Here’s a video for all you MacGyver types out there who like to save money and solve all their problems with household items:
I’m not sure I’d depend on this alarm as my sole home security solution (okay, I wouldn’t depend on it for any kind of serious solution, heh), but hey, it could be a fun project to get the kids involved in building. Practice those MacGyver skills!
Lighting is an important part of home security, since a well-lit yard (including front, back, and side yards) is a great deterrent to burglars. They would rather work in the dark and shadows, so a house that lights up when they approach is a big turn off. They will generally go for easier targets.
Solar lighting with a motion detector set-up is a great way to add energy efficient security to your security plan. The overall price tends to be a bit higher than regular lights that run on electricity, but with solar lighting you will save money over the long run, because these bulbs are powered by batteries charged every day by the sun.
On the downside, solar-powered lights tend to provide less illumination than those plugged into an outlet, but the technology is improving, and you may find solar security lights do a good enough job to deter burglars. Lights with motion detectors are also nice for your own convenience. There’s no need to worry about leaving a porch light on for when your family members get home after dark, because the lights will simply pop on when you drive up.
The price for solar lighting with motion detector technology will vary from brand to brand and with various features. The solar flood lamp shown here costs $99.99 from Home Visions:
As we’ve mentioned before, basic home security is just as important as spending thousands on fancy alarm systems. Make sure you have strong doors and locks for starters. Deadbolts should be on all exterior doors, and if you haven’t had yours changed in a while (and there may be copies of your house keys out there), now may be the time to get new ones.
There’s no reason to stick with the plain utilitarian kind either.
These cool Verona locks from Hickory Hardware look like they’d do the job and look good too:
“Verona, with its curving Romanesque symmetry, lends grace, sophistication, and Old World elegance to both formal and informal design schemes.”
$96.59 buys you the lock set.
If you’ve read our article on Choosing Deadbolt Locks, then you’re probably shopping for new locks for your doors. As mentioned in that article, lock-picking is actually fairly uncommon when it comes to breaking-and-entering but methods with less finesse, such as jimmying the lock, are simple and therefore popular with thieves.
To thwart a burglar armed with a crowbar, you may want to consider a jimmy-proof deadbolt lock.
Also called a vertical deadbolt, a jimmy-proof lock can put up a lot of resistance to jimmying attacks. These deadbolts have rectangular bodies with multiple cylindrical bolts on the end. The locks are mounted on your door so the bolts are aligned with the eyeloops of a matching strike plate. Because the bolts drop vertically, instead of extending horizontally, the lock can’t be separated from the strike plate without breaking the whole thing.
If you’re considering a jimmy-proof lock, just keep in mind that they’re really only effective when installed on a strong door with a strong door frame. (The doors in a lot of typical homes aren’t strong enough to properly support a jimmy-proof deadlock). But then, for good home security, it may be time to replace your exterior doors anyway!
Several models are available from Amazon: Jimmy-Poof Locks
A garage door monitor is a device that simply lets you know if your garage door has been left open. If you’ve found yours up more than once (hey, it’s easy to forget to push the button when you’re herding kids inside while toting bags full of groceries), then his gadget could make sense from a home security standpoint.
If you have an attached garage that provides access to the house, then you don’t want any old person to be able to walk in from the street and get into your house. Also, you don’t want them to be able to steal your valuables out of the garage.
Most thefts are simply crimes of opportunity, so a garage door monitor can help you ensure your door is never left open, inviting a theft from a random passerby. Knowing you have a monitor like this one can provide peace of mind.
The unit shown here is from Chamberlain, and it’s supposed to be easy to install (no tools required). Just stick it up in the kitchen by the refrigerator, in your bedroom, or in some other area you visit frequently, and you’ll be alerted if your garage door was left open.
Available via Amazon for less than $30:
If you have kids and you’re tired of neighbors zipping their cars through your neighborhood (the worst are those people who don’t even live nearby and just cut through your street to avoid lights), this “kid alert” sign can remind drivers to slow down. After all, most folks are just in their own world and not really thinking about their speed. The vibrant yellow sign will catch their eye and remind them that children are at play nearby.
“Kid Alert sends a “Children at Play” safety signal. Child like figure stands 32″ high and holds a 39″ tall red warning flag to alert motorists. Flourescent body and reflector strip belt are visible during twilight hours. Easy positioning at end of drive to heigten driver awareness of children at play. For optimum recognition, set up and removal for each play time is recommended. Constructed of heavy duty plastic, minimal assembly required.”
$36 from Stacks and Stacks:
Kid Alert Road Sign
If you’re looking for an inexpensive home security system that you can install yourself, X-10 has quite a few offerings.
For instance, their Protector Plus Dial-Up burglar alarm costs less than $100 and comes with several bells and whistles (well, actually they’re flashing lights and sirens). When triggered, the alarm also automatically calls up to 4 pre-set phone numbers to alert you and family members that someone may be trying to break into your home.
Security systems like this, while not the most high-end, are an affordable alternative to pricy security cameras and monitored systems run by alarm companies. The Protector Plus is supposed to be simple enough that the average do-it-yourself type can install without trouble.
When you move into a new house, condo, or apartment, it’s a good idea to have the locks changed, since you don’t know how many people have lived there in the past who might still have copies of the keys to your door locks. And if you lose a key during your own time as the homeowner, you may also want to change locks.
Changing out door locks is a bit of a pain however. That’s why this new system from Kwikset looks nice.
Kwikset’s SmartKey lets you re-key your own locks quickly and easily without removing the mechanism from the door. Also the locks are supposed to be good for other home security reasons.
The SmartKey uses a patented “side locking bar technology” which replaces your traditional pin and tumbler design. This design also features “BumpGuard” protection for improved security against lock bumping. (Lock bumping is a burglar’s technique that uses specially cut keys that can get through regular pin and tumbler locks.)
All in all, the SmartKey looks like a wise investment.
More information from KwikSet
