South Africa has one of the highest crime rates in the world and one needs to ensure that your home is safe – but this doesn’t mean that you have to change your home’s appearance to look like a jail. There are various stylish solutions for this problem.
It is actually quite disturbing to think that criminals in our country have enough power to turn us into nervous, paranoid victims who are willing to change our entire life to ensure our own safety and survival – even if it means messing up our home’s appearance and turning it into our own personal jail. Luckily technology has made it possible for us to secure our homes in such a way that it actually compliments its appearance – you just need to do your homework and find suitable products to keep your home safe and stylish.
Lighting
One of the most important safety features that you can add to your home is proper lighting all around. Lighting eliminate shadows where the thief can hide, they help to discourage thefts. Although the price of electricity has gone up quite a bit, it doesn’t mean that this feature should be ignored as there are various energy saving options available that can make proper lighting very affordable. Because criminals do not like to be seen, lighting around your house could make them think twice before entering your property. Have sensor lights installed that switches on when it detects movement on your property. You can also leave the lights around your house and especially at entrance points burning throughout the night as an extra security measure. Visit www.voltexonline.co.za and www.eaglelighting.co.za for more information.
Alarms
The alarm and armed response industry has grown a lot over the years and also improved quite a bit. You get various options like:
The ROBOGUARD stand alone, wireless automatic outdoor intruder security system, using passive infrared sensor beams that detect movement up to 20 meters away in an 110° arc. Each guard has two sensors one on top and one at the bottom, each emitting 11 beams, a top and bottom beam have to be broken within half a second to trigger an alert. This effectively eliminates false alarms caused by dogs, birds and plants.
The ROBOGUARD communicates with a receiver called the HQ up to 400 meters away to inform you where an intruder has broken the beam and also reports to the HQ every 20 minutes to verify its signal, battery and operational status. If the system is tampered with, and alarm is triggered as well. This system can also be fully integrated into any existing systems to activate the siren or call your armed response. Separate garages and outbuildings can also be covered conveniently and wirelessly.
The ROBOGUARD system even has applications that can incorporate the ability to monitor and control the system by SMS, so you will know what is happening around your house no matter where you are in the world.
Control4’s home automation system allows you access to your home and anytime, anywhere. You can now monitor and control the devices and systems in your home like lights, alarms etc. by simply connecting to the Internet.
Clipsal’s C-bus range allows you to secure your home by connecting your front gate intercom system to your cell phone. So you can find out who is at your gate, even when you are not home.
There are also various camera-options available as well as wireless, battery operated door-and window alarms (from Ellies) that makes noise when someone tries to enter for those who do not have enough money to have a proper alarm system installed.
Visit www.roboguard.org.za | www.control4.co.za | www.clipsal.co.za for more information.
Gates and Fences
Electric gates and fencing are very popular ways to secure a property. Brick walls and palisade fencing are the most popular. Palisades are often an effective way to keep unwanted guests out because of the painful consequences if someone does try to enter. Brick walls often need a bit of extra security like electric fencing or small palisades on top. Electric fencing consists of wires carrying high voltage electric pulses that provide a non-lethal shock to an intruder. Tampering with the fence results in alarm activation. It provides a physical barrier which delays the intrusion time and act as a psychological barrier to deter intrusion attempts. It is easy to operate and maintain.
Manufacturers of electric gates are also constantly improving technology to ensure that it is not easy to change the gates code and get access to the property. Digidoor has a lock system that you can install when motorizing your garage doors, which makes it impossible to open the garage door from the outside with the remote, once the switch has been locked.
Ghazi Security’s Skunk Pepper Spray Alarm is a stand-alone pepper spray unit that will fill the area the unit is protecting with a highly repulsive and irritation pepper gas, stopping theft while police and armed guards respond. A standard unit will spray for five seconds on activation which will give the unit approximately eight separate sprays from a single canister, and has a shelf life of four years. Spray time can be adjusted to suit the customer’s requirements. Maximum spray time of one full canister is approximately forty-five seconds until empty. Visit www.ghazisecurityteam.com/whypeppersprayalarms.htm for more info.
Doors and Windows
Doors and windows are the first place burglars will try to get access to your home, therefore you need to secure these areas very carefully. This can also be done very elegantly. Securi-Shutters manufactures security shutters which acts as burglar bars, but looks like normal wooden shutters. The shutter is basically made with a steel frame to ensure that it can’t be penetrated, but is cover with a material, eco-wood, that looks like wood, but does not perish in water or when exposed to sunlight etc. They also paint the shutters any colour that the customer prefers so that it can fit in with your home decorating. This product will definitely enhance your value of your home.
Maxidor’s MXM security gates are manufactured from twin (double) uprights of 12mm square tubing. There is 120mm spacing between uprights, which makes it difficult to bend or brake. Each gate is fitted with a ‘Slamlock’ for instant protection when needed. Maxidors are fitted into the frame of the door or windows to make it almost impossible to lift from its rails and gain access to your home.
Visit www.maxidor.co.za and www.securi-shutters.co.za for more information.
Images supplied by Maxidor, Clipsal and Securi-Shutters.
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