As we endure this season of summer storms, please be aware of the risk of attic fires during lightning storms.  Many times when lightening strikes a house igniting an attic fire, the homeowner is not aware of the fire until it is too late and the home is engulfed in flames.  An attic fire can burn for several minutes until one realizes the attic is a blaze.  It is for this reason that weather forecasters constantly tell viewers to check their attics during TV news weather coverage.

As an extra level of protection against attic fires, you can have an attic heat/smoke detector installed as a part of your security system.  It will detect heat/smoke whether you have armed your system or not, whether you’re home or not.  As soon as heat or smoke is detected in the attic an alarm is triggered to the monitoring center notifying you and the fire department of the alarm.  As an EMC Security customer, you can receive fire monitoring at no additional cost to you.  If you do not have fire monitoring as a part of your security system, please consider adding it to your system and never underestimate the need for fire monitoring.  There is no additional cost for fire monitoring and you get an extra level of protection to your home, family, and even your pets.  If you are interested in adding fire protection to your alarm service, please contact an EMC Seccurity representative at 770-963-0305.

Burglaries have been dropping steadily for 20 years in the US, according to the FBI, but that’s small consolation to the roughly 2 million victims of break-ins every year. To avoid becoming part of this statistic, there are a number of things you can do to make your home less vulnerable to theft until you have a monitored system in your home. They begin with relatively low-cost improvements and common-sense practices. This is where to make your initial investment in home security.

1. Install window and door shades that make it difficult to see if someone is home

2. Upgrade locks on all doors and windows—and use them!

3. Put interior lights, TV and radio on timers so you can create the illusion that someone is home when you’re out.

4. Install motion-controlled or infrared-controlled outdoor lighting. There is nothing more suspicious than a porch light left on from dusk to dawn over a long period of time.

5. Prune or replace large foundation plantings so intruders cannot hide behind shrubs while prying open a window or door. Low thorny bushes are also a deterrent.

6. Form or join a block watch group. Such groups are effective crime deterrents because they encourage residents to be vigilant and to call the police whenever they see something amiss. They also exchange information about crime in your neighborhood and work with police to improve response times.

7. Don’t forget about garages and sheds. Always keep garage doors closed, even while at home, so thieves are not able to spot items they may want to steal. Lock valuable items, such as expensive bicycles and grills, to a very heavy object with a chain and pad lock. Drill holes in garage door tracks and insert a padlock or bolt, to prevent the door from being forced open. Install a hasp and padlock on shed doors.

8. Change the greeting on your answering machine so it doesn’t indicate whether you are away or not. Never leave a note on the door indicating you are away.

9. Keep car doors locked and windows closed. Never leave valuables, especially electronics or money, in the car. Or, if you must, put them out of sight. Use a locking device on your steering wheel in high-crime areas.

10. When engaged in a home improvement project, do not leave ladders in sight. They are an invitation to burglars. Similarly, don’t leave tools lying about that might be useful to an intruder, such as hammer or pry bar.

It wasn’t so long ago that when an intruder broke into a home, the home security system would sound an alarm. If it was a monitored system, the central station would call the police to report the intrusion. This assumes, of course, that you armed the system, the batteries were still good and the intruder wasn’t quick enough to disable the system before it sounded the alarm or dialed the central station.

The revolution brought on by wireless technologies, smart phones, and mobile apps have changed all of that. Today, home security systems can still sound alarms, but are much more difficult to forget about or foil. A software-supported security system can send you a text message every time a door or window is opened, whether you’ve armed it or not. It can stream live video or send still images of what’s happening in your garage, living room, backyard or wherever you deploy a security camera. You can even be alerted before the break-in, the moment the burglar pulls into the driveway!  

And that’s not all. Home security has teamed up with home automation so the same interactive service can give your home the appearance that someone is home. Lights, TVs and radios can be turned on and off at random intervals, or according to the schedule you choose. Even motorized blinds can be raised or lowered upon your command.

Home security systems can give you peace of mind in other ways, too. Whether you’re home or away, they can inform you of hazards like fire, elevated carbon monoxide levels, and power outages.  They can alert you if someone is tampering with a safe, a locked tool chest, or a medicine or gun cabinet. You might even use it to check on the safe arrival of a child returning home from school. Or, if you lose sleep wondering whether the water heater is flooding your basement, you can have your system set up to alert you of that as well.

With interactive systems come other benefits as well. Prefer not to hand out house keys to housekeepers, or other service providers? You can unlock a door for them from wherever you are, whether you’re at work or on a trip, with systems such as Kwikset’s SmartCode.

You can also use the system to program your home’s temperature so you don’t waste energy heating or cooling your home unnecessarily. During cool seasons, it can automatically lower settings when you’re sleeping or away—and raise them just before you wake or return home.

BUILDING A SECURITY SYSTEM
Smart systems consist of hardware that doesn’t look a lot different than it did twenty-five years ago. There are some specialized sensors and video cameras that weren’t common in the past and window and door contact switches have gotten a lot smaller, but the basics are the same: a control panel or console, magnetic contact switches, motion sensors, a siren. The new systems may also be connected to central monitoring stations, as do many old-style security systems. The big difference, however, is the degree of interactivity. New software platforms, such as alarm.com and TotalConnect allow you to send commands, program home systems, view surveillance video, and receive alerts on a smart phone or computer—whether you’re at home or away.

When shopping for a system, review software platforms first. Alarm.com and TotalConnect are the two biggest.  Among other things, you’ll have to decide between a “cellular primary” or “broadband primary” system. The former is a wireless connection to the monitoring station, making it immune to power outages or someone cutting a cable. It is limited, however, with regard to transmitting large quantities of video, so many cellular primary systems incorporate broadband for video. Broadband primary services, on the other hand, have cables running down the side of a house that can be cut, thereby disabling the system. Some services offer cellular back-up should this occur.

Smart home security systems do not restrict the type of security hardware you use, although a dealer may limit your choices. The inside-the-house components may connect by wire (known as hardwired) or via radio frequency (wireless) or RF radiation. While hardwired components were considered the standard because they are more difficult to disable and don’t rely on batteries for power, the reliability gap has narrowed—or even disappeared—with new technology.

Alarm.com and its partners, for example, offer “smash and bash” protection for wireless home security systems. As soon as a point of entry is breached, the central station is immediately sent a pending alarm signal. It doesn’t wait to find out if the person who entered is you or a bad guy. If the system is not disarmed within the programmed amount of time, the alarm is treated as an intrusion. In this way, a smashed controller won’t stop the central station from calling the police.

A conventional system, on the other hand, does not send a signal for a period of time (typically 30 seconds while it allows time the homeowner to tap in a code and then more time for the dialer to call the monitoring station). It doesn’t sound like much time but for a smart burglar, it can be enough to disable the security system or to grab a purse or valuable and run.

Wireless hardware is, of course, much easier to install than wired components.  You can also take it with you should you move.

Look for a home security system with a full line of wireless peripherals, including modules for controlling lights and appliances, thermostats, cameras, motion sensors (some can distinguish between a pet and a person), water sensors, and glass break and vibration sensors. Look for long-life battery power, too. Lithium sensor batteries, for example, can last three to five years. When they do run low, the system lets you know well in advance. Choose a controller with back-up battery so the system will stay active in the event of a power outage or if the Internet is down. If you will be installing smoke alarms you’ll need the extra power of a 24-hour battery back-up, not the 4-hour back-up offered by many manufacturers.

Smart systems all require a subscription to a third-party alarm monitoring service. Ask about which central station will be handling your account and be sure that it is UL certified.

THE COST FOR SECURITY
There are two costs to keep in mind when shopping for a home security system. The first is for the equipment and the installation, if you’re having it done by a professional. It can run from a few hundred dollars for a basic installation (or less that half of that if you install it yourself) to north of $1000 for a full-feature system with specialized sensors and wireless smoke and CO detectors. The second is the monthly service charge that includes fees for software-driven features and central station monitoring. It typically ranges between $35 and $60 per month. Some dealers, much like mobile phone and cable TV companies, will reduce the installation cost in return for a multi-year contract.

Monthly monitoring rates for EMC Security starts at only $16.95 a month with no contract required.  If you are interested in learning more about adding protection to your home, please contact an EMC Security representative at 770-963-0305 and one will be happy to assist you.

1. Registration and Insurance Cards

Some people left their car in the long-term parking at San Jose while away, and someone broke into the car. Using the information on the car’s registration in the glove compartment, they drove the car to the people’s home in Pebble Beach and robbed it. So I guess if we are going to leave the car in long-term parking, we should NOT leave the registration/insurance cards in it, nor your remote garage door opener.

2. GPS Units.

Someone had their car broken into while they were at a football game.  Their car was parked on the green which was adjacent to the football stadium and specially allotted to football fans.  Things stolen from the car included a garage door remote control, some money and a GPS unit which had been prominently mounted on the dashboard.  When the victims got home, they found that their house had been ransacked and just about everything worth anything had been stolen.  The thieves had used the GPS to guide them to the house.  They then used the garage remote control to open the garage door and gain entry to the house.  The thieves knew the owners were at the football game, they knew what time the game was scheduled to finish and so they knew how much time they had to clean out the house.  It would appear that they had brought a truck to empty the house of its contents.

Something to consider if you have a GPS – don’t put your home address in it… Put a nearby address (like a store or gas station) so you can still find your way home if you need to, but no one else would know where you live if your GPS were stolen. If you must enter your home address in it, label it something else in the unit such as Grocery Store or Library.

3. Cell Phones

Many have probably never thought of this. . . .

This lady has now changed her habit of how she lists her names on her cell phone after her handbag was stolen. Her handbag, which contained her cell phone, credit card, wallet, etc., was stolen.  20 minutes later when she called her hubby, from a pay phone telling him what had happened, hubby says ‘I received your text asking about our Pin number and I’ve replied a little while ago.’  When they rushed down to the bank, the bank staff told them all the money was already withdrawn.  The thief had actually used the stolen cell phone to text ‘hubby’ in the contact list and got hold of the pin number.  Within 20 minutes he had withdrawn all the money from their bank account.

Moral of the lesson:

a.  Do not disclose the relationship between you and the people in your contact list.  Avoid using names like Home, Honey, Hubby, Sweetheart, Dad, Mom, etc….

b.  And very importantly, when sensitive info is being asked through texts, CONFIRM by calling the person back.

c.  Also, when you’re being texted by friends or family to meet them somewhere , be sure to call back to confirm that the message came from them.  If you don’t reach them, be very careful about going places to meet ‘family and friends’ who text you.  It is so easy to assume it is them, but taking a simple extra step to confirm can mean the difference between life and death.

Please always be mindful of how some electronic devices and be used to put your security and safety at risk.  The more you know about your safety, the more you can do to protect yourself and your family!

The customer was so thankful to have had the EMC Security system and monitoring for his home.  Even more importantly, he was glad that he armed the system before leaving the home.   Please remember to use your alarm every time you leave your home.  Burglars only need a few minutes to break into your home and steal your valuables.  EMC Security’s exclusive Secure Path technology allows you to arm your system from your smart phone or computer in the event that you forget to arm your system before leaving your house.  Secure Path technology allows you to access your system from any web-enabled device.   Please contact an EMC Security representative at 770-963-0305 to learn more.  Stay safe, stay connected, and stay in control with EMC Security.

This is a very fortunate situation in which the customer had the EMC Medical Alert pendant and was able to call for immediate help.  We shudder to think at what might have occurred  had she not had the two-way EMC Medical Alarm pendant as she lay on the floor in pain and unable to get herself back up.  Without the fast response of EMC Security, she may have lay on the floor, alone and in pain for ours, or until someone found her days later.  Please do not let this happen to you or a loved one.  If you know someone who would benefit from having the EMC Medical Alert pendant, please contact EMC Security at 770-963-0305 to speak with a Medical Alert product specialist immediately.  Give you and your loved one peace of mind knowing that help is at the press of a button.

• If you frost or cover your garage windows, burglars won’t be able to tell if your car is gone. 
• Keep your garage door closed and locked even when your car is not in the garage. 
• Install a peephole in the door separating the house from the garage. If you hear suspicious sounds, you can check without opening the door. 
• Are you worried about someone entering your house through your attached garage? If the garage door lifts on a track, a C-clamp can provide extra security since the door cannot be opened if you tighten the C-clamp on the track next to the roller.

• You can also contact an EMC Security representative at 770-963-0305 to discuss installation options for appropriate alarm equipment to monitor your garage.

Many medical alert users find that they do not always need an ambulance sent to their home after falling.   Many times, they are not injured, but merely need help getting back up or collecting themselves from a slight fall.  The EMC Medical Alert pendant is there to help those in need whether in need of simple physical assistance or severely injured.  If  you or someone you know might benefit from having an EMC Medical Alert two-way voice pendant, please call 770-963-0305 to speak with a medical alert product representative about the EMC Medical Alert system.