Summer Travel Safety: Tips for You & Your Home

Summer Travel Safety: Tips for You & Your Home

Feel like forever since you and your family had a real summer vacation? We get it. As the weather warms up and you’re finally getting ready for some quality time away, you might be a little rusty when it comes to fun in the sun. Here are some tips to keep your family—and your home—safe this season.

Safety Tip #1: Bring the right accessories

  • You might have spent most of last summer at home, so here’s a reminder: sunscreen is still important. Don’t forget to replace your old bottle of sunblock if it’s more than 1-2 years old.
  • Headed into the woods? EPA-registered insecticides protect against mosquitoes and ticks that can cause more severe diseases. Because you want to bring home souvenirs, not bug bites.
  • Make sure the Alarm.com app on your smartphone is up to date. And set up Geo-Services before you leave to create automation rules and alerts, in case you forget to close the garage door or turn your lights off.

Safety Tip #2: Keep a watchful eye

  • Your kids are ready to enjoy some fresh air and freedom. But safety comes first. Closely supervise kids in or near the water and make sure life jackets are worn in and around bodies of water.
  • Keep kids properly hydrated and know the signs of heat stroke. Make sure your family takes breaks from being out in the sun too long.
  • Keep an eye on your home from anywhere with video monitoring. An Alarm.com security system lets you see and talk to visitors at your front door, and remain watchful 24/7 for any unwanted guests (from burglars to bears).

Safety Tip #3: Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

  • Take all the same safety precautions on vacation you would at home. That means helmets, seatbelts and masks if you’re planning to be around lots of people.
  • Missed an emergency at home? If the unthinkable happens while you’re away, your Alarm.com monitoring system will contact your local police, fire or EMS.

Alarm.com will keep an eye on your home this summer so you can focus on keeping your family safe on vacation. Get started below!

Four Ways to Use the New Alarm.com Video Doorbell Camera ADC-VDB770

Four Ways to Use the New Alarm.com Video Doorbell Camera ADC-VDB770

KMT Systems has started offering the new Alarm.com Video Doorbell Camera (ADC-VDB770) to our customers. The ADC-VDB770 is the newest video doorbell camera designed exclusively for use with the Alarm.com platform. It has Full HD quality video resolution, as well as an expansive field of view to capture more activity. It makes a great addition to any home.

The ADC-VDB770 is special because it is the first video doorbell built specifically with Alarm.com in mind. The advanced video doorbell offers the same great features and performance as the other Alarm.com Security Cameras. It even supports the Alarm.com Video Analytics feature, which will provide you with powerful customization tools in setting up alerts from Alarm.com based on camera activity and detection. With the press of a button, you can then go to the live full portrait video feed of the person at the door. The ADC-VDB770 supports two-way audio so you can have a real-time conversation with your guest. Burglars will often ring the doorbell to verify whether or not someone is at home. By being able to answer from anywhere, you may well foil a potential burglary by seeming to be at home, even when you are not. Please note that the camera does not have a built-in motion sensor, and it relies solely on Alarm.com Video Analytics for detecting activity.

Four Ways You Can Use the ADC-VDB770 Video Doorbell Camera

  • Answer the door from anywhere.

When a visitor rings the doorbell, you get an Alarm.com smartphone alert. Open your Alarm.com app and you’ll see a video feed of who’s there, with a microphone icon that you can press to start a voice conversation through the doorbell. 

  • See and share suspicious activity 

A visitor to your porch will trigger a motion-activated video recording, even if they don’t press the doorbell. You can have these clips delivered to your phone right away, where they’re easy to download and forward to your partner, neighbors or local police department. 

  • Protect a package from thieves 

With a smart lock included in your Alarm.com-powered setup, you can go a step further and unlock your door remotely. This is great for protecting valuable deliveries that would otherwise be left on your porch. 

If you have a smart lock, you’ll see an ‘unlock’ icon in your app underneath your doorbell’s video feed. Once you’ve verified the delivery person visually, tap once to unlock your door and ask them to leave the package inside. When they’re done, use your app to lock your door and watch them leave. 

  • Keep up with your kids 

Most activity at your front door is ‘good’ activity. For example friends visiting and family arriving home. 

It’s easy to create a custom doorbell camera alert, triggered by your kids’ Alarm.com user codes, that sends you a video clip of your kids arriving home every day. It’s a great way to make sure they’re home safe and know who they’re with. Once your kids know they’re on camera, they might even give you a wave. 

Want to learn more about Video Doorbell Cameras and Securing Your Home or Business? Schedule a free consultation with KMT Systems today!

 

Advantages of Having Smart Door Locks for Your Business or Home

Advantages of Having Smart Door Locks for Your Business or Home

In the last few years, the demand for smart locks, also known as access control, has skyrocketed. What is a smart lock? Smart locks are electromechanical locks that are designed to lock and unlock a door when it receives instructions from an authorized device. You can find many of these locks installed in office buildings or warehouses in areas that would need heightened security since it can be hard for one singular person or a team of people to check every single person that goes into certain places. Smart locks can be customized to grant access to a specific person at a specific time and can track when the person comes and goes!

These days everyone has a mobile phone, and not only does everyone have phones, but also tablets and other forms of “smart” devices. That is why the integration of smart door technology with added features such as biometrics scanning, keypad password, card swipe and other functionalities is so important to home and business owners. These functions give you the ability to carry on throughout your day knowing that the only persons who can go through the door are those that have been authorized to do so.

It can sound very complex and even intimidating, but it truly is a simple process. Smart locks are created to help efficiency and don’t affect how you’d go on with your day. Smart locks just add an extra layer of security on who arrives and who leaves using the advanced door lock that you have installed. In fact, many smart locks utilize apps that have a variety of features such as locking, unlocking, scheduling access, and notifying you through text messaging, e-mail or push notifications when someone has opened the door.

 Smart locks are also beneficial to homeowners. Smart locks have the capability of being paired with devices such as Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, and Google Home. This increases connectivity in your home which makes knowing who is coming and going easy and secure. With a combination of sound-detecting software and advanced locking mechanisms, your home or office is protected with layers of security.

Now that you know a bit more about smart locks, schedule your free consultation with KMT Systems to see how smart locks fit into your security plan.

What Questions To Ask When Buying Home Security

What Questions To Ask When Buying Home Security

Picking the correct home security system and monitoring company can be incredibly difficult and tedious.

There are quite a few questions involved while making a decision on Home Security and the protection of your family.

What brand is the most reliable?

Do I need professional installation?

Does the company offer a security app?

Should I go with a local or national provider?

At the end of the day, there’s a lot to consider.  To save time and to help you get the most protection, ease of use and value, we have put together a list of questions you need to ask before making a decision on what and who to choose for home security.

Asking the following questions helps ensure that you are making a well-informed decision.

1.  Is the system professionally monitored?

Professional monitoring is the benchmark of home security. If there’s a home intrusion or emergency at home, it’s comforting to know that your home security system can send an emergency signal to alert emergency response officials that you’re in need of help.

KMT Systems recognizes that there is no substitute for having a system that is professionally monitored, which is why all of our systems come standard with around-the-clock monitoring coverage.

2.  Will it withstand the home criminal toolkit? 

Not all security products are designed the same. Avoid having thieves circumvent your system by ensuring that it comes with these following features:

  • Crash and Smash Warranty. It’s common practice for burglars to smash a home’s security panel to disable it from communicating with the security monitoring station. KMT Systems technology can detect a crash and smash attack and signal your monitoring station regardless of such an occurrence.
  • Cellular Communication – Sometimes mother nature or human interference can disrupt traditional phone communications, in which case, having our ‘cellular” feature will come in handy. This type of signaling technology is not dependent on your home’s broadband or phone line, and so it’s not vulnerable to outside attacks.
3.  What else will this system protect you from?

With the emergence of new technologies, the best home security systems are now equipped to protect your home from far more than home intrusions.

KMT Systems offers a line of devices that can sense and respond to hazards, such as fire, carbon monoxide and water leaks. They can also save you time and money, solving problems like energy waste, and lost keys.

With the ability to respond to more dangers and challenges, KMT Systems offer you more value than the traditional home security system.

4.  What happens if something malfunctions or stops working?   

Regardless of how many cool features a security system may have, they’re virtually useless if the security system does not work when you need it. When you purchase a stand-alone security system, you are left to fend for yourself when a device or component of the system needs professional attention.

With KMT Systems, help is always a phone call away. Our technicians can be quickly dispatched to troubleshoot your system, and in some cases, issues may be fixed remotely.

5.  Does it include smart home devices?

Smart home technology is more than just a home improvement trend, and it almost goes without saying that it’s here to stay. The right security system will set you up with everything you need for a smart home. In fact, it’s the easiest way to own one.

KMT Systems carries a wide range of essential smart devices, from smart locks, smart thermostats, connected video cameras, smart lights, video doorbells, and more.

Controlling an KMT Systems – powered smart home is easy. Our smartphone app controls everything, or you can use your voice with Amazon Echo. When it comes to automation, KMT Systems makes smart homes smarter.

Still have some lingering questions? Give us a call at (770) 284-3144 

Advancements in Alarm Monitoring

Advancements in Alarm Monitoring

KMT Systems offers Alarm Monitoring as one of our primary services to help protect lives and property in homes and businesses. Popularized in Hollywood TV shows & movies, alarm monitoring has changed drastically in the last few years, providing better results than the classic security guard sitting in front of a wall of televisions with a doughnut and spilled coffee.

Alarm Monitoring Improvements

Security tools like video cameras and motion sensors have improved drastically to help improve false alarm rates, and deliver reliable, loss-prevention tools.

Now, artificial intelligence and integrated technology can do the majority of monitoring work.

In fact, modern security technology can:

  • Distinguish burglars from other moving objects
  • Alert operators and provide real-time footage using KMT Systems service
  • Send automatic notifications to property owners via push, email, or text notifications
  • Eliminate wasted time watching a wall of monitors and recordings

Alarm Monitoring Technology

Technological advancements have made it possible to remove on-site security guards and people watching a wall of monitors. That form of security monitoring is ineffective and is riddled with the potential for human error.

Now, security cameras can be directly integrated with additional security devices, and the alarm monitoring center to provide direct alerts when an alarm is triggered.

For example, if a burglar opens a door and trips a motion or door sensor, the camera can activate and send a video feed directly to an operator who can then make calls to police and property owners or in the case of an home security system it can send a push notification straight to your mobile phone.

The Alarm Monitoring Process

Advancements in the alarm management process have helped ensure consistent, meaningful responses. Now, you don’t have to worry if the person protecting your home is distracted, playing with their phone browsing social media.

Instead, our alarm monitoring operators are on call 24/7, continually handling alarms, helping protect the lives and properties of tens of thousands of people, instead of just a single location.

What does the monitoring process look like?

Of course, it depends on the type of alarm that comes through, and the events that a device is looking for. As an example, fire alarms are different from security alarm protocols because of how response times influence the outcomes and benefits.

Today, most low-priority alarms can be handled by delivering push notifications to the system owner. If a battery gets low, for example, a simple text will let the owner know that it needs to be replaced.

A high-priority, on the other hand, like a fire or intrusion, will require an operator response, reaching out to police and property owners alike to inform them of the situation at hand, and allow them to respond accordingly.

 

Eight Common Home Security System Misconceptions

Home security systems are a proven deterrent against burglary and have helped save countless lives from fire and other emergencies when professionally monitored. Millions of people have experienced the benefits of having a professionally-installed home security system, but there are many more who still view security systems as expensive, unnecessary, or inadequate. With KMT Systems being Atlanta’s foremost security provider, we’ve taken the time to dispel several of the most common misconceptions about home security systems to show you how they can help to secure both your home and your family.

I don’t have anything worth protecting.

Many homeowners don’t believe they’ve accumulated enough “stuff” to warrant investing in a security system, but burglars aren’t always after the plasma screens and family jewels. Guns and prescription pills are some of the highest-targeted goods because they are easy to move on the street at a high value. Even then, most people own electronics of some sort – televisions, computers, phones—or personal documents that are also targeted by thieves. The average cost of a burglary is $2,251 per incident, but the psychological cost or long-term damage can be much higher.

Additionally, the most valuable thing you stand to lose is your life. Protecting yourself and your family from home invasion, fire, carbon monoxide poisoning, and the like is well worth the investment in a 24/7-monitored home security system.

Home security systems are too expensive.

If this were the 1960s, you might have a point. Technology has advanced so much in the last few decades that a reliable, high-quality, professionally-installed home security system can be purchased for only a few hundred dollars. Professional monitoring of said system can be purchased for the price of a night of take-out for the family per month. Again, it’s a worthwhile investment when considering what a burglary or home fire would cost you.

I already have a security system—my dog.

Dogs can certainly act as a deterrent to home invaders, but a barking dog isn’t going to do much to stop a burglar whose mind is made up. Most home burglaries occur during the day, so a barking dog is likely to be ignored by neighbors who hear the same dog barking at the mailman or passersby daily. In the event of a home invasion, most dogs nowadays are family dogs who are socialized not to jump on people entering the house. They are easily swayed by treats or some small amount of attention. If a dog does act aggressively toward a burglar, the sad truth is the dog is likely to be harmed or worse in the process of the burglary. What’s more, no matter what Lassie may have led you to believe, the odds are your Pomeranian will not be able to rescue you if your home goes up in flames. Especially if you consider your dog a part of your family, your pup deserves the same protection afforded to the rest of your household.

Your pet is a valued member of your family, but perhaps not the best source of security.

I have pets, so a security system won’t work for me.

If you own Marmaduke or a small elephant, a security system might not be for you. For the rest of us, there are pet-friendly motion sensors whose sensitivity can be adjusted to ignore the movement of small- to medium-sized pets whose sensitivity can be adjusted. It’s just one benefit of professional installation—a custom-engineered solution to fit your (and your pet’s!) needs.

I can just put a security system up myself.

One piece of advice: don’t. Firstly, the “latest and greatest” do-it-yourself (DIY) devices aren’t made to the same standards as those made by professional security vendors. When you hear about home security devices being hacked, it is almost always a DIY device. Even if DIY devices were of higher quality, designing a security system for any building requires thorough training and an understanding of the capacities and limitations of every single device going into the house. Even basic considerations such as device placement can affect the overall functionality of a home security system. Professional security providers have a wealth of experience and training in system engineering and installment that most well-intentioned DIYers have never received. In short, something as vital as securing your property and family is better left to the professionals.

Modern “smart home” security systems are easily hackable.

There’s been a lot of noise in the media about the deficiencies of homes that utilize the internet to connect their devices. Namely, how someone with malicious intent can hack into various devices and control their security system or even communicate with those inside the house. These concerns are valid, but a quick look at these incidents reveals they occurred on DIY systems. Professional security providers use sophisticated, highly-rated control panels and devices that utilize security protocols such as high-level encryption to protect homes from hacking. Making sure to password-protect your home Wi-Fi, another major risk factor should help to cover the rest of the bases. Something a professional security provider is likely to tell you during installation. If you’re willing to spend money on a DIY system that contains security deficiencies, it’s spending the small amount more to have a professional put in high-quality devices.

Professionally-installed smart home systems are far more secure than the problematic “DIY” solutions flooding the market.

Can’t an experienced burglar just cut my phone line, rendering my system useless?

While an uncommon occurrence, this is technically possible on dated plain-old-telephone-service (POTS) lines and systems that use them. Most telephone service providers are turning away from copper phone lines as it is and turning to voice-over-IP (VOIP) lines that are incompatible with most security systems. Forward-thinking security providers such as KMT Systems have turned away from installing phone line-dependent systems in homes and now almost exclusively install home security systems that utilize cellular and internet communication. With these cellular communication devices, there is no phone line to cut, making home security systems more reliable than ever.

I live in a nice neighborhood. I’ll just lock my doors.

Believe it or not, the more affluent neighborhoods can be targeted the most frequently. It’s a simple calculation of risk/reward on the part of the prospective burglar: what house is more likely to have goods of the most value to me? The very mentality of “my neighborhood is nice enough” actually encourages burglars to target these “nice” neighborhoods with more frequency. If you think your neighborhood will be targeted by burglars, you’re more likely to get a security system, and smart burglars understand that. Also, considering the fact that most home burglaries occur by simply breaking in the front door, a normal door lock isn’t likely to cut it.

The KMT Advantage

As you can see, home security systems are safer, more advanced, and more affordable than ever before. If you’re interested in finding out what a professional-grade security system has to offer you and yours in terms of protection, look no further than KMT Systems. KMT has been securing Georgia homes for 15 years and uses that experience to customize security solutions to fit your individual needs.

To learn more about purchasing a security system for your home, talk to an KMT Systems Customer Representative at (770) 284-3144