3 Simple Tactics To Avoid Home Burglary

It’s not fair to blame the victim of any crime – but if you become the victim of a crime like a burglary, it’s tempting to be hard on yourself. It’s not uncommon for victims of a burglary to ask themselves, “Is there anything I could have done?” To save yourself from the unnecessary heartache of being burglarized and the guilt that sometimes follows, make sure you always, always, always:

Lock all the doors in the home.

It would be great if we lived in an era when “you could leave your front door open,” but those days have long since passed. It just isn’t safe to leave doors unlocked anymore, no matter how safe you perceive your neighborhood to be. Lock your front door, back door and even the door that leads to the garage. Any entry point to the home is a potential access point for an intruder. With smart locks, you can even do this from your mobile device, from anywhere.

Use common sense.

That means don’t leave a key under the door mat; it’s just too big of a risk, because burglars expect people to do it now. It also means don’t give your alarm code to a service person or a neighbor. There are temporary codes you can give those people when necessary; ask us how to program your system with temporary sub-user codes if you are interested in doing this.

Arm your security system.

There are three reasons you have an alarm system: 1.) So that you can be alerted to the presence of an intruder, 2.) So that you can scare that intruder off with an audible alarm, and 3.) So that the authorities will be contacted automatically if the alarm is activated. Unfortunately, none of those things will happen if your system isn’t armed. Arm your security system before leaving the house, and place it in night mode before going to bed.

These are some of the best ways to prevent burglary and the unfortunate guilt that follows. Rest assured that you did your part in preventing a home burglary by following these steps.

About Security Instrument

Security Instrument is Delaware’s largest full-service independently-owned security and fire company, serving thousands of customers throughout Delaware, MD, NJ & PA.

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Leaving That Door or Window Open Once Might Be All It Takes

Most of us think we have some idea of how burglaries happen. The burglar watches the home for signs of occupancy and when the coast is clear, they break a window or kick in a door and proceed to carry off your jewelry and electronics. The problem with that picture? Many times the burglar does not have to pick a lock, break a window or kick open a door, they just turn a knob and walk in completely undetected.

It’s Worse Than You Think

Of the 1,420,000 burglaries reported in the US in 2014, 504,000 -35.2% were categorized as unlawful entry, where the burglar did not have to force entry but simply walked in. When it comes to prosecution, it can make a big difference. What makes it most disheartening to the resident is that it was an error that could have been avoided.

Pro Tip: When you use contact sensors on your doors and windows, you can check their status via your smart phone security app and take care of the problem.

 

Where Security Slips through the Cracks

Life is busy and checking every window and door each time we leave the house can be a bit laborious. Even when we do check, there is usually another family member that comes along to open what we just closed. That is, of course, if we even remembered to do that as we rush out 10 minutes late for just about everything. It happens, but all it takes is it happening once to give the burglar all the opportunity needed to make off with an average of $2,250 worth of valuables per incident.

Smart Security Picks Up the Slack in a Big Way

While forgetting is normal and human failure to be expected, smart security is the big but simple fix. Here’s how using smart, connected devices, smart security, and home automation technologies can reduce the chance of unlawful entry burglary.

  • You’re immediately alerted if you leave a door or window open. When you use contact sensors on your doors and windows, you can check their status via your smart phone security app and take care of the problem. If it is a smart garage door left open or a smart lock left unlocked, you can even close the door and lock the smart locks from your phone.
  • Your doors can lock automatically. If you use geo-location and triggers, you can have your doors all lock when you leave the house.
  • The system can be armed automatically. Also using geo-location and triggers, you can have the smart security system lock the doors then arm itself when you get a predetermined distance from your home.

About Security Instrument

Don’t leave your door wide open to crime. Founded in 1960, Security Instrument Corp. specializes in smart security and associated monitoring services. Professionally engineered systems backed by unmatched professional support.

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How to Banish Fall Scheduling Horrors Using Home Security and Mobile Control

After a relaxing summer break, the fall season hits many of us like a Mac truck. The schedules are suddenly filled with an increase of activities and responsibilities and end up a tangled mess with plenty of room for error. But before your fall season turns into something out of a horror movie, get everything under control using the tools afforded by home security and mobile control.

Competing Events

You have a teen that needs to be at cheerleading practice and a 4th grader who needs to be at an open house at the exact same time. Getting them there is the first problem. Getting them home is another. So, you take the younger to open house and have the teen ride with a friend to and from practice. When your oldest uses her own code to get into the house, you know she made it home safely.

Who Forgot to Lock the Door?

It happens. With everyone running out the door in one tidal wave of activity, something is bound not to get done. The problem is, some of those things that may get forgotten to be done can cause a real security risk; like not locking the door, or leaving the garage door open, or the stove on. Home automation and security technology help you make sure that forgetfulness doesn’t lead to disaster. An alert to your phone notifies you about the open garage, unlocked door, and the stove. With just a few taps, you can take care of all the issues from wherever you are without having to make the long trek back home.

Everything Else is Held Up Waiting on Someone Else

You’ve been waiting for hours for a visiting friend, family member, or service provider and waiting any longer could jeopardize your job. With secure entry from a smart lock, you can safely and easily let anyone in or out even if you are not home.

Keeping Everyone on Schedule

Keeping everyone on schedule because if one person is late, usually everyone else ends up late as well. By using home automation and mobile control you can prompt action and keep tasks moving along well. For example, use temperature control to create the best climate for sleeping or waking, have the lights come on to wake you up, and the coffee brewing so you can grab it on the way out.

When you use home security and mobile control technologies from Security Instrument, you never have to sacrifice time, convenience, or safety no matter how busy life gets.

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7 Best Security Options for Delaware Vacation Rental Properties

It is easy to understand why someone would want to own property in Delaware and just as easy to understand why it draws so many vacationers. Delaware is blessed by geography with rolling hills, lush wooded areas, and coastal expanses. It has the perfect mix for adventure and relaxation, which makes it the perfect place to own a vacation home. That does not mean that it comes without some effort, however. Owning a vacation rental property is its own small business, and sometimes owning that business can feel like a monumental task. Caring for a property when you are not always on-site is tricky, yet it is important to ensure the safety and comfort of your guests by keeping the home safe and preventing problems.

Use this list of security essentials to help you keep your guests safe and manage your property.

Get to Know the Neighbors

It may seem simple, and it is, but having a relationship with your neighbors is essential when it comes to vacation home security. Neighbors can keep an eye on the property and inform you of any problems.

Pro Tip: Work with a security company that understands the special needs of the vacation home market and utilize features that help secure the property without infringing on privacy.

Never Provide a Clear View into the Home

Avoid giving potential burglars a clear view into the home by leaving curtains open, especially for long periods when the house is unoccupied.

Orient the Guest to Security

Provide clear instructions to your guests about security.  Include positive reasons to follow the instructions such as keeping their security code private ensures that no one else can come in while they are off on an adventure.

Opt in to Smart Locks

Smart locks remove the hassle from passing around keys and increase visitor safety. By using smart locks, you can provide long-term access to someone like a neighbor or property manager, or short-term to guests.

Install a Video Doorbell

A video doorbell is another smart security feature for vacation homes. This feature serves as a crime deterrence and provides the owner greater oversight when the property is empty.

Add Motion Activated and Smart Lights

Motion activated lighting is a great convenience to guests who are not as familiar to the home. If the guest gets up or comes back after dark, they do not have to fumble looking for a light switch. Smart lighting is helpful, too, in making the home look occupied at all times as well as helping minimize electricity bills.

Add a Security Alarm System

Some vacation home owners feel hesitant about installing a home security system because they fear it may give visitors the wrong impression. Security systems can be a huge advantage to guests and an owner, however. Work with a security company that understands the special needs of the vacation home market and utilize features that help secure the property without infringing on privacy. Consider adding things that help both you and the renter, such as:

  • Outdoor security cameras and remote monitoring
  • Smart locks
  • Smoke/ fire/ carbon monoxide detectors
  • Temperature monitoring
  • Flood detection
  • Generator supervision
  • Z-wave home control

About Security Instrument

Security Instrument is Delaware’s largest full-service independently-owned security firm serving thousands of customers throughout Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland. We understand the needs and challenges of vacation home ownership and work with clients to accommodate their schedules for installation and service.

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Smart Home Security Starts With Your Smart Garage Door

Smart security sure has come a long way. Just a handful of years ago it would be difficult to believe all that is possible today with smart technologies connecting and enhancing a wide swath of security and convenience. While we enjoy all of the facets and elements of smart home security one element, the smart garage door, plays a truly pivotal role.

The Smart Garage Door is Key To Your Security

Securing the garage door is one of the most important, and most often neglected security actions. Over 90% of break-ins occur at ground level and a large portion of them through unsecured garage doors that lead to an interior door to the home. Over 70% of Americans use the garage door as their primary entrance. And it is not hard to figure that many, many people forget to close the garage door on countless occasions. That’s why the smart garage door is a strategic security feature. It can close or be closed remotely, even when you forget and provide pop-up smartphone alerts when it opens at unexpected times.

Pro Tip: When the garage door is part of a smart home system, going or coming can trigger actions to limit energy consumption, which reduces your costs.

Keep Track of Activity

Since a smart garage door can provide pop-up alerts on your smartphone when activity is detected or actions are needed, you can keep track of the comings and goings of the entire family by using unique codes.

You Can Manage Access Like Never Before

The ability to open and close the garage remotely and provide unique, time sensitive codes is also a valuable feature in time and project management. You can always be two places at once (almost) to let in family, friends, or service providers even if you are stuck in traffic.

A Smart Garage Door Makes Your Home Even More Thoughtful

A connected garage door can mean a much more responsive home. When the system detects that the door is opening and closing, and who by using codes or geofencing technology, it can trigger other responses. When the door closes, for example, the clothes dryer turns to “away”, the lights go off and the thermostat get turned down. Or when you draw near, the garage opens, lights go on, temperature adjusts, and the appropriate appliances are on and ready to go. It can also trigger an “away” sequence of events that it can turn off and on lights and music so that the home always looks occupied, making your home even more secure.

The Smart Garage Door Can Trigger Savings

Heating and cooling makes up the largest portion of our energy bills. When the garage door is part of a smart home system, going or coming can trigger actions to limit energy consumption, which reduces your costs.

Security Instrument is Delaware’s largest full-service, independently owned security firm serving thousands of customers with professional and personalized service throughout Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland.

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When You Think of Parenting, Think of Home Automation

When you think of parenting, a million things come to your mind. Home automation may not be the first on that list, but perhaps it should be. Home automation offers a wealth of parental help and once you know, you will wonder what you ever did without it.
Parenting is one of the most rewarding jobs we will ever have, but also one of the most serious and monumental. That’s why experienced parents will recommend using all of the tools available to help navigate the various stages of parenting—and one of the most effective of those tools is home automation. Here’s why.

Home Automation Helps During Infancy

Bringing home a baby is one of the most joyous times of our lives. It can also be the most terrifying. Suddenly your life is filled with a million new concerns that must be managed while completely sleep deprived. The baby has a need for comfort and consistency while the parent has the overwhelming need to know their child is okay. These needs are easily met with home automation. By using smart technologies, you can keep the room at the perfect temperature and lighting just right to ensure the comfort of the baby. Parents, too, can rest easy with the ability to check the security camera from their phone or knowing they will receive immediate alerts if the door, wind, or motion sensors are tripped.

Keeping Toddlers Safe

Home automation is like a parental superpower when it comes to raising a toddler. Toddlers have an unending curiosity and are unaware of danger. While a parent never wants to quench that curiosity and desire to discover, they do want to keep their child safe. Home automation helps keep the little ones safe by sending alerts if door or motion sensors are tripped. Now, there is no chance of secret backyard excursions or early morning escapes.

Home Automation During the School Years

The school years are a whirlwind of activity that can have you going and coming several times a day. In the midst of all the activities, it is easy to forget to do things lick lock the doors, arm the security system, or turn off the appliances. Fortunately, home automation can take care of all that and prevent a small thing from becoming a catastrophic event. Home automation can also help gently guide kids through the day with cues, such as lights on means you need to get up, and music playing means you need to have your shoes on and be ready to leave.

Inspiring Independence in the Teen and Nearly Adult Years

Teens want and need a new level of independence but also need a new level of oversight. Home automation helps bridge the gap by giving parents much needed insights without sacrificing their teen’s independence or dignity. Alerts can let parents know when the kids get home or provide access control to off limit areas.

Parents want to give their children the best life possible and home automation is one of the best tools to help make that happen. If you would like more information about home automation, give Brinton Electric Security Services a call today.

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Test Your Knowledge About Home Fire Safety

Chances are good that you, like many people, have a smoke detector in the home. But there is a lot about fire protection that most consumers do not know, and that lack of knowledge can lead to not protecting our families and homes adequately.

Knowing your stuff can be the difference between life and death in a home fire, so we have developed a short quiz so you can test your knowledge, and then act on what you know.

 

How many smoke alarms does the average American home need if the home is 2 stories and 3 bedrooms?
A: 1 alarm
B: 2 alarms
C: 5 alarms
D: 14 alarms

According to the national Fire Protection Association, homes should have smoke alarms installed inside every bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and one on every level of the home including the basement. So, a 2-story 3-bedroom home needs at least 5.

How often should you replace smoke alarms?
A: Every 2-4 years
B: Every 5-7 years
C: Every 8-10 years
D: Every 15-20 years
In practice, most American replace the smoke detectors every 15 years on average. The correct answer however, is C, as most detectors have a lifespan of under 10 years.

How many minutes do you have to escape a fire safely?

A: 3 minutes or less
B: 4 to 5 at most
C: Nearly 10 minutes before it becomes consumed
D. 12-20 minutes
30 years ago, you had 30 minutes to get out of a home alive. Today you have about 3 minutes. This is due to the tighter envelop of today’s energy efficient homes as well as the highly caustic and flammable materials used to make todays products and furnishings compared to the natural fibers of the past.

Do most homes in the US have an adequate fire protection including smoke detectors?
A: Yes
B: No

According to the NFPA, Americans need 100 million more smoke alarms to be fully protected. This is based on actual visits to US homes where it found smoke detectors either missing or not working.

Do smart smoke detectors impact response times?
A: Some
B: Not really
C: Significantly
In a study conducted by the USFA and CPSC, along with the Naval Research Laboratory the reduction in alarm times due to smart technologies greatly increases response times to fire emergencies.

The odds of dying in a house fire are reduced by how much with a working smoke detector and monitored system?
A: 15%
B: 25%
C. 45%
D: 50% or more
Research shows that the odds of dying in a fire are reduced by at least 50% in homes with working smoke detectors and reduced further when the system is monitored. The sooner the warning, the faster you and emergency personnel can act.

Home Security Installations In Delaware Since 1960

Smart smoke detectors are one of your most valuable tools in protecting your family from fire. Our professional sales and installation team offer no obligation consultations on home security and automation systems. Call us at (800) 244-2261.

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10 Practical Home Security Tips That You Can Use Today

A burglar is out for one thing: to find a home that is easy to enter. If your home appears too difficult or the risk of being caught is too great, they will move on to the next house. It does not take a lot to make your home appear intimidating to burglars – in fact, it is very simple. Unfortunately, too many homeowners ignore these super simple security tips that could significantly reduce the likelihood their home is robbed in the future.

Everybody loves a top 10 list, so here’s our checklist for living safely!

10 Simple Home Security Tips That You Can Use Today

  1. Locking Doors and Windows – Before you leave your home or go to bed, lock the doors and windows of your home. If you have a home automation system, use your computer or smartphone to remotely lock your doors if you forget to do so before leaving.
  2. Use a Home Security System – A home security system is your best defense against burglaries. There are numerous systems available that can be customized to your home and budget. Your local home security company can help you choose one. Simply installing it is not enough – you must also activate it!
  3. Check the Locks – Locks need maintenance just like every other area of your home. Be sure to install deadbolt locks on outside doors, use the right locks on sliding doors and secure dog/cat entrances when you are away.
  4. Occupied, Even When Vacant – Regardless if you are home, your house should appear occupied. That means turning lights on at night and having them turn off with a timer (if you will not be home in time to turn them off).
  5. Reduce Shrubbery – One thing burglars look for is how easily they can hide around the perimeter of your property. Cut back shrubs and trees, especially those near upper levels and windows, so that burglars have nowhere to hide.
  6. Secure Your Garage – Your garage has an entrance into your home, and it’s a common target for burglars.  Secure your garage just like you do your home. Park your car in the garage too, if you can, as this will make it harder for burglars to tell when you are home and when you are out.
  7. Lights – Use exterior lights and schedule them to turn on when the sun sets. Use motion sensing lights for dark areas on the lawn too.
  8. Mail – If you go out of town, stop your mail delivery or have a neighbor pick it up for you. Mail that builds up in the box tells burglars right away that no one is home.
  9. Outdoor Wires – Make sure the telephone lines and electrical wires are not easily accessible by burglars. Burglars will usually attempt to disarm security systems by cutting these.
  10. Change the Locks – If you lose your house keys, move into a new home or have someone move out of your home, change the locks on the doors.

Protecting Delaware With Professional Home Security Since 1960.

Protecting your home can be easy with the above tips. Learn more super simple ways to keep your home safe by contacting your home security experts at Security Instrument. Our professional sales and installation team offer no obligation consultations on home security and automation systems. Call us at (800) 244-2261.

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