Double Your Security With a Dog and Home Alarm System

Dogs are lovable companions that add a lot to people's lives. They become members of the family just like any other new addition, and they are steadfast in their loyalty and their presence. However, many people also feel a sense of security from having a dog in the house. This sense of security however, can be false or over exaggerated. Many people opt for a pet in place of home security system; however the best way to protect your home is to have both. Many people think that it's unnecessary to have both, but the reality is that having a home alarm system is much more effective than even the toughest or loudest dog in the neighborhood.

The fact of the matter is that using a dog as your first and last line of defense leaves a lot of responsibility on your pet, and many would say that this is an unrealistic expectation of your furry friend. The ways in which a dog is best equipped to help increase your safety is in the fact that many of them will bark at the sound of an intruder. However, dogs that bark when they hear someone entering your home may also bark when a snow plow goes by, when someone is walking down the street past your home, or even when there is a squirrel scurrying up the tree in your yard. This constant barking can lead to a lot of false alarms which eventually wear down owners into becoming desensitized to their animal's warnings. This means that your first reaction when your dog starts barking in the middle of the night is that a truck went by, or there's a raccoon outside when the reality may in fact be that someone is actually trying to enter your home. To this extent, using a dog for a live-in home security system becomes ineffectual as it is not accurate enough to signal a break in or a cause for alarm.

A home alarm system, however, will not only be able to differentiate between a home invasion and a passerby, but the system will also alert the local authorities at the first sign of an intrusion. This is something even the most heroic pets can't do. Having an alarm system means that you have a direct connection to emergency response teams and they will be on the way before you even get out of bed to see what the problem is. Having this kind of system means that you can program it specifically to be customized to your home. It can monitor all the entryways and even your property outside of your home. You can also set the alarms system to detect motion inside your home. Instead of choosing one over the other, home security system over a pet, you can maximize your security by having both. To this extent a dog can potentially scare off an intruder before they even make the attempt, and an alarm system will be your second line of defense in the case that they decide to go ahead anyway with the break in, and just distract your pet with a bone.

Home Security Is Perfect For Seniors

If you know a senior citizen, or are one yourself, then you are probably looking for ways to ensure that your house and health are safe. While many senior citizens are living healthy and active lifestyle, they are more at risk of home invasion because of the way that thieves and burglars work. In order to make sure that your retirement is as comfortable as possible, make sure that you are protecting yourself with a home alarm system. Or, if you are not yet a senior citizen, make sure that you consider purchasing one for the senior or seniors in your life.

With diminished physical capabilities in mind, it is important to make sure that seniors feel comfortable in asking for help. While most seniors are able to do most all of what they had been able to do pre-retirement, there are certain things that become harder. Maintaining a safe and secure home may be one of them. Many of the elderly welcome the opportunity to have an extra set of eyes and ears watching their home. If nothing else, it cannot hurt. It bears keeping in mind that common household accidents like falls are responsible for all kinds of misery in the lives of older folks. Eliminating unnecessary risk is an important part of growing older. With senior citizens the purchase and usage of a home security system is an important factor in eliminating this unnecessary risk.

Because we cannot predict the future it is important to plan for everything. In paying attention to the world around us we are actually making ourselves safer because of the way that we are noticing what is happening and taking action to remedy that situation. This proactive stance allows people to be in control of what actually happens in their lives and it is a good thing for improving quality of life. Purchasing a home alarm is a stance that makes sure that that someone is active and this is only a good thing. Ultimately, by planning we are projecting ourselves into the future, and, by extension able to live a more comfortable present.

For those seniors who are on the fence about the concept of a home security system, receiving one as a gift might be a nudge in the right direction. This could be the perfect gift for a birthday, a holiday, or just an everyday occasion. This is the perfect way to show that you care, and that you are concerned about the other person. While definitely a non-traditional gift, it could be one that ends up saving a life, and therefore a very important gift. With most people, they like their home security more and more with each passing day. Unlike many gifts that depreciate in value, this one will actually appreciate.

Ultimately, this is a good investment in the safety and security of someone that you love. The sooner that you act, the sooner that both you and they will be able to rest more securely at night.

DIY Home Security Solutions

Why take any risks when it comes to the safety of your home and family? It doesn't require vast sums of money or effort to keep burglars away from your home. And we are sure that you'd rather rest peacefully, knowing you've done what you can to protect the people and possessions in your life that are most precious to you. Therefore let's look at just some of the cost effective ways in which you can achieve your goal of home security:

Security Lights

Security lights may be used in residential, commercial, industrial settings. Some types of security lighting include floodlights. Most lights intended to be left on all night are fitted with low energy bulbs as these have good energy efficiency, therefore reducing the cost of running a light for such long periods.

Some other lights may be activated by sensors such as Passive Infrared Sensors; these sensors are known as PIR sensors, which turn on only when a person approaches. PIR activated lamps will usually be incandescent bulbs so that they can activate instantly; energy saving is less important as these type of lights will not be on all the time. PIR sensor activation can increase both the deterrent effect as the intruder becomes aware that they have been detected and the detection effect as a neighbour will be attracted to the sudden increase in light. Some PIR units can be set up to sound a chime in your home and even take photographs/ video of the area they have been set to cover, as well as turn on the light. Most modern units have a photocell so that they only activate when it is dark.

Security Cameras

Cameras for home security come in many forms, with the most popular being, the dummy camera which is a great visual deterrent to any thief viewing your property. They are very cost effective and extremely simple to fit with no running costs, a large variety of models are available covering internal, external use and even ones with mock infrared lights for night time filming.

For those on a larger budget digital security cameras may suit your needs, these cameras can be linked to your home TV to allow you to view areas of your property from the comfort and safety of your home, you can also record your CCTV filming on to a DVR for your records.

With recent advances in electronics you can now purchase models that combine flood light, camera, pir and speaker in the same unit for around the £100.00 this must be a very cost effective solution to adding peace of mind to any home.

Wireless Alarm Systems

In the past the cost of a burglar alarms was expensive and involved having a professional alarm company in your home running cables all over the house and charging you an annual maintenance fee.

With new fast developing wireless technology we are all now using on a daily basis, this has changed the home alarm system market dramatically, wireless alarm systems are now available which are wire free, easy to install, and suitable to take with you should you move property, these systems range from a simple alarm for your drive to tell you in advance that someone is coming to your door to a full multi zone system which can include out buildings and is simply set with a remote control unit as leave your property.

Five Reasons to Choose a Home Security System

When it comes to properly safeguarding a house, there are plenty of different steps that are crucial to take. Aside from the basics, including remembering the common sense steps towards shutting windows and doors and ensuring that lights are left on, plenty of other extra safeguards can be put into place. And for those homeowners and renters who are a bit more concerned about taking care of a household and a family, it makes sense to invest in something that can help out a bit more than just being sure that the doors are locked and all of the different windows are closed and how they should be to dissuade robbers for taking a shot at a particular property.

For those who are interested in a bit more home security, investing in a home security system is often the best bet for stepping up the functionality of the other steps that people tend to take when it comes to protecting a property. Anyone who is already concerned about handling a property should consider these five compelling reasons to upgrade one's protection from just personal steps to some extra assistance with a device designed to keep properties secure.

#1 - Long vacations. Or any vacations really, considering that most break-ins occur when a property is left vacant for even a couple of days. For those who spend a lot of time on the road due to work obligations, or anyone who is planning on going away for the holidays or a little while, it makes sense to spend a bit of extra cash on something that can promise extra protection while people are far away from their properties.

#2 - Personal health and safety. Sometimes, investing in a home alarm system is about a whole lot more than just keeping the bad guys out. For those who are sharing households with elderly relatives or anyone who requires extra medical assistance, knowing that the touch of a single button will result in medical response from the local EMTs or firefighters is the way to relax and have one's mind put more at ease. After all, there's more to safety than simply handling the troubles with robbers.

#3 - Ensuring that other threats don't take hold. Whether it's being positive that there is something loud enough to alert a household to troubles with smoke, fire, or carbon monoxide or simply feeling laid back enough during the chillier months that troubles with ovens and heaters won't cause trouble for one's health, there are a number of other functions that alarms have. And for those who invest in a bit of extra protection, knowing that a smoke detector is part of a home alarm system is a way to sleep easier at night with the whole family, even if a furnace happens to be old.

#4 - Knowing that there is back-up against robbers. This is the most conventional reason for investing in some kind of alarm, and it's definitely one of the most worthwhile. Because a loud noise is a huge deterrent for anyone who might be considering a full-on robbery of a property, even spending a bit of cash on ensuring that a system is in place that makes loud noises is a great way to keep robbers from succeeding. And considering the low costs of an entry-level system, there's no reason to get stressed out about handling these kinds of troubles on one's own.

#5 - Safeguarding home office spaces. Home security is different in a digital age, and with so many people housing their entire work spaces in their residences, it makes sense to spend extra on something that can prevent data theft or loss of hours or months of work that are preserved on hard drives or computers. For anyone who has spent big money on electronics, it makes the most sense to invest in a bit of extra protection in the kind of home security system that will ensure a lack of problems if someone manages to enter a home with an office space.