Smart home security systems are awesome but they usually cost a ton of money for the equipment as well as the labor to install them. VueZone has created a system that you can monitor from your smart phone and setup your cameras anywhere in the house starting at $170.
We had an opportunity to setup their system and were amazed at how quickly we got it all up and running.
We setup the SX2700 that included two motion sensing cameras and a base station. You simply plug the base station into your router then sync it to your cameras. There are no wires! The cameras connect remotely to the base and you can place them anywhere in your house.
Once you register on VueZone you can see your cameras from any location with an internet connection and you can also view on your phone using their app which quickly installs via their QR code.
Besides the technology we also liked the design of their cameras. They can sit stationary or also be connected to a back mount that allows it to connect to the wall or ceiling and it's a ball and socket type connection that will let you move the camera smoothly in any direction.
They recently released a new outdoor mount that makes the camera waterproof and a window mount for even more options.
If you want to view your cameras using your smartphone you'll have to subscribe and it's $4.95 per month which doesn't seem like much to have an extra set of eyes back home.
For more information on the VueZone system, check out their website.
Anyone who's caught the first season of The Walking Dead on AMC knows that the CDC played a vital role in handling the zombie pandemic of which the heroes of the story are trying to survive. The show is also based on a series of graphic novels, and the actual real-life CDC seems to be taking a cue from the sucess of the show to make sure that you and your family are prepared for anything ... including a zombie apocalypse.
What started as a tounge-in-cheek blog post last May has become a full-on campaign from the government entity to help spread the word about emergency preparedness through social media outlets.
October is Fire Prevention Month, and organizations like the American Red Cross are distributing information to help people lessen the fire risks within their homes.
As the temperatures start to drop, many turn to space heaters to provide additional warmth in their homes or offices. Yet the U.S. Department of Energy says "safety is a top consideration when using space heaters. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that more than 25,000 residential fires every year are associated with the use of space heaters, causing more than 300 deaths."
Here are a few tips to help you and your family use your space heater safely:
*Buy a current model with updated safety features. Also check to be sure your heater has an Underwriter's Laboratory attached.
*Select a heater that's properly sized for the area you want to heat rather than one that's too large.
Now that it's officially autumn and fall projects are finishing up as the cooler weather sits in, it's time for a reality check. Before you know it, winter and the holiday season will be upon us once again, and with that comes a new round of concerns when it comes to your home's security.
Thanks to Consumer Reports for reminding us of the top ten things NOT to do with your home if you'd like to deter would-be burglars from making you their next target. We've picked out the most important tips for you below:
1) Leaving Garage Doors Open or Unlocked
Of course most of us remember to lock our front and back doors at night or when we leave, but how many of us secure our garage doors? We're not just talking the outer door either, but the internal one that grants entry to your home. If you don't lock your outer garage door or accidentally leave it open and don't secure your inner garage door, all a theif would have to do is walk right in and right back out with all your valuables. Instead, the article suggests getting a garage door code-lock with random code resets.
