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Monthly Archives: December 2018

New Year’s Eve Around The World

2018 is coming to an end which means New Year’s celebrations are right around the corner. Whether it’s setting goals and intentions for the New Year, or gathering with loved ones to watch the ball drop at midnight, we all have our own traditions to celebrate the New Year. Learn more about the unique ways people ring in the New Year around the world.

Japan – Ring A Bell 108 Times To Banish Unhappiness
According to the Japanese Buddhist tradition, there are 108 obstacles to happiness. Thus, a bell is rung 107 times on December 31, and then once just after midnight on January 1 (the sound from one strike must die down before you strike the bell again). Each ring symbolizes eliminating of problems associated with a given obstacle over the past year and starting fresh in the New Year.

Columbia – Carry A Suitcase To Ensure A Year Full Of Travel
If you spend New Year’s Eve in Columbia, you may see people running around the block with a suitcase at midnight. It is believed that this will bring an adventurous year full of travel.

Denmark – Break Dishes For Good Luck
Over the course of the year in Denmark, any chipped dishware is set aside for New Year’s Eve. When the day comes, families go around smashing plates against friends’ doors for good luck. Having lots of broken stuff on your doorstep in the morning is believed to be a great New Year’s omen.

Greece – Use Onions To Symbolize New Growth
The New Year’s tradition in Greece involves onions because some of them keep growing even when removed from soil, which represents a generative instinct. You will find onions hanging on front doors to invite positive growth in the New Year. Also, those same onions are used to wake children on New Year’s morning with a ceremonial (gentle) tap on the head to bring them longevity and health.

Spain – Eat 12 Grapes To Bless The Whole Year
To bless each month of the coming year, people in Spain eat one grape for each stroke of the midnight bell. Because of time-sensitivity, the tradition is often filled with messy eating and lots of laughter.

Post-Soviet Countries – Decorate A Different Kind Of Holiday Tree
Ukraine, Russia, and other former Soviet countries celebrate with a New Year tree decorated with treats, tangerines, and special toys. These New Year trees light up the long winter nights and keep spirits up through the holiday season into the New Year.

Brazil – Jump Over Seven Waves, Make Seven Wishes
New Year’s Eve in Brazil is usually spent at the beach, as people make offerings to the sea and wish upon seven waves (seven is considered a lucky number).

What are your favorite New Year’s traditions? Share with us on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.

Reminder – we will be closed on Monday December 31, 2018 and Tuesday January 1, 2019. We apologize for any inconvenience and would like to thank you for an amazing year. We look forward to what 2019 has in store for us. Happy New Year from SecurityCamExpert.com!

Holiday Home Safety

‘Tis the season for holiday and good cheer! Unfortunately, there are also hidden dangers lurking around. Here are some smart safety tips to protect your home and family.

Holiday Lighting
Beautiful light displays are a sight to see, but they can also be a fire waiting to happen.

  • Carefully examine your holiday light strings each year. Discard any with frayed cords, cracked sockets or lamp holders, loose connections or tightly kinked cords. Before replacing bulbs, unplug the light string and be sure the voltage and wattage of the new bulb is the same as the original bulb.
  • Always look for certification marks of an accredited certification organization (ex. CSA International, UL, ELT)when choosing products such as light strings, extension cords, spotlights, electrical decorations, gas appliances and carbon monoxide alarms. The certification mark ensures that the products comply with applicable standards for safety and performance.
  • Avoid overloading extension cords, such as connecting more than one extension cord together. Instead, use a single cord that is long enough to reach the outlet without stretching, but not so long that it can get easily tangled.
  • Remember to keep lit candles far from decorations and other flammable materials. Also, keep your children and pets away from light strings and decorations that use electricity.
  • Never use electric lights on a metallic tree – a single touch can cause electrocution. For outdoor lights, keep electrical connectors off of the ground and away from metal rain gutters. To hold the strings in place, use insulated tape or plastic clips (not metal nails or tacks).
  • If you’re using a ladder to put up lights, make sure you are using the correct one. Double check for a certification mark to ensure your portable ladder is safety compliant.
  • A certified outdoor light timer is a smart way to save electricity and be sure you don’t leave your lights on overnight. You may want to set your timer to turn on lights after 7pm to avoid the electricity rush hour.
  • And again, always turn off your lights when you leave the house unattended and before going to bed.

Trees

  • For artificial trees, look for a “fire-resistant” label.
  • Freshly cut trees are more resistant to ignition. When shopping, look for fresh green needles that don’t break easily when bent.
  • Set up trees away from fireplaces, radiators, portable heaters and other heat sources. Unfortunately, this is a common cause of holiday tree fires.
  • Keep the tree watered and make sure it doesn’t block any main exits.

Decorations

  • If you have any suspicion that your older ornaments were painted with lead paint, do not display them, especially if you have children.
  • Nonflammable, fire retardant, and unbreakable ornaments are safe choices. Also, choose ornaments that are free of sharp edges.
  • Be sure to hang ornaments with moving parts out of children’s reach.

Entertaining

  • Don’t leave the kitchen when anything is cooking. Again, a common cause of home fires starts in the kitchen.
  • Poinsettias are a festive way to decorate your home, but be sure to keep them out of your pet’s reach (or avoid them all together). While they are not poisonous to pets, according to vet experts, they are mildly toxic and can cause nausea, vomiting, and skin irritation.
  • Always be sure that the fireplace flue is open BEFORE you light the fire. Keep evergreen boughs, paper, and decorations away from the fireplace and Never burn wrapping paper in the fireplace.
  • Do not use your gas fireplace if the glass panel is removed, cracked, or broken. Only a qualified service person should replace any fireplace parts.
  • If you are having guests over, be sure to test your smoke alarms. Monthly checks are recommended to make sure they work. And be sure to install smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms on every level of your home (especially near sleeping areas).
  • Speaking of maintenance, you should have a qualified heating contractor perform a maintenance check of your furnace and venting system yearly. And during the heating seasons, it’s important to clean and replace your furnace filter frequently.
  • Do not store combustible materials such as gasoline, propane, paper, chemicals, paint, rags, and cleaning products near your gas furnace. Gasoline or propane cylinders should be stored outside the home.

Security
Criminal activity is heightened during the activities. Be sure to lock your doors and windows when you leave home.

  • Make it appear as if someone is home – Leave a radio or television on.
  • Keep indoor lights on a timer.
  • Do not openly display gifts in front of windows.
  • If you’ll be gone for longer periods of time, ask someone to pick up your mail or newspaper or temporarily halt services.
  • Do not hide the spare key in obvious places – burglars know to look under doormats, rocks, flowerpots and above the door.

Do you have your own home safety tips to share? Connect with us on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.

For a great selection of security cameras and CCTV surveillance equipment, you may visit SecurityCamExpert.com or call 888-203-6294 to speak with us directly!

Hiding Security Camera Wires

If you have chosen a wired security camera system for your home, concealing the wires should be one of your priorities. Dangling and exposed wires are not only unappealing, but give intruders an easy opportunity to disable your security camera system by cutting cables.

Hiding your security camera cables is another way of safeguarding your system. Here are some smart and helpful ways you can keep your cables hidden.

  • Paint the wires.
    Help your cables blend into the environment by stapling the cables to the walls (via staple gun) and painting the wires the same color of your walls. This makes the cables less noticeable from a distance.

A similar alternative would be using a cord cover. If you can find one that matches your walls perfectly, you can eliminate the painting step.

  • Hide wires within baseboards.

The narrow wooden boards that run along the lowest part of the wall are known as the baseboards and can be a helpful ally in concealing your wires. If you have enough doorways in your home, this method can be especially easy.

Remove the baseboards and fish the cables in the gap between the wall and the floor. Make sure the wires are in the proper position before replacing the baseboards.

Aside from the baseboards, you may also hide the security camera wires inside or behind large pieces of furniture (ex. bookshelves, mantels, under the carpet).

Be sure to plan the wiring route first and then fasten the hanging wires with binder clips behind the nearby pieces.

  • Use a plastic tube.
    If you are hiding the cables of your outdoor security cameras, using a plastic tube not only covers the wires, but can also protect the cables from harsh weather conditions and external damages.

    • Because this method involves drilling through studs and threading the tube, you may want to contact an experienced installer.
      Note: Unless you seek professional help, the wires will be almost inaccessible in case of power failure.
  • Run wires through the walls/ceilings.
    If the power source or monitor for your security camera happens to be on the other side of the wall or ceiling, you can take a shortcut by drilling holes in the wall and threading the wires through. The camera, in turn, would be the only visible part.

    • For your own safety and the safety of your equipment, be sure to turn off the power source before you run security camera wires.
    • Begin by drilling holes in the position where the outlet or monitor will be, and use a straightened metal coat hanger to look for any unforeseen obstructions within the wall.
    • Feed the wires through the walls or ceilings to where you need them to go.
  • Install a completely wireless security camera.
    If you don’t want to deal with concealing security camera wires, you can always opt for completely wireless security cameras. Wireless security cameras are powered by batteries or solar-panels and can make the installation process easier. But remember, wireless security cameras are not always wire-free. You may need to run wires to power the plugged-in wireless IP cameras.

If you need help installing your security cameras and hiding the cables, please feel free to contact us at 888-203-6294 or visit SecurityCamExpert.com. It’s our pleasure to help you find the CCTV surveillance system that suits your security needs. You may also connect with us on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.

Investing In Business Surveillance

Installing video surveillance for your business may be a significant investment, but it can also provide numerous benefits. Although concerns about privacy and costs may prevent businesses from seeing their true value, many will find that business surveillance not only protects the owners, but also the employees and customers alike. Overall, a business surveillance system can prove to be a valuable asset for businesses. Here are just some of the reasons why.

  • Deter Thefts
    While video surveillance may seem to be targeted toward outside threats, it can very well prevent insider thefts. Unfortunately, employee theft is a serious and common occurrence for many businesses. Security cameras can help to monitor employees, account for anything that goes missing, and deter employees from misconduct.
  • Increase Profits
    Analyzing video can help businesses learn how to improve their strategy and increase productivity. Managers may supervise employees remotely, allowing them to determine which employees are helping or hurting the business overall (for example, too much conversation or inappropriate internet habits). Reviewing footage also helps businesses see which times of day are over or understaffed, enabling them to adjust shifts accordingly to maximize profits.

    In addition, businesses with video surveillance systems may be eligible for savings on insurance. The potential savings for having a security system installed may be significant and should be taken into account when determining whether or not to invest in surveillance.

  • Workplace Incidents
    Frivolous lawsuits are more common than we would like to admit. Luckily, video surveillance can help to protect your business in these instances. Surveillance footage may be used as evidence for legal purposes. And as mentioned previously, the presence of security cameras can deter harassment, violence, and other misconduct from employees, customers, or other outsiders.

Does your business have a surveillance system? What other advantages can business surveillance provide? Share your thoughts with us on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.

If you need help choosing the right security camera system for your business or home, please feel free to contact us at 888-203-6294 or visit SecurityCamExpert.com to browse our selection.

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