Home Security Gets Skewered by Saturday Night Live

According to Saturday Night Live, women who live alone in 5 bedroom houses should have alarms.

Dogs Attack Bedbugs

Is there anything man's best friend can't do? From being a loyal companion to protecting your family and property, dogs are indispensable members of our family.

They now can defend your home against one of the most insidious intruders around, the bedbug.

The Bedbug Inspectors used trained dogs to determine if a home is infested. This New York based company has plenty of business as bedbugs continue to be a problem among New York city apartments.

These highly trained dogs are said be be more than 96% accurate as well as cute.

[via New York Times]

Home Security Guide for Renters

Home security is typically a top priority for homeowners, and renters are urged to take similar precautions to protect their rental property and personal possessions. Depending on the type of building and your landlord's specifications, you may not be able to install state-of-the-art security systems or other wired devices.

Protect Your Home with the Doorzipper

Thanks to a tweet from one of Kansas City's local television stations, I discovered an alternative to deadbolts and locks that's made right here in the Kansas City metro area.

The Doorzipper uses two interlocking metal strips, installed in the door and door jamb, to create a tightly woven seal that the manufacturer says "can't be forced, pried or defeated. This interlocking design stands guard, providing a state-of-the-art mechanism that can't be bumped, picked or forced. With the Doorzipper in place, the wall or door will fail before the Doorzipper is ever compromised."

5 Reasons To Consider A Local Home Security Company

In light of the recent buyout of Brinks by ADT, some people may be reconsidering their home security systems.

A great deal of research can go into choosing which company to trust to protect your family and home, and when that company suddenly changes, that can be more that slightly disconcerting. It brings to light that you, as the customer, are not the most important aspect to their business, but that money is the most important aspect to their business.

With that said, something worth considering may be a local security company.

5 Tips to Mitigate the Fishbowl Effect

Growing up, my parents were kind of ... neurotic. My mom had a thing about the "fishbowl effect" as she called it -- the fact that when it gets dark at night you can see inside people's houses if the lights are on and the curtains are open. She blames it on a peeping tom she had as a teenager, which is totally reasonable, but all these years later I know if she comes to my house at night, she'll close my curtains.

Now that I'm a quasi-adult with my own home and family (and our house isn't in the best of neighborhoods) I kinda get what my mom's been freaking out about all this time. It IS disconcerting to drive up to your own house and be able to see your worldly possessions on display through your brightly-lit windows to anyone who would take the time to peer in.

So here are a few tips I've picked up on how to make sure you're not inviting would-be robbers into your home with all of your cool stuff on display: