The "smart" home may not be quite as clever as you think.

With the arrival of the so-called Internet of things -- where household items such as thermostats and washing machines and webcams are connected to the global network -- security problems may also be on the rise. A study from security research company Synack found that commonly connected products opened up a host of safety issues. One of the firm's analysts noted it took him only 20 minutes to break into a range of devices, according to GigaOm.

The study comes amid heightened concern about hackers and the vulnerability of everything from credit cards to automobiles. Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) issued a report this month warning about the dangers of hacking attacks against vehicles. In the Synack study, the only device that didn't have a major security flaw was a Kidde smoke detector, which wasn't actually connected to the Internet.

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Smart home technology can let homeowners network together entertainment, security, environmental control, and other systems into a completely aut...

"Right now the 'Internet of things' is like computer security was in the nineties, when everything was new and no one had any security standards or any way to monitor their devices for security," Synack security research analyst Colby Moore told GigaOm.

You do have some ways to protect your home against hackers, such as hard-wiring devices to the Internet rather than relying on WiFi. But if a device is linked via a wireless network, make sure it alerts you if it's bumped off the connection.

Plus, connected devices require strong passwords, so don't enter useless ones such as "123" or "password." Still, GigaOm notes that might be difficult for devices, such as thermostats, that don't come with keyboards.

Manufacturers of networked home devices aren't thinking about security front and foremost, according to Network World. That means it's up to consumers to evaluate the safety and security issues of each thermostat or home automation center on their own.

According to the Synack study, connected cameras have the greatest number of security flaws, including unencrypted data and weak password policies. All of the connected thermostats the firm studied have security issues (including poor password protection), as well as the home automation centers. The smoke and carbon monoxide alarms had issues, except for the Kidde version, which doesn't connect to the Internet.

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Your "smart" home devices can easily be hacked

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) -- Trent Johnson settled in for a nap in the coach's locker room before the Big 12 opener in TCU's temporary home while the campus arena is renovated.

Next thing the Horned Frogs coach knew, four high school swimmers were coming through the door, needing to use the bathroom.

"How about that?" Johnson said. "So I had to leave. I thought they'd be in there and get their business done and be right out. But I had to knock on the door for about 10 minutes."

As for how much of an inconvenience a high school facility with a natatorium attached has been for the likes of No. 8 Kansas and Texas, well, not as much as some might think.

Sure, the Wilkerson-Greines Activity Center is fairly cozy and has tall walls near the court adorned with Fort Worth school logos such as the Polytechnic Parrots.

But chairback seats and concourses have offered a surprising feel for players, coaches and fans who might have expected the one-time experience to be something out of "Hoosiers." In short, "arena" might be a better word than "gym."

"I thought for the sacrifices they've had to make probably this year, it certainly was better than what I thought it would be coming down here," said Jayhawks coach Bill Self, whose team hung on for a 64-61 win last month.

"It's a nice facility, without question.

The Horned Frogs are spending one season about 10 miles southeast of Daniel-Meyer Coliseum while the 54-year-old facility undergoes a $45 million facelift.

The facade will match that of TCU's recently renovated football home, Amon Carter Stadium, and have more courtside seats and wider concourses.

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TCU's temporary home is quirky

A few weeks ago, a couple friends and I were about to watch a surprisingly bad scifi movie in my crowded apartment. One of them asked if we could dim the lights, and started to head to the switch. "No, no, I've got it," I said, reaching into my pocket. "He's reaching for his phone!" said the friend. This was the moment I'd been waiting for. Time to show off my smart home.

I'd spent the last six months making my home more intelligent with Wink components. That meant six months of programming lightbulbs and installing sensors and adjusting shades and updating hubs. All my effort to connect my appliances added up to this one very public test. My friends didn't need to walk ten feet to the light switch, when I could manage everything with a couple taps. My friends would be so impressed. I'd talked up my pet project plenty, and now they could watch the future unfold before their very eyes.

I unlocked my phone. I found the right home screen. I opened the Wink app. I navigated to the Lights section. I toggled over to the sets of light bulbs that I'd painstakingly grouped and labeled. I tapped "Living Room"this was itand the icon went from bright to dark. (Okay, so that was like six taps.)

Nothing happened.

I tapped "Living Room." The iconnot the lightswent from dark to bright. I tapped "Living Room," and the icon went from bright to dark. The lights seemed brighter than ever.

"How many gadget bloggers does it take to turn off a light?" said the friend, smirking. "I thought this was supposed to be a smart home."

I threw my phone at him, got up, walked ten feet to the switch. One tap, and the lights were off.

It wasn't supposed to be like this. Last summer, when I stepped into an expensive-looking SoHo loft where Quirky was unveiling its new Wink system, I had high hopes. The plug-and-play platform was designed to turn any house with Wi-Fi and a couple connected devices into a smart home. Quirky set up Wink as a separate company and partnered with Home Depot so Americans could easily buy all their Wink-related products in one convenient place. Even Quirky's longtime partner GE was buying into the platform and making some of its products Wink-compatible. It all sounded so ambitious, so appealing, and so impossible. Kind of like communism.

As Wink's executives showed me around the demo smart home, I couldn't help but think how this whole system was designed to be the people's smart home. In my experience, connected home products were kind of like luxury goods. On their own, things like the Nest thermostat and the Philips Hue lighting system were pricey but impressivea glimpse at a future where your gadgets at home responded to your behavior and adapted to your wants. Fully integrated smart home systems like those offered by security companies, however, were even more expensive up front and cost monthly subscription fees. In other words, smart homes had historically been the domains of the tech-hungry rich.

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Why Is My Smart Home So Fucking Dumb?

Circuit and Wiring Diagram for Automotive, Car, Motorcycle, Truck, Audio, Radio, Electronic Devices, Home and House Appliances

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Dear Insurance Adviser, We are thinking of making some improvements to our house. What home renovations can reduce your home insurance rate? -- Lois

Dear Lois, There are plenty of ways to give your home a makeover and knock down your insurance premium in the process.

Compare quotes on home insurance today

Many home insurance companies offer new-home discounts to older, renovated homes that have replacement wiring or plumbing, or a new roof or furnace. Typical savings for making all of these improvements amount to about 10 percent in the first year, with the size of the reduction gradually decreasing over about seven years.

Consider installing a central burglar and fire alarm, which will save you about 10 percent every year.

When using a contractor for home projects, be sure that you request proof of general liability insurance and workers' compensation insurance. That way, if there is a construction-related injury, you'll be a lot less likely to be brought into the lawsuit.

Contact your homeowners agent when you start construction and raise your structural coverage to the new replacement cost of your home, taking the value of the renovations into account. While you're reviewing what it will cost to increase coverage, check out how much you might save by increasing your deductible between $500 and $1,000. You will probably save another 10 percent off your total bill.

Have fun!

Bankrate's content, including the guidance of its advice-and-expert columns and this website, is intended only to assist you with financial decisions. The content is broad in scope and does not consider your personal financial situation. Bankrate recommends that you seek the advice of advisers who are fully aware of your individual circumstances before making any final decisions or implementing any financial strategy. Please remember that your use of this website is governed by Bankrate's Terms of Use.

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Which upgrades cut home insurance rates?

Flames shoot from 78 Holman St. in Fitchburg on Saturday morning as firefighters battle the blaze. (TIMOTHY SHEA PHOTO)

FITCHBURG -- A Holman Street homeowner is in critical condition in a Worcester hospital after he was pulled from his burning home by two Fitchburg police officers Saturday morning, fire officials said.

John R. Saulnier was transported directly to UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester and is in critical condition, according to fire personnel.

Police Officers Todd Deacon and Michael Sevigny were transported to HealthAlliance Hospital in Leominster for what appears to be smoke inhalation after helping rescue Saulnier from a window of the home at 78 Holman St.

Deputy Chief Kevin Curran said when the fire was reported, the two officers were some of the first officers on the scene and helped pull the occupant out of the window.

Police Sgt. Chuck Siomos said the two officers suffered non-life threatening injuries.

Both police officers were treated and released.

A dog living in the home perished in the blaze, according to Curran, and the city annimal control officer was called to the scene.

It appears the homeowner went back inside the home to rescue the dog, according to fire personnel.

Fire Captain Brian Murchie estimated the total damage of the home, including contents, at $225,000.

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Two police officers hurt pulling man from burning Fitchburg home

CASS COUNTY, MO (KCTV) - Crews spent almost five hours battling a fire that fully engulfed a home in rural Harrisonville on Thursday.

By 10 p.m. what was left of the house was smoldering. It's now down to its foundation.

The distraught homeowner arrived some hours later. Jim Burch said he lost his job earlier in the week, and had gone to pick up his last paycheck. When he came home, his home was destroyed.

Burch said his shih tzu, his daughter's dog, and two cats died in the fire.

"It's hard to know what to think," Burch said. "You're kind of in shock. You start realizing all your records and pictures and heirlooms are just gone, and there's now way to get them back."

Burch's house is at East 299th Street and South Hess Road in Cass County. It's just west of Interstate 49.

The Cass County Sheriff's Office says a neighbor called in the fire. The homeowner wasn't there when the fire broke out, and officials contacted him to let him know what had happened.

There was so much fire. We really couldn't get ahead of it, said Harrisonville fire Capt. Johnny Coday.

Central Cass Fire Protection District worked to extinguish the flames which were seen shooting from every inch of the home. Two to three mutual aid companies were also on the scene to help.

The home was fully involved. The front part had already collapsed into the basement, Coday said.

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Missouri man loses job, house in one week

This article explains the basics of home electrical wiring and its symbols. There is also a simple guide on what to check at the end of the post.

However, this is a long article. If you can see what you are looking for at the RELATED ARTICLES section below, you may want to visit that post first.

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If you come again to this post in future, you may find that the above RELATED ARTICLES section have more titles added to the list.

I am currently re-constructing this blog to make it more presentable and to add more content to it. The original article below is too long and too messy. Many visitors just click away thinking that they will not find the contents they were looking for here.

So I am now posting small topics of the content s that have been covered by the original post. It will take some time and many small posts to cover it all because it is a really long post.

However, if you wish you can still read the original article below:

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DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - A man died late Monday night after flames swept through his home near the Fair Park area of Dallas. It happened at around 10:30 p.m. in the 4000 block of Spring Avenue, and family members said that his recently upgraded electric meter might be to blame.

The family actually owns three homes in a row on this street. It was the home in the middle that caught on fire, killing a beloved elderly man. Flames and smoke were shooting out of the front of the structure when firefighters first arrived on the scene.

Emergency crews quickly extinguished the flames and found the body of 74-year-old James Humphrey Jr. inside of the burned single-story home. Fire investigators are now working to determine the cause of the blaze.

James Humphrey Jr. (credit: BreAshia Johnson)

Alfreda Johnson is the victims cousin, and she believes that she already knows the cause of the fire. Workers upgraded the electric meter on the home just three weeks ago. These people keep coming out here, doing what they want to do to these old houses, she said.

Dallas Fire-Rescue investigators are taking Johnsons claims seriously. The new smart meter was located on the outside of the house by a front bedroom, where the heaviest damage occurred and where the man was found dead.

(credit: Elizabeth Dinh/KTVT/KTXA)

And this is not the first time that such an incident has happened to this family. There was a fire at Johnsons own home back in 2011. Caught on fire due to a smart meter, she added. They told me it caught on fire from the meter. Nothing was ever done about it.

Oncor issued a statement regarding the fire.

Excerpt from:
Family Blames Smart Meter For Fatal Fire

Utopia, Texas (PRWEB) February 03, 2015

Mazurek Service and Repair, a full service electrical company serving the Utopia and San Antonio areas, has announced that it is changing its name to SharpLine Home Services. The decision to change the company name after 23 years of business came from SharpLines vision to offer a broader range of services, and become a one-stop-shop for area homeowners.

Established in 1991, SharpLine Home Services offers customers in the San Antonio, Utopia, and surrounding areas with a variety of electrical services, including lighting, wiring, remodeling, inspections and more. SharpLine also supplies homeowners throughout the state of Texas with generators, and employs licensed technicians to complete installations.

We are investing heavily in the future of our company, exploring new goals and a more targeted vision for our brand, said David Mazurek, owner of SharpLine Home Services. As a home services company, SharpLine is changing the way we deliver customer satisfaction by planning to expand the services we offer, maintaining an affordable rate, and improving overall quality.

Recognized as a top electrician in the San Antonio area, SharpLine Home Services hopes the name change will reflect an upcoming evolution of the company, its services, and its customer base. SharpLine plans to continue offering added value through customized home services solutions, but on a larger scale than before.

We are going to aim higher in 2015 to deliver incomparable and reliable service to homeowners and businesses throughout the region, said Mazurek. SharpLine Home Services is committed to offering a quality, multi-faceted customer experience, providing superior work and service on every project we complete.

About SharpLine Home Services SharpLine Home Services is a full service electrical company serving the San Antonio and Utopia areas of Texas. SharpLine offers commercial and residential customers quality, expertise, and professional service with anything from basic repairs to more complex electrical design and installation projects. The companys services cover lighting, wiring, tenant improvements, renovations and remodeling, exterior and landscape lighting, retrofits, generators, and more. For more information, call 210-526-9811 or visit http://www.msrelectric.com.

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For additional information, contact: Heather Ripley Ripley PR hripley (at) ripleypr (dot) com 865-977-1973

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After 23 Years in Business, Electrical Company Changes Name