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.

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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.

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Home Security Solutions To Prevent Burglary

According to the FBI, someone’s house, apartment, or condo is burglarized every 15 seconds, in the United States.

It’s for that exact reason that so many people choose to purchase a home security system to keep their home and family safe.

However, a security system isn’t the only way to prevent burglary. By combining your home security system with the measures listed here, you’ll increase your chances of stopping burglars from entering your home.

The average criminal is looking for four things when they case a house. Those things are:

Valuable stuff to steal (TVs, Appliances, Jewelry, Etc.).

1. An easy way to enter and exit the house without being seen.
2. Nobody at the home.
3. No active security system.

If they can establish those four things, they will feel comfortable that they can steal your stuff and get away without being caught.

With that in mind, it’s not difficult to set up your home so that it’s not in a criminal’s best interest to target you.

• Make your home look occupied at all times. You can do this by:

• Using automatic timers on lights and radios so they are visible and audible throughout the day while you’re away.

• Make sure your home phone cannot be heard from outside.

• Always park in the garage and leave the garage door closed. This way criminals can’t spot a pattern and figure out when you’re away.

• Leave your valuable belongings out of view and keep windows closed.

• Install motion detector lights and good lighting all around your house.

• Remove or keep all hedges and shrubs well trimmed around your house. This way there will be no place for a burglar to hide.

• Keep your security system active and well maintained at all times.

Don’t forget to consult your home burglar security alarm systems provider for more information.

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Business Security For Your Home Office

As more and more people work from home – either through telecommuting or because they run their own small business – the concept of business home security is becoming more and more important.

After all, if you’re at home, but also at your business, which type of protection do you really need?

The answer is you need a little of both. Since you are in a private residence, you’ll technically need a home security system rather than business security solutions. However, since you are also in a place of business, you’ll want to take some additional security measures that most homes do not need.

You’ll want to make sure that in addition to a well-maintained security alarm, you have deadbolts on all doors and also that you keep windows and other possible entry points locked. Also be careful to not leave the spare key under the doormat or in a vase where anyone can find it.

Pay extra attention to whom you give a key to. Providing keys to multiple employees can be potentially dangerous, and so you will want to be sure you can really trust someone before they get a key.

Finally, natural surveillance is helpful for deterring would-be thieves. By keeping your home office well lit, clearing away shrubs or areas where someone can hide, and taking steps to show that it will be difficult to break-in without being seen, you significantly decrease your risk of break-ins.

Be sure to mention your home office to a security professional for additional ways to stay protected.

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Do Security Alarm Systems Fail During Blackouts and Power Outages?

We get a lot of questions from people worried about the effects a blackout or power outage will have on their home security system. What we’ve learned is that many people are under the assumption that if their power goes out, so does their alarm system.

Fortunately for us, this isn’t the case. The engineers of alarm systems were quick to realize that a system that died when power was shut off didn’t really offer much security.

That’s why modern systems are all equipped with battery packs that come pre-installed. If the system is shut down for any reason, the battery immediately kicks in and allows uninterrupted protection and alarm monitoring.

Obviously batteries don’t last forever, but they will last until your power is back on. That way, you don’t have to worry about someone cutting your power, a storm destroying power lines, or any other problems that might occur.

If you’re still worried, ask your security company if your system has a battery installed. Chances are that it does but this may help you feel a little safer. Also make sure that you have regular maintenance on your system and that the battery is changed if it starts to run low.

During the next power outage in your area, don’t worry! You’re still protected.

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Outlining Your Security Goals

Before selecting an alarm system to protect your home or business, it’s always a good idea to carefully consider what your exact goals are for your security. Not everyone has the same needs when it comes to security and there is no one-size fits all response.

While a good security technician will help you walk through these goals more precisely, understanding them yourself can go a long way to getting the system you want. Ultimately, the time you take to consider your goals today can save you a lot of money in the long run while keeping your family or business safe and protected.

Before buying any home security system or business security system, ask yourself these questions:

How much protection do I really want?

While the top-of-the-line alarm system promises to give you a very high level of protection, it’s not for everybody. These higher end systems cost a lot more and can be overkill for many people.

If you are buying from a reputable security alarm company, any of the systems they offer you will be reliable and capable of protecting your home of business. It’s up to you whether you want to spring for the extra bells and whistles of the higher end systems.

How important is ease of use?

Not all security systems are equal when it comes to being easy to use. More complicated systems, which are still quite easy to use for adults, can cause problems if children will be using the alarm.

A system may be more complicated because of the additional features it offers, but if you have kids or anyone who might not be able to use a more complicated system, it’s a good idea to find an easy system that anyone can learn.

Can I trust my security company?

The most important step when it comes to setting up a reliable security system is selecting the best company to install, maintain, and monitor your system.

Selecting the right company can make the difference between keeping your family safe and having a break-in. Professionals know all of the security tricks and will help you choose the exact right system for you. You can also trust that the best company will install your system correctly and provide excellent monitoring services.

Before making your decision, research the company and talk to other customers to get their opinions. Make sure that the company has a long history of success, and that they guarantee their work against problems. If a company is willing to put their money where their mouth is, that’s a good sign that they are true professionals.

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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.

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Home Security System Components

Home Security System Components

There are several key components that every alarm system must have. These are not optional and the manufacturer of the security system does not alter the fact that these are required.

Security System Alarm Control Panel (Required)

• Hard Wired
  • Each Burglar alarm system must have a hard wired control panel. Hard wired means that there is physically wire connected to the panel. In the case of the control panel the minimum that will be hard wired to it are the transformer and the keypad.
  • Wireless
    • Wireless alarm systems still require wire for some basic operation. There still must be a keypad and also a transformer and a siren.

Security System Keypad (Required)

• Wireless and Hardwired Alarm Systems
  • Both types of systems require a keypad to be hardwired to the control panel. There are keypads that are called wireless but this refers to the devices that are used in the security system. When a keypad is called wireless it means that the keypad itself is a wireless receiver and the wireless devices connected to the system “talk” to the keypad and that information is then relayed to the control panel.

At least some of the following devices will need to be added to the system. How many and which type depends on the area to be secured and the level of protection desired.

Audible Devices

• Sirens-Horns-Bells
  • Audible devices come in all shapes and sizes. They do very in the sound produced and the loudness or decibel ratings. Essentially they all are meant to do one thing. They produce a loud sound that is meant to alert the surrounding area that there is an intrusion. They also have a tendency to scare of the intruder before any items can be stolen or damaged.

Perimeter Protection

• Door Security-Window Security Contacts
  • Door and window contacts are connected to either a door or a window. The contact consists of a magnetic switch and a magnet. When the window is closed the magnet pulls in the switch and creates a closed or open connection to the control panel. When the door or window is opened the switch will change state and an alarm is initiated.
  • Glass Break Protection
    • Glass break detection consists of a device that that is placed near glass. The device is constructed to “listen” for the sound of breaking glass.
    • Vibration Sensors
      • Vibration sensors can detect a vibration on a wall, window or safe. When the vibration threshold is passed the the alarm is triggered.

Interior Protection

• Motion Sensors
  • Motion sensors are devices called PIR (Passive infrared) sensors that detect motion by sensing a rapid change in infrared energy. When the device sees this change the alarm is triggered.

Peripheral Protection

• Freeze Detection
  • Freeze alerts can provide protection against cold temperatures. If you live in a colder climate then you understand the damage that can be caused by freezing pipes. These devices are set to a temperature range and when that range is reached the contact will close and the alarm system will be triggered.
  • Flood Detection
    • Flood detection devices are installed and then connected to the security system. When water is detected the alarm system is triggered.

These are the basics of a home security system. There are countless ways that a security system can be enhanced. If you use the correct security system they can be easily upgraded as your needs grow without the need for replacing the entire system. Hue and Cry Security can help you to access your needs and make the correct choice for your home security needs.

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