Choose a Security Company You Can Rely On
The most important choice you’ll make when planning for home security is hiring the right home security company.
Here’s a list of important questions you need to ask when selecting a security company:
- Do they have an A+ Better Business Bureau rating and are they a BBB Accredited Business?
- Do you trust the company enough to rely on them to potentially save your life?
Design Your Home Security System
Designing a ADT home security system is often a balance of building a custom security solution that meets your family’s lifestyle while keeping it within an affordable budget.
Decide what is most important to your security needs by asking the following questions:
- Are you most concerned about protecting your family when you are home or away?
- When home you want perimeter protection with door/window sensors and glassbreaks
- Arming for away, more motion detectors can be used
- Do you have an existing system or is your home pre-wired for a security system?
- Scheduling a professional to come out to your home for a free home security review to go over your options is typically the best when considering using existing equipment or pre-wire
- Is a wireless security system better than a hard wired security system?
- Do you want all your doors and windows protected?
- Doors are the priority because most burglaries involve a door
- Break-ins through windows normally occur through an open window on the first floor
- How many motion sensors do you need?
- Are glass break sensors necessary?
- Will you enhance your home security system to include personal emergency response for monitored fire, medical alarm and carbon monoxide protection?
- Do you have home phone service that is compatible with security systems or do you need a GSM Cellular Alarm Communication so your security system can communicate to the central station via cellular? Do you want phone line cut protection?
- Is it important to you to be able to arm and disarm your security system remotely and get notifications of alarm events remotely with your mobile phone or computer?
- Are you interested in possibly getting cameras installed?
- Would you benefit from energy savings, better door locks, lighting or garage door control?
Select Your Security Monitoring Service
- After designing your security system it is now time to choose which type of monitoring service you prefer to protect your family.
Get in the Habit of Using Your New Security System
- Once you have ordered your security system, had it installed and activated it with the alarm monitoring it is now time to start arming it daily.
- Teach everyone in the family how to arm and disarm system
- Make sure everyone knows the password
- Arm it daily in STAY MODE when you are home, especially when everyone is sleeping, and in AWAY MODE when you are leaving.
Practice
- Put the system in test mode and do some practice runs for emergencies. Especially get children involved.
- Show family that there are 2 sounds the siren makes, one for burglaries and one for fire emergencies.
Plan a fire evacuation plan
- Train family members how to use the system panic buttons for police, fire, medical and ambush hostage emergencies.
Be Prepared for Home Emergencies and Make Your Home a Safe Place to Live
Because burglars case neighborhoods to see which homes are the easiest prey, make sure to...
- Park your cars in the garage so burglars can not easily figure out when you come and go.
- Display security sign and place security stickers on windows. 90% of convicted burglars agree they will simply pass a house with a security sign.
- While on vacation make sure to have someone pick up the mail, the newspapers in the driveway and the trash cans in the street. Use timed lighting to make it appear someone is home at night.
Most burglaries start at the front door
- Burglars typically go to the front door and knock or ring the door bell multiple times before breaking in.
- If you are home, always go to the door and say you are “not interested” so would be burglars leave before they decide to break in
- Burglars normally just quickly kick in the door, completely breaking out the wood jam even with the dead blot locked
- Slow them down by installing 4 inch screws for the metal plate in the door jam used by the dead bolt
The side garage door is also a popular place for burglars to break-in
- Consider installing a solid door in this opening and enhancing the locks
- Install metal brackets on both sides of the door inside and slide a two by four across the opening. Especially when on vacation or at night if necessary.
- Always lock your interior garage door that leads into the home
- If your garage is used for a shop, storage or additional living area consider locking the roll up garage door with slide locks on the inside.
Other Safety Tips
- Most burglaries through a window are because homeowners leave a window open so make sure every window is closed and double locked
- AND YES burglars can squeeze through that open bathroom window. So make sure it is locked when you leave!
- Fire Safety Tips: Make sure your smoke detectors work and definitely consider upgrading your security system to include fire monitoring
- Create a home fire evacuation plan and practice it with your family. This plan could be life saving... It’s that important!
To learn more or scheldule an in home security evaluation call 1-800-310-9490 today.
