New Home Buyers Beware

Home owners need to make sure that their locks are installed and operating properly before moving valuables into their new home. Improper lock installation could have devastating results and could play havoc with insurance companies. These deficiencies seem to miraculously slip through the cracks of builders and building inspectors alike.

Unfortunately, it's up to homeowners to address these hidden problems that often result in breached home security.

A good example of improper lock installation lies within the deadbolt itself. The bolt must fully extend into the strike plate (the plate that accepts the bolt), located on the door jam. Upon opening the door and turning the deadbolt key, the bolt will fully extend from the door about an inch. Once the deadbolt is fully extended you will feel a slight click. This signifies that the bolt is now in the deadlocked position. Thus, the terminology, deadlocking bolt. If you now try to push the bolt back into the door, you will find that it will not move. This prevents an intruder from sliding the bolt into the open position from the outside of the door.

An easy way to assure that your deadbolt is locking properly is to open the door once more and extend the bolt with the inside thumb turn while the door is open. Note the position of the thumb turn, now lock the door. The thumb turn should be in the exact same position as when the door was open. If it is not, you need to dig a little more wood out of the strike side to allow the bolt to fully extend.

Locks installed upside down are another common occurrence, although not a serious problem, most residential locks require that the lock be installed so that when the key is inserted, the teeth of the key are facing up. If this is not the case, chances are your lock is installed upside down.

The problems associated with upside-down locks are not always apparent right away. However, dirt will eventually jam into the cylinder of the lock and cause the lock to stick or jam over time.

Hinges are another weak area in new home construction. Make sure that your door hinges are not missing any screws. Open the door and look at the frame side of the hinge as well as the door side to make sure you have all the screws required. Now is a good time to check and see the size of the screws used to fasten the door onto the frame. If your builder did not install three-inch screws, make sure that you install at least two three-inch screws in every hinge.

Most new sliding glass doors, whether the aluminum or vinyl type have some sort of auxiliary lock installed on the inside of the door. However, I rarely find anti-lift devices installed in the header of the frame to help prevent an intruder from lifting these doors out of the track. Self-tapping screws, available at most hardware stores will help remedy this problem by eliminating the gap between the top of the door and the header.

Lastly, don't forget to change the codes on your garage door opener. If your not sure how to change the frequency codes, call your garage-door installer for assistance.

For more information on your home security check out http://www.yourhomesecurity.ca

Frank Fourchalk is widely recognized for his sustained commitment to education in Home and Business security throughout North America as a result of his syndicated newspaper columns. Mr. Fourchalk has written for The Toronto Star, The Vancouver Province and several other daily newspapsers including the New York Post.

Postal-Lock Timers Are A Good Way To Thwart Thieves

There was a break-in at an apartment building. The residents couldn't figure out how the thieves penetrated the security. There were no signs of forcible entry and the apartment owners had ruled out the possibility of the building key falling into the wrong hands.

The strata council did everything to ensure the security of the building. How did the intruder defeat their efforts? Did somebody buzz them in through the enterphone system or was it a sneak thief who followed behind somebody entering the building? Maybe the criminal picked the lock open or knew somebody in the building. Perhaps a swollen exterior door wasn't fitting properly or a door closer was just too tired to do its job.

These are all conceivable scenarios, but one likely possibility many don't consider is the vulnerability of the postal lock that allows access into the building. These locks are located on the enterphone panel for the sole purpose of allowing the letter carrier entry into the building. The key that operates this lock is called a postal-lock key. When a postal worker slides his or her key into the postal lock and turns, it activates the electric release on the main entry door allowing access into the building.

One postal-lock key may access several apartment buildings in an area creating a nightmare if in the wrong hands. Unfortunately, these keys are not exempt from being lost or stolen. Unaccounted for keys often find themselves in the hands of thieves who use them to enter apartment buildings for the purposes of stealing mail, personal property and even automobiles. A bi-product of stolen or lost postal-lock keys is car theft. Once a burglar enters the building, he or she targets the parkade area and quite often makes off with a new automobile.

One way to dampen a thief's fun is to shut down the postal lock after a certain time. This can be accomplished easily and inexpensively by installing a timer in the electrical room where the leads from the postal timer to the electric door release meet.

These timers allow you to set specific times allowing a post office worker to enter the building within those designated times with the postal key. If the postman delivers the mail around 10am, you could set the timer to allow mail delivery between the hours of 8am to 12pm. This would allow a four hour window for mail delivery. The postal-lock key would not allow access into the building during the other 20 hours of the day.

Counterfeit postal keys are another problem. These are keys that are made by crooks to fit postal locks. These homemade keys are another reason to ensure that restrictions are put into place to limit the times that these locks are operable. There is no doubt about the fact that postal-lock timers thwart thieves, so apartment building owners and strata councils should definitely consider this feasible option.

Frank Fourchalk is widely recognized for his sustained commitment to education in Home and Business security throughout North America as a result of his syndicated newspaper columns. Mr.Fourchalk has written for The Toronto Star, The Vancouver Province and several other daily newspapsers including the New York Post.

For more information on your home security check out http://www.yourhomesecurity.ca

Christmas: A Season For Giving, Receiving, and Taking

The weeks leading up to Christmas are the biggest shopping weeks of the year. Many retailers solely survive on these weeks because they often account for 70 percent of their annual revenue. Because of this, retail stores tend to hype this festive season to the hilt creating a buying frenzy.

Stocking our homes with the latest electronic gadgets, computers, jewelry and clothing is a given.

Unfortunately while we are in the mood for giving and receiving, somebody is in the mood for taking. Taking, is definitely on the home burglar's mind as he or she views the holiday season through different eyes. Eyes that are focused on your home to complete their own shopping list.

Christmas is a magical time of year when family and friends come together to celebrate the season. To help preserve your special times and thwart intruders, I have compiled a Christmas Home Security Check List.

Do not display your Christmas tree and gifts in the front window. This is an invitation for burglars to check out the inventory.

If you must place your tree in front of the window, make sure that you don't display gifts under it until closer to Christmas.

Do not hide door keys under mats. The first place a burglar will look for a house key is under a mat. Rocks, flower pots and door ledges are next on a burglars search list, so don't get caught being security complacent.

If you must leave a key for emergency purposes make sure that you leave it with a trusted friend or neighbor.

Christmas tends to bring out the handyman in some of us. Don't get caught feeding an extension through a locking window and jeopardizing your home's security. If you must, install outside electrical outlets for your outside lights and decorative Christmas fixtures.

Make sure that you lock all windows and doors, even if just leaving your home for a few minutes. Intruders only need a few seconds to ruin your day.

Don't give information on answering machines. It is best just to say that you are busy at the moment and to leave your name and number and you will return the call.

If you can, call forward your home phone number to your cell or neighbor for the duration of your absence.

Keep your drapes or window blinds closed at night. When going out for the evening make use of inexpensive timers to give the illusion of occupancy.

Photo cell lighting is also an inexpensive way of simulating activity.

Do not let newspapers pile up on your front door step. Try to keep the front door area swept and clean. Messy front door entrances can give the wrong message to a burglar.

Conceal all gift boxes after Christmas, so as not to alert burglars. Make sure that you cut up all boxes and place them in solid plastic bags for garbage pick-up.

Make sure that you have target hardened your home by installing the proper hardware - hardware like deadbolts, strike plates, window locks, door hinges, door viewers, and even alarm systems.

Frank Fourchalk is widely recognized for his sustained commitment to education in Home and Business security throughout North America as a result of his syndicated newspaper columns. Mr.Fourchalk has written for The Toronto Star, The Vancouver Province and several other daily newspapsers including the New York Post.

For more information on your home security check out http://www.yourhomesecurity.ca

Are Hidden Cameras Watching You Right Now

I was enjoying a meal with my wife the other day at a local restaurant. After we ate, we decided to sit at the bar and have a drink while watching the local band play a few numbers. As I looked around at the small crowd of people, I couldnt help but wonder if there were any hidden surveillance cameras in the bar. As I glanced over at the display of liquor bottles on the shelf, there it was, a dark bottle of wine with a small hole not much bigger than a pencil eraser right in the side of the bottle.

I leaned forward and gave a little smile, then I waved, and then I stuck my tongue out at the bottle. After a few minutes of my peculiar behavior, the manager came over to ask me if I was O.K. When I explained that I was just showing off for the camera, he seemed clearly surprised that I knew it was there. When I explained what I did for a living, he gave me a perceptive nod of his head and asked if I would please not tell anyone else about the hidden camera. Its there for security purposes he said just to keep an eye on things. I agreed not to let his secret out, and the free drinks he gave to my wife, and me sealed the deal. I wasnt going to say anything.

While it was easy to spot cameras twenty or thirty years ago due to their large size, this has become increasingly difficult in recent years. Cameras have become much smaller and consume a fraction of the power that they did just a few years ago. Due to this, hidden cameras can be installed in nearly any place you can imagine.

Hidden cameras are easy to use, readily available, and the dropping prices are making them very affordable. In fact hidden cameras can be purchased, installed and operated even by the average citizen these days.

Hidden cameras are very easy to hide due to the fact that the basic unit is generally nothing more than a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) board camera. A board camera is a camera fully contained on a single circuit board including camera optics and all the electronics needed for generating the video signal. Board cameras range in size but on the average they are approximately 1 X 1 inches, which makes them very easy to hide in even the most inconspicuous places. Most of these board cameras only need an opening of about 1mm in their hiding places for complete room surveillance. From there, the video signal can be sent to the receiver and either watched in real time or recorded for later viewing, or both.

Another type of camera that has shown up more recently is based on CMOS technology. CMOS cameras are gaining ground with consumer products such as handheld devices, photo capable cell phones, and webcams.

Miniature CMOS cameras usually come as modules packaged in small plastic cases, and are about half the price of CCD cameras, less sensitive to electrical distortions and consume far less power. They can also be built much smaller than CCD cameras. CMOS cameras have disadvantages as well. CMOS cameras are not as light sensitive, which mean that the image quality is not as good under low light conditions.

Another disadvantage is the lower picture quality in general, as the individual pixels can be quite noisy. Technology is catching up with this issue though, and CMOS cameras are likely to supersede CCD cameras within the next few years.

Due to the small size of these imaging devices, they can be placed into compact everyday items such as alarm clocks, wall clocks, and even small kitchen appliances can house a hidden camera.

To make a long story short, miniature cameras are small, very small, and they can be hidden in more places than you could ever possibly imagine looking for them. So the next time youre out at a restaurant, or in a business meeting, or even at a friends house, look around and ask yourself, am I being watched? Or maybe just paranoid?

SA Rubin is the owner of North American Security Products, LLC. A company dedicated to providing you with the means to protect and defend yourself against crime. For more information on Hidden cameras, visit http://www.nasecurityproducts.com where youll find a complete line of surveillance equipment for your home and business.

Batons for Self Defense

Contemplating a method of protection is a very serious undertaking. If you are considering such a purchase you need to evaluate your options very carefully. When selecting a tool for self defense the first thing is to consider your own level of strength. For example, a tool that requires minimal strength such as a stun gun would be ideal for a small woman, whereas someone confident in their strength may be more drawn to items such as batons.

A baton is a very simple and effective tool. In the most generic form it is a blunt stick that is used for close contact defense. There are a wide variety of batons on the market that vary in length and offer different features. For example, an asp baton is a lightweight and conspicuous tool that can be comfortably carried. This added consideration for comfort allows citizens to carry an effective self defense tool without drawing attention to themselves.

The baton you choose should have an easy to grip, no slip handle so that it can be wielded effectively with agility. It is also important that the baton have a low profile appearance so it does not announce itself to the attacker. Finally, the baton should not have any sharp edges that could cut you, the assailant, or an innocent bystander. Your goal is to defend yourself long enough to get away to safety and a blunt baton will achieve this effectively without resorting to permanent damage.

One of the most important effects of any self defense tool is the deterrence effect. It has been said over and over again that criminals are cowards and they look for easy victims. A person who carries a self defense weapon walks with confidence because they know they are safe. In addition, the very site of a tool such as a baton will make the assailant think twice. Why would they attack you and risk injury to themselves when there are hundreds of unarmed victims? Arming yourself sends the message to assailants everywhere that you are not a victim.

When searching for a merchant that carries batons it is important that you seek one who is reputable and abides by national laws. A great place to look is at www.bljsselfdefense.com . This company offers a wide variety of items, including batons, and provides consumers with education on self defense. In addition to the online resources, BLJs Enterprises supplies its customers with personal attention to help ensure that they receive the self defense tool that is right for them.

BLJs Enterprises is a top provider of self defense tools, including batons, in the United States. At their website, www.bljsselfdefense.com , you will find quality products as well as free in-depth information regarding personal protection. Because BLJs Enterprises is dedicated to matching everyone with the right self defense method, customer comments and questions can be directed to the owner, Barry Jenkins himself, at barry@bljsselfdefense.com.