Tips and articles about home security and safety. Protect your family and property.
A monitored security system could help you and your family feel safer in your home, and protect the investment you've made. A system guards your home, belongings and family while you're there as well as when you're away.
Security systems are only as strong as their weakest link and if you set up equipment that's too complicated for household members to use, they are likely to ignore the equipment or work around it.
This guide will help you make a systematic analysis of your home and help you select the best course of action to improve home security for you and your family.
Here is a checklist of things you can do to make your home safer.
When buying a safe, you will have three basic types of safes to choose from:
Q: I need help locating companies who deal with disaster services such as fire, water, and remolding.
The stresses that an earthquake creates for a structure can cause damage or even complete collapse. Here are some ways you can retrofit and strengthen your home to reduce the problems that might be caused by an earthquake.
If you're planning to reinforce your home against earthquakes, it's essential to understand some of the basic concepts of seismic retrofitting.
These simple childproofing steps can help to insure your child's safety:
As parents, we all want our children to be safe. No matter how safe we think our children are at home, the fact is that every day, thousands of children are injured needlessly due to avoidable household accidents. Every year, nearly 4.5 million children are seriously injured in their homes.
These simple tips can help to keep you and your family safe from fire.
Q: We installed one half inch masonite siding inside a 30x50 foot room for commercial use. Our town has recently become incorporated, and I heard that the code states that the ceiling must have a one-hour burn through rating. How do I find out if this is true?
Wildfires are a frightening and deadly natural disaster, which spread with rapid speed and can destroy everything in their path. Homeowners can take precautions to protect their homes from wildfires by using the following list of tips:
House fires are frightening and deadly. Homeowners should make sure that their homes are not susceptible to fire. Here is a list of fire prevention tips.
Fire extinguishers have a role for only a brief moment at the beginning of a fire. The key is to place fire extinguishers throughout the house so that no matter where the fire starts, an extinguisher will be near at hand. There should be one in the kitchen, garage, workshop, basement and near any sleeping areas. There should be at least one extinguisher on each floor.
Smoke is responsible for three out of four fire-related deaths. Working smoke detectors should be installed on every level of your home and inside sleeping areas. Inexpensive smoke detectors are also available for the hearing impaired. Fire extinguishers should be mounted in the kitchen, garage and workshop. Purchase an ABC type extinguisher for putting out all types of fires. Have your chimney inspected and cleaned once a year. Install a chimney spark arrester to help prevent roof fires.
Feeling safe and secure is an important element in enjoying your home. If you're purchasing a new home or considering a remodel or addition to your existing residence, you'll need to assess your security needs for doors and windows.
The use of deadbolt locks makes it harder for a burglar to force his way in. A full-service security system will deter him even further.
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral fiber processed into thousands of building materials before 1980, including "cottage cheese" type and acoustic tile ceilings, furnace and duct insulation, drywall taping and joint compound, textured paints and plaster, and linoleum and vinyl flooring. It was banned from use in most building materials in the 1970s after the EPA proved that inhaling asbestos fibers caused or increased the risk of developing incurable lung diseases, including lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma.
Lead abatement (removal) must be handled by a licensed and certified hazardous material contractor. Workers must wear protective suits and respirators. When working indoors, the process begins by removing furnishings and sealing the affected area with plastic.
Lead was used in paint and gasoline before 1978 and is known to be toxic. Lead poisoning, caused by an accumulation of lead in the bloodstream over the long or short term, damages the brain, kidneys and nerves. It is injested by eating paint chips, putting hands which have touched unstable lead paint in the mouth and inhaling lead dust. Children and pregnant women are especially susceptible. One in 11 children in America has dangerous levels of lead in their blood.
Among the hottest window treatments today, inside or out, are shutters. Most shutters are fixed, and used primarily as decoration, but well-designed shutters can do more than just look good.
As Jimmy Buffet once wrote, 'If you live in the area, you have to know how to reason with hurricane season.' Here are some tips.
Storm shelters can be installed by a manufacturer's representative, licensed contractor or homeowner. Some manufacturers will only provide warrantees on shelters installed by their own distributors. Others require they be installed by licensed contractors. Others offer to give consumers installation instructions.
For more than 100 years, alarm companies made their livelihood by installing systems to protect lives and property, both residentially and commercially. The most common scenario was for a system to be installed after a potential customer had received several estimates from two, three or more companies. The system was usually purchased, although leases were not uncommon.
The security of your home is very important to peace of mind, and many factors go into determining how secure it will be.
Most people find home security issues confusing and end up spending money on measures that aren't really effective or appropriate for their home. The best approach is step by step, addressing the low cost items first. Here are issues you should consider in making your home more secure.
If you're considering installing a lightning protection system, here's a statistic to consider. According to data compiled by Westinghouse Electric Company, given an average location and exposure, a 50 ft. high building stands a greater chance of being struck by lightning once a year than a card player has of filing an ordinary flush in a poker game. In the United States the average geographic area is subjected to 40 lightning strokes per square mile every year.
Here are some basic tips for dealing with thunderstorms and protecting your property from the damage they can cause.
The most frightening thing about tornados and hurricanes is the uncertainty of when one might hit, and how strong it will be. Tornados and hurricanes can level a town in a matter of minutes. While you cannot guarantee that your home will not be damaged in a tornado or hurricane, you can take a few steps to lessen the impact and provide safety for you and your family. Here is a list to help you prepare for either of these natural disasters:
Before you leave on vacation, follow these tips and feel more secure about your home being vacant.
Security cameras are becoming an increasingly popular way for the public to protect property and people. Once considered the exclusive realm of the rich, video surveillance, like most high-tech products, has become increasingly affordable.
A yard offers enough room for kids to explore and grow without being too far from supervision. Here are some ideas to make your yard a fun place for children, while maintaining safety.
This information can help answer and clarify questions about security storm shutters.
In recent years, some home drinking water has been found to contain many hazards that standard municipal water treatment procedures don't remove. To eradicate some of the chemicals and toxins that can find their way into drinking water, some homeowners install water treatment devices.
Basic lock construction: The key to hiring a locksmith is understanding the different types of locks that you need to install or repair.
Before World War Two, most homes were built one or two at a time, with each home being built to meet the unique needs of the family it was intended for. After the war, builders met the huge demand for housing by rolling out large subdivisions of standardized homes. The builders wanted to build rooms that met the ergonomic needs of the typical adult.
Q: My mother has a hip problem which is starting to make it difficult for her to get around. I expect that eventually she'll be restricted to a wheel chair. Most of her house would be navigable by wheel chair, but I'm concerned about the bathroom. Where can I get good unbiased information on bathroom design for someone in her circumstances?
Most homes today are designed for young adults and don't have the features and conveniences to make them appropriate and safe for seniors. Our homes are one of the most important factors in determining how long we can maintain comfortable independence. A well adapted home will make many day-to-day living tasks both easier and safer-often preventing the most common kinds of accidents.