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Category: Homeowner Tips
Safety at Home – How Safe is Your Bedroom?
The average American spends almost eight hours sleeping every day. Since most people slumber in their bedrooms, make sure it’s safe and sound.
Below are ways to keep your bedrooms safe:
Child-proof Window Locks
According to SafeKids.org, approximately 14 kids in America are hospitalized every day for falls out of windows. Unintentional falls are the number one cause of non-fatal injuries for kids. Even if you have screens in your windows, they’re not meant to bear the weight of children—or even pets. To prevent your child from falling out of an open window, install child-proof window locks.
Fire Escape Ladders
We spend one-third of the day asleep in our bedrooms, so you have a 33 percent chance of being there when a fire breaks out. If you’re on the ground floor, you can escape through a window, but if you need to climb down from a second or third-story bedroom, a fire escape ladder can save the day. Follow our guide to make a fire escape plan and evacuation route to increase your preparedness for emergencies like these.
Smoke Detectors
A fire can be deadly at any time of day, but particularly at night. It’s recommended you place a smoke detector outside of every bedroom. Monitored smoke detectors offer even greater protection – and EMC Security monitors for fire at no additional monthly cost. EMC Security will take care of getting you the help you need, while you take care of getting your loved ones to safety.
Security Cameras
Jewelry, heirlooms, and other valuables are often kept in the bedroom. For this reason, the master bedroom is the first place a burglar goes when intruding in a home. Install a security camera just inside or outside the door to capture the scene on video. If you make it visible enough, the intruder may change his mind and vacate so they aren’t caught on video.
Home Safe
Lock up your valuables in a safe. Make sure it’s heavy and difficult for an intruder to carry.
Safety at Home – The Halls of Your Home
Are the hallways in your house considered to be necessary but wasted space? Hallways get us from Point A to Point B, but they can do much more for home security and household safety.
Three safety measures to consider in your hallways:
1. Smoke detectors
The National Fire Protection Association reports that nearly 3,000 people died in structure fires per year, 60% of them didn’t have smoke alarms. Smoke alarms are essential for detecting life threatening fires, and could mean the difference between life and death. Even better, monitored smoke alarms – reduce the risk greatly. EMC Security monitors for fire at no additional monthly cost.
It’s recommended you place a smoke detector outside of every bedroom and on every floor of your home, so hallways are an ideal place to install them.
2. CO Detectors
Cars, gas stoves, and other appliances emit poisonous, odorless carbon monoxide gas that can knock you unconscious and kill you. Carbon monoxide detectors can save your life. Install one on every floor in your home—including the basement and garage.
3. Baby and Pet Gates
Keep kids and pets out of harm’s way—and out of rooms that are off-limits—by installing gates. Depending on your needs, choose gates that span large spaces, protect kids and animals from falling down the stairs, or that are aesthetically pleasing.
Safety at Home – Your Basement
I think we can all agree – no two basements are alike. Whether your basement is a livable space or rough around the edges, it’s important to keep in mind that basements require a little extra attention than the main living areas of your home.
Below are some tips for basement safety.
Flooding
Basements are a magnet for moisture and flooding. Many homes store the water heater, which can leak after so many years of service. Protect against costly damage with a flood sensor or water bug. You’ll be alerted when any water is detected.
Radon Detection Kits
Radon is a radioactive gas that comes from the soil. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking, and since it’s odorless and invisible, it’s impossible to detect without equipment to test for radon in the house. If levels are higher than what’s deemed safe, you can hire a radon remediator.
Carbon Monoxide
Anything that burns emits carbon monoxide—that includes your furnace and hot water heater. It’s important to install carbon monoxide detectors in your basement, otherwise this odorless, invisible, and poisonous gas accumulates undetected. EMC Security monitors for carbon monoxide at no additional monthly cost.
Storage Areas
Basements are a stockpiling station for our excess belongings. If you have shelving for storage, double check weight limits, so your stuff doesn’t come crashing down onto your kids, pets, or yourself. Proper storage of hazard materials such as paint and aerosols is crucial to prevent fire and poisoning.
Burglary Prevention and Detection
Basements doors and windows are popular areas for intruders to enter a home. Ground floor doors and windows (including those in the basement) should be protected with entry sensors that communicate with the alarm system. If a door or window is opened, the alarm will alert you, and authorities can be dispatched. EMC Security offers alarm systems for as low as $199, with monthly monitoring from just $16.95 with no contract required.
Contact us today to get started.
5 Garage Safety Tips
Garages are home to our cars, lawn mowers, and—usually—lots of chemicals. Depending on how you secure your garage, it can be easy prey for burglars and for fire.
Below are some tips for garage safety:
1. Garage Door Locks
Garage doors are often overlooked when it comes to home security. Always remember to your garage door closed – even when you’re home. But sometimes, that’s not enough. Tech-savvy thieves can break into automatic garage doors in under six minutes if given the chance. Prevent intruders from getting into your garage by adding a smart plug that you control from your mobile phone.
2. Hazardous and Flammable Materials
If you do have to keep hazardous materials on-hand, store them high up on shelves away from children and direct heat sources. Read more about what constitutes a hazardous material to determine the best way to store and dispose of items.
3. Carbon Monoxide
Carbon monoxide is an odorless, poisonous gas that’s produced when you burn coal, wood, charcoal, oil, kerosene, propane, and natural gas. Carbon monoxide becomes deadly when confined, so you should never leave a car running inside of the garage. Without proper ventilation, toxic levels of carbon monoxide build up, seep into your home, and cause illness or worse.
4. Car Security
Protect your car while it’s parked in the garage or driveway with the help of steering wheel locks and car alarms.
5. Door to the House
Protect the garage door into the house with a security system that will sound the alarm and notify you when the door sensor is triggered. This is the best way to deter would be thieves from entering your home if they happen to breach your garage.
Insurance Benefits From A Security System
There are many incentives to having a security and or fire monitoring system installed in your business or home. Obvious ones include 24/7 watch over your possessions and loved ones, and peace of mind.
But many people don’t realize that spending the money upfront to get a system installed can ultimately save money in the long run through insurance discounts.
Insurance Benefits
Insurance companies like to stack the deck in their favor. For instance, a healthy person is more likely to have cheaper premiums because they are at less risk of a health episode. The insurance company rewards the person with cheaper prices because the person is less likely to use the insurance.
The same goes for home and business owners. You can receive up to a 20% discount on your homeowners or business insurance policy by installing a security or fire system in your property.
A study conducted by the UNC Charlotte concluded that 60% of would-be burglars wouldn’t break into a home if they knew it had an alarm system. Insurance companies look at these statistics and see the potential of a potential break-in significantly drops when a property has the protection of a security alarm monitoring system. Thus, the insurance company rewards the person with a discount, because this ultimately helps the insurance company. It’s a win-win for both parties.
Consider this scenario:
- Your policy is $428, or $36 dollars a month.
- With a 20% discount, you’ll save $85, or $7 a month.
- You can look at it like your new policy costs $343, or $29 dollars a month.
That might not seem like a lot now, but over a ten year period, you’ll have saved $850 dollars on your policy. That is a substantial amount. Free money is free money. You should take advantage of these potential savings.
Additional Benefits of Having a Security & Fire Alarm System
According to the Insurance Information Institute, Fire accounted for 11.1 billion dollars in property damage in 2018. That was the result of 499,000 structure fires that year. Fires can happen anywhere at any time.
The benefits of having a fire alarm monitoring system can’t be ignored. A fire alarm system provides 24-hour protection from a fire. Houses and businesses with fire alarms are more likely to get dispatch faster to the property than places without. This reduces the potential amount of property damage and can save lives. EMC Security monitors for fire at no additional monthly cost.
A security system, like a fire alarm system, provides 24-7 protection for your family and belongings. Having a system literally prevents over half of all burglaries and provides peace of mind that you, your valuables and your loved ones are protected.
Top 10 Holiday Safety Tips
Holiday Fire Safety Tips
The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) together with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) put together some tips for staying safe during the holidays.
1. Inspect electrical decorations for damage before use. Cracked or damaged sockets, loose or bare wires, and loose connections may cause a serious shock or start a fire.
2. Do not overload electrical outlets. Overloaded electrical outlets and faulty wires are a common cause of holiday fires. Avoid overloading outlets and plug only one high-wattage into each outlet at a time.
3. Never connect more than three strings of incandescent lights. More than three strands may not only blow a fuse, but can also cause a fire.
4. Keep trees fresh by watering daily.Dry trees are a serious fire hazard.
5. Use battery-operated candles. Candles start almost half of home decoration fires.
6. Keep combustibles at least three feet from heat sources. A heat sources that was too close to the decoration was a factor in half of home fires that began with decorations (NFPA).
7. Protect cords from damage. To avoid shock or fire hazards, cords should never be pinched by furniture, forced into small spaces such as doors and windows, placed under rugs, located near heat sources, or attached by nails or staples.
8. Check decorations for certification label.Decorations not bearing a label from an independent testing laboratory such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL), Canadian Standards Association (CSA), or Intertek (ETL) have not been tested for safety and could be hazardous.
9. Stay in the kitchen when something is cooking. Unattended cooking equipment is the leading cause of home cooking fires.
10. Turn off, unplug, and extinguish all decorations when going to sleep or leaving the house. Unattended candles are the cause of one in five home candle fires. Half of home fire deaths occur between the hours of 11pm and 7am.
Stocking Stuffers That Put Safety First
It’s the most wonderful time of the year!
This season, when shopping for your loved ones, consider gifts and stocking stuffers that put safety first.
The following list has 20 ideas to help you get started.
- Motion activated safety lights ($10-$20) – Battery-operated LED lights to illuminate your doorstep, driveway or backyard.
- Auto-light ($30-$50) – When you’re not home, use these lights to randomly turn on in order to simulate an occupied house.
- Two- or three-story fire escape ladder ($50-$150) – Usually holds up to 1,000 pounds in an emergency.
- Fire-safe security box ($50-$90) – Protects documents and other valuables from fire and water damage.
- Flameless candles ($10-$25) – Or sturdy candle holders to prevent accidents.
- Dryer safety alarm ($55-$70) – Provides audible and visual cues when lint builds up in the clothes dryer’s exhaust system and restricts airflow.
- Carbon monoxide detector (approx. $30) – Your pet or loved one’s safety could depend on this device that detects the silent killer.
- Wireless key finder ($15-$25) – Helps find keys up to 60 feet away.
- No-battery flashlight ($10-$25) – These small lights can be charged by plugging into your car outlet, shaking the device for 30 seconds or using a hand crank to illuminate your way.
- Bike lock ($20-$30) – Great for any age.
- Glowing pet leash ($20-$30) – You can also find LED dog collars and leashes that are visible up to 1,000 feet away and are weather-resistant.
- Reflective gloves ($15-$25) – To be safe, warm and visible at night.
- LED light-up shoelaces ($5-$10) – Available in fun colors, they can be used on running shoes, boots and skates and come with a replaceable battery that’s good for 70 hours.
- Cord and power strip covers ($10-$50) – Tie up loose blind cords and cover potentially dangerous electrical outlets.
- Emergency Alert Pendant ($99 – $149) – Call for help at the press of a button.
- Pepper Spray ($15 – $20) – Perfect for anyone mature enough to use it.
- Automated door lock ($199+) – No key needed to enter with a passcode or mobile app controls.
- Video Doorbell ($199) – See, hear, and talk to whomever is at your door from the kitchen or across town with a video doorbell. Motion activated with alert notifications and video streaming to a mobile device.
- Security Camera ($99+) – Never miss a moment! Stay in control with live streaming video and alert notifications right to your mobile device.
- Wireless Remote Control for Security System ($65+) – With panic button. Arm or disarm your system.
For the ultimate gift of peace of mind, give the gift of home security. View systems and shop online here.
Contact EMC Security today at 770-963-0305 for more information.
Why Home Security Is a Perfect Fit for the Millennial Lifestyle
The world is changing, and home security has no intention of being left behind.
As technology and lifestyles evolve, home security systems evolve with them – at least, ours do. In fact, this industry is, and has always been, one of the earliest to adopt new tech. So then why is there an impression that home security is only for the old and established – and not for younger millenials?
Below, we’ll list the top reasons why home security is a perfect fit for the modern millennial lifestyle.
1. It’s affordable.
Gone are the days when you had to be wealthy to afford peace of mind. Everyone deserves to feel safe in their home, and that’s why EMC Security offers top-of-the-line security systems starting at just $179 and monitoring services from $16.95 a month.
2. It’s convenient; DIY-friendly.
When living a fast-paced life, sometimes you just don’t have time in your schedule to be home for an installation. With an online order AND self-setup system like EMC Security’s Connect+, you can have your security system ordered and on its way to your home within minutes. Then, once it arrives, you can have it up and running with 4 simple steps.
3. It’s your high-tech home-automation hub.
Like we mentioned before, home security is on the cutting edge. That means you have access to features like doorbell cameras. motion sensors, smart locks, smart lights, mobile updates and controls, and more. And, everything can be controlled through one app – no more cluttering your phone with a million different apps for each piece of technology.
4. It can be used in apartments and townhomes.
The fact is, buying a house is simply not affordable or reasonable for many millennials. And when you rent, your landlord might not be too happy about you drilling holes in the walls. Luckily, DIY systems like Connect+ can attach to your walls, doors, and windows with the ever-convenient command strips – and protect you just as well as a traditional, wired system.
5. It can travel with you.
Because Connect+ isn’t wired into your walls, when it’s time to move into that new apartment, town-home, or house, your security can come with you!
6. It fits your fast-paced lifestyle.
Modern security isn’t just a keypad and some cameras. With mobile app integration, you can arm your system without stopping as you rush out the door, and have it disarmed right when you’re ready to walk back in. Home security can be on-the-go, just like you.
7. It’s hacker-safe.
In a world where protecting your data is just as important as protecting your home, it’s important to know that you and your system can’t be hacked. EMC Security works with top experts to ensure no one has access to your home or information without your permission.
8. It protects your home while you travel.
Empty homes are one of the top targets for burglars, and if you’re off exploring another country, there’s no one keeping watch. With smart home security, you won’t be distracted by worries about what’s happening back home: EMC is watching, and so can you, right from your mobile app.
And, most importantly…
9. It keeps you safe.
Safety Tips for Black Friday
There are two kinds of people in the world, those who are willing to brave the Black Friday crowds in search of a great deal and those who won’t.
If you’re among the former, some thoughtful planning and a few precautions can make your day more productive, safe, and most of all, fun.
Tips forin-storeBlack Friday shopping:
- Park near a light. Thieves are less likely to target shoppers whose car lights are brightly lit – especially if they’re parked in an open space.
- Stash your goodies in the trunk. As the old saying goes – “Out of sight, out of mind.” As a result, there won’t be anything to temp a would-be thief.
- Keep Away from ATMs. If you can’t, at least choose one that is well lit. Additionally, shield your PIN as you key it in, and don’t leave behind receipts that may contain personal information.
- Use the buddy system. As with anything, there’s safety in numbers. If you do plan on separating, make a plan to meet up and consider color coordinating. That way, it will be easier to spot your friends or family members.
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Keep your purse on your body or your wallet in your front pocket. These measures will make it more difficult for pick-pocketers to lift your wallet or wrangle your purse away from you.
- Remain alert in parking lots. Before you get in your car, look in it and under it. Additionally, have your keys handy so you are not distracted trying to locate them.
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DON’T LET HALLOWEEN BECOME A BURGLAR’S TREAT
With so many people anticipating a fun night of Halloween festivities, there will be an expected abundance of opportunities for burglars to take advantage of unsuspecting homeowners.
An Opportunity for Thieves
Halloween offers the perfect cover for a would-be-thief. A burglar can dress up in a costume to conceal his identity, giving him free rein to check to see if homeowners are at home. You can’t expect your neighbors to suspect unwanted activity around your home when that’s what’s expected on Halloween.
Protect Your Home
A home security system will protect your home from burglars, and ward off teenagers who might try to vandalize your home on Halloween.
Integrate security cameras around your home and deter burglars. Youngsters who are looking for a good time will avoid houses with security cameras as much as burglars looking for a quick payday. Advertising the fact that you have this technology on Halloween will keep disorderly teenagers and burglars at bay.
If you’re a household that doesn’t partake in Halloween, a burglar might think you’re not at home when you don’t answer the door. This could potentially lead to an attempt to enter your home, which could result in a dangerous situation for you and your family. A home security system would alert you and law enforcement that someone is attempting to break into your home.
Halloween is just around the corner, so if you’re leaving your family vulnerable, it’s time to consider investing in a home security system.
