How to pick the best security system for your home

If you live in a home, rather than an apartment or condominium, it’s even more essential to have a fully-functioning home security plan, since potential intruders are able to gain access through ground-floor windows. Too often, homeowners that wouldn’t dream of leaving the home or going to sleep without door locks and windows locked, forget that it’s just as easy for an intruder to enter the home through the window. Installing window locks on your windows is a simple, affordable, and reliable way to help reduce the chances of an intruder targeting your home.

Most window locks are fairly easy to install, and can be purchased at your local home improvement store. Typically, all you’ll need is a screwdriver, pliers,and any screws or nails that came with the purchase of the lock. Heavy-duty locks will require being affixed with screws, but smaller locks often simply clip directly on to the window, simplifying the process.

Things To Keep In Mind When Installing Window Locks

• Don’t forget smaller or second-story windows.
  Many times, intruders gain access through a neglected kitchen or bathroom window, or a second-story window attached to a fire escape. It isn’t just the large, prominent windows on the ground floor that need to be protected.
• Ask the home improvement store experts for help.
  If you’re not sure what type of lock is best for the type, size, and location of your window, ask an expert for his or her opinion. Make sure you provide all relevant information, and mention that you’d like to install the lock yourself, so the associate can point you to an option that’s not only right for your needs, but relatively easy for you to install.
• High-quality locks are an investment in your home’s future security.
  It’s easy to want to save a few bucks by going with the cheapest brand available. However, these are most likely to not hold up over time, or in the face of a determined intruder. Higher-quality window locks are designed to last longer, and to offer you the best possible level of protection, so don’t be afraid to spend a few extra dollars.
• Consult the Internet or consider hiring a professional.
  Window locks simply don’t help if they’re not installed properly, and while most are very straightforward, problems do sometimes arise. If you’re not the most handy person, have difficult or old windows, and aren’t having success installing the locks, log on. Sites like YouTube have tutorials designed to walk you through the process. If all else fails, call a professional for a helping hand.

Installing window locks is one of the simplest and most affordable ways to make your home a safer place to live, and to stall potential intruders, making it more likely that the would-be criminal is going to simply take off in search of an easier target. With a minimal investment of time and money, you can give yourself much-needed extra peace of mind.

In today’s difficult economic climate, it’s become more necessary than ever before to install business security systems to prevent losses incurred due to theft and other forms of criminal activity. For most retailers, shoplifting is a huge concern, and if left unchecked, can easily end up costing a company thousands of dollars in losses each year. However, surveillance equipment and alarm systems are often expensive, and skilled criminals know all the tricks of the trade when it comes to getting around common security measures. One of the best alternatives to help protect against loss is electronic article surveillance, a monitoring tag actually attached to each item, alerting security if a customer attempts to leave the area with merchandise still containing the tag.

Reduce Theft & Increase Sales

When used in conjunction with more traditional closed circuit television surveillance systems, the results are impressive, cutting down on incidents of shoplifting by nearly 60%. While there’s no 100% effective technique to deter shoplifting out there, electronic article surveillance makes it extremely difficult, sending would-be criminals in search of easier targets. In addition to lowering the rate of shoplifting, adding electronic article surveillance tags to merchandise is an easy way for store owners to help keep track of inventory, increase sales, and help the store room run more efficiently.

Electronic article surveillance tags come in a variety of options, the most popular being hard, detachable tags that are connected to each item, and must be removed by a store employee. These tags are a favorite among retailers because they are difficult to remove from items such as clothing without the proper tool, and without causing damage to the items. Another common type of tag is a small paper tag, often in the form of a sticker, that must be scanned at the register in order to deactivate. In both situations, if the tag is not properly deactivated, an alarm will sound when the customer walks through the exit gates of the store, alerting personnel to the theft.

Tags are also available that, if improperly removed, damage the stolen merchandise, making it of no value to the person stealing it. Some include deterrents such as ink, which will not only permanently stain the item, but also the skin, making it difficult for a thief to hide his transgression. Whichever you choose, electronic article surveillance tags are among the best way to protect a full range of items, reducing the impact of your losses on your company’s monthly budget.

With card skimming on the rise,anti-skim devices are being created to work with any ATM machine. With more than 1.5 million ATMs around the world, the amount of fraud using skimmind devices is a grave concern for banks and their customers. Nearly $1.2 billion in credit card fraud is linked to ATMs every year.

What is ATM Skimming or Card Skimming?

ATM skimming is the process used by criminals to electronically “skim” a personal credit or debit card, thereby obtaining their personal financial information from the ATM transaction. The perpetrators attach a portable electronic ard reader and mini camera to the ATM, often times camoflauging the unit so well they are almost impossible to notice. Once they have the information they need, they can clone new debit or credit cards, sell the person’s information or even withdraw all the money in an account.

With ATM skimming on the rise, customers are becoming more fearful and losing trust in the bank’s ability to protect their financial security. In a recent survey, 67% of respondents stated they would likely change banking institutions if their information was corrupted from ATM fraud or data breach.

What are the Benefits of ATM Anti-Skimming Devices

• Works with any major ATM or SSST machine
• Detects foreign devicess placed on or near an ATM card reader slot
• Protects against all ATM card trapping, tampering and false-front devices
• Protects integrity of your personal and financial information at ATM machines
• Protects against skimming crimes without affecting ATM customer transactions
• Integrates with alarm detection and video surveillance systems for added protection
• Requires no software modifications
• More than 40,000 global ATM applications

When a business has a properly installed and monitored security system in it, a business owner can sleep better at night knowing that the premises is protected from intruders. An electronic access control system can also help protect a company during non-business hours, but the main benefits of having such a system installed are experienced during normal hours of operation; when it is business as usual.

Here are just a few reasons why many companies, both large and small, install electronic access control systems, and why you should consider installing one in your business too:

Secure Perimeter Doors

Know who is coming through the doors of your facility at all times. While most businesses anticipate mail and product deliveries to come in all throughout the day, a good percentage of unexpected visits can be cut down or even eliminated with the use of a professionally installed electronic access control system.

You will no longer need to worry about solicitors dropping in unannounced, reps from competing companies stopping in to see what you are up to, disgruntled ex-employees coming by to start trouble, or armed intruders coming in to hold up the business or cause harm to any employees, when you have an electronic access control system installed in your facility.

Manage Employee Access

Certain areas of a business may be off-limits to unauthorized members of the staff. This could be a vault, cash room, server room, or an area where sensitive information, money, jewelry, or other high security merchandise is kept. Instead of keeping these areas under lock and key, installing an electronic access control system would be the more secure way to go.

Depending on the access levels that are assigned to employees, you can allow them access to high-security areas 24/7, only on certain days, or even only at certain times. Those employees that you do not want entering high-security areas will not be able to do so if they are not programmed in as authorized users. With an electronic access control system, you control who can get in secured areas of your business and when.

Integrate With Other Protective Systems

Fire alarms play an important role in keeping both the business and all occupants inside of the facility safe. Many of the latest electronic access control systems can be integrated with a facility’s existing fire alarm for added security. For example, if a fire alarm should trip, the system can be programmed to automatically unlock all doors so that the occupants in the building can get out quickly and safely.

Many electronic access control systems also have the capability to be integrated with a company’s existing burglar alarm and/or CCTV system. By integrating an access control system with a CCTV system, you will have the opportunity to view real-time video when someone is at a protected area of the premise, or you can view pre-recorded video should you need to verify prior activity. The choice is yours.

It’s important to keep in mind that electronic access control systems do just that: limit and monitor access to a facility. They do not prevent break-ins. Therefore, for the utmost security, integrating a burglar alarm system with an electronic access control system is highly recommended.