a careful watch on your home while you are away. There are many people that like to use these cameras just to keep an eye on their pets while they are away, such as having a sick pet.

Crime rate is constantly increasing. You will never know if you are a victim unless an incident actually occurs. Whether you are at home or outside, happenings are unpredictable. If talking about our loved ones, for sure you do not want them to exposed to any danger. Thus, in order to keep your home and loved ones away from possible confrontation with intruders or burglars, you should start installing a home security system.

What are the best security system devices that are most ideal for home use?

CCTV System

This security system works in multiple ways. It is a perfect device to keep an eye on burglars and intruders to your property, and even best fit to monitor the whole happenings inside your house, suchlike your napping baby and errant housemaids. Moreover, CCTV systems are also very useful whenever you are away from home. All occurrences back in your house can be monitored remotely through mobile and PC access that are connected to the Internet.

Any events will be recorded. If something undesirable thing happened in your property, like burglary, the recorded event can serve as strong evidence against the criminal whom personality has been identified through the video.

Alarm System

This type of security system is another potential to help maintain the security level around your house. There are two options to consider before you buy an alarm system: (1) You can choose the type that connects the device to a monitoring center in order to notify the law enforcement whenever there are suspected intrusions, or (2) you choose the one that only makes noise, giving you time to escape and call for help.

Intercom System

This security system has a number of features. Multiple rooms can be monitored at all times, depending on the areas where you desired to install the devices. It can come with a front door and/ or to interior areas. Additionally, the intercom system allows the dwellers from inside to communicate with the individual outside. This is valuable for risk-dealing, since the house owner need not have to open the door for someone outside until he assures his safety.

If you are willing to add a home security device in your home, any of the mentioned above, you should be careful upon choosing your product. Suppliers are also susceptible to provide flaws. So, consider the legitimacy of the supplier beforehand, the device’s brand name, features, and that provides the finest combination of first-rate monitoring services.

Whether you are choosing a CCTV surveillance system for your home or office, there is a need to make the right choice. In the digital world, IP cameras are becoming more and more popular since they have sophisticated ability to monitor, record and review activity outside and inside a property. The market however has so many choices, making it important to take a few things into consideration before making the final decision with your system or when upgrading the current system that you have.

1. The security needs

Defining your security needs should be the first step towards finding the best system to serve those needs. The fact is what works for your neighbors might not be the right choice for you. It is important that you base your selection on the exact needs you have. For instance, are you looking to record building or car park access? Do you want to deter thieves and intruders? Do you want round the clock surveillance? Or do you want to monitor of movement on given areas of the property at given times? They are all questions that can help you make the right decision fast and easy.

2. The basic requirements

CCTV systems are made of cameras, hardware and software depending on the recording facility offered. Analogue cameras send the video signals to central locations through copper cables while the more sophisticated IP cameras now produce digital signals that are used on IP networks to convey the images. Your requirements such as the number of cameras and type of camera will depend on the surveillance area extent and the subjects.

3. The recording options

With the CCTV systems, you can store the images on the camera, digital video recorder or on a computer. When using an IP camera, the output is recorded digitally without any changes, whereas for analogue cameras the images must be digitized before storing. It is important to remember that with software and DVRs, you will have the ability to record a number of channels such as get images from more than one camera at a go without camera type limits. Analogue cameras on the other hand can limit the number of channels to be recorded in relation to the physical connections, image quality and length of storage time.

4. Camera features

Fixed position or one location monitoring can be a success using analogue cameras, but an IP camera offers more flexibility since it gives greater detail and covers a greater range besides offering high definition images. The IP cameras also don’t require separate power supply and have audio recording features. Both cameras have infrared technologies to make image capturing effective during the day and night. When making your choice, go through the features and decide which one best fit into your needs and expectations.

5. Intelligent security

When choosing, it helps to determine opportunities you have with the system to get to more intelligent security. For instance, can you integrate it with other security systems for the best results? CCTV cameras can be integrated with others such as intruder alarms to enhance security in your area. Consider all possibilities and only then make a choice.

Home safety is taken to a whole new level with the introduction of CCTV security systems. The system can actually be integrated into any other security system you have in your home for enhanced security. It can be integrated into your home alarm system for any other security features you have. Nothing is better than having the ability to enjoy your home and this can be hard to do when you are constantly worrying about your security, the security of your family or the security of your valuables.

Considering what a great investment the home is, installing a reliable security system is definitely worth it. A CCTV security system installed in your residential area will give you peace whether you are relaxing in your home or are away. Your system comes with a bunch of benefits for your home.

The Benefits

• With the system in place, you can go run your errands far from home and not have to worry about anything. This is especially true when you have the system integrated with other systems such as an alarm system.
• You can get to monitor the happenings around your home, even when you are away. It is made possible by IP cameras that send signals digitally making it possible to access the footage online. You can make security alerts in case something seems suspicious from what you see.
• The system will serve as a scarecrow greatly minimizing the crimes on your property. The truth is nobody wants to get anywhere near a surveillance camera, especially if they have bad intentions. Thieves, burglars and intruders will keep off your property as soon as they notice the surveillance cameras keeping your property safe and secure at all times.
• You can use the CCTV system to keep an eye on your nanny or babysitter. If you are curious about what happens when you are not around, the cameras can give insight on what exactly happens. You can determine how good the nanny or baby sitter is. You can use unique cameras that are designed like common objects and household items. Pen cameras are some of the most popular.
• With the system in place, you don’t have to worry about your valuables even when hosting strangers in your home like cleaners, plumbers or other service providers. Those with hidden intentions will definitely change their mind on noticing the cameras.
• You get all important details of the day’s events 24 hours. The watchful electronic eyes never sleep and will keep surveillance round the clock for your convenience. Some can still run even when there is power failure because they come with batteries that keep running for hours.
• With the right system in place, you don’t need any security personnel. It is a cheaper option, especially since you only need to have it installed once. CCTV systems of good quality and professionally installed have low maintenance giving you security control at a reasonable price.
• In case of a robbery, you can collect helpful evidence from your footages.

Are you taking enough care of your home? I mean the security system – is your home well protected against theft or burglary. FBI 2012 crime report revealed one in every thirty-six homes in USA becomes the target of burglars. According to the 2013 crime report there was an average property loss of $4.5 billion from burglary. In many cases (nearly 30 percent) burglars have managed to gain access to a home through unlocked doors and windows. If the residents had installed a security system and an alarm pad, burglars could be stopped from vandalizing or stealing their precious belongings.

A rising number of homes and businesses are installing CCTV security cameras to prevent intrusion. With a camera installed in your property, you can easily identify the suspect. You can also use the CCTV footage as evidence to help the police capture the criminal quickly. Besides, if you install security cameras, burglars will not dare to enter your property out of fear you will recognize them. They will instead move to some other place rather than entering your home.

Burglars keep an eye on a neighborhood to find at what time people leave their home. They peep inside the rooms to find if anyone inside. If your property is empty, he will gain entrance without anyone noticing him. It is a good idea to invest in an alarming pad that immediately rings when thieves get access to your home. You should keep the alarm pad near the front door to trigger as soon as a burglar breaks in.

In spite of tremendous work pressure or urgency, make it a point to check all your door and window locks before leaving the house. Unchecked property is what a thief looks for. You must always be alert about your locality, people on the streets, etc. Raise an alarm if you find someone watching your house or you every day. Talk to the police to take necessary steps for ensuring full security of your property.

There are some tricks you can do to protect your residence from break-in. For example, leave a light on when going out or switch on the television. It will create an impression that there is someone inside although the property is empty.

A good thing to do is buy CCTV cameras and install it in all important locations. It is a good idea to buy cameras that you can easily hide from people. Install the cameras at a height to prevent anyone disrupt the recording. You will get different types of cameras in the market such as dome IP or megapixel cameras, infrared cameras with night vision feature, zoom-in security cameras, wired, and wireless cameras. Choose a security system wisely analyzing your specific needs. If you want to check activities inside, you should invest in cameras offering best indoor surveillance. For outdoor monitoring, you should buy weather-proof and vandal-proof cameras.

It is advisable to constantly check the video footage of all CCTV cameras to raise an alarm when you find something suspicious. You can watch the video recordings from the comfort of your home and find whether anyone is keeping an eye on your residential or commercial property.

Your just moved into a brand-new house or apartment, the last thing you need to worry about are the locks, right? Wrong. Most home builders are using construction type locks. These are locks that have two combinations. The first combination is used when the house is under construction, keys are given to all the sub-contractors so they can get into the house. At closing, someone will insert the user key into the locks. This is supposed to render the first combination inoperable and make the second combination, your combination, operable.

In a perfect world with perfect locks this may work. Any lock with more than one combination is by design less secure. So, my recommendation is to have the locks rekeyed by a locksmith professional or replace them. If you choose to replace them you can go to a Bog Box store for medium security locks or call someone such as Locking Systems International for high security locks.

Electronic locks have come down in price and have additional features; such as being able to integrate with your home automation system, alarm system or both. Electronic locks have come a long way in the past year. They can communicate by Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and cell. Their best feature is access control. You control who has access to your house. It saves exit and entry information with date and time, this tells you the exact time your daughter return from a date.

Make sure that all doors to the outside, including the door to your garage have a deadbolt lock installed. Some builders make this an option, if it is get it. Once your locks are taken care of it’s time to consider an alarm system. These are available from full service alarm dealers, big box stores and do it yourself alarm companies (found on-line).

Some new homes have Wi-Fi systems and repeater pods already installed. If so, make sure that you secure them with the newest security protocols and don’t forget to change the default password. Use a strong one. While on the Wi-Fi subject, make sure that all your Wi-Fi devices are secured with new passwords. Did you know that refrigerators, washers and dryers, air conditioner units and baby monitors all have Wi-Fi installed? If yours has Wi-Fi and you are not going to use it, it would be wise to disable it.

As with all security it is better to be proactive and think about these things before you move in.

Home fires usually happen in the kitchens while people are cooking and it is one of the leading causes of fire injuries. The most common reasons for fires that happen at night time are careless discarding of cigarettes, fireplaces that sparked on doors, heating equipment or appliances that were left so close to flammable materials or furniture. This type of fire can be very dangerous because they can last for a long time without being known by the sleeping family. Fires at home are highly preventable. Just follow these easy steps to prevent this huge trouble.

When handling electrical things or appliances

1. Make sure to replace worn out or damaged electrical cords immediately and do not run cords under your furniture or rugs. Worn out cords can ignite or start a fire.

2. Purchase appliances and electric products that passed the UL standards or Underwriters Laboratories. This means they have been evaluated thoroughly.

3. If the appliance has a 3 prong plug, make sure to use an outlet with 3 slots. Do not force fitting it into an outlet with 2 slots. This can also start a fire.

4. Replace flickering lights and switches that become hot. Immediately shut it off when you notice these changes.

When in the Kitchen

1. When cooking stay in the kitchen even when you are just broiling food. Turn the stove off if you have to leave the kitchen especially when you are grilling or frying.

2. When cooking make sure the clothes you wear won’t catch fire from the stove.

3. Do not boil anything or cook anything when you feel too tired, sleepy or drunk.

4. Keep kids away from the cooking area. The stove should be a child free area.

5. Place your barbecue grills ten feet away from any deck or side railings and avoid the tree or plant branches

When Smoking

1. Smoking should be done outside the house as much as possible. Most fires that happen at home started because of smoking materials placed inside the house. Put out your cigarettes in container sand filled.

2. Ensure always that the cigarettes and the ashes have been put out. Soak the ashes and the butts with water before you throw it away. Never make the mistake of tossing a hot cigarette butt in your trash can.

3. Check your sofa, cushions and chairs for cigarette butts, these things can catch fire quickly and burn rapidly.

4. Never smoke if you are using oxygen at home even when it is off. It can be very explosive.

5. Be cautious and alert – never smoke in bed. Make sure to put out your cigarette first before completely dozing off.

When Handling Fireplaces

1. Cleaning and inspection of woodstove piping and chimneys should be done monthly to check for any obstruction and damage. It can also be an annual thorough inspection.

2. Do not make the mistake of burning paper and trash.

3. Ensure that the fire in the fireplace has been put out before sleeping or before leaving.

4. Keep the cold ashes in a sealed container typically metal kind outside the house.

Installing Smoke and Flame Detection Solutions

1. The latest technology for flame and smoke detection are video based flame and smoke detection solutions. They are IP cameras with a digital signal processing chip inside that can take notice of flame and smoke in less than one minute. The chip set has the algorithms that does the processing of the analyses to provide the results whether there is indeed smoke or flame.

These are some basic tips that can help you achieve a good sleep and a peaceful mind knowing your home will be fire proof and safe.

We live in an age where you need to be fully aware of what is going on around you. This is especially necessary in your home as you need to ensure that your family is secure. Due to the many house burglaries, people have deemed it a necessity to secure their homes with alarm systems and CCTV cameras.

The reality is that CCTV cameras have multiple benefits which includes being able to view your property at any time, to deter criminals, and to capture burglaries on camera. This allows the police to identify the criminals and it gives a good idea of what was stolen for more accurate insurance claims.

The best way to secure your home is with a complete CCTV kit which is also referred to as an AHD DVR Kit. Firstly you need to assess where in or around your home you want to place the cameras. Then you need to determine how many cameras you will need. Next you can search for a CCTV kit that suits your requirements.

An AHD DVR Kit is a complete solution that includes all the necessities for setting up your surveillance. Generally, it includes the following:

• A DVR
• Cameras
• HDD Drive
• Monitor
• Warning Board
• Cables
• DC Lead
• Power Supply
• BNC Crimps

You will find that there are different options available with these AHD DVR Kits, such as the number of cameras, the size of the hard drive, the size of the monitor, length of cables, etc. It is important that you assess your home to ensure that you get the correct size kit for your needs. In all cases it is best to get high resolution cameras. You don’t want to get to the day when a break in occurs and you can’t identify the criminals because the image and their faces are blurred.

At the very least, you need to secure the four corners of your home outside so that you can get a full view of the activity in your front yard and back yard. Then you can secure the inside of your home. Set up the cameras to face the main entrances into your home as well as the main passage.

Securing your home with CCTV and security solutions will make you feel safer as it will deter would-be burglars and it will allow you capture burglars on camera. Be sure to invest in quality cameras for the best results.