Category: Homeowner Tips

Summer is quickly approaching and some of you will be moving into your new home in a matter of weeks.

We know moving can be stressful, especially if you’re buying or selling your home. So every effort you can make to prepare for moving day will be worth it.

Here are 6 things to check off your list before you pull up to your new place

1. Change Your Address

The United States Postal Service offers a simple online process for changing your mailing address. There’s no need to wait in long lines or fill out pages of forms. You simply register on their website and they handle the rest. While you’re updating your address, remember to reach out to your insurance company, banks, credit card company and doctor’s office to let them know of your new mailing address.

2. Records Transfer

If your move isn’t local, you may need to transfer your family’s records. Your children’s school records should be transferred, as well as any doctor’s records reflecting their vaccination history. If you’re changing veterinarians, you should also request to transfer your pet’s records to the new clinic. Asking for copies of records or an automatic transfer before you move will make it easier to adjust when you arrive in your new neighborhood.

3. Moving Appliances

No matter how far you’re going, moving appliances requires a great deal of planning. In the weeks leading up to your move, try to use up all of the frozen food and perishable items from your freezer and refrigerator. And defrost your freezer at least 24 hours before your move. Remember, most moving companies do not disconnect or connect your appliances, so have them serviced within a few days of your move so they’ll be ready to go. Check back later this week for 3 more tips on making your move a smooth transition.

4. Car Registration

In Georgia, you have a 30-day grace period in which to register your vehicle but you must have a Georgia state license & acceptable insurance to do so.

5. Transfer Your Utilities

Make sure to transfer all of your utilities such as your gas, electricity, water, garbage, sewer, telephone, internet, cable, and your home security alarm services. To set up or transfer home security services, simply call us at 770.963.0305.

6. Pack Essentials

Nothing kills the buzz of your new home than not having toilet paper. Pack essentials like paper products, snacks, your toothbrush and phone chargers in a clearly labeled box. Keeping these close will make the transition to your new place much smoother.

A safe home is a happy home. Set up your home security system and/or a few security cameras today!

According to the US Fire Administration, over 10,000 attic fires a year are reported to US Fire Departments.

The majority of these fires are caused by electrical malfunction (created by faulty wires and ignition sources) and natural causes (such as lightning, which we reported last summer.) How do you take steps to mitigate the possibility of a dangerous fire in your home’s attic? We’ve got some tips here:

Don’t Store Flammable Liquids in the Attic

Volatile solvents such as paint, turpentine, cleaning products, gasoline, propane, kerosene or other hazardous chemicals don’t belong in an attic. Due to variances in insulation, extreme temperature swings occur in attics, which causes expansion and contraction of objects and liquids. This can cause combustion. All hazardous chemical liquids should be properly discarded—see the bottle label for exact details—or stored somewhere away from an ignition source.

Don’t Trust Your Treasures to the Attic Space

Valuable or sentimental papers, clothes and toys are hard to toss, but they’re highly combustible fuel for a fire–especially if it’s a lightning strike, which is common in Georgia during thunderstorm season. All too often these items are stored in cardboard boxes, which not only burn faster, but also attract insects such as termites or silverfish. If you can’t reduce, reuse or recycle, take a picture of the items as a keepsake.

Clothing Storage Is Fine, with a Few Precautions

Never store fur or leather in an attic; the heat will damage the leather, and the fur will attract other furry creatures. Store other clothing in vacuum-sealed storage bags, and then place the bags in a plastic trunk, tote or portable closet. Plastic will burn, but it has a higher flash point than cardboard and provides some protection against smoke and water damage.

What Else Is Ok for the Attic?

Your empty suitcases are safe to store in the attic; they’re lightweight and not likely to combust. Lightweight holiday decorations are fine if they’re stored in plastic tubs, with one caveat; don’t store candles in the attic, unless you want to become the “House of Wax.” Off-season athletic equipment, if it’s not heavy, is fine too. Remember to store items only on step-secure flooring, or you could end up in the living room.

Want to make sure your entire home is covered for fire and smoke monitoring? At EMC Security,fire monitoring is part of our basic services. With alarm monitoring rates beginning at $16.95, you can protect against intrusion and fire at one low price.

Holiday Lights

• Maintain Your Holiday Lights

Inspect holiday lights each year for frayed wires, bare spots, gaps in the insulation, broken or cracked sockets, and excessive kinking or wear before putting them up. Use only lighting listed by an approved testing laboratory.

• Do Not Overload Electrical Outlets

Do not link more than three light strands, unless the directions indicate it is safe. Connect strings of lights to an extension cord before plugging the cord into the outlet. Make sure to periodically check the wires – they should not be warm to the touch.

Do not leave holiday lights on unattended!

Holiday Decorations

• Use Only Nonflammable Decorations

All decorations should be nonflammable or flame-retardant and placed away from heat vents. If you are using a metallic or artificial tree, make sure it is flame retardant.

• Don’t Block Exits

Ensure that trees and other holiday decorations do not block an exit way. In the event of a fire, time is of the essence. A blocked entry/exit way puts you and your family at risk.

• Never Put Wrapping Paper in the Fireplace

Wrapping paper in the fireplace can result in a very large fire, throwing off dangerous sparks and embers that may result in a chimney fire.

Candle Care

• Avoid Using Lit Candles

Consider using battery-operated flameless candles, which can look, smell and feel like real candles.

• If You Do Use Lit Candles

Make sure candles are in stable holders and place them where they cannot be easily knocked down. Keep candles at least 12 inches from anything that can burn. Never leave a room or go to bed with candles burning.

• Never Put Lit Candles on a Tree

Do not go near a Christmas tree with an open flame – candles, lighters or matches.

Please never underestimate the power of having fire and smoke detectors as a part of your security system. Fire and smoke monitoring is a service provided whether the customer’s security system is armed or disarmed.

For more details on how to add fire monitoring to your home, please contact an EMC Security representative at 770-963-0305.

All EMC Security customers receive fire monitoring at no additional cost.

It’s in situations like selling your home when you should amp up your protection more than usual. Why? Because when a real estate agent invites potential buyers into your home, their primary concern is selling your home, not protecting your valuables.

If you are placing a house on the market now or in the future, EMC Security can help you protect your home in more ways than one. For instance, did you know that you can set your alarm keypad to grant access to certain people during specific times of the day? We’ve got you covered! Here are a few security tips to help you have a safer home selling experience:

1. Give a Guest Key Code to Realtors

If you have an alarm system, avoid giving out your main security code (and if you don’t have a burglar alarm, get one!). Many modern systems allow you to program guest codes, some of which even make those codes usable only during certain times and on certain days. Requiring guests to use codes allow you to limit access to your home and can keep a log of when specific codes were used to enter your home. Need help with this feature? Contact EMC Security at 770.963.0305 to check compatibility from one of our security experts.

2. Obligate Realtors to Re-arm Your System Before Leaving

In addition to ensuring certain that all doors are properly secured and locked, make it a requirement that realtors reactivate your system prior to leaving your home. It’s also a good idea to document your request with the broker by giving them written instructions pertaining to your request. Taking such strong precautions could mean the difference between your home being protected as opposed to being burglarized.

3. Use Indoor Home Security Cameras

Whether hidden or placed in plain sight, security cameras are a terrific deterrent to theft and bad behavior and can be invaluable to protecting your property. An indoor camera from EMC Security is just $79 and is a worthwhile invesment. You can check in live, view clips of motion detected, and store video.

4. Check Your Windows

Even if you’ve instructed your realtor to check/lock your windows after each visit, it’s still recommended that you double check to ensure that all entry points to your home have been secured upon your return. Crafty burglars will sometimes unlock windows or doors with plans of returning later to execute their plan for theft. Also, a realtor may simply forget to secure one of these, so it is always a good idea to manually check yourself as soon as possible.

5. Remove or Secure Valuables

Don’t neglect to secure your valuables, such as money or jewelry when listing your home for sale. It’s not enough to simply place jewelry in a designated box or video games in a cabinet, as strangers will be allowed to roam throughout your home and may stumble upon these areas. If you don’t already own one, consider a wall safe or even removing them during open house visits.

Need a security system? Give EMC Security a call at 770.963.0305 or check out our website on how to customize the best home security system for your needs today.

We all get shaken a little when the alarm is triggered – even if it’s a false alarm – right? But if it’s an actual break-in, and you’re there, it’s serious.

No matter what, don’t put yourself in danger. It’s a really bad idea to confront a burglar. You don’t know if they are armed or not so try to make the safest decisions. Your job is to protect yourself and your family.

Here’s how:

• Shh…BE QUIET! Don’t alert the intruder that you are in the house. At this point, the best plan it to quietly find your phone so you can make some calls.

• If Your Alarm Panel is Nearby (assuming it wasn’t armed), Press the Panic Button. This will make the sirens to go off and will immediately alert the authorities that you need help. It could also scare the burglar off.

• Find a Way to Get Out of There. If you can escape safely, do it. Try and identify where the intruders are and then leave through a door or window as far away from them as possible.

• Lock Yourself in a Safe Room. If you can’t exit your home safely, then lock yourself in a room, barricade the door so that the burglar can’t enter even if they are able to unlock the door.

• Call the Police. If you don’t have a security system or can’t get to the panic button, make the call as soon as possible.

• Wait. Don’t leave the safe room until the police give the all-clear.

What If You Encounter the Burglar?

• Don’t be a Stupid-Hero. Let them take whatever they want as long as they leave you and your family alone. The sooner they get what they want, the sooner they’ll leave. Never try to stop a burglar from taking anything because you don’t want to trigger any violence.

• Don’t provoke them. This can be difficult when you are feeling violated. But don’t initiate physical violence to catch a burglar. Stay as far away from a burglar as possible. You should only fight back if you are attacked.

• Get a good look. As discreetly as possible, take mental notes of their physical features (height, build, hair, eye color, ethnicity, distinct markings) and mannerisms (accent, walking style) so you can provide the details to the police.

Knowing what to do during a home intrusion is vital to your safety and that of your family. By installing a home security system, you could avoid a frightening and potentially life-threatening situation. Contact EMC Security today for a quote and/or free home evaluation at 770.963.0305.