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Bolingbrook, IL locals have an obvious appreciation for safety and convenience, which is likely why they live around here. If you are in need of residential, automotive or commercial locksmith services, look to our team at Fast & Secure Locksmith for assistance. We offer 24/7 lockout help, so access to assistance is at your fingertips all of the time, even late at night and on holidays.

If you happen to be in Bolingbrook, Illinois, just call (331) 256-8912 so we can send someone to help you or so we can offer a free consultation and pricing information. Fast & Secure Locksmith is here to ensure the protection of your belongings. Call our team to learn more about us: (331) 256-8912

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THE IMPORTANCE OF PANIC BARS AT YOUR COMMERCIAL PROPERTY

If you’ve got a public commercial building, then it’s essential for you to know that “panic hardware” is required. You need to provide acceptable emergency egress and ingress for anyone in the facility. Accordingly, a “panic bar” is the push bar that you need to install on every exit door, so people can make a fast exit in case of an urgent situation. There must also be an uninterrupted and unobstructed outlet to a safe area. Doors with panic bars are often necessary in restaurants, malls, bars, and other public locations, such as schools. You simply won’t pass inspection if your property isn’t up to code. It’s therefore imperative that you follow the law, so that you’ll be properly guarding the safety of every occupant ~ employees, customers, and visitors.

Considerations regarding panic hardware. Panic hardware has a latching device, with a touchpad or crossbar that goes across at least half the width of the door, which releases the latch whenever it’s pushed. Panic hardware is also called an “exit device” or a “crash bar”; for fire doors, it’s called “fire exit hardware.” This hardware is applied where it’s required by code to make it possible for a specific number of people to leave quickly. It also provides increased resilience.

Whenever you put in panic hardware on balanced doors, you have to use a touchpad-style device. The touchpad shouldn’t extend over halfway across the door. Code requirements normally prohibit the installation of any other sort of lock on a door that has panic hardware, except for an electromagnetic lock released by a switch or sensor. The point is, at all times, any person who has to leave right away must be able to open an exit route door from the inside ~ without any keys or tools, and without any specialized information.

Panic bars are also manufactured to prevent entry from the opposite side of the door. On the inner side, of course they allow a quick exit in a crisis. A panic bar locking only from the outside is permitted on an exit discharge door. Usually, rooms containing electrical equipment must have panic hardware or fire exit hardware, allowing an expert technician to escape in case of a fire or explosion.

Installed on doors that open to the outside, panic bars are obtainable in a numerous styles. Most are equipped with an alarm, which keeps individuals who are leaving from taking along a stolen item, or from trying to exit without paying the bill. Constructed either horizontally or vertically, all panic bar door openers operate the same way: The door opens as soon as the bar is pushed. The guidelines for you to follow, and the exact number of exit doors you must have, will all depend upon your building’s height, type, occupancy level, what it’s used for, and size.

Obey the law. The International Building Code (IBC), the International Fire Code (IFC), and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 101 Code, are the most common building and fire safety codes applied in the United States. You’ll need to look into which code ~ and which edition of that particular code ~ applies to your property. Local codes for your area could also apply. Be sure you’re totally compliant.

These requirements concern all doors that either lock or latch. For instance, panic hardware is not required for a free-swinging door with only a pull handle and a push plate. On the other hand, panic hardware is required by code for specified occupancy types:

An “educational occupancy” is a school for children up to the 12^th grade. A building used for college classrooms is deemed a “business occupancy”; some college classrooms, if big enough, are classified as “assembly occupancy,” which refers to a building or area where large groups assemble, such as a gym or theater. The NFPA 101 Code includes a separate occupancy classification for “daycare occupancy,” where daycare is provided to kids or adults. A “high-hazard occupancy” (an area containing a great level of hazardous materials) is a space vulnerable to explosions.

The installation of panic bars. When a crisis occurs, most of us have trouble concentrating because we’re suddenly in an extreme situation. So it’s vital that you install your panic bars correctly to avoid mishaps. Be sure to regularly maintain these doors, follow every regulation. When your properly installed panic hardware functions smoothly, it will make a big difference if a life-or-death situation ever comes up.

There are many kinds of panic hardware. Rim devices can be easily installed, and need little maintenance. The panic hardware with surface vertical rods is harder to install, and thus should be carried out by an experienced expert. A panic bar that has a concealed vertical rod is more expensive, and also more difficult to install. Based upon your building’s parameters, it’s important to choose the right panic bar for each door you have.

When you install a panic device, make sure to follow the template included with the bar’s packaging to mark the door, so you’ll know where to place it. Any panic bar’s push pad has to be at least half the width of the door. The template will show you where to drill the holes and where to mount the hardware. The center of the panic bar’s push pad ought to be at the standard height of 41 inches above the floor. This measure can vary when it comes to daycare facilities and schools. Test the push pad to make sure it’s functional. Use only the screws that are included in the packaging; otherwise, you’ll void the warranty.

Hire a professional. Ultimately, it’s always best to hire a local professional. If your commercial facility is situated any place in Bolingbrook, Illinois, the mobile staff commercial specialists of Fast & Secure Locksmith will certainly be glad to help you. Anywhere you are, find a dependable security professional who is eminently qualified to answer your questions and guide you to choose exactly the right panic bars for all your building’s evacuation doors.

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How to get started with DIY home surveillance systems

By David Cardinal on August 4, 2016 at 9:16 am

Image Source: www.extremetech.com

There are a lot of reasons you may want to set up a video monitoring system for your home or business. Perhaps you want to complement a home security system, in light of the over two million home break-ins that occur annually in the USA. Or perhaps just to keep an eye on things when you’re not there. I know several business owners who not only watch what goes on in the office while they’re out, but interact with employees as needed using the systems they’ve installed.

There are quite a few options for those who want a turn key solution, ranging from professionally-installed-and-monitored systems to simple plug-and-play options like the Nest camera. But all of those tie you to a cloud vendor, who gets access to your data, and require a monthly fee. For those willing to roll up their sleeves and do some tech, like most ExtremeTech readers, we provide some information and tips on how to get started.

First you need to think about what areas you want monitored, and the cameras you’ll need to have to cover them. Security cameras come in all shapes and sizes. Here are a few of the major categories:

Front door / doorbell cameras
 

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A high-tech version of the traditional door peephole, doorbell cameras add not only an ability to listen to and speak with visitors without opening the door, but to do so even when you’re not home. The devices allow you to view the live stream from the peephole camera on your smartphone, and to speak to the person at the door through its speaker. Since potential burglars often ring the doorbell to see if anyone is home before deciding whether it’s safe to break in, you can potentially thwart a break-in by responding as if you are home. Even if you don’t, many of them can be set up to record the interaction, possibly giving you a visual record of one of the thieves. Many models also offer motion sensing as an alternate trigger.

The Ring Video Doorbell is one of the best known brands, with a solid offering. But quite a few new competitors are springing up, including Sky Bell HD, which has a feature-rich product that includes integration with Amazon’s Echo and IFTTT. Doorbell cameras are great as far as they go, but of course they’re only useful if prospective thieves step up within sight of your front door. To cover other cases, you’ll need to have one or more general-purpose security cameras.

Outdoor security cameras

 

Outdoor security cameras come with a variety of fields of view. Before choosing one, you might want to map out the area you want to cover, and how many your budget will accommodate. The wider the field of view, the lower the amount of detail you can capture for a given camera resolution. Some cameras also offer remote pan and zoom controls, but unless you are going to be actively monitoring them, that probably isn’t very useful. Along with field of view, think about whether you need day monitoring, night vision, or both. High-resolution RGB cameras are best for daytime use, but if you need night vision, choose one that also has high-powered IR emitters and good IR sensitivity.

Next, you need to think about how the cameras will be wired and powered. One clean solution is to use models that support Power over Ethernet (PoE) and then run a single cable to them. That gives you both long-term operation using hardwired power and dependable data transfer. Wi-Fi is also an option, but often outdoor locations will have poor reception from your inside router, so you may not get the video quality the camera is capable of. Battery operation is also another possibility, but you’ll need to monitor and replace the batteries as needed. Typically, battery-operated units are also only useful for motion-activated recording, as 24/7 recording will wear the batteries out very quickly. IR emitters for night-time use also consume power.

 

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If you have a large property, or want a nice, turn-key, option for outdoor locations, trail cameras are another option. There are many priced around $100-$150 that do an okay job — I’ve been testing ones from Stealth Cam and Bushnell which take very good images and video, but are a little slow to trigger. My favorite in that price range so far is the Bushnell Trophy Cam HD, as it can capture both 1080p video and 14MP photos following each motion event.

Units that can capture enough detail so you can read a license plate from a long distance, like the Reconyx SM750, are significantly more expensive, $650 and up. Trail cams have been popular for years, so vendors have gotten good at optimizing their battery usage. Some can last for months, depending on how many images you capture and how much video you record after motion events. Most units record on an SD card, but more expensive models offer Wi-Fi connectivity for smartphone downloading, or even cellular transmission of alerts and images.

Indoor security cameras

The fantasy with indoor security cameras is that they can alert you to motion or sound in a timely fashion, let you judge for yourself whether it’s a break-in, and then let you call police or take some other action. In reality, most burglars have gotten so used to having to deal with security systems of various kinds, they’re unlikely to stay in your house or business long enough for all that to happen. They might also disconnect your internet before entering the building, rendering the notification capability moot.

With the above said, indoor security cams do have a lot of potential, especially if they are motion or sound triggered. First, if they are set to record video clips after motion events, you may well have a record of the thieves. Second, if you do get a notification from your security system, many police departments will not respond unless you have some evidence that there’s actually a break in. If you are looking at a video of intruders when you call them, you have that evidence. Third, like with any visible security device, it is one more hint to criminals that they’re not welcome and need to get out of there quickly. That may help minimize any loss.

Note that cameras which rely on motion in the video frame, instead of a dedicated low-power motion sensor, need to be on all the time. That means they typically should be plugged in for best results. Our sister site PCMag.com did a round up of some of the best consumer-friendly security cameras, although often you can spend less if you are willing to roll your own recording system like we describe below. Also, remember that simple webcams normally require a computer to operate, so make sure you get an IP-enabled camera. If you want to store your own recordings, make sure to get one that will stream over its IP interface.

Pro tip: Make it hard for thieves to get to your valuables once they are in your house. Locking interior doors and closets can be helpful, as well as keeping items out of sight and in non-obvious locations. That way, less can be taken in the windows the burglars think they have before the police arrive or someone notices the break in.

Storing your recordings

 

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The final big issues when selecting cameras and software are where your recordings will go and whether you want to be alerted about motion (or sound) events in real time. Many simple cameras, like the well-known Dropcam, rely on paid (and typically limited) cloud storage for videos. Assuming clever criminals haven’t cut your internet connection, cloud storage is at least safe from on-site tampering. However, it isn’t usually practical for 24/7 recording.

Another easy option is an SD card, offered on many “standalone” cameras like Samsung’s SmartCam. That gives you free storage (up to the limit of the card). As long as the camera supports writing over the oldest videos when it is full, SD card-based supporting works well for both motion-activated and continuous recording. The downside of SD recording is that a burglar can simply pop the SD card out of the camera and take it with them. Some cameras, like the SmartCam, have a base unit that contains the SD card separate from the camera, so you might be able to place that in a more secure location.

If you are willing to do a little administration, and buy some networked storage, you can also use a NAS or a PC-based file server to store your recordings. I’ve been using Surveillance Station, a limited version of which is included with Synology NAS units. It’s a little awkward and can be sluggish, but has a good feature set and supports many specific cameras as well as the generic ONVIF interface to video cameras. You can also use a Windows PC and one of the many available applications, including iSpy, which is open source.

One of the great things about doing your own recording is that you can use inexpensive, generic, cameras, like the ones from GW Security, using ONVIF instead of paying up for a cloud-enabled brand name version. My $120 GW Security camera captures even better video than my $200 Samsung SmartCam HD, but doesn’t have an SD card slot or integrated cloud support and management. If you do record locally, try to make sure your server is in a hard-to-access location, like a locked closet. If it gets taken, so do your recordings. In my case, I record full 24/7 video to a pair of NAS units, along with video of motion detection events to local SD cards and the cloud.

Read more: How to get started with DIY home surveillance systems

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