When someone knocks on your front door or rings the calling bell, one normally has to guess who the person could be. But if we analyze this from a security aspect, there are lot more risks associated with this “guessing game”.

Image Courtesy : rbs.ru

Enter - Door Eye / Magic Eye, a simple and practical solution to the problem. Most homes are probably already installed with one. Just in case yours is not, then this article is just the one for you.

A door eye is a device which only permits the occupant of the home to have a clear view of the outside world, while it restricts the person at the door (outside) from viewing into the home.

This is an upgrade to a simple peep hole where the stranger present outside is also able to see the interior of the home. The door eye also has in most cases what is called a “wide angle” lens arrangement. This makes it possible to actually get a good panoramic view of the outside and give a sound judgement to the home owner before opening the door.

Installation involves drilling a hole on your main door (as shown below) and mounting the magic eye within it. The second portion of the device is inserted from the inside of the door and screwed on till they fit tightly.

Image Courtesy : rd.com

The door eye is normally mounted at a height which is the country average for a man/woman. In India usually is mounted at a height of about five and a half feet from the ground level.

Sometimes children cannot be seen through the door eye and also ambient light is needed for good visibility. So having a corridor light is a good idea so that you can view your guests even in dark conditions.

It should be available in most hardware stores. We shall update what it would cost in the comments section. You are welcome to leave your comment or query too!

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Technology seems to be going to the next level for practically every home appliance or accessory today. Even the door locks are not left behind in this trend. During the recent architect expo which was held in Chennai, we came across RFID based locks which were really amazing. Here is the story.

 Click on the image to enlarge

These locks have two ways to open the door. The first is with a traditional key. You put in the key into the slot, twist and open the door.

The second involves flashing the RFID tag (also called the key) at the door and presto, your door lock opens. All you need to do is push the handle and swing it open.

You may ask what are the advantages of such a feature. For starters, you need not fumble for the key slot in the dark. It is more convenient especially for elder people. And RFID allows you to have certain features which conventional keys do not offer.

1) Master key and Normal key - Here the RFID keys are of two types. The first one is the master key which is used to provide complete access to the home. The master key also enables the home owner to program “normal” keys which are given out to say, house maids, other occupants of you house etc.

2) Complete control - Master key can be used to enable disable “normal” keys anytime. Say that you and your family are going on a vacation, and you do not want your maid to gain access to you home. You can disable all the “normal” keys before you leave and have complete peace of mind. Once you are back, you can turn the access on again.

3) Passage mode - Normally, the RFID based locks opens and again automatically locks itself after a timeout of say 20 seconds (for example - not actual value). But say you are having a function at home, you do not want the door to lock automatically every-time. At this time, you can enable what is called a “passage” mode where the auto lock does not take effect.

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Seen above is the range of RFID locks from Godrej which varies from around Rs. 4000 to around Rs. 10,000.

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Shown above is one of the locks which has two colored RFID keys. We believe that the red colored one is the master key, while the blue colored one is the normal key. We also think that the number of keys that comes with the lock is customizable.

 Click on the image to enlarge

Shown above is the lock for the even more security conscious people. This model features a pin pad where you can enter a secret pin code in addition to waving the RFID key! This model is one of the expensive ones around.

All the units have a battery inside. These batteries can be changed from inside the home. There is a low battery indicator according to Godrej. Just to be sure, it is always good to have the traditional keys on the same key chain as the RFID key!

Drop in your comments……………….

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We briefly spoke about “door closers” here. Today we are going to talk about a device which does the opposite - prevents the door from closing !!

You might wonder why do we need such a device after all. Well if you have installed the door closer/spring then there maybe instances when you want the door to remain open for a while. Like for example you want some fresh air, or you are bringing some stuff into your home. Either way, you need the door to be open, and with the spring trying to close the door, the only way to keep it open is by using door stoppers. Shown below are some examples of door closers.

Image Courtesy: dictator.nl

Image Courtesy: orgill.com

These prevent the door from closing as they provide high levels of friction against the movement of the door towards the frame.

Another application of door stoppers is that say you stay in a windy environment. There is a possibility that your doors can slam in the wind. This can be avoided either by closing the door or using the door stoppers mentioned above.

These should be available in most hardware stores across India.

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If you are a stickler for privacy then the door closer is just the device for you. In India the door closer is more common in office space than at residential areas.

Image Courtesy: kleineandsons.com

The device is a simple one. It is mounted on the door with one of the arms fixed on the door frame. When the door is opened, the spring inside the box is exercised and when the force opening the door is removed, the door closes automatically.

Some minor adjustments are necessary to ensure perfect closure of the door and also the speed at which the door closes.

Some immediate advantages of the door closers are:

• Keeps dust away as the door is closed automatically
• Enhances audio insulation. Noises from outside do not enter home and vice-versa
• Enhances privacy and security, especially for the front door of the home

The door closers are available in multiple shapes, sizes and colors. You may choose one which matches you door color. They should be available in leading hardware stores across India.

Some variations in the fitting are also common. For instance some door closers are mounted mid way on the door instead of the top and some are even mounted at the bottom. Typically door closers are available for hinged doors although you may get some types for sliding doors as well.

We recommend this for your home.

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Home insulation may seem like a topic for cold countries where retaining the internal heat is of utmost importance.

But, if you think about it, insulation can be very effective in tropical countries like India.

Image Courtesy : universaldoor.ca

Let us analyze what are the key areas of one’s home which are open:

• Doors
• Windows (including ones in bathroom)
• Balcony (usually the entrance to the balcony or the balcony itself may have door/windows)
• Exhaust openings
• AC openings

Almost all of these do one common thing in any home. They bring in air and a lot of dust. We think that if there is one thing at your place which you wish could cease to exist, it would be “dust”.

Now, although it is good to wish dust away, it is not fully possible to eliminate it 100%. But  lot can be done to prevent it from accumulating over and over again.

A sample of dust will contain dead skin, sand, debris from home and more. The sand part of dust is what we would like to focus on.

If for starters, you had your doors and windows perfectly insulated the amount of dust which would come into your home would be reduced drastically.

So what do we mean by “insulation”?

Very simple.

Just ensure that there are absolutely no gaps or spaces which exist after you have closed your door shut. This can be executed by a professional carpenter by using rubber liners or other advanced techniques.

Another action which can help curb the dust aspect is to install springs on the major doors at your home. These will ensure that the door is automatically closed and prevents dust from entering your home.

The biggest advantage of insulating from your room, especially the bedroom is that you cut your electricity bills and the room’s temperature is maintained over a longer period of time.

To summarize do the following to insulate your home in order to minimize dust and electricity bills:

- Make your doors and windows airtight

- Close the doors/windows when not in use

- Install door springs

- Close exhaust vents and the like when not in use

Once applied, you would notice a marked improvement in dust levels at your home.

PS  : To have fresh air once in a while, we recommend to open the door and window once in a while. Doing this at the right moment, i.e. no winds, servant lady cleaning the apartment and so on… will ensure better of both worlds.

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