DIY Home Security Systems: Personal Safety Via CCTV Surveillance Cameras

Having a state-of-the-art security system has never been easier, and the availability of DIY home security systems is on the rise. The fact is that with the tool-belt essentials of screwdriver, drill, chisel, hammer and pliers, and a little know-how regarding what software to purchase, you can have home security which, while not exactly fit for a casino or bank, should definitely be enough to give you peace of mind regarding the safety of your family and material assets.

The core principle of home security is the same as for any other building - guard your entrances and exits, which in the case of housebreaking include doors, windows, skylights, and wide chimneys. There’s one simple solution for all of these: closed loop sensors, or contacts. These are the small, plastic, box-like things you’ll see on the doors and windows of secured homes, normally at the top, with one piece on the door and the other on the wall. Power runs between the two sections of the device, forming a close circuit. If the contact point between the two halves is severed (which happens when the door opens), the circuit will be broken and the device will emit a signal telling the central alarm console that your home’s perimeter has been breached.

Contacts can be purchased online for relatively cheap and, provided you know how to tune your central console in to their frequency, easy to install. Figures published by home security authorities in the US state that over 60 percent of housebreakings happen as a result of a window or door being left open. So just remember that the two top tips for a home DIY system are: (1) keep things locked up and (2) have a siren sound when your contacts are disrupted. Do this and you’re likely to scare away 90 percent of potential thieves.

Add motion sensors to this equation and you’ll find your DIY home security system puts you on the level of most secure residences. Motion sensors use microwaves, PIR (Passive InfraRed) sensors or both to bounce a signal off objects within their range (often up to 100 meters) radar-style, allowing them to pick up any changes in your living environment. They too can be found for as little as eighteen dollars online and are compatible with wireless security systems.

Of course, you may want to go the extra mile and install security cameras in your home, allowing you to identify housebreakers if the police don’t get there in time (do they ever?). Visit ugolog.com or lifehacker.com to learn how to build your own inconspicuous security camera by installing a webcam in a device such as a phone charger or alarm clock and connecting it via USB to your computer (which will be sufficient both for charging and information saving purposes). By signing up with a storage cluster like ONStor or PAR3, you can have your computer instantly upload and save all your footage, so it won’t matter even if your computer is stolen.

It’s even possible to stream this footage over a password protected website, allowing you to watch what’s happening inside your home in real time from any computer with an internet connection. Additionally, you can install motion-tracking software (which you can test the efficacy of on ugolog.com for free) that will save on your storage space, getting your spy cam to record only when someone (or something) moves in front of it.

DIY home security systems have never been more doable, or as potentially close to professional levels of reliability. Remember, however, that unless your alarm system is monitored by a home security company, the efficacy of your home security system will rest entirely on the speed of your response. If you’d rather not take on that responsibility, many security companies offer great package deals when it comes to installing alarm systems, and could save you a great deal of time and energy.