It’s Springtime!

Springtime has to be one of the most exciting times of the year.  Winter starts to melt away while the mercury on the thermometer once again begins to rise.  We begin to prepare for the coming year with renewed ambition and for many of us, that includes Spring-cleaning.

So, as you are cleaning out your closets and garages, remember that now is also a great time to test your Home Security System.  Below is a checklist of recommended tasks that will help strengthen the Security of Your Home.

1. Test All of Your Sensors

• It is recommended that you test your Home Security System at least once a month.  Hopefully, if you haven’t already been doing this you can work it into your monthly routine.
• Start by calling your Monitoring Station and place the account on test.  You will need your verification information so be sure to have that ready for them.
• Once your account is on test, arm the system to its maximum setting.  For the two most popular systems we work with, this would be Away for Honeywell systems, and Doors/Windows, and Motions for G.E. systems.
• Open and close all windows and doors which have sensors attached to them.
• If you have Motion Detectors wait 5 minutes after arming to walk in front of them as they have a three-minute sleep mode.
• You can test the Smoke Detectors by pressing the test button and holding it for about 15 seconds.
• Test your Keyfob panics by pressing the Panic button for Honeywell Keyfobs, and pressing the lock and unlock together for G.E. Keyfobs. (This is also true for WallFobs)
• Medical Pendants should also be included if you have them included in your equipments list.  Simply press the button(s) on the pendant to activate the alarm.
• Glassbreak Sensors can be a little trickier as they require the sound of glass breaking.  Testing glassbreaks can be accomplished by: aggressively shaking your keys in front of the module, clapping your hands directly in front of the sensor, or even making the glass breaking sound effect with your mouth really close to the sensor.  I know it seems silly but it works! LOL

2. General Dusting

• The performance of your Home Security System is most effective when all of the sensors are properly clean and cared for.  Be sure to take some time and do some general clean up of the security sensors.
• The first step as always is to place the account on test.
• Remember whenever dealing with electronics it is wise to disconnect the power source.  This will not only protect you from shock, but will also help protect the sensor.
• Gently dust the tops of all the sensors on the walls.  If needed, use a lightly damp cloth (water) and wipe the dust from the sensor tops.
• When cleaning a Photo-Electric Smoke Detector I’ve always used a vacuum hose to remove the dust particles from the chamber.  Be sure to read the manufacturer’s suggested cleaning methods for the most effective results.
• Dust off your Motion Detector and be sure to be careful around the lens.  Scratching the lens is uncommon, but if scratching occurs it could reduce performance, so be careful.  Read the manufacturer’s suggested cleaning methods for the most effective results.

I hope this helps answer some questions about simple security system maintenance.  I really look forward to this coming spring and summer seasons.

Do you have a Spring Cleaning tip that you’d like to share? Please feel free to comment below.

Do you remember the thrill of owning your first bike?  I remember waking up that Christmas morning and seeing a whole row of bicycles in the livingroom, one bicycle for each of my brothers and sister.   I remember feeling a sense of freedom and excitement as I rode that bike for the first time.  I now had control of my destiny.  I could ride anywhere; virtually go anywhere I wanted, when I wanted.   I felt so grown up for the first time in my life.  It is an experience that I can’t wait to share with my children when they become old enough to ride a bike.

I remember my father taking the time teach us the rules of bike safety.  Each bike came with a helmet and a personal lesson with my father about how to care for and maintain it.  He taught us how to fix the chain if it ever fell off, how to adjust the breaks, and even how to patch a punctured tire.  One thing my father stressed was making sure we wore our helmets when we rode and if we needed to leave the bike for any length of time, secure it to something solid.  Chain the bicycle through the frame and a tire to bike racks, trees, street signs, essentially anything that was a permanent fixture.

Years later, I’m now the father, and the big purchase came when we decided to buy a home for our family.  I remember experiencing similar feelings of freedom, control, and being so grown up.  I think back to the care I took with my bicycle and drew the parallel that it was up to me to mow the lawn, fix the roof and trim the bushes.  It is also my responsibility to make sure that my home has the proper Home Security required to keep my family safe.  I was sure to check that all the doors and windows had locks and the flood lamps were working properly, but somehow I felt that it wasn’t enough.

I decided that what my home needed was a Security System, but what exactly did I need to secure my home?  Now, it’s no secret; I work for a Security System Company.  That is important to know, because for years I have been custom designing security systems for customer’s homes across the nation.  I’ve installed for every kind of demographic.  From multi-million dollar homes to less affluent communities, I’ve optimized the Security Coverage and always felt comfortable with the coverage designs.  Now, however, I had to think about the design for my family.

When designing a Custom Security System for the needs of any home, it is important to take two major subjects into consideration.

1. Secure The Perimeter
   • The perimeter of your home is the first barrier separating you from the rest of the world.  The most common entry and exit points are the doors.  Doors and windows can be covered by sensors specifically designed for the action of doors and windows.  There are other sensor upgrades available, but this is the basic concept; secure your perimeter.
2. Secure The Interior
   • Nothing secures the interior of a home better than a motion detector.  Designed with small pets and animals in mind, a well-placed motion detector can greatly enhance the security of you home by limiting the interior movement of an intruder.

With both of these areas covered by the proper sensors, and the sensors communicating with a Security System Panel that reports to a monitoring station, I now have the peace of mind knowing that my home is completely secure.

By designing my system this way, I am able to secure the core of my home.  If I relying solely on the door and window locks for the complete security of my home, I create a false sense of security.  This is similar to making the decision of how to chain my bike to the rack or only chaining the tire.  By chaining the frame I can secure the core and therefore my entire bike.  Anything less just simply wouldn’t cut it.  I couldn’t leave the security of my home in the hands of locks alone; it is my family inside.

Through this Blog I hope to be able to share with you the important tips and tricks to Home Security maintenance and allow you the opportunity to get to know your home security provider.

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Do you have any home security tips you’d like to share?  Please comment below.

Almost all home security scams happen when people are not using safety measures. While most burglaries happen while you are away from the home, that does not stop some burglars from taking advantage of you while you are home. Below are some examples of home security scams that people have fallen victim to in the past five years.

The Shreveport Times reported a home invasion story in March 2006. “Charlie Henry said some of the same intruders who invaded his home had stopped by a week ago to question him about where another person lived. Yesterday a woman came to the door alone asking for water. As soon as he let her in, the three men stormed into his house.” This scam involves using a seemingly innocent woman, which many people do not suspect to cause any harm to them.

In the New York Times, a sad story was shared in November 2007. A man, who was recently released for sexual assault from prison, saw a newspaper article with a picture of an 11 year old boy and made him his next target. “He gained the confidence of the family by claiming he was with the newspaper and was writing an article about the boy.” Simply claiming to be a newspaper reporter allowed him entrance in to the home. The boy was tragically assaulted and murdered by the man.

home security

A show aired on Oprah demonstrated the lack of home security sense a lot of people have, and how easily people can fall for home security scams. They set up a male staff member with a hidden camera posing as a police detective. He knocked doors of 100 different homes, showing them a fake police badge that had been typed on a type writer on normal white paper. Shockingly every single door invited him to come inside.

Some people choose to distract you to gain entrance into your home. The Norwich Evening News reported a story of a set of burglaries that took place when the homeowner got a panicked phone call telling them there was an emergency, such as an explosion down the street. While the homeowner went outside to investigate the explosion the burglar gained entrance inside their unlocked door.

A Louisville news station WAVE3-TV, reported a story about a man who was taken advantage of by burglars who knew his name. “They knocked on my door and called out my name. I wasn’t thinking anything about home security. I just unlocked the door. And that’s when they stuck a shotgun in my face.”

A gang of burglars in the United Kingdom used a crying child to break into homes. The Teeside Evening Gazette reported “Detectives are hunting a gang using a tearful boy and the tale of a lost hamster to breach the home security of pensioners. The cruel con involves the youngster knocking on victims’ doors then tearfully claiming his pet has wandered into their garden. While the householder helps the boy search for the phantom pet, the boy’s adult accomplice enters the property and rifles the house.”

These stories range from simple burglaries to assault and even murder. We do not share these stories to scare you, but rather to show you the importance of home safety. All of these scams could easily have been avoided had security measures been taken. Look for our next blog article where we will share tips on how to prevent these scams from happening to you.

I have mentioned this before, but it is important to be repeated. Advertise that you have an alarm system. Alarm systems work great at deterring burglars away from your home.

No one wants to be the target of a burglary. No one wants to be threatened by criminals in their home. An alarm system is a security tool that is meant to ward off thieves to keep these types of situations from happening.

Why advertise, then, the security system? If the alarm system works so well in identifying break-ins, and the police are notified by your security company when the alarm goes off, why take the time to advertise it? What is the purpose if the security system will do just fine on its own?

alarm system

The answer is, to stop the break-in from happening in the first place. Of course the alarm system will be able to go off and alert people in the cases where individuals try to break in to a home. Advertising ahead of time that there is an alarm in your home to begin with will normally stop burglars from trying to enter your home.

Home security companies actually issue security signs and window decals for this purpose. Decals and signs are an effective deterrent and do a great job of letting the community know that you have a security network set up in your home. Burglars usually stake out the neighborhoods they are thinking of breaking in to, and a sign posted in the front yard is an easy warning sign for them to look out for.

Burglars do not want to get caught. They will easily pick homes that do not have security systems in place already. Why attempt to burglarize a home with home protection when they can easily break in to a home that does not have a home security system?

Decals are very simple and easy to install. Little effort or time needs to be used to place decals and signs around your home. They also are low cost, since they are provided by your security company when you sign up with them.

Decals should be placed in easy to see spots around your home. It is especially important to place them on windows near your front and back doors, and your front windows. The point of decals are to have them be seen, so take that in to consideration when placing them around your home.

Everyone talks about the great need for security systems. It has been stated over and over again that the best security tool for your home’s protection is a security alarm. But how well do security systems work? Are they all they are cut out to be?

The answer will depend on several factors. The most important factor is where you decide to get your security system from. Your security company has the most impact on whether or not your security system will be reliable or helpful in the protection of your home, depending on the system they use.

Most security systems on the market work well in protecting homes. They protect the home in case of burglaries and break-ins. They also are able to serve more than one function, such as alerting you of possible fires and gas leaks if you install fire and gas detectors.

security systems

Security systems are a wonderful deterrent to criminals. If a burglar knows your home has an alarm they usually avoid the home. Most people who know they have a good chance of being caught will avoid that route.

Security decals will be issued to you through your security company to advertise your alarm. Security decals have been proven to ward off possible intruders. They actually do such a good job that a lot of people try to scare off burglars by placing decals around their home even when they don’t have a security alarm.

If someone is brave enough to break in to your home a security alarm will help warn you of it. When an alarm goes off, your security company is instantly alerted. If you cannot be reached immediately, the police are notified of the break-in. The alarm drastically cuts down the time a burglar has to steal items from your home, and are much more likely to be caught.

Security alarms have less false alarms than before. Thanks to advancements in technology, home security alarms are more reliable than ever. Configurations can even be made to take in to account any pets in your home so they won’t accidentally set off the alarm when you have it set.

Alarm systems can protect your home against more than just break-ins. Most security companies give you the option to also install gas or fire alarms to warn you against fires or gas leaks. This can be a real asset to your family in case a fire ever broke out.