Ah, those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer. Fun in the sun. Carefree attitudes. Barbecues, beach days, pool parties. Sounds fantastic, right?

Of course. But sometimes while you’re reveling in all that carefree summer living, you might not pay as much attention to home security as you should.

For example, you’re more likely to leave all your doors and windows open in the summer – even when you go out. But remember most break-ins occur because of negligence, so securing your home is of the utmost importance.

The fact is you always want your family to be safe and one way to ensure their safety is by turning to a top-notch security company to install an alarm system in your home.

Here are some things to look for when you choose a home security company:

• Speak to a Person, Not a Recording. When your home and family are in danger, every second counts. So be sure that whenever you need help – or just have a routine question – your security company has a real person answering your call. You don’t want to have to deal with navigating a complicated, automated voice system when you need help immediately.
• No Alarm Delays. When an alarm sounds on your security system there must be no delay in transmission to the monitoring station. Your system should instantly send an alarm to the central station no matter if it’s an intrusion, smoke, carbon monoxide, or any trouble signal. Some companies delay transmitting their alarm signals by as much as four minutes because their systems are prone to false alarms.
• Local Five-Diamond, U.L. Monitoring Center. Your home should be monitored 24-7 by a local Five-Diamond, U.L. Certified Central Station. That means your company’s central station has multiple back-up systems and can operate under any condition and the company’s team is among the best in the business. Your security company should be owned and operated by people who live in New England, not a third-party in some faraway state. And it should be staffed by experienced people who know your community, and can document how quickly they respond to alarm signals – 20 seconds or less is best-in-class.
• Free Yearly Wellness Inspection. Your company should offer you peace of mind by letting you know that your security system will work when you need it most. Your company should clean smoke detectors, check back-up batteries, and inspect the system for signs of wear.
• Experience and Advanced Technology. The top security companies employ veteran in-house experts who are able to install the most up-to-date devices and applications that best meet your needs.
• Service in 24 Hours or Less. Your security company must ensure that your system is working every second of every day. But if you have an issue, your company should guarantee it will have a tech to your home as soon as possible but no longer than 24 hours after it receives your call.
• Lifetime Warranty. Your security company should stand behind every security system it installs. If there’s a technical defect, the company should fix it at no cost to you as part of your monitoring service.

So get out in the sun and have fun. But don’t forget to take the steps necessary to protect your home and your family this summer season and throughout the year.