As a security installer/ locksmith one of my most common calls is a broken key stuck in a lock. Often, a key stuck in a lock seems like an emergency, and your priority will be to contact a locksmith to remove it. Based on the depth of the key, you can open the lock with … Read more
Humans are naturally born to socialize. However, we don’t always have a choice in who we live near. A nosy neighbor can intrude on your privacy, which can be irritating. When you want to have some time for yourself, or you need to discuss things with a family member, the last thing you want is … Read more
I always see the case where a person gets their safe and automatically assumes it will protect them and plops it in the middle of a room without a second thought. Don’t be this person; a safe is an amazing device for protecting you, but just as important is the location of the safe to … Read more
Working in security, I have a heightened sense of paranoia with all locks, and nothing scares me more than unsecured sliding doors. It’s easy with one look to see that the mechanism that comes with most sliding doors is shabby at best and can be easily broken through. Have you moved into a new home … Read more
Despite the high-tech features of modern security cameras, they are still vulnerable to bugs. Working as a security installer, I get a lot of calls about video issues and reflections and glare on the videos that turn out to be nothing more than a bug falling in love with a camera lens. Bugs can be … Read more
Working in security, I have found that more people are requesting their security cameras to be hidden because of increasing levels of vandalism and theft. Learning how to Hide a camera outside can be challenging. But, with the right planning, you can have an undetectable surveillance system. Hiding cameras is not commonly done for security … Read more
As a security professional, I deal with many calls from people worried about bugs in their houses or someone trying to listen in on them. There are many devices out there these days for recording audio, and they have gotten so small that it’s almost impossible to detect them visually. In general, to block an … Read more
One of the most common questions about home protection is how long smoke detectors last. Knowing how long your smoke detector will last is crucial. Many smoke detectors have an electronic part lifespan of 8-10 years, while their batteries can last from 6 months to 1 year. Type of Smoke Detector Average Life Span Ionization … Read more
A bedroom door is a gateway between your private and public space. However, it can be an easy target for burglars and theft. How can you protect your bedroom door from burglars? Some people use doors with complicated locks requiring keys or codes to open. Others prefer cheaper alternatives like a deadbolt lock or a … Read more
When it comes to showering during a thunderstorm, in general, according to the National Weather Service, the chances of injury are extremely small. Yet, relatively specific risk points are attached to being in the shower if your home is struck by lightning. If possible, avoid showering during a thunderstorm, but know that the chances of … Read more
Many people sign up for alarm systems, and then end up having to cancel them. Alarm companies are very good at marketing their services, and it’s easy for someone to sign up without fully understanding the contract they’ve signed, but even harder for them to get out of it. The purpose of this guide is … Read more
As a security professional, I have encountered many issues with safes, but none is as common as people trying to get into their safes without their keys or passcode. A Stack-On safe will use an electronic keypad to open the doors, but it can also be opened using a combination code or the release button … Read more
Hotel safes are supposed to be safe from theft or fire. However, there is a big possibility that these safes can be broken into. The risk of hotel safes being compromised is not something new – recent data shows that the number of hotels safe break-in attempts has increased from an average of 4-5 a … Read more
We have all been there. You want to go into your garage, but you have no car key or remote control, and the gate is closed. So what do you do? Well, here is an easy way to get inside your garage without any keys or remotes. In general, the easiest way to break into … Read more
Depending on state laws, records of videos captured by in-vehicle cameras of police are often accessible by police or other authorities based on suspicion of a crime committed. But some states have exemptions for dashcam footage, and the length of time it can be kept varies from place to place. In general, in the United … Read more
As a security installer, I sometimes get asked by people on a bare-bones budget, why can’t I turn my laptop into a security camera? Well, you can, and we will show you how to turn a laptop into a security camera with just a few simple steps with free and paid software. Step 1 – … Read more
