7 Pieces of Home Security Equipment to Consider ...

Floodlights "flood" the area with light, and this is one piece of home security equipment few thieves want to challenge. Thieves generally like to stay under the radar and not be detected as they are engaging in their activities, and floodlights keep thieves in the spotlight where they can be easily seen and identified. Many floodlights are controlled by a motion sensor, so even while inside the home, you can see if there is activity outside. However, floodlights can also be a nuisance, so be sure to direct the light only where it is needed. Do not allow the light to shine on the property of neighbors or into the sky.

We want to feel safe inside our homes as well as outside. Sometimes the threat doesn't come from another person but another situation like those that create fire or carbon monoxide. These alarms may not stop a fire or carbon monoxide, but they are a way to protect the people in the home from injury. Fires can originate from obvious sources, like a burning candle or food left cooking on the stove, and carbon monoxide, undetectable by humans, can come from wood or gas fireplaces or stoves, gas appliances or clogged chimneys. These alarms emit a shrill noise upon detection, and allow the occupants to flee the home to safety. Be sure to periodically check the batteries in these units to assure they will be ready when needed.

Personal distress alarms are portable alarms often worn around the neck or carried as a keychain. The ones worn for medical purposes come with a base unit placed near a phone that allows for 2-way conversation with an operator if a health need arises. Although not often thought of as home security equipment, these devices can work just as well if there is an intruder in the home or if something has caught fire. Other portable alarms may simply emit a shrill sound when activated and are designed to scare an intruder away.

One essential piece of home security equipment is a fire extinguisher. If a fire is small, it may be possible to put it out before too much damage occurs, however, don’t take unnecessary chances - get out of the home as soon as possible if there is any doubt. Fire blankets can either be used to cover over small fires quickly and smother them, or used by the occupants to protect themselves if they need to escape a burning home. Be sure to periodically have your fire extinguisher recharged or replaced to assure its functional when needed.

Security alarms usually detect if there is movement in the home and are normally set when occupants leave the home. Because they activated by motion, certain animals and even the occupants can set off the alarm if they haven’t deactivated it. When an alarm goes off, most systems automatically alert an operator who may call the police to have them check on the home. The alarm may or may not make noise. The alarms can be deactivated if they go off accidentally, usually by entering a code into a keypad or by calling the security company.

Thieves often avoid cameras due to the chance that they may later be identified by the images. Cameras can be obvious or they can be hidden. If thieves see a camera lens they may be deterred by it, even if the lens isn’t active, so dummy lenses may be installed and no one but the home’s occupant or owner would know the difference. Live cameras, of course, will give you information should a break in occur, or even provide information should someone be lurking about outside the home. Police may be able to more easily find the thieves when they have been recorded.

Dogs not only make great companions but they are a great form of home security. Because of their territorial nature, they often make a great deal noise at any perceived threat to their zone. Even small dogs may bark and alert their owners to danger, but they may not discourage a determined burglar. Big dogs often frighten potential thieves away because thieves don’t want to risk injury. Because dog barking tends to deter criminals, there are some alarm systems that imitate the sound of a dog, and some imitate barking so well that the barking becomes more frequent, louder, and more urgent the closer the person comes to the alarm.

Is your home protected? Which do you think is the piece of home security equipment your home will never be without?