Logo

Posts Tagged ‘Security Monitoring’

Home Security Is Not A Problem Any More

Thursday, March 17th, 2011

Prior to purchasing any type of home security system, you will want to be sure that you do your research so that you can ensure that you are purchasing the best that is offered on the market today. You will also want to make a list of things that you want to see from your home security system. For example, would you like a home security system with a camera, or is that not necessary to you? These are all things that you will want to think about It is more important than ever before to have a home security system installed in your home. Everyday that we turn on the news, there are more and more crimes that are prevalent within the local area. If you have any type of nice electronics or furniture in your home, a burglar could see your home as a potential target. Unfortunately, burglars do not care about the safety of you or your children; their main motive is to make money in a fast manner without any consequences. Certainly this is something that you will want to do your very best to avoid. With the help of a home security system, you can help avoid your home being a target.

The first place that you can start researching different ways to protect the safety of your home is by searching online. You can find instant tips on ways to increase the safety level that you and your children feel. For example, doing simple things like always ensuring the garage is closed and the doors are locked can go a long way. If you have a car, make sure that you never leave anything valuable within the interior when you are not driving it. If you have a nice stereo, you will want to be sure that you always park your car in a garage or other protected area. If you do not have a garage, you may want to tint the windows of your car to ensure that a robber cannot see easily inside of your car windows.

Once you research the various tips of safety, you can start looking for the best security system for you to buy. There is a variety on the market today. However, you want to make sure that you purchase one that is known for the quality and effectiveness that you and your family deserve. If you plan on spending money on security, you will want to make sure that you purchase the best possible system that is available on the market today.

To find more articles like the one just written follow this link to Houston Home Security or visit our website at Home Security Atlanta to contact the author or get more information.

What To Do In Case of a Break-In

Thursday, January 6th, 2011

Coming home to find books littered on the ground, vases smashed, and valuables missing is not that uncommon. Cars are looted, personal items lifted, and homes broken into all the time. Witnessing or experiencing a crime is a horrible, often times traumatic, experience. When faced with a break-in or other types of security breaches, it is important that certain steps be taken immediately. However, some people are so emotionally involved they cannot think clearly and don’t know what to do or in what order to do them. Here are several things that should be done if you find yourself in one of these unpleasant situations.

The first step is obviously to notify the police. Because some situations could be dangerous it is advised that emergency numbers such as 911, be put on speed dial. When calling the police, even if you don’t say anything, make sure you stay on the line long enough for them to track the location of the call. Don’t hang up too quickly.

The next thing you need to do is speak directly with a police officer. Don’t leave a voice message for later, don’t talk to the receptionist, request to speak with an officer directly. You can ask for an officer to come out to your house or car, or wherever you are to investigate the situation. It’s never a bad idea to get the phone number of the person you spoke with so that you can later call back and check on the progress of things.

One more thing you should do is call the police immediately. If the situation isn’t urgent it’s easy to put the call off until the next day, but don’t do it. Waiting until later could arouse suspicion as to the legitimacy of your report, as well as limit the amount of legal action that can be taken. As soon as you notice a crime you should call the police, that way the events will still be in your mind and easy to remember.

These three simple steps will help you greatly if you ever find yourself in a situation that requires immediate attention by the police. Rehearsing a course of action now will make it easier later when thinking clearly is difficult. To save yourself the pain of a break-in why not consider investing in a home security system. While one in every four houses are broken into, only one out of every sixty houses with security systems are broken into. Don’t allow your house to be broken into.

To get more information on Home Security Alarm Systems, please visit www.smithmonitoring.com to get the best advice on Dallas Home Security for you.

The Benefits of Having a Motion for Your Home Security

Wednesday, January 5th, 2011

When it comes to home security, guarding the points of entry to the home is crucial. Widows are a common method for burglars to gain entry. This means that windows should have some form of protection that will prevent burglars from entering. If a home is prewired, sometimes there will be wires that can be used for a glass break or a motion detector running in the corners of ceilings. These wires are sometimes naked, but they can also have contact around them, depending on what the builder wanted. If the wires are naked, the alarm installation crew will cover them with contact when installing an alarm system. These wires should run to all of the windows in the house and even to the doors. Of course, not every home is prewired. There are three different methods of protecting windows. If a home is not prewired, the best way to protect it is through a motion detector.

Motion detectors generally provide the best coverage for windows within the home. They offer the greatest amount of coverage and detect windows being broken, cut, or even opened. While a glass break is only set to react to actual breaks in windows, motion detectors do that and more. Glass breaks do not work if the window is opened or cut. Another problem with glass breaks is they are useless if the person is unable to hear the sound of breaking glass.

Contacts on windows can be valuable in protecting a house. Unlike glass breaks, window contacts aid in stopping burglars from simply opening a window and entering the home. However, contacts are useless if a burglar breaks the window. This is why a motion detector is needed. Motion detectors are able to detect movement in or around the house. This means when a window is broken it will be immediately detected. While some burglars are now taping windows so that the glass breaks won’t pick up on a broken windows, and able to get into homes, this trick will not outsmart a motion detector. Even if a burglar gets inside of the home, their movement will still be picked up by the motion detector.

The only problem motion detector users might encounter is when dealing with pets. Pets can set off motion detectors and send false alarms. This can be easily fixed. Most monitoring companies offer sensors that are compatible with pets. These packages can be programmed so as not to go off when anything under fifty pounds is within the monitored range. For especially large pets, the system can often be programmed not to detect anything under one hundred pounds.

While glass breaks and contacts are beneficial in protecting the home, motion detectors are far more thorough. The only time a motion detector might not be the best option is when a house is pre-wired and if there are pets. In this case, a glass break would do a good job. However, most of the time, motion detectors do the best job and save you money.

Looking to find the best deal on Home Security Alarm Systems, then visit www.smithmonitoring.com to find the best Houston Alarm Company.

Growing Trends

Tuesday, January 4th, 2011

With technology rapidly changing, people are continually finding it harder and harder to understand and keep their technology up to date. Security systems are one area where technological changes have many homeowners confused and overwhelmed. One particularly confusing topic is the way the security system and the monitoring station communicate. There are now a variety of different ways this communication can occur of which landlines, digital phone services, or GSMs are just a few examples. Let’s take a quick look at each of these communication methods.

Let’s start with the landline since those were the first to be used and remain the most reliable. These landlines can communicate with monitoring stations even if the electricity shuts off. This can be extremely beneficial in many instances. Landlines are relatively cheap to purchase as well, and most only cost around twenty dollars per month. However, many homeowners no longer use landlines. With newer more convenient wireless phones, some people are thinking about doing away with landlines altogether.

Digital phone service has become quiet popular in recent years. The ease and convenience of this type of service makes it popular among homeowners. For a little bit more than what you would pay for a landline service, you can get digital service. The downside to digital service is that is stops working if there is a power shortage or if the Internet goes down.

GSM technology is growing the fastest out of these three types of monitoring among security systems. Part of this is probably due to the fact that GSM monitoring is the cheapest option. GSM technology is connected to the backup power supply of the alarm, and allows for the exchange of signals through cell towers. One thing to keep in mind about this service; however, is it is designed for the alarm to send signals only. It will also have to be installed by your alarm company, possibly for an additional fee.

In the last few years we’ve seen an explosion of technological growth. Homeowners wanting to switch monitoring companies sometimes find their new company is not compatible with their landline systems. Often times, if it is not compatible, the new company will charge to send a worker out to upgrade or replace the system. Rather than just pay another fee you could look around to see if there are any other alarm monitoring companies that work with your current system or offer a better price. Making sure your technology is working for you is important to get the best out of your security system.

For more information about Home Security Alarm Companies. Stop by the Smith Security site where you can find out all about Dallas Home Security and we may be able to help.

The Effective DSC 1616 Security System

Wednesday, December 29th, 2010

There are many different security systems you can have to protect your home. The DSC series is perhaps one of the most effective systems. Its false alarm reduction features are just some of the main benefits to having this system. The DSC 1616 meets the Security Industry Association (SIA) CP-01 standards as well.

As for the keypad, in addition to its sleek appearance and reduced size, there are several other benefits. The digital backlit display makes it easy to arm or disarm the system despite poor lighting. This system also has a panic button for both the fire and medical departments, as well as for the police. If you want to arm the entire parameter, this system has a 1 touch away mode that does this. It also has a hostage duress code. This feature allows the alarm to turn off but still sends a duress code to the police. This all happens after a series of 4 numbers are punched into the keypad.

Another benefit of the DSC 1616 is the control board can hold up to 32 user codes. To start off with, the system holds 6 on board zones, but if needed, up to 16 more zones can be added. The keypad can respond to not just landlines, but wireless GSM devices as well. This system is incredibly reliable and will continue to function despite power outages. While GSM service costs extra, having one often times ends up being cheaper than having phone lines for an alarm systems.

The Pk5501 keypad has large buttons that make them easy to see and use as well. One key feature that is helpful to homeowners is the chime feature. With this system, the chimes will go off any time a door or window is opened and closed. This can be programmed to have different chimes for different doors to keep homeowners more aware of their surroundings. This feature is particularly useful for people with children.

There are many reasons to get a security monitoring system. Of course there is the most obvious reason that it will protect your home and allow you to relax and enjoy time spent away from your house. In addition, purchasing a monitoring alarm system will often give you around a 10% discount on insurance for your home. Several things to keep in mind while you are searching for the appropriate monitoring system is that you need one that will meet all your needs. Systems like DSC that have been in existence since 1979 and have proven themselves reliable are ones we recommend.

Looking to find the best deal on Home Security Alarm Systems, then visit www.smithmonitoring.com to find the best Dallas Alarm Company.

Smith Monitoring Logo
  • License #B14189
  • Toll Free: 866-453-6012
  • Fax: 866-936-0964
  • © 2011 All Rights Reserved
  • 550 E. 15th Street, 2nd Floor
  • Plano, TX 75074
  • Phone: 972-271-6407