shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com April 10, 2018 • Page 13 Spring Home Improvement & Car Care Home Security for the How to Hang Photos Do-It-Yourselfer and Artwork With Ease Feeling secure at home is a priority for many people. Many people consider installing security systems in their homes to improve their sense of well-being. Whether one owns or rents, individuals may be surprised to learn that do-it-yourself security systems can be savvy investments. The right system can help people protect their belongings and their families, but sorting through the various security systems on the market can be a daunting task. While full-service setups that include professional installation and monitoring are available, some homeowners may want to investigate the highly customizable DIY kits now available. Some include personal monitoring, while others are self-install technologies with professional monitoring. Before getting started, homeowners and renters can ask themselves a few questions to help narrow down their options. • What is your budget? Professional installation and monitoring will likely cost more than DIY kits. • How large is the home? • Are you tech-savvy? • How frequently are you out of the home on vacation or extended trips? • Do you desire emergency response? • Do you want an entire package or just some deterrent devices? Once men and women have answered these questions, it’s time to start shopping. Here are some DIY security system items that may be of interest. Smart Home Security Systems These home security systems connect to a home’s Wi-Fi network so they can be monitored and controlled using a smartphone app. Others may be accessed through an application on the internet. It is important to look for a system that has the extra security of technology that is not easily hacked. Security Cameras Some people may only want to watch the inside and outside of their residences. It can Personal touches turn a house into a home. Hanging pictures, whether they’re personal photographs or artwork, can really change the character of a room. Unfortunately, some people may not know the proper ways to display pictures on a wall. Design maven Martha Stewart advises that the first step is to gather all of the pictures that are in consideration for hanging. This will enable a take mere minutes to set up wireless security person to see what is available and edit their selection based cameras around the house. These devices on the space available, theme connect to a Wi-Fi network and give customers free access to a constant stream of video. or color scheme. Having the artwork there enables a Some systems make it easy for homeownperson to move it around like ers to listen in on what’s going on at home a puzzle until the placement and even talk to anyone within the camera’s feels just right. range. Others can be paired with cloud storNext, plan on hanging age for recording video. artwork at 57 inches on center, Professionally Monitored Residents who are away from home freaccording to the renovation quently or are too busy to constantly monitor experts at Apartment Therapy. achieve the 57” on center location, and then security systems may like the peace of mind “On center” means the middle of the photocalculate where this falls within the height of of professionally monitored kits. Services like graph or painting will always be at 57”, as this the artwork and frame top. Adjust accordingly Frontpoint¨, Link Interactive¨ and Scout¨ are measurement represents the average human and mark. Then measure the distance from the just three that have affordable starter kits and eye height. This height is regularly used as a frame top to the hanger location on the wall. video monitoring. Monitored alarm systems standard in many galleries and museums. Be sure to take the weight of the picture can be set to call the police or other emerWhen the goal is to hang multiple pictures, into consideration when selecting hanging gency services if necessary. treat the entire grouping as a single unit. This hardware. Wall anchors may be needed if Entry-level or Advanced Systems means creating the layout and finding the cent- measurements determine a wall stud will not Entry-level systems typically include a few er of the middle piece of the grouping. To make help secure the artwork to keep the frame door and window sensors, a motion detecpicture grouping easier, use paper templates sturdy in the drywall. Home improvement tor and a hub that communicates with these resource Today’s Homeowner also suggests sensors. This may be enough for someone in with arrows to indicate whether the artwork using self-adhesive rubber bumpers to the botan apartment or small house. More extensive will be hung horizontally or vertically. These templates can then be easily taped to the wall tom corners on the back of the frame before systems may include additional sensors, hanging so that the picture will not damage the door locks, garage door openers, surveillance and rearranged until the grouping is ideal. There are no hard and fast rules concerning wall and will help it hang level. cameras, lights, sirens, and even water and frames, meaning they do not all have to match. smoke detectors. It can take a few attempts to hang pictures But placing framed artwork side by side can Do-it-yourself security systems represent correctly, but with practice it should come give a person a feel for whether the images and with greater ease. The good news is there are a new wave to safeguard one’s belongings the frames work together in the space. Some and family. Kits continue to evolve and have new products constantly being evolved to become more seamless than ever. people like to use frames of similar colors and make picture hanging easier, including those sizes. Others want the eclectic mix-and-match that enable removal and relocation of artwork without damaging walls. nMetro Creative Connections appeal. ItÕs ultimately up to the homeowner. Measuring is key to hanging a picture correctly on the wall. Take into consideration the nMetro Creative Connections type of attachment, whether it’s D-rings, sawtooth hangers, wire, or other fasteners on the back. Measure Debris from home improvement projects the materials they no longer need continue from the top of the frame to can often be recycled. According to Waste to be put to good use. the hanger. Measure the wall to Management, the largest residential recynMetro Creative Connections cler and renewable energy provider in North America, Also service all lawn common construction mowers and other materials such as concrete, small engine repairs. porcelain, tile, lumber, metals, masonry, plastic, Tree Trimming, Removals & Transplanting carpet, and insulation can potentially be recycled. 4410 W. 8th, Yankton 605-689-3817 When recycled, debris from construction projects may ultimately be used in various ways to benefit the planet. For example, such debris may used as inerts that become road base, while clear wood may be transformed into mulch or biomass fuel. Crushed concrete can go on to live a second life as gravel or become dry aggregate for new concrete. 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