This article is the third of a series devoted to helping the common person install a DIY Self-Monitored Home Security Alarm. The instructions that we provide throughout this series of articles will be focused on the security systems listed below but you will find that our tips and tricks can be utilized with just about any DIY Home Security Alarm available on the market. In the end, it really does not matter where or what kind of security alarm that you get, the important thing is that you get a security system that you feel comfortable with and that it provides you with the peace of mind that you are seeking.

• $99 Basic Security System
• $199 Gold Series Home Security Solution Package
• $249 Platinum Series Home Security Solution Package

MOTION SENSORS

How Do They Work?

The Motion Sensors that you find with alarm systems today are much more technologically advanced than the motion sensors of old. In the past, motion sensors did just what they were intended to do.. detect motion. Some models were triggered by vibration and others by simple movement. As you can imagine, this type of sensor was not very reliable and probably quick to provide false alarms. The motion sensors you find today work off of infrared technology. Which means that they track motion by sensing heat movement. If a mass of heat moves within range of the sensor, it will be triggered. So, if a book were to fall off of a shelf, since it does not generate a heat trail, it would not trigger the new style of sensors (but it would be sure to set off the old style).

Motion sensors have a zone of reference that depicts the range and spectrum of the sensors. When you are installing your motion sensors, you will to know what the  zone of reference is for your sensor to better identify the best location for it to be installed. The motion sensor that you can find with our kits mentioned above has a fairly standard zone of reference. It can pick up movement up to 30ft to the front of it. It has a 90 degree range of horizontal coverage and a 30 degree range for vertical coverage. The following picture helps to demonstrate this better.

Where Do I Install Them?

Motion sensors are a wonderful compliment to any home security system. Some people even choose to protect their homes with nothing but motion sensors (However, SmartSecurityPeople.com recommends that you maintain window/door sensors on the most accessible entry points to your home). When you are installing them in your home or business setting, you will want to find a place in which they will be the most effective. Usually, this can be in a stairwell, at the end of a hallway, or in the corner of a large open room. Basically, you want to install them anywhere that would be a normal traffic pattern for people moving through your house.

In addition, the nice thing about motion sensors is that you can protect an entire room with just one of them. So, if you have a room that has a lot of windows and doors, you may want to consider installing a motion sensor and only a few window/door sensors. Hopefully this gives you some ideas to work with regarding location of your motion sensors.

How Do I Install Them?

All of our motion sensors (like many others out there) operate wirelessly using encrypted radio frequency. So you don’t have to worry about running wires all over your house like you did with the older versions. Our motion sensors need 4AA batteries to operate and we encourage you to use alkaline batteries. Alkaline batteries are recommended for any technologically advanced electrical device so your motion sensors definitely would benefit from them. We estimate that you will get at least 5 years of use from one round of alkaline batteries in your motion sensor.

It is important that your motion sensors do not have an obstructed view of sight. They should not be installed behind large pieces of furniture, flower arrangements, or in areas that inhibit their zone of reference. Over the years we have found that motion sensors work best when placed in a corner of a room. We also recommend that you install them at about 7-8 ft from the floor (as close to the ceiling as possible). This will allow the motion to have greater range for sensing movement. If you have to use a dining room chair to install them, then you are at the right height. If you are going for the ladder in your garage, you may be installing them too high.

The motion sensors include a tilt/swivel mounting bracket. So, once you have them installed, you can adjust them up and down and side to side to see what position works best for the area you are trying to provide coverage. If you are putting the motion sensor at the top of a staircase, you will definitely want to point it down so that it picks up any movement at the bottom of the stairs.

Any Tips and Tricks?

We wouldn’t be very Smart Security People if we didn’t have a tip or trick for our readers now would we? Motion sensors provide pretty basic operation so there really isn’t anything too amazing or brain rattling that we can share with you. However, over the years we have had numerous inquiries from our readers about pet immune motion sensors. The following information hopefully helps to clarify how you can make any standard motion sensor into a pet immune motion sensor for free (or almost free).

We already discussed how motion sensors have a zone of reference and we supplied you with the sample chart above going into greater detail. So what does all that mean? Well, this information helps up to figure out how we can make the best use of your motion sensor while avoiding false alarms from “Fido”.  You have 2 solutions: You can either tilt your motion sensor up or you can put a piece of medical tape on the bottom half of the sensor. (We suggest medical tape only because it will blend in better with the color of your sensor.) The ultimate effect of either of these solutions is that you now have a motion sensor that only detects movement that occurs higher than 3 feet off of the floor. If your dog is taller than 3 feet, then you probably don’t need a security system! Keep in mind though, if your potential robbers are vertically challenged (short) they could avoid this set-up as well.

The question that always comes to mind: Is this how other pet-immune motion sensors work? The answer is most probably no. The pet-immune motions sensors of today have circuitry built into them that only cause the alarm to be triggered if a large mass of movement is detected (usually anything under 40 lbs is ok). That is how these sensors differentiate between human movement and pet movement. If the sensor detects movement by an object larger than 40 lbs, it will trigger the alarm. Under 40lbs, no alarm.  As long as you are not being robbed by anorexic robbers or kindergartners, you should be just fine with a standard pet-immune motion sensor.

Visual Aids!

We know you like pictures, so we are always glad to please our reader base by providing you with plenty of them! The following are a few pictures of motion sensors in action from different installations over the years. Enjoy!

Motion Sensor On Swivel Tilt Wall Mount

Straight On View Of Motion Sensor

Motion Sensor Pointing Down Stairwell

ok..let’s summarize once again.. You have picked the alarm system that is right for you and now you have successfully installed all of your Window/Door Sensors and your Motion Sensors. So what is next you ask? Well, the next article in this series will be touching upon Sirens! What would an alarm be without a siren..um I guess it would be a silent alarm.

Anyway, we hope that you are finding these articles useful. We appreciate all of our readers at SmartSecurityPeople.com. If you have additional tips and tricks you would like to share, please feel free to do so by leaving a comment below!

This article is the last in a series devoted to helping the common person install a DIY Self-Monitored Home Security Alarm. The instructions that we provide throughout this series of articles will be focused on the security systems listed below but you will find that our tips and tricks can be utilized with just about any DIY Home Security Alarm available on the market. In the end, it really does not matter where or what kind of security alarm that you get, the important thing is that you get a security system that you feel comfortable with and that it provides you with the peace of mind that you are seeking.

• $99 Basic Security System
• $199 Gold Series Home Security Solution Package
• $249 Platinum Series Home Security Solution Package

The Security Console - “The Brain of your System”

The security console is the backbone of your entire security system. Without the security console, you do not have a security system. For this reason, it is crucial that you install and program your security console with great accuracy. It is also important for you to know how it works and functions. The good news is that once you have invested the initial set-up time with your alarm, you should be able to experience years of problem free functionality from your security system.

This article is dedicated to walking you through the proper steps to set-up your security console. In addition, as we move along through the set-up process, we will describe all the features associated with the security console. So.. here we go!!

Installation of the Security Console

You will want to find a good location in your home for your security console. It is designed to be able to sit on a counter top, shelf, or maybe at the bottom of an end table. However, we do have some customers that prefer to hang them on the wall and we have special bracket made just for that. The location you choose should be centrally located in your home and have access to a standard electrical outlet. If you are using the auto-dial calling feature of your alarm, you will want it to have easy access to a standard telephone line as well.

The following is a step-by-step process for programming your Security Console. These steps have been tested again and again and we have found that using the following sequence during set-up will insure that you don’t have to hassle with your alarm ever again. So.. don’t skip any of the steps and make sure you follow them in entirety.

1. Go around your home and install the batteries in all of your window and door sensors and also in your motion sensors. (For best performance, make sure you use alkaline batteries. We have found that alkaline batteries last for at least 5 years in the sensors before needing replacement)
2. Push the test button on each sensor for 2 seconds. When you lift off of the button the sensor light should flash a couple of times. (This resets the sensors and gets them primed and ready for programming to your security console)
3. Turn your motion sensors to face the wall and make sure all windows and doors are shut. (This is a critical step because it will keep you from registering a single sensor onto multiple zones.)
4. Gather all of your remotes and have them located by the security console and ready for programming.
5. Plug your security console in and flip the switch to INSTALL
6. Your alarm is equipped with a 9 volt battery back-up system. This back-up battery can provide limited operation of your security system for about twelve hours in case of a power outage. Once you have your alarm plugged in and ready for programming you will want to install the back-up battery.
7. To register your sensors to the console you will need to go around and hit the test button on each window/door sensor and motion sensor. (You should hear only one ding per sensor - also you may want to write down which sensor is registered into which zone for future use)(Important- if you ever hear more than one ding for each sensor, you will need to RESET your console-See RESET INSTRUCTIONS BELOW).
8. To register your remotes you will need to hit the ARM button on each one (you should hear a single ding for each remote programmed)
9. Flip the console to RUN1 or RUN2. You should see the record light come on for a minute or so. This shows that the console is putting your settings to memory.

Ok.. Your alarm should be good to go at this point for basic functionality. If you want to program it to dial out when triggered, you can follow theses additional steps:

1. The auto-dialer can call up to 4 phone numbers. Most customers just put their cell phone number in all 4 slots but you can program it to call anyone that your prefer. It will call the first number and if no one answers or if it gets voice mail, it will move onto the next number and so forth.
2. You will want to turn the alarm to INSTALL
3. Press the PROG button and enter the first phone number that you want to be called in the event your alarm is triggered. (if the phone number is long distance, be sure to include a 1 and the area code with the phone number)
4. Press the MEM and press “1″ (This will store this number in the 1st memory location)
5. Press PROG, enter the second number (can be the same as the 1st one) and hit MEM and then “2″
6. Press PROG, enter the third number and hit MEM and then “3″
7. Press PROG, enter the fourth number and hit MEM and then “4″
8. Flip the switch to RUN1 or RUN2 and it will record to memory the information that you just entered(You can repeat the above process at anytime to change a phone number as well

Now we need to program a message into your security console so that it can play it whenever it reaches someone at any of the above phone numbers.

1. Flip the switch to INSTALL
2. Press the RECORD button (a light should turn on)
3. Speak clearly into the microphone with your message. (Most customers usually say the following: The alarm has been triggered at “your address” press zero to listen in..) You have up to 15 seconds of recording time so you will want to repeat this message as many times as you can during that 15 seconds. When the light on the console turns off that means that you are out of time.
4. Flip the switch to RUN1 or Run2 and now your message will be transferred to the memory of the security console and you are all set!

If you ever need to RESET your security console due to a programming snafu or just because you want to set something up differently, you can follow the following steps to accomplish this:

1. Turn motion sensors to face wall and make sure all doors and windows are shut.
2. Unplug the console and remove back-up battery for 30 seconds
3. Gather all your remotes and have them located by the console
4. Plug Console back in
5. Flip switch to INSTALL
6. Go around and hit the test button on each window/door sensor and motion sensor. (You should hear only one ding per sensor - also you may want to write down which sensor is registered into which zone for future use)(Important- if you ever hear more than one ding, you need to start over at step 2)
7. Hit the ARM button on each remote (you should hear a single ding for each remote)
8. Flip the Console to RUN1 or RUN2
9. You should be good to go and you can follow the steps above if you want to program the auto-dialer feature of your security system.

You may be asking yourself what the difference is between RUN1 and RUN2 on the security console. If you have it set to RUN1, everything operates as normal. If you have it set to RUN2, everything operates as normal with the exception that every time a window or door is opened, the security console will chime once to let you know. This is commonly referred to as a “babysitting feature”. Regardless of where you are in your home, you will know if someone comes in or leaves at anytime. Most of our clients like this feature but those with pets (or maybe kids as well) that constantly want to go outside, the chime tends to get annoying after a while.

ok..let’s summarize once again.. You have picked the alarm system that is right for you, you have successfully installed all of your Window/Door Sensors and your Motion Sensors, you now have your sirens in place, you know how to work your remotes and lamp modules and you have now installed the brain of your security system, otherwise known as the security console. YOU should feel very accomplished!

This brings our installation article series to an end. We hope that you find these installation articles helpful and informative. Should you have additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. If you have additional installation tips that you would like to share with others, please feel free to do so below in the comment section.

Here is the scenario: A rash of burglaries have popped up in your neighborhood and you don’t want your house to be the next target. You work 1st shift (the same as most of your neighbors) and your home is unoccupied for most of the day. You don’t have a big burly dog to stand guard of your possessions and you would like to get an alarm system to provide added protection while you are away. The question though.. do you sign up with an alarm provider like ADT or do you go with a self-monitored system and sidestep being locked into a lengthy contract. For most it is probably like comparing apples to oranges. Hopefully the following information will provide some guidance for you as you ponder the option that is best for your situation.

Professionally Monitored Security System (ADT, GE, BRINKS,)

The Pros

• Convenience! These companies will install and program it for you. If you are not the least bit handy and can not program the clock in your car, then you will probably benefit from this.
• You have a problem, you give them a call and a technician will be out right away to perform diagnostics on your alarm system. Now-a-days, they can even perform some diagnostics remotely by dialing directly into your console.
• Their basic features usually provide not only theft prevention but also fire and emergency notification services. The fire notification feature is triggered by a smoke detector that is linked to your security console. The emergency notification service can be activated by hitting a panic button on your console or maybe on a remote.
• Save on homeowners insurance. The professional monitored company will give you a certificate that you turn into your insurance company and they will reduce your premium.
• Guarantee of receiving a response in a certain amount of time(24 hours a day/7 days a week).
• Peace of mind knowing that your home is protected while you are away

The Cons

• The Cost (monthly)- Most of the professionally monitored security services start around $30 a month and go up depending on the additional services that you opt into.
• The Cost (additional components)- Fortunately, almost all the security companies provide new customers with a free security system. However, these are usually very basic in their coverage of entry points on your home and you almost always need to purchase additional sensors(which are usually not very cheap).
• The Cost(Long-term contract)- 3 years seems to be the standard length of time required for a new contract and 1 year renewals thereafter.

Self-Monitored Home Security System

The Pros

• The Cost (Alarm System) - You can purchase a self-monitored home security alarm for less than $100
• The Cost - no contracts, no monthly fees
• The Cost (Additional Security Components) - extra sensors and accessories can usually be purchased for much less than compared to professionally monitored systems
• Provides flexibility of installation so that you can utilize the alarm as you deem appropriate.
• Extra features - Usually most self-monitored alarm systems have additional features like light controls or chime notifications when a door is opened while the alarm is in passive mode
• Self-monitored security systems call you when the alarm is triggered. Since most people carry a cell phone with them at all times, this feature is a much more convenient option now than it used to be.

The Cons

• You have to install it. Self-monitored alarm systems are not as hard to install as they used to be. All of the sensors and sirens communicate with the console wirelessly. However, you still have to do the installation and the initial programming. A good manual usually makes easy work of this process but it really depends on how handy you are at these type of projects.
• Since it only calls you(or anyone else you designate to receive the calls), the security system is only as dependable as the person answering the phone.
• Does not provide fire notification feature. Most self-monitored alarms do not provide a smoke alarm sensor that works with the console. However, over the years some electrically knowledgeable people have been known to wire a window/door sensor into a smoke alarm unit to get the desired effect.
• If you have a problem with your installation or something is not working quite right, it is usually up to you and your manual to do the troubleshooting to figure out the solution. Fortunately though, most self-monitored alarm distributors are usually quick to help if you encounter a problem.
• You won’t save on home insurance. Since it is self-monitored, the insurance company doesn’t usually provide this benefit. It is not that they don’t trust you… well maybe that is the reason..

In summary, it appears that there is no clear cut winner when choosing a professionally monitored or a self-monitored security system. It really depends on your situation and what your needs dictate. If you are looking for convenience and something that you don’t have to worry about. Then a professionally monitored security system is for you. If you are looking for an inexpensive solution and don’t mind installing an alarm system on your own, then the self-monitored alarm will probably fit the bill. However, if you are really “excited” about the security of your home, maybe should get one of each. Then you can have the benefit of both worlds!

We hope our readers at SmartSecurityPeople.com find this article beneficial. If you have additional tips that you would like to share, please feel free to leave a comment below. If you have a question that you would like us to answer, please be sure to contact us.

Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) has gone through a number of branding changes since inception of it’s first franchise in 1952. However the one thing that has maintained consistency through the years is Colonel Harland Sander’s secret recipe. He formulated the recipe in 1940. The recipe lays out the exact mixture of eleven herbs and spices that is used to coat KFC’s Original Recipe chicken. It is written in pencil on a yellowed piece of paper and bears the signature of Harland Sanders.

The recipe has maintained top secret status in the company and only two top executives (KFC won’t release their names or titles) have access to the recipe at any given time. The security and safety measures of keeping the original recipe intact and out of harms way has been paramount. The ingredients are produced and blended by multiple suppliers and each organization only knows a part of the entire contents.

The recipe has been in an undisclosed location for the past 5 months while the vault that housed the holy grail of chicken recipes was upgraded to included the latest and greatest technologies. The recipe was recently returned to KFC’s headquarters in a lockbox handcuffed to the wrist of a security consultant.  Once the recipe was placed in the new electronic vault and the door shut, the president of KFC, Roger Eaton,  gave a sigh of relief and stated “mission accomplished.” Eaton stated that the process was nerve wracking and that he did not want to be known as the president who lost the recipe.

As for the security of the new vault that is protecting the priceless recipe… The vault is now secured by motion detectors and surveillance cameras that allow a guard to monitor the status of the vault at all times.  Thick concrete blocks encapsulate the vault and a backup generator is wired in to keep the security system powered at all times. Given all the measures that have been taken, it surely appears that the Colonel’s secret recipe will indeed remain just that.. a secret!

Company Facts:

• KFC had 15,580 locations worldwide at the end of 2008, including 5,253 in the U.S.
• The franchise is hoping to combat sluggish sales by rolling out a new value meal and grilled chicken product in early April.
• KFC is owned by YUM! Brands. In addition to KFC, the company also owns A&W All-American Food, Taco Bell, Long John Silver, and Pizza Hut.