Blog #3: My Home, My Castle

1.   Today’s assignment is all about your home…

a)    First, choose/post a picture from Google Images that captures how you feel about your home.  Blog about why you chose it & what home means to you.

I feel my home is a shining beacon on a hill that calls out to me every time I see it. It says, this is your place and it is where you are comfortable and it is the space your family occupies and prospers in.

b)   Then, think about how secure you feel in your home today—choose/post another picture that captures this, and be sure to explain your choice.

I feel secure in my home knowing that I have a secure perimeter around my house that is about as good as this low wall that is easily climbed over. The external lighting around my home deters nighttime entrants. The brick walls of my home are sturdier than siding or other wood products and provide a little higher barrier to bad guys or mother-nature.  Last, my security system and its external signs with its constant beep-beep every time a door or window opens provide awareness of what is going on at the perimeter of my home.

c)    How often do you think about the security of your home, and why?  In what circumstances (if any) do you think about it more often? 

I think about it every day and every hour.  Reason being is that it is where all my loved ones and my personal belongings reside. 
 

d)   Would you say you feel more or less secure at home today vs. a few years ago?  Why is that—what factors may have triggered this shift?

I feel the same. The physical boundaries of my home coupled with the situational awareness of what is going on in my neighborhood keeps me assured that I understand any potential threats and have a few barriers against them that lie between me and them. The external lighting around my house helps.

2.   Let’s get specific about what makes you feel secure at home.  

a)    What are the outside factors/forces that contribute to a sense of security?  For each, list the benefits they provide (physical and/or emotional).

The outside factors are a reliable security system that provides perimeter awareness when that gives me the beep-beep sound or alarm when a door or window is opened and it should not be.
 

b)   Do your neighbors & community play a role in your sense of security—explain?

Yes they do. To the extent that I have one cooperative nice neighbor that looks out for my property and they are on the entry side of my cul de sac street that leads to my house.

c)    What measures (if any) have you taken to keep your home/family secure?  For each, list the benefits they provide (physical and/or emotional).

Exterior lighting installed. This provides a deterrent to bad guys at night.
Home Security Alarm System, We use it all the time. It provides an alarm at night if there is an intruder and it provides perimeter awareness of the exterior of the house if a window or entry door is open.
Emotional benefits are that these measures provide peace of mind.

d)   Do you have any non-traditional home security tricks or “hacks” you use to protect your home?  Where did you get them & are they working/not working?

No.

e)    Do you have a mental checklist you go through before bed and/or when you leave home—if so, what’s on it?

Yes. Shut the windows. Lock the doors and turn on the security system.

3.   Now I’d like to understand your personal experience with home security products/systems…

a)    When did you first think about purchasing any home security products or systems, and why—what triggered it?

When I purchased my first home. Why – to protect my family and possessions.

b)   Where did you go for information about home security?  Who/what influenced your first purchases?  If applicable, what role did your spouse/partner play?

I went to ADT since they had the best brand name in the market.  They also had a promotion package that was helpful on pricing when the system was installed.  My spouse helped me specify the features.

c)    Blog about your initial home security purchases:  Which products/components did you start with, and why?  What are all the factors that drove your choice?

Window contactors. Door alarm sensors. Motion sensors on the first floor.  Connection to monitoring system. Battery back up in the event of a power failure.  The factors that drove the choice were feature and function to keep our home safe
 

d)   Which products/components have you added on/switched to since then, and why?  Who/what influenced these additional purchases?

Front door video monitor. Added it for a record of who came to the door.

e)    Give a letter grade (A, B, C, D or F) to each of your major home security purchases.  Which brands/products would you recommend, and why?  Which brands/products would you NOT recommend, and why?

ADT – A. Did good job.

2^nd Purchase – CPI – did a good job.

f)     Are there any brands/products you considered along the way, but decided not to go with—if so, what are they and why?

No.

4.   Lastly, I’d like to understand your familiarity with/impressions of different brands of home security products/systems.  Begin by listing all the brands/companies you are aware of & blog about your impressions of each of them: 

a)    What are they known for?  What are they good at and/or bad at?

ADT – national brand. Some level of standard service. Known in the market

CPI – local to North Carolina. Good reputation for service in the NC market.

b)   Who do you imagine uses each of these different brands?  For each brand/company, choose an image from the Internet of the person/home who you think is likely to use this particular brand/co.—explain your choices.

ADT – homes and businesses – since it is a national brand

CPI – homes and businesses – in NC since it is a trusted service provider in the local market.

c)    Which brands/companies seem like the best fit for you/your home, vs. the one/s that are not right for you/your home—why?

Local service provider that has been in business continuously for a long time since they delver and do their job well.