Scare Away Burglars By Giving the Impression You’re Watching TV

Posted on by Jessi Keane

Scare Away Burglars

Convince a burglar youʼre home watching TV while youʼre out and youʼll improve your chances of him leaving you alone.

You probably remember me saying how important it is to give the impression someone is home when youʼre out of the house. You probably remember how this is one of the best ways to deter potential burglars, because theyʼd like to avoid the hassle of running into someone.

I want to tell you about what I found to make doing this easy.

A TV left On Is Very Effective

One effective way to give the impression someone is home is to leave your TV on.Even if someone outside canʼt see the TV itself through your closed blinds or curtains, they can probably see the flickering light it gives off.

You can simply leave the TV on or put it on a timer (or maybe it even has a built-in timer).But leaving the TV on wastes lots of electricity, wears down your TV and shortens its life.

I found something that gives the impression a TV is on in a room and does this for a tiny fraction of the cost of a TV and does so while using a lot less electricity.

Fake TV

What I found is called FakeTV, a product you can find at Amazon for about $30. The companyʼs web site has more information. You might remember me mentioning it in a recent podcast’s Home Security Resources segment.

What It Is And How It Works

The device is pretty small and contains a bunch of LEDs of various colors that come on and off in various random patterns to mimic the brightness and flickering of a TV.

Most of the LEDs are white, but other colors are mixed in randomly, to change the overall color, just as the overall color youʼd see from your TV changes as scenes change, channels change or commercials interrupt what youʼre trying to watch.

Itʼs a clever little device.

FakeTV Features

Itʼs simple to operate. Just turn it on.

Or take advantage of some extra features and use the “dusk plus 4 hours” and “dusk plus 7 hour” settings which use a built-in ambient light sensor, so that the device can come on when the sun goes down, rather than staying on constantly and wasting power.

A feature I really like is the price. For only $30, you can put one in several different rooms in your house or apartment, such as a living room, kitchen and bedroom.

My Experience With FakeTV

Iʼve been using a FakeTV for several months now. I was intrigued after I first heard about it and decided to check it out. Iʼm thinking about getting a second one.

From outside, I think it really does look like a TV is on in the room. It works really well.

I have mine set up to come on when the sun goes down which is in the late afternoon (thanks to my living in the north!).

Tips For Using FakeTV

Hereʼs a few tips based on my experience, in case you decide to get one:

  • If you put FakeTV on a timer or have a lamp on a timer in the same room, be sure to not use the auto-dusk detection feature!
  • Otherwise, set it to come on at dusk. Use either the dusk+4 hours or dusk+7 hours setting depending on the time of year (in other words, how early it gets dark where you live). If itʼs in the dead of winter and it gets dark early, like before 5 PM where I live, youʼll want the dusk+7 hours feature to keep it on until about midnight.
  • Aim it toward a window to maximize the effect
  • But donʼt put it so close to the window that someone could easily see the device and know itʼs not a real TV
  • Use the regular On mode when youʼre just going out in the evening.

Summary

Giving the impression someone is home doesnʼt have to be difficult or expensive.

The occasional clever device like this one coming along also makes it really easy!

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Home Security System Alternatives

Posted on by Jessi Keane

What if you want to improve your home security, but you don’t want to invest in a home security system right now?

Protecting your home (and thereby yourself and your family) is critical. A home security system might not be right for you or at least right for you right now, or it might not be an expense you can handle right now.

These are all legitimate. It’s much more important that you take steps to protect your home than it is to buy a home security system, as I’ve said many times before.

Home security is much, much more than having a home security system.

Your Alternatives

So what else can you do?

I thought I’d summarize some of the many ideas and suggestions I’ve made over the past few months.

Some of my suggestions are merely behavioral improvements you make. Others are products you can purchase—products that are much less expensive than alarm systems and provide some of the features you’d get with a system.

Use these items to start planning better protection for your home. But for even more, grab a copy of my comprehensive and free home & security checklist. If you sign up for my email home security newsletter, I’ll immediately send you the link and you can start downloading it right away.

14 Ideas To Get Started

  1. Be more consistent in locking your doors. Don’t ever leave them unlocked when going out for a short time. Don’t ever leave and not lock the deadbolt.
  2. If any entrance doors donʼt have deadbolts, add them
  3. Similarly, do a better job securing your windows. Don’t lock your doors but leave your windows open, even when you leave for only a short time. Brace your windows and your sliding glass doors so that they cannot be pried opened.
  4. Close your blinds and curtains after dusk so no one can see in
  5. Turn on indoor lighting after dusk, especially when you’re not home, to give the appearance that someone is home
  6. Put indoor lamps, in multiple rooms, on timers, to further the impression that someone’s home
  7. Play music when you’re gone that can just barely be heard from outside. Use a stereo, clock radio, iPod speakers, computer speakers, etc. …whatever you have available.
  8. Use a device like FakeTV to make it look like you’re home watching TV
  9. Add, replace or upgrade strike plates on all entrance door frames to improve a door’s resistance to being kicked in
  10. Securely fasten desktop and laptop computers to immovable objects (desks, bed frames, radiators, etc.) with laptop anti-theft cables
  11. Use webcams and webcam security software on your computer to be notified of trouble
  12. Use indoor motion sensor alarms
  13. Use door & window sensor alarms. Note: Iʼll be reviewing two that I’ve tried out in the next article.
  14. Install outdoor motion-activated lights

This list is only a start. There’s much more you could do. What other suggestions would you make?

A Look at Standalone Window & Door Alarms

Posted on by Jessi Keane

How good are standalone door and window alarms?

They’re a good intermediate step for those not ready for a home security system.

Here’s what I thought of two I tried out. Maybe it’ll help you know what to look for.

What I bought:

  • A Doberman brand glass vibration sensor (the SE-0106 Ultra-Slim Window Alert)
  • A Doberman brand door & window magnetic sensor (that detects when a door/window is opened) (the SE-0101, Door & Window Defender)

A couple of things you should know:

  • The door & window sensor has a chime function as well as an alarm
  • The door & window sensor also detects vibrations
  • The Window Alert sensor is a vibration sensor only

Both mount with adhesive. Even well into a New England winter here in Boston, both are still hanging, even though they’re mounted to a cold, steel door and cold window glass.

Both come with batteries which are not activated, so that the batteries donʼt get drained by the electronics while sitting on the store shelf—nice!

Sensors as an intermediate home security solution

So how well do these work as an intermediate step toward better security?

One of the ways you might imagine using a door sensor is that it would go off if someone broke open the door while you’re gone.

But if you activate the door sensor alarm, it’ll go off when you open the door to leave!

You could live with it but this would be annoying and will drain the batteries quickly.

Another option is to activate the alarm after you’ve opened the door and then close the door behind you. Smartly, this sensor was designed so that you can switch the sensor into alarm mode with the door open and the alarm won’t immediately sound—the door first has to have been closed.

The alarm will still sound upon your return—more drained batteries, more annoyance, and probably some being quite startled.

This combination door & windows sensor also includes a vibration sensor which is helpful when the sensor is used on a window.

But I found it to be a problem when used on a door. I was easily able to set the alarm off just by knocking on the door!

What about the window vibration sensor?

This sensor is not designed to detect if a window is being opened, only vibration, which you’ll get vibration if the glass is broken.

Unfortunately, in my case, I was able to also get enough vibration to set off the alarm by closing the window (a common occurrence) and also by knocking on the glass (which may be not quite as common).

How well can these window & door alarms protect you?

Some other things I noticed:

  • The chime on the door & window alarm is loud, probably the loudest chime you’ll ever hear
  • The sirens stop and reset after 20 seconds
  • Because there’s no delay on the door alarm, you can’t activate it and then leave without setting off the alarm.
  • If you put either sensor on a window next to your bed, count on it waking you up if it goes off in the middle of the night. You may then die from fright, but you’ll definitely first be woken up!
  • I simply attached the window vibration sensor, activated it and closed the blinds. I wonder whether I’ll be diligent to check it periodically to make sure the battery is healthy. This is a habit I’ll have to work on and you may too.
  • After accidentally opening my door with the sensor armed and setting off the alarm a few times, nearly scaring me to death, I found myself not activating it as often as I should. I haven’t activated it yet even once when leaving the home, knowing that the alarm will sound when I get back. I question its usefulness on a frequently-used entrance door.

So that’s my take on these sensors. I think I want to try out some others for comparison. How would you use or rely on sensors like these? Do you think you’d ever use them in place of a security system?

Window Shades In A Hurry For Better Security

Posted on by Jessi Keane

Need shade in a hurry?

I don’t mean a way to escape the bright sun. I’m referring to window shades. Window blinds, curtains and shades help protect your home by keeping the valuable contents of your home (not to mention knowledge about whether someone is home) from prying eyes.

Shades, quickly

More often than not, installing window shades involves measurements, trips to a store,  waiting while they’re cut or custom made and then some installation work.

I recently came across a product that can be installed in about a minute with no tools!

These shades are intended as a short-term, rather than permanent, solution.

It’s called Redi-Shade and is an easy-to-install way to add shades to windows and doors in a hurry.

They’re made of pleated paper and mounted using an adhesive strip. They come in several different widths, but because they’re paper, it’s simple to trim them to the needed width with a knife or shears.

When youʼd want shades for quick for home security

Paper shades???

Again, remember, they’re for temporary use…especially when you want windows covered quickly.

I decided I had to try them out because my first reaction when I stumbled across them was they’d be perfect as a short-term home security solution!

They’d work well for apartments or homes right after moving in (before you can get around to installing a permanent solution).

You could use them in a home or apartment while remodeling or even just painting.

Maybe you’ve taken down the regular blinds or curtains until the job is done but still want to have some privacy and security.

I’m sure there are plenty of other possibilities, too.

I’m testing them out

I used mine on some french doors at my place. As part of my test, I’ve left them up (see the photo above).  Yes, eventually, I’ll need to take them down and use “real” shades on these doors.

But they’ve been up for two months now and show no signs of coming down on their own. The adhesive has been sticking very well to the cold steel of the door. You can see from the photo the good shape they’re still in.

Even the wear and tear of opening and closing the shades almost every day (part of my testing, but also because I want to see the sun when it occasionally appears or to see how much snow we got during the night!) hasn’t worn them down much.

Opening them is just a matter of lifting the bottom of the blinds and securing the pleats using plastic clips included in the package. Closing them simply involves releasing the clips. I attach the clips to the last pleat of the blind to give some weight to the blinds to help hold them down.

Can these shades help your home security?

I thought you might enjoy hearing about this!

What do you think? Any ideas come to mind?

How to Figure Out What You Really Need In a Home Security System

Posted on by Jessi Keane

Let me help you figure out what you’ll need in a home security system.

There are many options these days, some of which are flashy and cool and very tempting. But you want to make sure and cover the essentials.

If you’re just getting started or maybe even just thinking about maybe getting started, you may not even know about all the options available. You’ll need even more help.

I’ll guide you through sorting it all out.

Type of home security systems

In addition to your budget, your options vary with the type of system you are looking at:

  • an “all-in-one” system,
  • a traditional “big name” system, or
  • a DIY system where you buy components individually

This series of articles focuses primarily on developing your strategy so you can figure out what you need. This applies to any type of system. Even if you’re thinking about a traditional big name alarm company’s system, this may prove helpful so that you don’t end up getting more than you really need (and paying for it!).

Develop a strategy

Before you start thinking about the system itself, you should develop your strategy. And even before you think strategy, you should make sure you’re not expecting a home security system to be your first line of defense. My nextpodcast episode (“The 4 Levels of Home Security”) will deal with that. Check it out next week!

Your strategy can consist of elements addressing

  • early detection (i.e., while a burglar is still outdoors),
  • entrances (detection of entry via doors & windows),
  • indoors (detection of an intruder inside the home), and
  • notification & control (what you do once you’ve detected the intruder)

Piece your ideas and plans into a strategy.

Lots of options

To help get the “wheels” of your brain spinning, here’s just a sampling of the many options available to you:

  • “at-home” (or “stay”) mode for protection while you’re home
  • motion sensor-free rooms to use as pet rooms
  • panic buttons
  • a “duress silencer” (to command the alarm off if an intruder forces you too but with immediate duress signal to monitoring company)
  • glass break sensors
  • internet-based monitoring
  • modes to permit certain windows to be opened for fresh air but with the rest of the system armed
  • keypads for enabling & disabling near multiple doors
  • enable/disable via keyfobs
  • driveway car/person motion detector
  • cameras at doors (for seeing who’s at the door)
  • integration with smoke & fire alarms
  • being able to choose who monitors your system

Of course, there are many, many more options!

Strategy: outdoors

It’s possible to have a very elaborate system that detects an intruder coming on to your property, video cameras all over the place, and so on.

But, for most of you, this is way over the top, beyond your needs and your budget, so I won’t spend much time on this part of your strategy as it relates specifically to a security system.

However, what I do want to encourage you to do is to not overlook the outdoors in your overall strategy and invest some effort in trying to keep a burglar away from your place in the first place.

Use outdoor lighting liberally. Don’t let your landscaping work against you: Keep shrubs and trees trimmed and away from your house and think twice about trees, shrubs and fencing that blocks the view from the street and the neighbors.

Letting a burglar know you’ve put thought into security is a good first step to making him think twice about targeting your place. Failing to consider the outdoors was a big part in my being robbed.

Strategy: entrances

The basic strategy here is: “cover your home’s entrances”.

The catch, however, is that this can get expensive and it’s also easy to overlook or discount certain entrances.

Any first floor door or window is a potential entry point for a burglar. So are many second and even third floor windows.

If you have a basement, its windows or even doors can be targeted. These are often neglected in security system planning.

Developing your strategy involves determining how best to cover all these entrances. If you have the luxury, you can simply put sensors at each door and window.

But, you can often simplify things by relying on motion sensors and/or glass break sensors (both of which we’ll get to in the next article) to cover entrance points or detecting the burglar once he starts moving about inside.

For example, if you have a room with lots of windows and you can’t justify putting a sensor at each window, you could instead have a glass break sensor cover the entire room, or a motion sensor in the room, or in the hall just outside the room (it might depend on what you keep stored in the room or how soon you’d want an alarm to go off).

Until next time…

Again, this is just the first article in a series. Watch for part 2, where we’ll pick up where we left off and talk about strategising indoors.

Please leave your comments. Do you already have a home security system? How did you go about figuring out what you need (or what do you regret not doing)?

I’d love to hear what you think!

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