Several weeks ago on the highly acclaimed television show “Criminal Minds” an un-sub, (psychotic serial killer) targeted his victims through social media and a clever ruse of using his job as a cable salesman and installer to gain access to the his intended victims homes.  He would knock on the door and make a pitch about how is company’s new 4G technology was such a vast improvement over what the customer currently had.  He would ask for a few minutes of their time to provide a quick demonstration, and when there back was turned he would plant a wireless camera on their security keypad, so he could gain the access code.  Although the show criminal minds is a fictional show about FBI profilers that hunt serial killers the methodology that these criminals use is indeed based on fact and could well be used by some demented psychopath that may target you.

Although it is common for salespeople to solicit their services door to door, it is not safe to let someone inside your home that just appears on your doorstep.  Without knowledge of who this person is, you could be setting yourself up to have problems in the future.  The security industry often uses door to door sales practices and I have done it myself.  The fact is there are companies that are not reputable and will fire any Tom, Dick and Harry off the street if they think that it will make them money.  Even though licensing is required, in the state of North Carolina a company has two weeks to process the paperwork and get it in to the state.  This is two weeks too many as it allows a window for the bad elements that should never be in the alarm industry to slip through the cracks, even if it is for just a short window.  It is my belief that new registrants should not be allowed to work until their background checks have been processed and they have an alarm license from the state.  The only problem with this going into effect is that the state alarm licensing board is behind schedule and is under manned due to budget cuts and layoffs.  My advice to consumers is to do your company research and also research the sales representative.  Check their online reputation by looking them up on linkedin and don’t be afraid to do your own research on social media sites like facebook.  Often you can get information that is very valuable for you to make an informed decision.  Ask for referrals from your friends and business associates, also research top business networking sites like BNI, which screens its prospective applicants before formalizing their membership. 

In order to maintain the highest level of safety for yourself and your family steer clear of door to door salespeople and don’t let them in your home unless they produce ID that you verify with the alarm board.  Call the company to verify employment and if it is a company that you’ve never heard of avoid them like the plague.  If you’ve never heard of them doesn’t make them a bad company, but it should raise your level of suspicion as to whether they can and will stand the test of time.  The key to safety is to use due diligence.  Never be pressured into making a decision, if the deal is only good for today then it is not a good deal at all. 

             Certain areas of the home that are out of sight are often out of mind: like the crawl space of your home.  The crawlspace is the area underneath a home that is most often accessed from a small to medium sized door located on the outside of the house.  Crawlspaces often contain the cold air return and air handler of a heat pump and the hot water heater.   The top reasons a crawl space is attractive to criminals: are ease of entry so they can access the home: they can study the occupants activities by listening from below: they can steal copper pipes and they can get into the house from below easily by removing the cold air return and coming in through ventilation system.  I first elaborate on the reasons then I will provide several tips to securing this often vulnerable and overlooked area of the home.

                Crawlspaces are easily entered because they are often unlocked or only secured with a flimsy padlock that can be opened through brut force from a blunt object like a hammer or mallet or cut with bolt cutters.  The design of crawlspace doors also makes them vulnerable.  Crawlspace design often has the door hinges facing outward where the screws can be recessed and removed, allowing entry from the hinged side.   Another reason criminals target crawlspaces is to obtain valuable metals like copper.

               Valuable copper piping is found running underneath many older homes and crooks want to sell the copper for cash.  Drug addicts find copper theft appealing because it can be done quickly and easily.  Once the crook has shut the water off from the street, they go under the home and take hacksaw and cut the pipe.  By posing as a contractor these criminals can take you for thousands from beneath the home.  Just imagine coming home and turning on the water and nothing comes out of the spigot.  You hear water running if the crook turned it back on, but it is all running underneath the house in the crawlspace.  Also if a criminal wanted to scout a family’s routine they could do it from below.

                From underneath the home the home a large portion of what you say and do can be heard.  The criminal can be listening and you are completely unaware that they are there.  A savvy crook could even install a small pinhole camera from below and point it at your security keypad to learn the code.  Once they had the code they could bump the lock, enter the home and do anything they wanted.  This should creep you out just thinking about it.   The final thing they can do is to come in through the cold air return.

                A small individual can easily fit through many cold air returns, remove the screen and kick out the cover.  Once they are inside they could rob you blind.  Many of the cold air return vents are in areas where there are no security devices, especially if the person only had a basic system with three door sensors and a motion sensor that was places in a family room or kitchen.

                 Most crawlspace doors are not locked so it is vital to install a good quality lock such as a (U) style lock.  This lock is similar in style to a bike lock.  It is difficult to break and can not be cut with bolt cutters like a traditional pad lock. 

                The second security weakness of crawlspace doors are the hinge system of these doors.  Most often the hinges are on the outside, where a criminal can take out the screws and gain entry from the back side.  To prevent this problem remove the existing screws and replace them with star bolt screws.  It is unlikely that criminals will have the necessary tool to remove them.

                 The final component to protecting a crawlspace is to install a security door contact to the crawlspace door that is set for instant alert when the security system is activated.  If the system is monitored it will dispatch the police and notify you that someone has attempted to gain entry to that zone of your home.

Having a security system is equally as important for your pets as it is for the humans that dwell within the four walls that make your house a home.  A proper home security system design will take the presence of pets into account and may or may not use motion detectors.  Improper use of motion detectors can cause false alarms and agitation of pets due to the noise emitted from the high piercing audible siren.  So it is important to make sure that motion detectors are the best method of providing the adequate protection when pets are present.

            Although some motion detectors are equipped with a pet immunity lens that will allow them to bypass small animals under a certain mass, there are exceptions to how this feature works.  People with multiple pets, either dogs or cats, which run in tandem will trip the motion sensor.  Also a single cat that has the ability to jump and climb can easily trip a motion sensor with a pet immunity lens.  The best security design will use either glass break detectors or window contacts in order to accommodate pets and prevent false alarms.  Although contacts and glass breaks will cost more upfront than a single motion detector the long-term rewards will far outweigh the initial investment.

Glass break detectors are a vital addition to most home security system applications but are often improperly used and misunderstood by clients.  Glass break detectors are electronic components that are a part of a burglar or alarm system that detects the breaking of glass.

Many homes are built with large panes of glass not limited to widows but including sliding glass doors, French doors, and regular entry doors.  A simple door or window contact does not prevent a criminal from breaking the glass and circumventing the system by coming in through the broken out glass: leaving the contact in place and never triggering the alarm.  If the home security system is equipped with a motion sensor it may pick up the intruder, but he or she is already inside.  Also, if the homeowner is at the residence at the time of the intrusion, it likely that alarm system is in the stay mode, which places the motion in stasis allowing it to bypass movement, allowing the residents to move about freely without triggering the security system.  For this reason glass break detectors are important because they can be on while the residents are inside the home.  Glass break detectors also detect the intrusion while the intruder is still outside the home where they have less chance of harming someone inside the home.

There are myths that a single glass break detector can be placed in a hall and protect the windows inside adjoining rooms.  This is false because glass break detectors need to have direct line of sight.  When a glass break detector is placed in a room it must be able to have an unobstructed view of the windows it is going to protect.   The maximum range for a glass break detector is 15 to 25 feet.    If a glass break detector is mounted to a wall where there are windows that glass break can not protect those windows.  Another common misperception is that glass break detectors are affixed to windows.  Glass breaks are affixed to a wall in the sight line of what they are protecting.   It is advisable to have a glass break in each room unless the room is a large great room.  Also make sure you have night lashes on your windows which prevent the window from being raised past a certain height if the window was left unlocked.   Also separate window locks can be added if the window does not come complete with night lashes. 

Even if you live in a glass house proper security protection can help you protect it.

It is not the most common thing to think about fire and the deadly affects it can have on people’s lives.  We are shocked when local news stories announce a three alarm fire that claims the lives of several children.  Even if the news anchor appeals to the audience to give to a memorial fund in lieu of flowers; this appeal may cause some to stroke a check.  Others may think that it is a good idea, but life gets in the way and they forget about the tragedy that was yesterday’s news until it becomes their reality.  Fires often occur because of complacency.   These are five things that people often overlook pertaining to fire that can cause heartache and pain.

·         Failing to clean grease that builds up under the eye of a stove

·         Lint that builds up behind a dryer

·         A loose electrical outlet

·         An overloaded electrical outlet

·         Smoke detectors with batteries removed

Always clean under the stove eyes because grease can quickly build up causing a house fire.  Lint that builds up behind a dryer can quickly ignite.   Have all electrical tightened or replaced because shorts cause fires.  Overloaded electrical outlets cause fires.  Purchase an iron that cuts off if left unattended for a specified period of time.