There are a great many reasons why it is very important for you to have your home furnished as soon as possible with a state of the art home security system. But did you know that you can gain an extra layer of much needed protection by going the extra mile and getting your home or business equipped with an alarm monitoring system. Homes that pack this potent double punch of security are among the safest, least troubled properties in the nation, and for very good reason.

Getting Your Property And Family Fully Secured Is A Must

One of the very best things you can do for your home, your business, your accumulated property and valuables, and your family is to get yourself properly secured with an alarm system combined with a monitoring service. The moment you do this, you will be protected by a live operator who will be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in order to assist you in the event of a break in or emergency.

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Get Yourself Full Protection Even When You Are Away From Home

Adding a full system of alarm system monitoring to your regular home alarm is a must for precisely this reason: Without it, even if your home alarm does go off in the event of a break in or other disaster, it may not do you any good. It may well scare off a home invader but, without proper monitoring, it may simply continue to ring and ring for hours, especially if you are injured and unable to respond, or if you are away from home on business or a vacation. It’s simply better to be safe than to come home and be sorry.

It’s High Time To Lower Your Monthly Property Insurance Payments

One of the major advantages that adding a system of home alarm monitoring can accomplish is the lowering of your monthly insurance premiums. A home that sees few, if any, break ins during a long enough period of time is a home that will be judged as a very low security risk. The more secure your home or business is proven to be, the better the benefit for your wallet. This is one benefit of installing a home alarm monitoring system that even the most thrifty home owner can easily relate to.

Your home is your fortress. Make sure no one can break into your house while you’re at work or on vacation. Don’t take your home security for granted. When you buy a new house or an apartment don’t forget about security check. This information will help you in eliminating your weaknesses, thus increasing your home security level. Over time, many people forget to re-evaluate their homes for security flaws. Some people forget to fix their window locks and replace the broken bulb. These little things can compromise your safety when you least expect it.

Re-examine your home security with the following steps:

Secure your entrances

Replace your entrance door with a durable solid core metal or wooden door. Avoid having a front door with a large window, otherwise burglars would break it  in order to get inside. Prefer installing thick bolt locks on all your entrances. Many burglars kick front doors to enter houses. That’s why you need to have a reliable lock to defend your home against any burglar.

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Don’t forget to change the locks when you move to a new apartment. You never know who has a set of spare keys to your new home. This minor investment would help you avoid any major loss.

Windows and glass doors

Deadbolt locks would secure all your windows and sliding glass doors. Sliding doors provide an easy access to burglars; don’t forget to lock them every night and before you leave the house. Burglars love broken window locks. Examine all your windows and change loose or broken locks.

Spare key

Hiding your front door key under the doormat is a cliché. Every burglar would search for the key under the doormat, flower pot or on top of your door frame. These most common hiding spots caused a lot of troubles in the past.

Give your spare key to a trustworthy neighbor or a close friend who would help you when you lock yourself out and water your flowers when you’re away. Even if you think your key is hidden in a secure place, a creative burglar would always find it.

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Take care of your garden

Trim the bushes in front of your windows. Burglars can hide behind overgrown trees and bushes; make sure that your garden plants are not blocking your windows. Avoid planting a tree in close proximity to your house. A burglar can climb the tree and enter your house through unlocked sliding door on the upper floor.

If you have a big garden, consider installing motion detectors around your house. Burglars don’t like well-lit places; they prefer hiding in the dark.

Home insurance plan

Home insurance policy would add an extra layer of security for you. Homeowners should get several homeowners insurance quotes before choosing the best option. Comparing the rates and quotes would help you evaluate your options and understand what’s best for you and your family. Keeping aware of security plans makes sense. If you have a home insurance plan you would feel more comfortable leaving your house for several weeks when you travel.

For the majority of people, home ownership is the goal in life. There is something so very secure about the feeling of being a homeowner, of knowing that you have your own place in the world that is just yours. You don’t have to worry about what your landlord will think if you decide to put up artwork and you can make decisions regarding your own decor like never before. It’s no wonder ownership is the goal for so many people.

Of course… then there’s the downside.

The truth is that home ownership is not a cure-all, a guarantee that life from this point onwards will be simple. There are moments when a homeowner will desperately wish for the freedom of renting again; perhaps even to the point they wish they were back living with their parents.

So if you’re contemplating your first purchase – or have already bought, and just want to know others go through the same range of emotions as you do – then it’s worth taking the time to examine the ups and the downs.

UP: Your Status Is Improved

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There is something about the mere idea of being a homeowner that makes people take you a little bit more seriously. You have proven that you are able to convince a bank to lend you money, so you must be a serious, reliable person. You have undertaken a huge responsibility, and there’s no doubt about it: you will be treated differently – better – because of it.

You’ll find it easier to secure finance in the future, be it for a car or poor credit homeowner loans to spend on household renovations. You will also be offered preferable rates by insurance companies. So yes, there’s definitely a status boost to being a homeowner.

DOWN: You’re Responsible If Something Goes Wrong

If you have a problem with an aspect of a house while renting, it’s not really your problem. If the boiler breaks down or a window needs replacing, your entire involvement is based around calling the landlord and then waiting for them to do the work.

If you’re a homeowner, you have to rectify these – often expensive – problems yourself. It’s not an enjoyable experience. You have to learn to have an emergency fund on hand for those sudden, unavoidable household repairs, as well as the knowledge that you can’t just move out if the problems become intolerable.

UP: The Sense Of Permanence

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Even if you live in a rented home for a long period of time, it is rarely with a feeling of permanence. You are always subject to the whims of the landlord. They might decide to sell, to raise your rent, or just to evict you to use the house for their own purposes.

As a homeowner, providing you pay your mortgage, the only person whose whims you are subject to is you. You can truly put down roots, become a part of the community, become friendly with your neighbors. You know you’re going to be there for awhile, which can be reassuring and help to provide a sense of safety

DOWN: You Can’t Move Quickly

When you rent, the only thing holding you back is the notice period you have to give – other than that, you’re free to move as you please. If you get a job offer that requires a cross-country move, you can take it without a second thought.

As a homeowner, you don’t have that luxury. That same permanence that is such a benefit in some ways, suddenly becomes cloying and restrictive. While there’s always a chance you will be lucky and be able to rush through a quick sale of your home, the reality is that house sales take around six weeks if you’re lucky, as well as the possible delays with the legal side of things. If things don’t progress as quickly as you would hope, there’s a chance you will have to turn down a lucrative job offer solely because your house won’t sell – and that’s no fun at all.

Overall, home-ownership is the goal because of the safety and security it provides – but to pretend it’s all smooth sailing is to misrepresent the reality somewhat. So enjoy the ups and try to survive the downs as best as you can. Keep a small emergency fund for all of those repairs, and ensure you keep the house in good order and condition in case you one day need a quick sale. With these steps, you should be able to ensure you have far more ups than downs.

There are many simple tasks around the home that could be taken care of by modern technology.  You could free up your life to do more enjoyable things and save yourself a lot of time and hassle.  Options like gate automation can make your life so much easier and really improve the functionality of your home.

Automated Timing Switches

Timing switches can be a great way to automate a variety of different devices and gadgets around the home.  You can buy these switches and plug your electrical items straight into them.  You will then be able to program in a schedule of times when you want these appliances to turn on and off.

For example timing switches can be used for electric heaters.  The switches will automatically turn heaters on and off at the programmed times.  This enables you to heat rooms in advance so that they are nice and warm for when you get home.  This will also save you money as the heaters switch off again automatically so you never need to worry about leaving them on wasting energy.

Timing switches can also be used for other tasks like pumps for fish tanks.  You will be able to program when you want the pumps to turn on and off automatically and this saves you a lot of hassle.

Automated Washing Cycles

Many modern washing machines can now offer scheduled programming.  You will be able to load washing machines and then program what time you want them to come on.  This can save a lot of time as you can load the machine the night before and program it to automatically start the next morning.  No more rushing around before work trying to get the washing on!

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Automated wash cycles can also save you money as you can program machines to wash at the cheapest tariff point of the day even if you are out and about.

Automated Gates

Gate automation can offer a practical way to secure your home whilst still making it accessible to you and your family.  These gates can also add style to properties and have a certain upmarket appeal.  The great thing about automated gates is that they can be opened remotely.  This means you don’t have to get out of your car and open the gates to access your property.  The gates can either be opened by someone inside the property or you can have a wireless controller in your car that triggers the gates to open for you.

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This offers an incredibly convenient way to secure your property without making access difficult for you or your family. There are many benefits to installing automated gates on your property including:

• Increased Security – locked gates offer a powerful visible deterrent to opportunistic criminals. Automated gates have specially geared motors that make it very difficult for someone to force them open.  For additional security electromagnetic locks can be installed which power up when the gates are shut.  These exert a very powerful force that makes it incredibly difficult to force gates open.  Automated gates make it much easier for you to control who enters your property.
• Increased Convenience – automated gates enable you to enter and leave your property with ease. Some remote controller devices can be used up to 20 metres away.  This means you can ensure the gates slide open just as you approach so that you don’t have to stop your car and wait.
• Long Lasting and Durable – quality automated gates are available in a range of robust materials. Metal gates offer a tough and lasting option.  You can also get wooden electric gates for those that prefer a more traditional, natural finish.  Whatever material you choose with a little careful maintenance your automated gate should last for many years.

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Your home will be your castle, so there is no wonder that you just want to retreat into it at the end of a busy day at work or with the kids. The last thing you will want is any unwanted attention aimed at your house or yourself! So, how do you deal with people trying to get to you when you are supposed to be relaxing in your own home? Well, here are my top tips for warding off all that unwanted attention from your home.

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Burglars And Intruders

One of the main forms of unwanted attention will come from potential burglars and intruders. Under no circumstance will you want these people anywhere near your home! Thankfully, there is plenty that you can do to deter intruders and burglars from your property. One of the best things is equipping your home with either a burglar alarm or a CCTV camera system. Once a burglar spots either of these on the exterior of your home, they will instantly be put off from attempting to enter your house as there is just too much risk. The alarm could go off, which would bring attention to the property, or their faces could be caught on the CCTV. One mistake that many homeowners make is that they leave their spare set of house keys somewhere outside in case they ever accidentally lock themselves out. That spare set of keys is basically an invitation to intruders to let themselves in! One way to make sure your keys don’t fall into the wrong hands is to switch from a traditional lock to a key fob style lock, such as the ones from Keycard Ninja. These types of locks can’t be picked like traditional ones, and rather than leaving the key fob outside in a hiding place, you can simply give it to your neighbor for safekeeping.

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Pests And Vermin

Not all unwanted intruders in your home are going to try and steal your expensive tech and valuables. Some may try and make their own home in your house! Of course, I’m no longer talking about burglars anymore – I mean pests and vermin! These little creatures will try and make their way into your home no matter what. Thankfully, there are plenty of things that you can do to keep them well away from your property. One of the most obvious ways is to keep a very clean and tidy home. Most pests and vermin will make their way into your home to try and find food and water. So any leftovers or fresh ingredients that are left out on worktops in your kitchen are going to attract all these little critters into your home. So make sure that you clean up well after any cooking and baking. You should also regularly check the frames around your windows and doors. Small gaps can develop in these, which can provide entryways for small insects, rats, and mice. If you notice any new gaps, you should repair them as soon as possible.

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Teenagers

Do you have some troubles with your neighbors’ teenage children? Or maybe you live in an area where teenagers regularly congregate and hang out. Even if these children aren’t targeting your house directly, their presence can still be very annoying and, in some cases, even intimidating. If your main issue with these kids is that they are hanging out in your area and demonstrating unsociable behavior, then you should speak to your local police about it. They will be able to disperse any gangs who meet up and move them on. If things get particularly bad and the teenagers get exceptionally rowdy, then the police can always escort them home. Unfortunately, sometimes teenagers can be extremely unruly and target certain properties for no reason. They might cover part of your home in graffiti or, even worse, cause damage to your house or garden. If this happens, you should contact the police who can then work at catching the culprit. If they are caught, they can then be forced to pay for any repairs and cleaning that is required. Depending on the severity of their crimes, they may even be convicted and forced to pay a fine. To make sure that you don’t become the target of any local teenagers, though, you should endeavor to speak to their parents at the first sign of any bad behavior. This should nip things in the bud before things escalate.

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Spam Callers

There are some forms of attention that could even affect you inside your own home. And one of these types of annoying attention comes from spam callers. These days, many sales companies employ telesale employees who call random households to try and sell their products and services. This can be extremely annoying for people on the receiving end, and many homeowners feel that it is a breach of their privacy. Especially since the sales company has somehow got hold of their home phone number without their knowledge! But thankfully, you don’t need to deal with these annoying spam calls for too long. There is plenty that you can do to stop them calling. One of the best ways is to add your phone number to a do not call registry. The companies are not allowed to contact any of the numbers in these registries. Another way for dealing with these calls is to not hand out your phone number so freely. When you are filling out forms, leave the contact number section blank whenever possible.

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Door To Door Salesmen

Back in the fifties and sixties, door to door salesmen were very common. However, over the past few decades, they have started to be seen as a nuisance, and fewer companies send them out. However, there are still ones which do. If you don’t want to be bothered by these salesmen, you can place a sticker in your home saying that they aren’t welcome. Otherwise, see if there is an online registry to which you can add your address to which will blacklist it for sales companies.

One of the main important things in the home is safety. There are many things that you can let slip, but you can’t reduce the safety of the home and still be happy calling it a home. The truth is, this is the primary concern of anyone who wants to feel at home in their house. But not many people are actually as safe as they want to be; there are many homes out there which do not get the proper kind of attention in regards to their safety levels. In this post, we are going to try and rectify that. We will do this by taking a look at some of the unavoidable aspects involved in keeping a home safe. Without further ado, let’s take a look and see what can be done.

Don’t Advertise Anything

One of the major threats against any household is the possibility of a burglar breaking in. It goes without saying that this is not something you want to experience, and yet so many homes seem almost set up to encourage burglars in. It is vital that you pay attention to the kind of signals your exterior to the house is giving off. If you are keeping your curtains open the whole time, then people will be able to scout out your living room and see if you have anything worth stealing. Burglars are known to do this, so you would be wise to make sure you are not advertising anything in your home. Being burgled is the last thing you want; it can cause a huge amount of destruction and loss.

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Protect Your Home Against Disaster

Something much less common, but still hugely important, than burglary is natural disasters. There are many kinds of natural disaster, and it is important to try and protect your home against as many of them as possible. Depending on the area you live in, some kinds of disaster might be more common or more likely than others, and it is worth protecting against those first and foremost. You never know what might happen, and it is always worth protecting your home as best as you can. You might decide to install roll up shutters to protect against hurricanes, for example. Or perhaps you are keen on protecting against water damage from storms. Whatever it is, make sure you don’t delay it any further.

Internal Risks

Not all threats come from outside the home; some come from within. One perfect example of such a threat is the risk of fire. Fires are relatively common, and nobody ever expects to start one in their own home. It is a good idea to only use electrical equipment which is in perfect working order, to make sure the home electricals are not kept on the whole time, and to make sure that any smokers do so outside. Fire can damage and badly hurt you and your possessions, so make sure that you put every effort into minimizing the possibility of it happening in your home.

So, it’s that time of year again. We are all starting to dream of our summer holidays – maybe even our spring holidays! If you’re anything like me, then you probably can’t wait just to get away from it all and soak in some sun. One of the parts of going on holiday that is less fun, however, is the worry that can come with it. It can sometimes be difficult to leave the home behind, even if it is only for a week. You might find that it can be a bit nerve-wracking, especially if you are taking your entire family with you. While leaving the house unguarded is nobody’s dream situation, you have to make certain sacrifices if you want that dream holiday! But don’t worry – I’ve got you covered. Next time you are due to fly off somewhere exotic, just bear these essential points in mind.

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Windows & Doors

Probably the most important part of the whole operation! It is imperative that you check and double-check all of the windows and doors of your house before you leave for a holiday. You want to check any potential point of entry. While it may not be very likely that you will be burgled while you are away, it is worth doing, just in case. Imagine if the worst happened, simply because you had left a back window open! Go around each window and door, one by one, and make sure they are shut and locked tight. Better safe than sorry!

Check the Plumbing

You might not have thought to test the plumbing before you travel, but it is one of the more important items on this list. It is surprisingly common for plumbing to malfunction while families are holidaying. For that reason, it is advisable to check that everything is in good working order before you go. For this, it’s probably best to just get the professionals in.

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Pests

The last thing you want is to come back from your vacation, only to find your home infested with unwanted visitors! Next time you go away, make it easier on yourself: check beforehand. Any pest control company would be happy to give your house a once-over and look for any signs of infestation. A lot of people don’t want to do this, just in case they find something. But think about it: would you rather have pests and not know it, or know it and do something about it? For me, it’s a no-brainer.

Plants

It is also a good idea to give your plants a little bit of love and attention just before you leave. There are few things more annoying than returning home to find all the houseplants dead. It doesn’t take much – just give them a bit of water the day you leave, and they should be okay.

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Odds & Ends

There are also a few little tricks for keeping your house secure. If you have a neighbour whom you trust, then the whole process is much easier. You can just tell them that you are going away, and they can keep an eye out for you. Otherwise, it is a wise idea to put a couple of lights on timers, so it looks like someone’s home. While you’re at it, consider cancelling any grocery or milk deliveries you might have planned.

If you own a home or a business that happens to be situated in an area where violent crime, burglary, or home invasion is on the rise, it’s definitely time to get proactive with your security arrangements. There is no time to lose when you are fighting against such things, and no quarter can be shown to the enemy. If you are serious about getting full security for your property, family, or employees, then you will need to get up to speed with all of the latest technological advances in home alarm monitoring.

Home Alarm Monitoring Is The Major Advance You Have Been Waiting For

Companies, such as Alarm Relay among others, have began offering alarm monitoring for homes and businesses. You can rest assured this development represents the major advance in technology that home and business owners have been waiting for. It is one thing to spend major money on a fully state of the art alarm system, and this step is highly recommended if you are serious about protecting your property and loved ones. However, you should also be aware that this is only step one of a two step process.

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After You Install Your Alarm System, You Will Need To Have It Monitored

After you install the alarm system for your home or business, your next step is to make sure that you also hire the services of a first class alarm monitoring company. This is a very important addition that will beef up your security system by connecting it to a live operator who will be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in order to assist you in the case of a break in or emergency. This protection is guaranteed to bring you immediate attention from the police, fire department, or emergency personnel the moment you request it.

Homes With Alarm Monitoring Are Homes That Are Safe And Secure

The peace of mind that comes with owning such a system is beyond price. It is a proven fact that homes that come equipped, not only with a full alarm security system but with alarm monitoring as well, are some of the safest and most secure in the nation. This is an extra layer of security and protection for yourself, your family, and your workers that you simply cannot afford to be without.

Home security is always of the utmost importance. You want to have peace of mind while you are home sleeping or if you are away on vacation. If you have your home monitored on a 24-hour basis, you can be confident that your property is going to be looked after. If there is an emergency at any hour, the authorities can be alerted. Security system monitoring is one form of security, and there are many other options out there as well.

Avoid Break-Ins

If you want to scare off criminals, your monitored alarm can do the trick. When someone tries to break into your home, your alarm will go off. You will know that the authorities are going to be on the way. Many burglars race away at the first sound of an alarm, so a monitored system can be a smart addition to your home security needs.

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Fast Help if a Fire Occurs

If a fire starts in your home, an alarm will go off and the company monitoring your system will get you help as fast as possible. Every moment counts when a fire starts, so you want to be sure that you get assistance right away whether you are home or not. When you have a company watching and monitoring your home at all hours, you can be confident that your property is going to be as safe as possible.

Air Conditioning Power Loss

If your air conditioning unit stops working for any reason, you can be instantly notified. In the hot months of the year, an air conditioner can be more than a luxury. It is a necessity if you want to keep your home cool. When there is power loss, you can know right away so that you can get it fixed promptly.

There are many reasons why people choose monitored alarm systems for their homes. Businesses can also benefit from this type of service. Monthly monitoring can give you fast emergency responses whenever you need them. You do not have to be in the home or building when an emergency happens for help to be sent as fast as possible. Even when you are not there, you can have peace of mind that your property is being watched out for by professionals.

Nowadays we should be conscious about our security in our home, we always heard and watch from daily news on television about burglars and tress passers leaving harm to homeowners and stealing their valuable items. It doesn’t require a lot money or software security solutions to keep this burglars away from our property, all we need is  effective ways to create a home security.

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Some of the effective ways to secure our home from burglars is to always check that our locks are in proper condition, we should not always remember  to lock our home. Adding security lights in our front yard is also helpful as well as installing surveillance camera and using safes inside our home to keep our valuables and important items.