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Home Safety

Home Safety

Protect your family with eHow’s home safety tips, and sleep easier at night. Keep loved ones secure with advice on buying and installing a home alarm system, smoke detectors and carbon monoxide sensors. Learn to burglar-proof a house and install a safe, too. Is tornado or hurricane season on the way? Get tips on preparing your house for high winds. eHow even has suggestions for planning an escape route in case of any home emergency.

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Showing 1-50 of 88 results

  • How to Add to an Existing Home Security System

    According to personal safety expert Marc MacYoung, property crimes "make up an overwhelming majority of all crimes." And these crimes generally occur when the occupants aren't home. Locks and...

  • Bump Key Tutorial

    Bump keys are lock picking tools that are commonly used to open pin tumbler locks. Pin tumbler locks are those locks that use pins of varying length to prevent the lock opening unless the proper...

  • How to Make Your Home Security Better

    Improving home security requires changing your perspective from one of homeowner to home invader. As stark a reality as that might be, too few view their home as a prospective thief might. A...

  • How to Open Master Locks

    Master combination locks are useful for securing doors that do not have a locking mechanism, such as fence, garage and shed doors. The locks do not use a key but rather a combination and stay...

  • DIY Outside Security

    As times are changing, so are home security needs. There is more of a need for home security than ever. To prevent burglary or other unfortunate events, you can install various security measures....

  • What Is a Bump Key?

    A bump key can be used to pick a lock. It is known as a 999 key or master key. With the right technique, it will open a tumbler lock.

  • How to Prevent Bump Key

    Different locks take different-shaped keys. For example, one lock's keyhole may be S-shaped while another's is a backward S. The number of pins can vary too. If a burglar has a key with the...

  • How to Install a Magnetic Lock

    A magnetic lock is an electronic hardware device used for securing a door within a frame. As long as power is supplied to the magnet, it will stay locked. When the power is disrupted, such as...

  • How to Defeat a Bump Key

    A bump key is a shaved-down key that, with a sudden jolt, can toss the top pins in a tumbler lock above the cylinder simultaneously, letting the cylinder to turn and the lock to open - allowing...

  • How to Choose a Waterproof, Fireproof Safe

    Important documents in your home are always at risk, unless you have a fireproof and waterproof safe. The only way you can feel safe when the unexpected happens is when you own one of these safes...

  • How to Make a Vacant Home Safe

    Homes that sit vacant for long periods of time can be costly to the owners. They become targets for vandals and are subject to damage from storms. Take a few safety precautions before leaving a...

  • How to Protect Your Lock From a Bump Key

    A bump key is a shaved-down key that can be used on spring-loaded pin locks (pin tumbler locks) to break in as fast as it takes to insert a key into a lock and hit it with a hammer. The way to...

  • What Is the Difference Between a Single Cylinder & a Double Cylinder Deadbolt Lock?

    Using deadbolt locks is one way to help secure your home against intruders. Regular locks can be picked, jimmied or hammered to gain entrance but quality locks often deter burglars.

  • What Locks Are Bump Key Proof?

    "Bumping" a lock is a quick way to open many pin mechanism locks. Although the technique was first used in the early 20th century, it has received a great deal of popular attention in the media.

  • Different Options for Door Locks

    The locks on your doors are your home's first line of defense. If your locks are cheap and shoddy, intruders will be able to easily break them and enter your home. On the other hand, you do not...

  • Types of Entry Locks & Latches

    Entry locks and latches are often the first line of defense for a residential or commercial property, and different locks and latches are suited to different purposes. Locks are generally more...

  • How to Reset Combination Locks

    Combination locks allow you to secure your belongings, only allowing the lock to open when you put in the correct combination. If you need to reset the combination on your lock, choose a new...

  • How to Open a Numbered Lock

    When it comes to protecting your possessions, it is important to keep them out of harm's way and locked up. A wide variety of different locks are available for home users, many of which use a...

  • How to Open a Lock with a Hole in it

    Locks can be lifesavers for protecting that which is most important to you, or very frustrating because they are locking up something that you need to get to but have forgotten where you have...

  • How to Open a Gun Lock

    Gun locks are a good security measure to keep children or others from operating your guns. A gun safe is the most secure way to store firearms, but if you do not own a safe or want an extra layer...

  • How to Get the Right Door Locks for Your Home

    Home security is crucial, it starts with door locks for your home when protecting it. To get the right door locks vary for different home owners. Depending on your neighborhood, or even house...

  • Cheap Way to Lock Garage Doors

    As garages are places where cars, tools and a variety of other valuables you may have in storage are kept, it is important to be able to secure your garage with a lock of some kind that does its...

  • Lock Bumping Prevention

    Lock bumping is a recent trend in burglaries, which can make it easy and fast to break into homes without needing too much special equipment. It works almost as well as actually having a key, so...

  • Tips on Securing Your Home

  • Window Locks vs. Window Guards

    Tragedy strikes every year when children fall through open windows, pushing out screens or storm windows and plunging to death or injury. Several window guards and locks, each with their own...

  • Description of Medeco High Security Locks

    Medeco high security locks are produced by the Medeco Lock Company of Salem, Virginia. Since their introduction in the 1960s, Medeco products have been consistently recognized as some of the most...

  • How to Determine the Right Lock for Your Home

    Kwikset offers door locks in a variety of functions, styles and finishes, such as keyed entry lock, a deadbolt, a Smart Code lock for keyless entry, and interior privacy locks. Choose the right...

  • Why and When to Re-key

    If the security of your home is compromised due to a lost or stolen set of keys, you can protect your home and property by re-keying your locks. Re-keying can be a quick and affordable alternative...

  • Why Is Grading Important On a Lockset?

    Lockset grading is used to rate the security, quality and durability of individual lock models. In the United States, manufacturers rely on a lock grading system developed by the Builder's...

  • How to Add Convenience to Security

    Home security can be a blessing---and a curse. Even the most basic security systems can create difficulty for a homeowner, and you must decide how much ease of use you are willing to give up for...

  • When to Replace Your Locks

    A properly locked door is your first line of defense against unwanted intruders in your home. When arranging for reliable home security, it is best to be proactive in replacing locks and replace a...

  • How to Stay Safe In Your Home

    No one wants to worry about their house being broken into. Just the thought of an intruder is a nightmare scenario. I think women, especially, are concerned when home alone. Thankfully, you can...

  • How to Change Door Locks Step-by-Step

    Most lock sets are easy to change out with just a screwdriver. Complicated locking systems might require a professional locksmith, but you should be able to change your household locks.

  • How to Lock Out Burglars

    It's a great feeling when you close on a house and are handed the keys. But who else has a key to your home? Do you know who the previous owners loaned keys to? During the sales process Realtors,...

  • Home Security Tips

    There are steps you can take to make your home and property more secure whether you invest in a home security system or not. Take a close look at the exterior of your home. Identify areas that...

  • How Do Mortise Locks Work?

    A mortise lock is a hardware device that fits into a pocket within a door. It is considered much more secure than cylindrical or tubular locks, and is the primary type of lock used in commercial...

  • How to Increase Personal Safety

    Everyone deserves to be safe in his or her home. There are many things one can do to prevent intruders from entering his or her home, such as installing locks and extra lights. Using simple...

  • Types of Keys & Locks

    A lock should provide protection and security for your family and valuable items. With advances in technology, locking devices have become sophisticated, with different options available....

  • Child Safety With a Sliding Glass Door

    Many accidents involving children happen in your own home. One of these accidents involves sliding glass doors. These accidents, however, can be avoided by making small changes in your home and by...

  • Who Invented the Combination Lock?

    The combination lock presents a puzzle to its opener -- only one correct key or combination is able to open the lock's unique design. These particular designs, however, have varied greatly...

  • How to find a Keyless Entry Deadbolt Lock

    Finding a keyless entry deadbolt lock for your home requires one to consider a few important factors. Here is a guide to help you find a keyless entry deadbolt.

  • How to Keep Your Home Safe and Secure

    Home security to have. Keeping your home safe and secure is important when you're away. Even if you're the guy of the house, you can't always be there 24/7. So here are some important security...

  • How to Improve Home Security Systems

    You should always feel safe in your home. There are different ways to make your home safer for you and your family. Home security systems are great if you can afford them. Other ways to protect...

  • How to Pick Different Types of Pad Locks

    Padlocks are an inexpensive, reliable way to ensure valuables or personal belongings stay safely locked away. The security of a padlock leads many individuals to purchase at least one lock at some...

  • What Is a Mortise Lock?

    As the saying goes, "home is where the heart is"--it's also where most of your possessions, and certainly the majority of your valuables, can be found. That being the case, it is important to...

  • How Do Padlocks Work?

    A padlock has three basic parts, though its design may vary from each manufacturer and model. The shackle, which is the part of the lock that secures your goods with a hasp or chain, can be a...

  • Outdoor Refrigerator Locks

    Locking outdoor refrigerators is necessary for child safety. Learn the benefits of using locks on outdoor fridges with tips from a parenting specialist in this free home safety video.

  • What Kinds of Door Locks Cannot Be Picked?

    Unfortunately, there really is no lock that cannot be picked. One of the best locks is a Grade 1 deadbolt. However, it must be installed properly for it to protect a home from intruders. It should...

  • Different Kinds of House Locks

    The first step in home security is choosing the right locks for the doors, as not every lock is right for certain doors. The main four locks used for house locks are deadbolts, levers, knob locks...

  • How to Protect your Home from Break ins

    You need to feel safe in your own home and know that you have done everything possible to protect your family. Here is an easy to understand guide which will show you some important steps that can...

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