5 Tips to Keep Your Garage Secure

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

5 Tips to Keep Your Garage SecureDid you know that the door to your garage is one of the most vulnerable entry points into your home? Burglars love garages. Consider this: A bad guy can get into your attached garage without being seen. Once inside, he can easily get into the rest of your home.

These thieves also love standalone garages because of all the neat stuff you keep inside like lawnmowers, expensive power tools, bikes—stuff they can sell to make a quick buck.

Here are five tips to help you keep the thieves at bay—and out of your garage:

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Your House Has Been Broken Into—Now What?

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Your House Has Been Broken Into—Now What?Your home should be the safest place for you and your family. Having a burglar break into your home is extremely traumatic and devastating. You feel anxious, violated, and unsafe. Not only do you have to deal with theft as well as property damage, there’s the added stress of being a victim of crime.

Here are five steps to take to help you and your loved one deal with the aftermath of a break-in as well as help you avoid being victimized again in the future.

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Buyer Beware: Door-to-Door Security Salespeople

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Alarm SalespersonThey’re called “door knockers”—salespeople going door to door using aggressive sales pitches and fraudulent claims—hoping you’ll buy one of their security systems.

They’re pros, but if you know what to look for, you can spot them a mile away. Watch our video below (or read the transcript) for 5 ways to prevent falling victim to fraudulent door-to-door security salespeople.

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Tips to Burglar-Proof Your Windows

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Tips to Burglar-Proof Your WindowsYou may not be aware of this, but one of the most overlooked aspects to home security is your home’s windows. Burglars can break the glass or pry the windows open to get into your home. Additionally, they can even lift some sliding windows right out of their tracks—even if they’re locked.

If you’ve already invested in a home security system to keep your family and your belongings safe, you may not have considered shoring up the windows to keep the bad guys out.

One way to do that is by having your home security system provider install perimeter sensors on the windows. If you want to keep you windows open, your provider can install specialized sensors in the window screens. That way you can keep the windows open, without disabling your home security system.

Here are five other tips to help you burglar-proof your windows:

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5 Security Tips for Your Apartment

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

5 Security Tips for Your ApartmentSome people may think that burglars are more interested in robbing single-family homes, that’s just not the case. In fact, apartments are 85 percent more likely to get burglarized than one-family homes, according to the National Crime Prevention Council.

Of course, your landlord should ensure that your apartment is safe and secure, but it’s still important for you to take the necessary steps to avoid being a victim.

Here are five tips to ensure your apartment is secure:

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How to Prevent the Theft of Copper from Your Home

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

How to Prevent the Theft of Copper from Your HomeLast year, a man in Abington, Mass. was arrested and charged with numerous crimes including, including possession of burglary tools and receiving stolen property. The 33-year-old man was also suspected of being involved in a string of thefts of copper from vacant and foreclosed homes in the area, according to The Patriot Ledger.

When police officers stopped the man in East Bridgewater, Mass. for driving without an inspection sticker, they discovered five pieces of copper each five feet long as well as pipe cutters, wire cutters, a flashlight, a headlamp, a hack saw and gloves.

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Do You Have a Family Emergency Evacuation Plan?

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Do You Have a Family Emergency Evacuation Plan?Do your loved ones know what to do if a fire breaks out in your home in the middle of the night? What if there’s a hurricane or Nor’easter and your family members aren’t all together in one location? Does everyone in your family know what to do in these different emergency situations? How to contact each other? How to get back together? Who to call? Where to meet?

While a home fire alarm system is the best defense against protecting your family in the event of a fire, you also need an emergency plan to ensure your family is safe and secure during a disaster.

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Carbon Monoxide Poison Prevention

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning in your HomeWhen the weather outside is frightful, many of us take cover in our nice, warm homes. But when we bundle up and use alternative sources of power, we are also putting ourselves at risk for carbon monoxide poisoning.

Fumes from portable generators, stoves, lanterns and gas ranges can build up in enclosed spaces and be very harmful to people and pets.

Watch our video below (or read the transcript) for ways to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning in your home this winter.

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Home Safety Tips for Using Wood-Burning Stoves

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Home Safety Tips for Using Wood-Burning StovesOn January 9th, a 16-year-old Nassau County, Florida girl and her mom lost their lives in a fire that was started by a wood-burning stove they were apparently using to heat their home.

The girl’s father tried to save his family but, sadly, the fire was just too intense. Investigators said they weren’t sure if the home had been equipped with working smoke detectors. A working smoke alarm as well as monitored smoke detectors could have increased their chances of surviving that fire.

If you’re one of the many thousands of people who long for the “good old days” when folks used to heat their homes with wood-burning stoves, you should also be aware of the dangers of this practice, including the risk of fire, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

Here are some tips for the safe and efficient use of wood-burning stoves to help ensure your safety as well as the safety of your family and your home.

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Beat the Burglar: Tips from New England Law Enforcement

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Beat the Burglar: Tips from New England Law Enforcement In New Canaan, CT, police are dealing with a rash of burglaries. Bold criminals are stealing electronics, watches and jewelry from homes in broad daylight, leaving homeowners both frustrated and afraid: could they be next?

To help combat the problem, the New Canaan police department has created a list of “Beat the Burglar” tips: here’s their best advice for keeping your home secure, no matter where you live.

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