Driveway Alarms - How to Secure Your Carport, Driveway and Garage
By Richard W Henderson
One of the most common errors in configuring a Home Security System is neglecting to integrate a driveway alarm and garage alarm, which monitors access to the driveway, the carport, and/or the garage. Many a criminal has won access to a home by "thinking like a car" - and exploiting this common security loophole.
Start with the garage door opener. Particularly if you have a keypad permitting manual access, be sure to change the factory code so that a well-informed burglar can't simply enter one of the common presets and walk in uninvited. Keypads should be mounted under a motion-sensitive light, both to increase your security while you enter the code, and to spotlight any thief who tries to guess your combination. No thief likes to stand in a pool of light while suspiciously trying out code after code! Don't forget that your garage door openers are just like keys to your house - don't leave them in unsecured vehicles or hide them around your property! Clever burglars know all the hiding places - keep them secure, the same as with your house keys.
The garage door itself is often a serious weak point. Doors are made of lightweight materials, to make them easier to open and close (particularly by hand), but this also makes them vulnerable to a physical assault. Steel or plywood bracing on the inside of the door can provide a measure of additional defense against a straightforward breakthrough attempt. Wooden garage doors are very easy to break through, and you should consider a metal door replacement. Many garage doors are also relatively easy to force open, especially if they have a gap at the bottom where a crowbar can find purchase. Mortise locks and cane bolts can help slow down that type of break-in. One easy and inexpensive step to completely forestall such a break-in: drill a hole through the inside and outside tracks of the door on the inside of the garage, and padlock the door shut from the inside when you are home.
The carport is a generally open area, and as such is difficult to secure against intrusion. Instead, install a Home Security System with motion detectors and floodlights to ensure that any unwelcome visitor is at least made visible to neighbors and passing cars. Make carports less attractive to thieves by storing valuables like lawnmowers or tools in secure chests, sheds or other storage units, rather than leaving them loose in the carport.
Driveway security is relatively straightforward; barring a gate, there isn't much you can do to keep people off your driveway, but you can be made aware of anyone who does enter. Home Security Systems equipped with Motion sensors, weight plates, and other passive devices are excellent ways of triggering your home security system and alerting you that there are unwanted guests.
Use a ADT home security system which includes fire sensors. ADT offers a free wireless home alarm system that alerts your family, and the fire department. Wireless home security systems have many advantages, and include heat as well as smoke alarms.
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Like me, you may not be the most technologically advanced human being. I needed a home security surveillance system, but I was intimidated by the terminology and complications of it. What I didn't know was that, these days, it's very simple and cheap to set up a security system. And it's something you can't do without.
Even those of us tucked away safely in the suburbs can get hit by burglars or worse. The last thing you ever want to do is to come to your house and find its looted-or even worse, to wake up at night and here somebody bumping around in the living room. It's chilling to even think about. A simple home security surveillance system will deter most crooks from breaking into your house.
One Bit Of Alphabet Soup You Have To Know-CCTV
No, it's not some new channel on your digital cable! CCTV means "closed circuit television" and it's probably the simplest safety measures in the market. Nowadays, systems are designed for the consumer market and lo-tech folks like you and mean. This means that they are cheap and easy to install. You can even do it yourself.
They all work along the same principle-cameras are mounted in key areas of the house and yard, and you can watch them on your TV or PC. They have motion detectors to let you know when there is something worth watching.
Now, there are all kinds of CCTV systems on the market-digital, analog, wired, wireless... don't let it confuse you. Go with what works best for you. That means, you know how to work it. Basically, you should never buy stuff with features you don't need. Go with a simple model, and you'll be able to use it just fine.
One advantage of wireless systems is that there is no drilling or plugging stuff in. This is usually the simplest way to go. Many are designed to simply plug and play. You set up the cameras where you want them, and then connect them to your TV or PC, and you're ready to go. Some are even designed for quick installation. Just follow the instructions on the box, and when buying, don't get anything too complicated.
A Few Ways To Keep Your Home Safe & Hassle-Free
A good home security surveillance system will keep your house safe. But there are other things you can do to reduce the chance of somebody trying your house. Installing floodlights in the yard, and turning them on at night, will deter many would-be thieves. Why take a chance across a well-lit yard, when you can creep through a neighbor's bushes?
Always make sure all windows, doors and garage doors are locked and secured tightly. A simple alarm system that lets you know when something's been opened can also be a big help. Don't keep your big, fancy appliances like a giant TV in full view of the windows. It's like dangling candy in front of a little kid!
For an effective, cheap and simple safety mechanism, install your own CCTV or alarm system. It doesn't have to be fancy or expensive. Something that will deter crooks and let you know what's going on around your house is the only home security surveillance you ever need.
The best way to keep your home safe is to install a good home security surveillance system See how advanced technology secures your home. Visit http://www.surveillancetechnology.com
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