Tag Archives: Windows And Doors

Why Don’t YOU Have A Home Alarm System?

Posted by on December 15, 2011 No comments

Many concerned property owners are trying to decide if they should put in a home security alarm system. It is becoming a serious question if you think about the realities of life these days. In urban and rural areas, it is difficult to locate a home without a security alarm system. Nearly all people who haven’t added an alarm system are held back because of the work of putting in an alarm into old construction. The older style burgler alarm systems were not easy to install and the real downside was they were quite easily located by criminals.

The current modern wireless home alarm is quite easy to put in and more difficult for a burglar to find and over ride. The reality that they are wireless means the home owner doesn’t have to worry about wiring his entire house. These wireless alarms rely completely on radio frequency waves to exchange necessary info. Since the system is wireless, this frees the installation technician to place the brains of the unit almost anywhere which makes it difficult for a burgler to find.

The wireless home alarm guards your home and household in several ways. When installed properly, it will probably check on all windows and doors and may warn you if anything is left opened. The additional benefit is that it will tell you any time any individual enters or departs the house. The window monitors can offer earlier warning if anyone attempts to force a window open. Given that the system is wireless, there’s less possibility of anyone finding the location of the main controller of one’s system so as to disable it. The security alarm can even call the security agency or even call the police. Needless to say, even a basic wireless home security alarm system will give your entire family an added feeling of security.

Many homeowners will even put in a monitoring camera system when installing the alarm system. In many cases this part of the install can be a homeowner’s do-it-yourself project. You will find many types of surveillance cameras and equipment to allow for anyone with just simple electronic know-how to upgrade their security systems. More and more home owners are installing basic video components to keep watch on their homes in their absence. Keep in mind they can also give an early alert of anyone approaching your house at any time of the night and day. When hooked into the internet via your pc, the home owner may even keep watch on their house from virtually anywhere in the world. It is obvious that setting up wireless home alarm system is a good home improvement.

Have you figured out what you’re purchasing?

Posted by on December 1, 2011 No comments

One of the most discouraging issue I’ve come across in the past few years as a shopper has been premium quality brandnames being used in selling poor quality products.  I have already been tricked over and over again when I could very easily keep clear of a majority of these mistakes.  Typically, you get what you pay for.  If seems too good to be true, it likely is.  We certainly have all heard it, however, when encountering a significant financial savings many of us very often will forget.

How does this relate to windows and doors?  Several of the window and door companies do the exact same thing.  They invest in a manufacturing supplier that builds products and solutions exclusively for the big box retailers.  Almost all of them practice it.  If they do not, their products will never be sold in the big box outlets.  Some of the brand names and products you will see are ThermaTru Entry Doors, Pella Wooden Doors, Andersen Vinyl Windows and Jeld-Wen Wooden Doors just to name a few.
I would personally say I research merchandise as often or even more than the everyday shopper.  I’m getting better at picking out the firms that take part in the brand game, but they’re getting cleverer too.  What precisely is the brand game you may ask?  It’s whenever a major supplier that has a very well known brand begins selling a sub-standard product at a low price.  The products has the name, without having the quality behind it and usually the services as well.  Here are some good examples:
    – Electrolux – In the past Electolux had been perhaps the most high quality vacuum cleaners money could buy.  Granted, it was a lot of money, nevertheless the vacuum cleaner would most likely last a life-time.  A number of years ago, we bought an Electrolux; or so we believed.  After a few years our vacuum cleaner started having a mechanical failure before it eventually ended up being beyond repair.  Exactly how is this?  I went online to investigate.  I found that Electrolux was in fact sold to Ureka.  Ureka placed a pricy looking case around one of their own vacuum cleaner units and with the Electrolux title, nearly doubled the retail price! 
    – Baldwin – When just about anyone has got a new Baldwin lockset, they know it’s a high quality lockset that would again, last a life-time.  Be careful!  Baldwin was fairly recently picked up by Black & Decker and relabeled.  They additionally bought Kwikset which is an entry level lockset.  Today you can go into any big box store and get a Baldwin lockset for about half the cost of the initial Baldin lock.  Exactly how is this possible.  The Baldwin skin and Kwikset lock were put together to manufacture a mid-grade lock.  Not a thing wrong with a midgrade lock; if you do not presume you are purchasing the absolute best!
    – Kohler – Think that Kohler faucet you recently picked up at a big box store is the top quality product you might have come to expect?  Think again.
    – John Deere – High quality lawn tractor; right?  Sure, but not in a bix box retailer.
The scariest thing in regards to this is the servicing of the manufacturer’s warranty.  Almost all of the time, warranties for second-rate goods are handled by way of 3rd party organization.  When you call Kohler with regards to a warranty issue they will likely tell you to contact the company you purchased the item from.  The company you bought the product from will provide you with the number to their third party warranty service provider.

The old saying goes, “You get what you pay for”!

Bryant Melton
River City Window & Door
Richmond, Virginia
804-929-6550