The Best Halloween Home Safety Tips That Protect Your Property

Homeowners sometimes let their guard down during holidays, especially Halloween. During Halloween, homes are more likely to be targets of pranks that cause property damage.

While a great home security system can go a long way in protecting your home, you’ll need to take a few extra precautions during Halloween. For those participating and those not participating in the Halloween festivities, we recommend the following tips:

• Keep your house well lighted: A well-lit home will protect against vandalism and allow trick-or-treaters to safely walk to your doorstep.
• Avoid burning candles: Candles are great decorations. Unfortunately, candles are fire hazards. We recommend using decorative lighting instead. For jack-o-lanterns, place a flashlight inside the carved pumpkin.
• Don’t overload electrical outlets: Placing too many Halloween lighting plugs in an outlet is a fire hazard.
• Do not place decorations near the street: Halloween decorations near the street are easy targets of vandalism.
• Keep pets inside: On Halloween, keep all your pets inside and away from trouble. There is always the possibility your pet could bite a visitor. Your pets could also get excited because of visitors and run away.
• Stay in town: For those of you thinking of going on a trip. It’s better to stay home and watch your house. If you have to go somewhere, be sure your home alarm system is properly working and you have plenty of lighting around your home.
• Hand out the candy: Do not leave an unattended bowl of candy on your doorstep. This signals the home is vacant or the homeowner is not nearby. Vandalism could occur.
• Have an adult watching the home: It’s better to have an adult at your home handing out candy than a teenager. An adult can better handle various safety situations that may come up.
• Create a safe path to your home: Move anything such as flowerpots, decorations, cables, etc. that someone could potentially trip on while walking to your home in the dark.

Following these tips will go a long way in protecting your property this Halloween. Remember, Halloween is for the children, so don’t let your safety plan scare the kids away.

Small Dogs Are Great Daytime Security Alarms

Last week, we discussed some inexpensive home security tips that will keep your home safe. In the posting, we explained how dogs are awesome companions and great daytime security alarms.

When your home alarm system is offline during the day, a dog can alert you of strangers approaching your home. You don’t need an intimidating guard dog like a Rottweiler or a Doberman Pinscher to alert you. All you need is a dog that will bark.

We’ve come up with a list of some small dogs that are great alarm dogs.

• Chihuahua: Although they may be small and cute, a Chihuahua is an excellent alarm dog. These dogs will bark when a stranger is approaching your home. A Chihuahua can live up to 18 years in age.
• Beagle: When Beagles are not in the field hunting rabbit and other game, their howl will let you know when someone is approaching your home. These small to medium sized dogs are great companions.
• Toy Poodle: Toy Poodles are great for people who may have allergies. While they may be small in stature, their barks and growls will definitely alert you if someone is nearing your home.
• Miniature Schnauzer: Miniature Schnauzers are spirited dogs that are always on high alert. They are playful, and they also let you know when someone is on your doorstep.
• Boston Terrier: Boston Terriers can be friendly and stubborn dogs, but they’re always great alarm dogs. Do you know where the breed originated?

While these are all great breeds of alarm dogs, animal shelters also have plenty of dogs that make great companions and great alarm dogs. Always remember, a dog does not substitute for a security system and alarm monitoring. Your dog is a companion above all other things.

How Motion Activated Lighting Can Help Keep Your Family Safe

Motion activated-lighting has become a popular tactic that homeowners use to enhance their home’s security. When coupled with a home alarm system, motion-activated lighting can be a useful security feature.

When using motion-activated lighting, you want to strategically place lights on different areas of your property. A common mistake homeowners typically make with motion-activated lighting is that they do not have enough lights for their property or they place sensors in the wrong places.

When installing motion-activated lighting, you want to take the following steps:

• Place motion lighting sensors near doorways
• Place motion lighting sensors near windows
• Place motion lighting sensors on all sides of your home
• Place motion lighting sensors near your driveway

By placing motion lighting in these areas, burglars will not be able to hind in the darkness, while breaking into your home. Motion lighting also helps you find your way around the property when it is dark.

There are plenty of lighting options to choose from. Based on your budget, you can find some very decorative lighting that will enhance your landscaping.

When you combine motion-sensor lighting with a home security system, your home is a lot safer. Motion-sensor lighting is a good first line of defense in protecting your home at night.

Make Your New House Safe With These Home Security Tips

When you first move into a new house, it’s important that you take steps to make it secure as soon as possible. The longer you wait, there more chance there is of someone breaking in and stealing you belongings.

We’ve compiled this helpful list of things to do when moving into a new house:

• Change The Locks – It’s always a good idea to change the locks (and garage code if you have one) upon moving in to a new home. You never know who was given keys in the past and it’s better safe than sorry.

• Invest In Quality Locks – Since you’re buying new locks anyways, you might as well get good ones. Check with a qualified locksmith to determine the best locks for you.

• Get Extra Security For Your Doors - Use additional deadbolt locks, door strikes, secure door hinges, and sturdy doors to add extra protection to all entrances to your home.

• Install Impact Resistant Glass – A common way for burglars to enter your home is by breaking the glass near a door and reaching their hand in to unlock the door. By using impact resistant glass you can prevent this from happening.

• Reinforce Your Garage – Install locks on the garage door or use only automatic garage door openers so that thieves can’t simply pull the door open.

• Get Your Home Security System Running – A good home security system is a vital part of keeping you safe from burglars. If there is not already a system installed and operating, contact a home alarm system near you to set one up right away.

How To Protect Your Home While You’re Away

A burglar’s first priority when casing a new home to burglarize is finding a place where no one is around. They know that if they enter a house that is occupied, there’s a good chance that they will be discovered and reported to the police. Rather than risk it, most have simply learned to spot the signs that no one is home and only go after those houses.

That’s why home burglaries are most likely to occur while you’re on vacation and no one is looking after your house. It’s during these times that newspapers and fliers pile up, nobody checks the mail, and lights never seem to turn on. This serves as a beacon to burglars looking for an easy target.

If you are planning to go on vacation or be away for any other reason, here are some easy steps you can take to make your home more secure:

Tell a Trusted Neighbor – Even if you don’t need anything done, let a neighbor you can trust know you’ll be gone. That way, if they see anything odd around your house they will know to call the police.

Have Mail And Newspapers Picked Up – Pausing your mail or newspaper can be a sure sign to burglars that you’re gone. Instead, have a close friend or trusted neighbor pick them up each day and hold on to them for you until you get back. If you’ll be gone during garbage/recycle pick up, ask them to take your bin to and from the curb also.

Have Your Calls Forwarded – Some crafty burglars will call your home number to check if you’re home. If you can have calls forwarded to your cell, you will make them think you’re home just by picking up the phone.

Get Your Lawn Maintained – People who are gone for long periods of time often forget how quickly their lawn can grow. Have a friend or lawn maintenance company keep your lawn looking good while you’re away.

Keep Your Alarm System Running – Don’t forget that a good home alarm system is your best line of defense against burglars. Before you leave on your trip, make sure that your home security system is in good working order and that you arm it as you leave.

How to Avoid False Alarms

Follow these simple steps to avoid triggering costly false alarms.

False alarms aren’t good for anyone.

They waste police resources, they’re inconvenient to everyone, and they could result in getting a fine from the police who must respond to the call.

Fortunately, preventing false alarms doesn’t have to be difficult. By following the advice in this post you can significantly cut down on false alarms and make the world a better place for everybody.

There are three general reasons that false alarms occur:

User Error – This can be forgetting to set the home alarm system, having a friend come over who doesn’t know what to do, or a careless child.

Alarm System Issues – These are generally from a poorly designed home security system or one that has not been properly maintained.

Natural Causes – Animals, earthquakes, rain, and other natural issues can cause alarms to go off at the wrong times.

While natural causes are difficult to predict or prevent, both user error and issues with the alarm system can be prevented.

User errors are generally caused by lack of experience or knowledge and are easily preventable. Make sure that everyone who regularly enters your house has memorized the code and knows exactly how to operate the system. Don’t ever give someone a key to your house without first teaching them how to work the system.

Issues with the alarm system can be easily dealt with by ensuring you are working with a reliable alarm company. Make sure that they are well regarded in the community and stand behind their work. If you already have a system installed, have it regularly maintained and inspected by a trained professional.

If you notice that your alarm system is acting abnormally or if it has triggered a false alarm, have your alarm company check the problem immediately to get your system in working order.