GARAGE DOORS – A SHORT GUIDE TO THE WORLD OF GARAGE DOORS

When people think of garage doors today, they usually picture automatic garage doors, and almost always the overhead door type of garage doors. Automatic garage doors are preferred to other types because of their convenience and safety. You operate the automatic garage doors with a garage door opener from the comfort and security of your vehicle.

As you near the automatic garage doors in your automobile, you simply press a button on the garage door opener and the automatic garage doors slide smoothly open. Once you’ve pulled your car inside and shut the motor off, you can operate the automatic garage doors with another signal from the garage door opener. You can use either the on site garage door opener, or the mobile unit that stays in your car.

Automatic garage doors are definitely a convenience when the weather is bad, or when you’re coming home to an empty house. With a garage door opener and automatic garage doors, you don’t need to get out of your automobile until the automatic garage door is closed and secured.

There are some disadvantages to using automatic garage doors though, especially with a garage door opener. Because the power in the remote unit is battery operated, you must make sure to have batteries for your remote garage door opener unit. Secondly, some signals may be close enough to those of your neighbor that more than one garage door opener can be activated at the same time.

Third, automatic garage doors occasionally do get “off the track” so that they no longer move up and down on the rails correctly. It can be difficult to accomplish the garage door repair to get the automatic garage doors back on the rails without an extra pair of hands, and in the meantime, the automatic garage doors may need to be left in an open position so that they cannot be secured. Garage door repair is a rather specialized service, but garage door repair should be provided by the manufacturer of your automatic garage door opener unit.

Automatic garage doors should have another safety feature. They should always have a automatic stop feature built in. This will stop the automatic garage doors from coming down on the back of your automobile, or on the neck or chest of a toddler. A panic stop button is provided on some units to prevent further damage to vehicles or other objects obstructing the path of the door.

Interior Doors

If you are looking to purchase interior doors to place in a new home or to spruce up an older home, you can find many beautiful examples of interior doors to choose from. Interior doors are often used to define and separate types of interior living space, to accent or form a basis for your décor, or to assist in energy efficiency or to solve issues of acoustics. Interior doors can even add additional security features to certain areas of your home. Interior doors can be made of wood, glass, plastic, metal or other materials, just as exterior doors are, but interior doors generally tend to be lighter in weight—often wood interior doors are hollow core. Interior doors can also be a mix of two or more different materials. Standard-sized interior doors measure 34” by 80” but doors as narrow as 29” are available and doors as tall as 8’ can be ordered without getting into customized sizes. Interior doors can be selected in raised panels, flat panels or sunken panels. Wood interior doors have panel numbers up to 12. Paneled interior wood doors are available in either horizontal or vertical panels in some models. Interior wood doors are available in many different woods and finishes from very light to very dark natural wood looks and of course interior wood doors can be painted in any color to match or accent your room décor.
Interior wood doors may also be part wood and part glass, which allows for a more open feeling to a living area than solid interior wood doors. Interior French doors add a special kind of beauty and openness to a living area. With interior French doors, you get the very open look so that one living area seems to flow into the next, particularly if the doors are open, but even with the interior French doors closed, you have the light and visibility yet the door has more substance than interior glass doors. Interior French doors have a choice in the number of panes selected, but usually six to 12 panes is the most common size. Interior French doors, like interior wood doors can be finished in natural wood tones or can be painted. Interior glass doors provides the most visibility and yet allows for temperature control in a living area as well as allowing the most natural light into an otherwise dark room. Both interior French doors and interior glass doors allow for noise control without sacrificing light or décor.

CCTV (Close Circuit Television) – Secure your home with CCTV

Homes and businesses can be secured with the use of closed-circuit television (CCTV). The CCTV system uses CCTV cameras to capture images and transmit signals to a set of CCTV monitors to conduct surveillance within a specific area. CLOSED CIRCUIT TELEVISION ensures your privacy and security. As compared to broadcast television, the CCTV camera and the CCTV monitor are linked directly to each other via cables or wireless connections. CCTV is often used in places where high level security is needed such as banks, airports and casinos.
The CCTV system is very cost-effective. CCTVis also easy to install and use. Having a CCTV system entirely devoted to the security of our loved ones and properties is highly recommended during these times of terrorism and crimes.
Surveys conducted in the United States and United Kingdom show that the criminal rate has decreased significantly with the use of the CCTV SECURITY SYSTEM system. Crimes are prevented by the CCTV before they actually occur. CCTV also assists the police in their investigations. For instance, the CCTV led to the capture of the terrorists who attacked London’s public transport system last July. CCTV is used by the court during prosecutions. In the United Kingdom, CCTV situated in public places has reduced social problems like shoplifting, vandalism, and sexual harassment.
CCTV SECURITY SYSTEM can also be used in our homes. The basic CCTV system can monitor from 4 to 16 rooms of the house. More complex CCTV systems use CCTV switchers, CCTV time lapse recorders or CCTV digital video recorders. CCTV switchers allow several CCTV cameras to be connected to only one CCTV SECURITY SYSTEM monitor. The CCTV monitor screen is split to display more than one picture. The CCTV system can also be networked over a LAN and viewed remotely with a web browser. The newest CCTV system is directly connected to the telephone line. The CCTV system allows you to record suspicious activities that occur even in your yards, garage and mailbox.
CCTV gives you the following benefits: 1) CLOSED CIRCUIT TELEVISION allows you to monitor several places within your home simultaneously; 2) images captured by the CCTV cameras are transmitted to the CCTV camera in real-time; 3) with the CCTV, you enjoy both multiple channel video and audio inputs; 3) pan, tilt and zoom features are available, and; 4) CCTV SECURITY SYSTEM has a USB backup.
There are different styles of CCTV cameras available in the market. Three popular styles are the Standard CLOSED CIRCUIT TELEVISION camera, Bullet CCTV camera and Dome CCTV camera. CCTV cameras are made to simulate smoke detectors, clocks, and stuffed toys to be more discreet. CCTV cameras are very small and can be easily installed anywhere. CCTV cameras are also wear and weather-proof.
CLOSED CIRCUIT TELEVISION has caused lots of debates over public security versus privacy. With these issues, it is important to consult first with your lawyer when installing the CCTV system. These experts will assist you in meeting all the legal requirements stated in the local, state and federal laws that govern CCTV.

Locksmith History - A Short Description of the Locksmith Trade throughout History

Locks are used to secure rooms, cabinets, even buildings and certain storage facilities. Though most locks will open with a key, some locks require you to know specific combinations or codes. The original locksmiths were proficient in the science of making as well as defeating locks. The locksmith may be may be viewed as one of the first security engineers and the lock pick as the first tool of breaking through that security. Since most of these individuals were blacksmiths who made locks, they came to be known as locksmiths.
Nowadays, locksmith services and the locksmith tools have all undergone tremendous technological advances and sometimes it may seem a bit odd referring to an electronics security specialist as a provider of locksmith services but there is no other technical term. Our modern locksmiths perform electronic lock servicing that ranges from the locks on vehicles with transponders to personal assets of all types including homes, safes, and so on.
The locksmith services however do not merely cover installing the various security features. A good locksmith is meant to assess the risk level of what needs to be secured as well as other factors like location, access rights, and so forth, and based on that the optimal security measures are recommended. The locksmith tool might be an entire suite of various security features depending on the level of security desired. Of course there are times when the property being secured will not have some layers because each layer of security costs a bit extra.
Locksmiths may operate from their own premises, be mobile, could be employed by a security agency, or they could be forensic investigators. A locksmith may also choose specialization in a specific type of locksmith service like safe technician, security consultant, and so on. Different specializations come with different skills and they lead to different trades. Most often though, certifications from manufacturers or locksmith associations are more acceptable than training certificates. Some locksmiths often misuse the term Master Locksmith as their qualifications are mostly training certificates. Different countries have different minimum requirements for anyone to qualify as a Master Locksmith.
What is well recognized among all locksmiths is that a truly determined person who has the skills, knowledge, time, and unlimited resources will eventually manage to break any lock. That is why there are always secondary features installed by locksmiths that serve as deterrents to people with malicious intent. Modern locks provide a high degree of security for buildings, documents, personal assets, and other valuable or crucial objects.

Introduction to the wonderful world of locks

Our doors serve as entrances to our homes and offices. They may also provide access to strangers, criminals and offenders. So how do we secure our doors and prevent intrusions by these people? This is the sole of purpose of door locks. They keep us and our properties safe and protected.
The standard type of doorknob is easy to manipulate and provides weak protection. A deadbolt lock, however, provides good protection against robbers who try to break through our doors and properties.
There are three types of deadbolt locks in the market. The first type is the single cylinder deadbolt lock. It has a key cylinder on one side and a knob on the other side. The second type of deadbolt lock is the double cylinder lock. Both of its sides have a key cylinder. It has no knobs and the user needs a key to open it. The last type of deadbolt lock is the keyless deadbolt lock. There are two methods of unlocking it.
The method of lock picking involves opening the door lock with a locking tool kit. A basic kit contains a screwdriver or other types of tension wrench and a lock pin, which is a long and thin piece of metal that is curved at one end. In cases of emergencies, a hairpin may substitute for the lock pin. A professional kit, on the other hand, contains several types of tension wrenches in varying in sizes and shapes and lock pins with different dimensions. It may also contain a pick gun which is an instrument that vibrates and push several lock pins at the same time.
To open the keyless deadbolt lock, the user first inserts the tension wrench in the keyhole and turns the cylinder in a way similar to unlocking a standard lock with a key. The lock pin is inserted and lifted slowly upward. Upon reaching normal position, he will hear a click that will signify that the deadbolt lock is open. Racking is another technique of opening the keyless deadbolt lock. It has a lower level of accuracy compared to lock picking. A special instrument called a rake is inserted to the lock and pushed all the way to the back of the key cylinder. It is pulled out in a brisk manner to hit all pins on its way out. The cylinder is rotated with the use of a tension wrench.
The master lock is considered as one of the hardest locks to be opened. It provides a high level of security. The master lock was invented by Henry Soref in 1921, who thought of producing locks using several layers of laminated steel. The master lock has the same picking system as the other types of door locks but its production requires excellent locksmith skills.
More information on locks and lock picking techniques can be seen in books available in the market. There are also videos and CDs that provide good illustration.

Home Security safes

We can never fully protect our homes and offices from burglary. But additional protection for our most valuable possessions is possible with the use of safes. Safes are used for storing our jewelries, documents and money. Safes are also for storing dangerous items like guns. Accidental gun injuries in the house are prevented when are armors are securely hidden from our children. Fireproof safes also protect our documents from destruction during fire or arson.
Safes are good investments for our homes and businesses. Before making a purchase, ask yourself the following questions and weigh your answers carefully:

1. How many items do I need to keep in a safe?
Banks provide safes that you can lease to store small pieces of jewelry or a few documents. Safes from the stores are available in different sizes. Choose a safe that can meet your requirements but is also not too small in case you want to store more items in the future.

2. Do I need a fireproof safe?
Safes made of fireproof material are more costly than the ordinary safe but provide greater protection to your valuables.

3. Where will I hide my safe?
Plan an excellent place to situate your safe. The safe should be properly hidden but should also be accessible to the owner. Wall safes are designed to be hidden beneath paintings. Safes can also be installed by attaching them to the floor.

4. Do I want a safe with keys or a safe with a combination lock?
Which type would be more convenient? Remember that codes have to be memorized and keys kept secure.

5. How much budget do I have for my safe?
Always consider price versus durability and quality and purchase the most useful one that fits your budget.

6. Do I have armors in the house that I would like to store in a gun safe?
If you’re not comfortable with this idea, you can store your armors at gun clubs to protect your children and maintain your peace of mind.

Fireproof safes provide good storage for items with sentimental and/or monetary value. You can choose to store these items in the bank but having fireproof safes in the convenience of your home provides you an easier access to your belongings. Check if the safe is fire resistant or fireproof. These terms are not the same. Fireproof ratings are computed by how much heat the safe can withstand for a certain period of time. Consider your requirements before choosing one over the other.
Gun safes are high quality safes made of thick steel.
Gun safes are very durable and were manufactured to keep your armors secure. However, plan beforehand on where to position them in your house because drilling holes through them is not that easy.

Intercom systems

An intercom is personal telecommunications device which facilitates the exchange of messages between two or more locations where standard vocal communication would be difficult or impossible due to distance or obstructions. Basic intercom systems have been in existence since about a decade into the twentieth century if you only consider designs reliant on that rather handy invention of Alexander Bell’s; the telephone.
Even earlier technologies, similar in concept if not execution to the modern intercom, were fairly widespread. They were particularly prevalent in large businesses, military installations and vessels, as well as stately homes and palaces where they were frequently used to convey instructions to out-of-earshot workers, soldiers and servants respectively. I am of course referring not to strange contrivances of rope and bells, or smoke signals even, but to “speaking tubes.” These were little more than lengths of hollow metal piping which had the handy property of conducting sound for great distances; think of the water or heating pipes in an old apartment building which transmit every unwanted sound.
Even such instruments as the telegraph and the familiar children’s toy consisting of two cans or cups connected by a length of string can be said to have more in common with the modern intercom than the telephone in that they form a closed rather than open system of communication. Of course, such crude methods have nothing on modern intercom systems, which took another leap forward in terms of sophistication with the advent of the new wireless intercoms. Present-day intercom systems are as varied in their forms as their uses. Uncomplicated two-way devices are employed for such functions as access control for the gates and doors of homes, shops and businesses. Once a visitor has announced his or her presence over the intercom the occupant of the premises decides whether to let them in or not. More advanced systems will feature video in addition to audio capabilities, allowing even easier and more accurate identification of visitors on the part of the occupant. Conceivably, even further layers of reporting can be incorporated into intercom systems such as, for example, metal detectors and chemical sensors in areas where the need for high security is great.
Voice-activated intercoms or Audio Intercom units are another tremendously useful refinement on standard intercom systems. They have are used to great effect to monitor babies and others requiring attention, who are for some reason unable to operate regular intercom buttons, such as the ill or infirm. Intercoms are of course not limited to two-way communication either.

There is no theoretical limit to the number of individuals who can be connected via an intercom and little practical limit to the number on a centrally-controlled wireless system. Such multiple-point systems are used to great effect in places where announcements and communication are requires, such as schools, supermarkets, hospitals, factories and airports. Not only can one person use such an intercom system to simultaneously communicate to all present, those who have access to the system can use it to keep in contact with one another.

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.