Security Systems - How to Select the Security System that's Right for You

security system a General definition

Security systems are everywhere - most of us do not notice them at all. Yet many public places such as malls, schools, stadiums - have security systems all around. Your work place might be monitored by CCTV (close circuit television) and if you are babysitting, there's a good chance you are being watched. In this article I will present the common most security systems that surround us.

Different manifestations of home security systems

The Security camera

One of the most popular form of security system today is the security camera. It's cheap and doesn't even need more than very basic technological knowledge in order to have it installed. Security cameras have been invented during the 2nd world war and since than evolved greatly.
It's first purpose was capturing visual data in places that were far to risky for people to be present in. Places like missile experimentations and space craft launches.
A corner stone in the evolution of the CCTV was during the eighties when the British government used it in public places. Crimes that were filmed in these places, led to trials and indictments. From here, the way to the home security system was short. Today in the digital era - security cameras sell by thousands of units on a daily basis. You can get security cameras for on eBay for no more than $35, even less in some cases.
The Alarm system
The popularity of the security camera in second only to it's noisy sister - the alarm system. Alarm systems are triggered by a certain sensor and give a loud warning to any intruder.
These sensors can track either movement, heat, infrared disturbance and some give a combination of the three. These alarm systems can be turned off only by inserting a specific code, or by voice recognition and in the near future facial recognitions too. Alarm systems are everywhere in homes, offices, shops and in cars. These are the two main forms of security systems - within each there are many sub-products.
Home security systems - picking the security system that's right for you
When contemplating on installing a security system in your home - you have to take a few thing under consideration. First of all - consider your budget. Even though both an alarm system and a security surveillance camera can be obtains for peanuts - be careful of anything that's too cheap.
Say you want to install an alarm system in Miami - you wouldn't like it to be triggered by every draft that passes by, nor would you like your security camera to crash after a few days...
Cheap in this case, is costly. Don't get the cheapest security systems - there are plenty of great security systems at very competitive prices, quality is highly important here.

Another aspect is your actual need. If you'd like to know that people who pass through your home don't steal your valuables, if you want to know that the babysitter is taking good care of your children - then you need a security camera. If you live alone and just want means to protect yourself
from intruders, than you hardly need a wireless CCTV (unless you like watching yourself) - an alarm system would serve you better. In some cases I would recommend having them both. Since prices aren't high - and it's easy to install - why not go for the combo deal. Both an alarm system and a security camera can give you peace of mind knowing that you and your loved ones are safe.

Deadbolts

Deadbolts - Overview of the deadbolt

- by Andrew Reed

The deadbolt is the most widespread style of bolt lock for a very good reason: it works. The principle is simple enough. With one hinged component – the door – and one immovable one – the framing wall – the best way to keep them together is to connect them with a strong shaft that penetrates from one into the center of the other. There are two aspects of the shaft – length and strength – that make a big difference to the efficacy of the lock. The length of the shaft allows it to penetrate farther into the immovable frame, and its strength makes it more or less possible to cut through. Much of the value of a long shaft has to do with physics.

The pressure necessary to push the shaft of the deadbolt through the frame increases in proportion to the depth it’s embedded in the frame. I’m not a physicist, and the way geometric progressions work is something like a foreign language to me, so I won’t even try to explain them. What’s important to know is that if the shaft pushes one inch past the strike-plate into the frame, it takes far more pressure to break through the frame than if it penetrates only one-half inch, for the simple reason that there’s a lot more frame material – usually a wood or aluminum stud, but sometimes a steel door jamb – that has to be pushed through. As for strength, deadbolt shafts are made of many materials, the most common of which are steel and steel alloys. Steel can be manufactured in a variety of ways that strengthen and harden it. Tempering Steel is made of iron ore, and its properties have been known for nearly two thousand years. Unlike wrought iron, which is relatively soft and workable, steel is iron ore smelted with carbon. The carbon is usually a very small component, from .4 or .5 percent to just over one percent, but it’s essential to make the ore workable and subject to hardening.

The greater the amount of carbon, the harder the steel can become if it’s treated properly. Thus the term “carbon steel.” Iron carbide found in or added to iron ore mixes uniformly with the iron molecules when the metal is heated above a critical temperature, and it cools into a crystalline structure. If the molten metal cools slowly (anneals), the crystalline structure of the iron carbide is relatively soft, but if it’s cooled quickly – by being dipped into water, for example – the crystalline structure is extremely hard. But the harder the steel after cooling, the more brittle it is, as well. In order to remove the brittleness, it must be reheated (to anywhere between 450 and 1,350 degrees), and the proper procedure allows it to be reheated without losing its strength. The reheated metal can be worked into all sorts of useful objects like deadbolt shafts that, when cooled again, are far harder than nontempered metal. Other materials can also be introduced into the steel during the smelting process to add to the strength provided by the iron carbide. Zinc, chromium, manganese, titanium, and nickel are among those frequently found in steel alloys. A third factor that impacts the level of security offered by a deadbolt has little to do with the bolt itself.

That factor is how the strike-plate is attached to the immovable frame. Since the strike-plate adds great strength to the frame (it’s a lot easier to splinter wood than to bend steel and steel alloys), it’s crucial that the strike-plate is strongly attached to the wall stud itself, not just the door-jamb that frames the doorway. That means using long screws, generally at least three inches, to bolt the strike-plate into the building stud. Most deadbolts slide horizontally from the door into the frame, but for many homes with sliding glass or double French doors, a different application is needed. Vertical sliding shackle bolt locks pin the door into its frame at the top and bottom. For sliding doors, they can keep either door from moving; for French doors, if one of the two movable doors is solidly bolted into the frame, it functions as a frame itself to keep the other from being pushed in. Depending on the design of the doors and the bolt you choose, the shackle bolt can go directly into the framing timber or into a metal shackle attached to the top frame. A bottom shackle bolt can go directly into the floor joists or sub-floor. Whatever your house or apartment design, you should make sure that every exterior door has some kind of deadbolt. The experts at Mr. Locks, Inc. will be glad to provide your house and your doors with the security your family deserves.

Installing a Security Safe

Installing a security safe is something most people should consider, now more then ever. There are literally thousands of different security safes - and some of them can be tailored to specific client demands. John Lennon once said, "Imagine no possession" but most people actually imagine MORE possession. Our economy is based on people spending money on valuables. Our culture demands we own more and more - and the more we own, the more we need to protect it. Installing a security safe - is easier and very affordable. It all depends on how sophisticated the safe is, what size it is - and where it's placed. Wall safes are different from floor safes, gun safes are designed for a special need just like the depository safes. Take a look around your home - make a list of all the things you would like to protect. Most people would like to protect valuable jewelry, maybe some money and a few important personal scripts or books. If you are one of them - then you really don't need a large safe - you can do just fine with a small to mediocre sentry safe. If you are contemplating on installing a security safe, all you have to do is pick up the phone and get an estimate - I'll wager it's a lot less then what you have in mind. Good luck on securing your castle.