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April 2016 -

Why A Safe Home Starts With The Garage

Most people invest heavily in their home security systems and forget about the garage yet according to FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) nearly 4.5 billion dollars worth of property was lost to burglars gaining entry through the garage in 2014. This revelation acts as a wake-up call to most home owners who don’t invest in ensuring the safety of their garage. The garage is used to store some of the most valuable items in your home including the car, your lawn mower, your kid’s bikes, tools and other equipment. Further, it acts as a potential entry point to your home and one of the most vulnerable to burglars since they know that most homes pay little attention to securing their garages.
Research indicates that most burglars gain access to an efficiently secured garage in less than six seconds; imagine how easily they will access yours if it is unsecured. Once they are inside the garage, they get away with valuables and gain easier access to the inside of your home. Thus, there are enough reasons to understand why A Safe Home Starts With the Garage, and reason to start investing in enhancing security and safety of the garage.
Resources:
Columbus Garage Door Pros
homedepot.com
lowes.com

Keep the garage door locked

Garage Door LockThis might sound obvious but you will be surprised at the number of people who leave their garage doors open with the presumption that someone is home or that they stay in secure neighborhoods. Ensure the windows and both doors are closed, whether someone is home or not. If you have a detached garage, keep the door to the house locked and if possible, ensure it has a double lock for extra security.

Lighting

Nothing attracts burglars to your garage more than darkness, these people hate light and will take advantage of any poorly lit garage. Motion detector lighting is the best option since apart from spooking a thief; it is also highly cost effective. The interior of the garage should be dimly lit and make sure that visibility from outside is difficult; a burglar is less likely to break into a place that they can’t see clearly.

Install a reliable door

Secure GarageAnother thing that seems obvious yet it is a strong deterrent to burglars. Ensure the door is made of high quality material such as galvanized steel and reinforced with hinges, handles and gauge plates. The service door is another think to consider since it acts as a potential point of entry to burglars. Ensure that you install a dead-bolt to make forced entry difficult. The best dead-bolt to install is Grade 1 since it offers free spinning known to deter wrench attacks; has anti-pick top pins and ball bearing cylinder to deter drilling. Be sure to strengthen the lock area of your door with a metal sleeve. Afterwards, install a strike plate (strong) attached to the wall frame using long screws.

Bar windows

Although windows are the last option for burglars to use while breaking in due to the noise, they still try to break in or pry open. Always keep them locked. Add strong bars to ensure that they don’t get in even after breaking the glass. Also, install curtains or covers over the windows to prevent anyone from seeing the contents of your garage from outside. Use sheer material like plastic sheets or fabric which allows light from the inside but makes it difficult for anyone to see the inside from outside.

Alarm system

The alarm system can be a simple door sensor that sends an audible alarm whenever the door is opened. The remote door sensor is another option, this function by sending a signal to a remote receiver or monitor when the door is opened. Chamberlain wi-fi door opener is one of the latest inventions in garage door security. It operates with an app that keeps track of all people coming in or getting out of the garage. Further, using the app, it is possible to lock the door from a remote location thus adding an extra layer of security.

Bring your garage keys

If you are going on a trip, take your keys rather than hiding them somewhere in your home or living them in your car. If someone breaks into your car, they can easily gain access to your garage and get away with valuables. If you operate your garage with a remote, explore the option of a key chain remote which is highly portable and can be carried in your pocket.

Thus, with these simple tips, you can rest assured that security of your garage and your home is in place. After investing heavily in keeping your home safe, there is no reason to give burglars an opportunity to rope you using your garage as a potential entry point and this is why A Safe Home Starts With The Garage.

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Transponder Key – The Good And The Bad

The word “transponder” is a combination of transmitter and responder. Transponder keys were first used during World War II by fighter planes. Today, almost every new car comes with some transponder key. The transponder keys have a radio frequency transmitter inside them. And since there is a device near the vehicle’s ignition switch that has a receiver, the key will transmit an extremely low-level radio frequency that only the specific car will detect when the key is in the switch.

The device at the ignition switch cannot start if it does not detect the low-level radio frequency signal from the transponder key. Thus, transponder keys perform a very good job in helping to prevent the theft of your car by thieves who hot-wire to kick-start the car. If someone tries to hot-wire a car designed for a transponder key, it won’t start as there is no signal from the key. If someone uses a copied key without the radio frequency signal, the car won’t start either. Only a person with the transponder key can start and drive the car.
Resources:
AZ Car Keys
Wikipedia
lowes.com

That way, the transponder key offers the best security for your car against thieves. There is no conceivable way a criminal will have access to your car unless he first has the transponder keys. Even if the criminal does manage to gain access to your car, he can’t start and move the car. The transponder key has to be made available before the car starts. And, only the car owner has access to the transponder key; therefore, only the car owner can start or move the car.

And, even if a thief decides to tow your vehicle away instead of driving it, he will still have to reprogram the car for him to be able to drive it at last. That is an inconvenience that will deter and ward off car thieves.

Since the transponder keys cannot be duplicated, ensure you ask for a spare key from the manufacturer for emergency purposes.

Transponder keysTransponder keys can also perform a variety of other functions when you are within a short distance to the vehicle. For example, it can help to lock or unlock car doors if you just press a button. Moreover, there is an alarm system included in the coded security system. Therefore, the car will sound an alarm if an unauthorized person enters or attempts to enter your car.

Some new car models permit you to start the car remotely with the aid of a transponder key. Thus, instead of entering to sit in a frozen or sizzling seat, you may turn the engine beforehand so it may begin adjusting the temperature.

Because the transponder keys help to ward off car thieves, many insurance firms consider cars with transponder keys to be theft-proof. Thus, insuring the car against theft with an insurance company is easy. Insurance rates are usually pegged on the amount of risk: the riskier, the higher the rates, and vice versa.

However, the drawback here is that it is often difficult to convince insurance firms that your car was stolen as they believe that vehicles with these keys are theft-proof.

And what happens if you lose the key?

lost keyAs earlier advised, keeping two transponder keys is a good idea since replacement of a transponder key is rather expensive. If there is a need for a replacement, they can be made by a locksmith or auto dealer- but that can be expensive too. You can also find kits that can bypass transponders. There are tutorials as well for bypassing transponder keys by using electrical relays and wiring. Moreover, with some car models, you can get a new plain key cut for the ignition, and then tape the transponder key on the steering column’s inside so that it is so close as to turn off the engine immobilizers- then the person can kick-start the vehicle with a plain key.

Another transponder key drawback is that the range of the key radio frequency is limited. You must be very close to the car to be able to use the transponder key. And, of late there have been reports of thieves towing the car away instead of driving. They can then go on to reprogram the car. But the process of towing the car to reprogram it is hectic and grueling, and, ideally, should deter any thief.

 

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Understanding Exit Devices

Most buildings all over the world are inspected yearly to ensure that they comply with the set standards in terms of safety and more. After thorough inspection, fire department provides you with a full report to help you make the necessary corrections if any. However, such inspections vary from one state to the other and therefore it is essential to understand the fire codes of your state before you commence your construction. Note that codes remind you of the things that should be met and the kind of exit devices, fire-alarm system, and fire sprinkler system to be installed.
Before you install the above systems, it is prudent to involve a specialist who understands how to install the needed systems properly.
Resources:
www.tigardlocksmith.org
grainger.com
homedepot.com

Exit Devices

They are also known as panic device, push bar or panic bar. These devices are used for unlocking the door during emergency situations. Today, each and every building should comply with the building codes, which make sure that every public building has at least one exit device. Fortunately, crash bar can be installed in a wide range of door types as a way to save lives in the event of fire, stampedes, terrorism attack and more. It has been found that panic can occur in situations of fire or explosions making the rescue process a bit tricky, but with exit devices, evacuations will be far much easy.

A door designated for exit does not have a handle on the outside. This feature makes sure that your home is secure. However, some doors meant for exit have been fitted with handles on the outside and inside as well. Such doors can be opened freely from either side allowing occupants to enter or exit the building with a lot of easy.

Factors to Consider when Installing Panic Devices

Ease of Installation

Commercial locksmith3Always choose the panic bars that are easy to install, repair and inexpensive to replace. For instance, a crossbar rim device the easiest to assemble. If you do not like crossbar, you may consider using push pad rim device, which is also the simplest to work with and needs no or little maintenance. Pad rim devices are suitable for buildings with high-traffic.

Safety

When installing an exit device, you should bear in mind the safety of your loved ones. A good panic device should comply with ANSI Grade 1 standards. In other words, devices should be designed in such a way that they can tolerate forced entry.

Available Options

Panic devices come in a wide range of options. As a result, you should choose the option that suits your safety needs. Many people prefer using cross bar devices due to the fact they offer incredible architectural finishing as well as available in a variety of colors.

Applications of Exit Devices

In general, panic bars are commonly used in care centers, learning institutions, retail stores, hospitals offices and more. These devices play a role in ensuring that the work place is secure and safe.

Types

The common types include: multi-point, rim, cable, touchpad, recessed, crossbar and mortise exit devices respectively. All these types comply with building codes while enhancing the safety of your property. In addition, they match different door types since they come in different shapes and colors.

Fire Codes

Fire CodesFire safety codes complement the building code. Generally, fire codes play an important role in preventing fires and make sure that the original plan of a structure is not compromised at all. These codes vary from state to state.
To comply with life safety codes, you should install exit devices in particular cases. These codes forbid the use of locks that may confuse or compromise the safety of the user. To enhance safety, fire devices should be self-latching in event of fire. Apart from being self-latching, fire doors should be able to close to prevent fire from spreading.
In most households, security, life safety and fire can be a day-to-day challenge. Some homeowners view security as a major concern and therefore end up securing their homes with unauthorized locks, which may pose risks to users in case of an emergency. It is advisable to go for an option that satisfies both concerns: life safety and security. Feel free to talk to fire inspector to help you through exit devices and their fire codes, so as to make an informed decision at the end of the day. This way, you will be able to make your home safe and secure for all.

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