Articles · Topic
Articles about Home Security
26 articles across 4 sections
Section
Self-Reliance
Window Security: Locks, Film, and Sensors
Evidence-based window security upgrades: pin locks, sash locks, security film, glass-break sensors, and basement window protection. Budget-friendly steps for renters and homeowners.
Daily Security Habits
The locking routine, spare key rules, garage discipline, visitor protocols, and what to keep quiet. The behavioral layer no hardware purchase replaces.
Door Security: Deadbolts, Strike Plates, and Frames
The highest-return door upgrades for residential security: ANSI-graded deadbolts, reinforced strike plates, solid-core doors, and hinge protection. Evidence-based, budget-friendly steps.
Home Alarm Systems: Monitored vs. Self-Monitored, Sensors, and How to Choose
A plain-language guide to home alarm systems: monitored vs. self-monitored, entry sensors, glass-break detectors, false alarm prevention, Enhanced Call Verification, and how to choose a system without overpaying. Evidence-based approach covering the 94-98% false alarm rate and its impact on police response.
Home Security Without Paranoia
What the research on residential crime actually shows, and the calm, evidence-based case for lighting, locks, habits, and neighbors.
Home Security, Shelter & Home Security
Home security without fear: locks, lighting, alarms, cameras, and daily habits. Eight guides, a three-step quick start, four buyer's handbooks, and the federal burglary data behind them.
Lighting and Visibility: Motion Sensors, Placement, and Exterior Lighting Strategy
Evidence-based exterior lighting for residential security: lumen ranges by zone, motion sensor types and placement, dusk-to-dawn strategy, color temperature for cameras, and findings from the NYC Crime Lab randomized controlled trial showing 39% reduction in nighttime crime.
Security Cameras: Placement, Storage, Resolution, and Privacy for Home Use
A plain-language guide to home security cameras: where to place them, wired vs. wireless, local vs. cloud storage, resolution, night vision, privacy law, WiFi jamming vulnerability, and realistic costs. Covers 7 priority camera locations, 5 commonly missed blind spots, and the hybrid storage approach that balances cost and evidence protection.
The Layers of Home Security
A seven-layer framework for home security, from the property perimeter to daily habits. Assess each layer and build from the outside in.
Section
Gear and Buying Guides
Best Deadbolt Locks
Four deadbolts compared for household security: Schlage B60 (top pick), Kwikset 980 SmartKey (rekey it yourself), Schlage BE365 keypad, and Medeco Maxum for key control.
Best DIY Alarm Systems
Four DIY home alarm systems compared by who answers the alarm: SimpliSafe (top pick for monitoring), Abode (best for self-monitoring), Ring Alarm (monitoring with cellular backup for less), and Eufy (no fee required).
Best Door Reinforcement Kits
Three ways to reinforce a door frame compared: Door Armor MAX (top pick), the Prime-Line jamb reinforcement kit (best value), and a Prime-Line armored box strike (start here).
Best Home Security Cameras
Five home security cameras compared, all able to save video without a plan: Tapo C425 battery camera (top pick), Wyze Cam v4, Eufy Indoor Cam E220, Eufy Floodlight Camera E340, and the Reolink RLK8-800B4 wired system.
Best Motion Security Lights
Motion security lights compared by the power at the spot: the HALO Next Gen hardwired floodlight (top pick) and the Ring Spotlight Battery for spots with no wiring, plus why no solar light earned a pick yet.
Best Sliding Door Locks
Three sliding door locks, one for each weak point: the Prime-Line loop lock (top pick) to stop the slide, the Ideal Security bar for a visible brace, and the Prime-Line anti-lift bolt to stop the lift. All open from inside with no key.
Best Smart Locks
Smart deadbolts checked against the same bar as any deadbolt: a grade confirmed in BHMA's directory, a key backup, two-step verification, and a way in when the internet is down. The Kwikset Halo Select Plus is our pick, and the Schlage Encode Plus is the pick for Apple Home households.
Best Solar Security Cameras
Solar security cameras compared for a gate, shed, or corner with no power: the Tapo C425 kit (top pick), the 4K Tapo C460 kit, and the 180-degree Reolink Argus 4 Pro for milder winters. All save video with no plan.
Best Standalone Door and Window Alarms
Three standalone door and window alarms compared: the UltraPro (formerly GE) magnetic alarm (top pick), the Wsdcam remote-armed alarm, and the Poolguard DAPT-2 for doors that lead to a pool.
Best Video Doorbells
Four video doorbells compared on where the video goes and what it costs: TP-Link Tapo D130 (top pick for wired doors), Eufy E340 (no wiring, package camera), Google Nest Doorbell, and Ring Wired Doorbell 4K Pro.
Best Window Security Locks
Three window locks compared by window type: the Prime-Line vinyl window lock (top pick), a thumbscrew lock for older aluminum sliders, and a flip lock for old wood double-hung windows.
Home Alarm Systems: The Buyer's Handbook
A calm, sourced buyer's handbook for home alarm systems. Who answers when the alarm sounds, which sensors your house needs, what keeps it working in an outage, and what monitoring really costs over three years.
Home Security Cameras: The Buyer's Handbook
A calm, sourced buyer's handbook for home security cameras and video doorbells. How far a camera can really identify a face, where the footage lives, what the subscription pays for, and how to keep the camera itself private.
Locks and Door Reinforcement: The Buyer's Handbook
A calm, sourced buyer's handbook for deadbolts, strike plates, door reinforcement kits, and sliding door and window locks. What the BHMA grades mean, where doors actually fail, and what to buy first.
Motion Security Lighting: The Buyer's Handbook
A calm, sourced buyer's handbook for motion lights, motion floodlights, and solar and battery security lights. What outdoor light really does for security, why brighter often shows less, and how to light the way in without lighting up the neighborhood.