by Tommy Smith | Aug 9, 2017 | HOME SECURITY TIPS
Summertime means more activities in and out of your home. Where do you hid the spare key so the children can use it or you lock yourself out of the home doing outside chores? Here are some of the worst and best places to hide your spare key.
Worst Places to Hide Your Spare Key
Where will the burglar look for the key? They will start on the top door sill, look in the porch light, look under the front mat, under the potted plant, look into the fake rock next to the front door, in the mailbox on the window ledge near the front door, or the break open the magnetic key holder. Worst places to hide the spare key…
- Under the mat
- Above the door
- Under the flower pot
- On a window ledge near the front door
- The fake rock out of place near the front door
Best places to Hide Your Space Key
Nothing says you need to place the space key near the front door. Here are some better options.
- Give a spare key to a trusted neighbor.
- Use your BBQ grill or A/C unit in the back yard to hide the spare key.
- A fake rock will work if you have other rocks around it.
- Put the key in an outbuilding or shed.
- Place the spare key under the dog house.
- Use the new locks that open and close from your smart phone.
- Use a sophisticated keypad deadbolt lock.
Conclusion
Don’t put your spare key in the obvious places where a burglar will look. Choose other options away from the front door. These places may be less convenient, but you and your family will be safer. Check in next week for another summer home security tip.
by Tommy Smith | Aug 9, 2017 | HOME SECURITY TIPS
Home Security Contracts a New Model… T Mobile has been credit for changing the cell phone industry. They were the first to move away from two year cell phone contracts so many consumers hated. They recognized that with changing technology and changing cell phone usage, people do not want to be held hostage to a two year contract.
T Mobile took a business risk. They understood the cell phone industry made their money from two year contracts. Companies would provide free phones and then make their money from monthly cell phone charges. Once T Mobile achieved success with their no contract business model, other cell phone companies were forced to adopt new business contracts. Thank you T Mobile.
Home Security Contracts a New Model
Unlike other home security companies, Protection Concepts has never had yearlong home security contracts. We realized that we were taking a business risk with shorter contracts. We also knew that consumers did not want to be held hostage to long term contracts. Technology changes; people’s life style changes.
Simply put, with shorter monthly contracts, we work hard every day to earn your business and trust.
If you are tired of long term home security contracts costing you lots of dollars, give us a call. We can show you how to our shorter contracts can save you dollars while you provide total security for your family.
by Tommy Smith | Aug 9, 2017 | Home Security Cameras, HOME SECURITY SYSTEMS, HOME SECURITY TIPS
On our blog, Protection Concepts shares many tips on preventing home burglaries. I thought you would benefit from tips from the insurance industry on ways to prevent home burglaries. Here’s a short article I found from the insurance perspective on how to prevent home burglaries.
Taking steps to prevent theft can reduce your insurance premiums and save you from the heartbreak of losing items that are worth more to you than money. The ring that your grandmother gave you, your great-grandfather’s watch, the charm bracelet that all of your children saved to buy as a Mother’s Day gift, or a special item that you bought on your honeymoon can’t be replaced if they are stolen.
Preventing Home Burglaries.
Invest in solid doors and good quality locks on doors and windows. This includes on all sliding glass doors as well. Make it not only difficult but also time consuming for a burglar to gain entry.
Whenever you go outside, lock the door and take the key with you, even if you are just stepping next door or out mowing the back yard.
Don’t put valuables where they can be seen from the window, especially items that can be easily carried.
Be sure your garage door can be secured. Do not leave it open when you are away; an empty garage broadcasts your absence.
When you aren’t home, use a timer set to turn interior lights on and off at varying intervals as though your home was still occupied.
Don’t keep large amounts of cash or really valuable jewelry around the house.
If someone comes to your door asking to use the telephone, make the call yourself. Don’t invite them in.
Don’t hide a spare key under the door mat or under a flower pot. Thieves know all the good hiding places
Plant thorny bushes under all windows. Trim back any trees or shrubs near doors and windows to eliminate hiding places for would-be thieves.
Don’t leave ladders outside. Keep any tools that could be used to break in your home safely locked away in a garage or shed.
Get a barking dog or “beware of dog” signs. If you own a dog and go out of town, have someone come in and care for your dog in your home
Always double check doors at night and lock all windows
Engrave all valuables such as stereos, microwaves, video cameras, with your driver’s license number. (Engraving tools are usually available through your local law enforcement agency.) Videotape the contents of your home. Keep the video and the list of all valuables in a safe place, such as a safety deposit box
Conclusion
Your are concerned about home burglaries. Your insurance company is concerned about preventing home burglaries. Protection Concepts is concerned about preventing home burglaries. Call us to see the tools we can provide you to prevent a home burglary happening to your home.
by Tommy Smith | Aug 9, 2017 | HOME SECURITY TIPS
Crime Spotting Tools for Your Neighborhood…Have you ever wondered what types of crimes are being committed in your neighborhood? Or perhaps you are looking at a new house in Atlanta and wondered what types of crimes are being committed in the new neighborhood?
There is a free website that provides a weekly email crime report based on your Zip Code. If you want to learn more about this site, go to http://spotcrime.com/. You can sign up for a weekly email report about your neighborhood. Each week this website will provide to you via email a report on your particular zip code. It will identify what types of crime are being committed in your area.
You can also download the free Yale Crime Watcher app, which displays burglary statistics within a mile of your home, during a one-month period. Go to your app store for this free app.
Here’s a recent map from some Atlanta neighborhoods. Use one or both of these free tools to keep one step ahead of the bad guys.
If you would like a free analysis of your home security needs, give us a call.
by Tommy Smith | Aug 9, 2017 | HOME SECURITY TIPS, PERSONAL SAFETY TIPS
We are just past the one year anniversary of the infamous “Snowmageddon.” that completely paralyzed metro Atlanta. People were stranded in their cars for over 12 hours. While no such storms are predicted in the near future for Atlanta, we know there is plenty of winter left for 2015.
In the next two posts I will share some winter tips for security inside of your Atlanta home and outside your Atlanta home. Review this simple check list to make sure your winter systems are working properly in your home.
Winter Security Inside Your Atlanta Home
Carbon Monoxide Protector—have you check to see that this simple protection is working. Carbon monoxide is a silent, deadly killer, taking the lives of 1,000 people each year in the US. Make sure your protector is working properly.
Fire places—we love cozy fires in the winter time to take the chill out of the air. Practice good safety around your fire places. No gasoline or charcoal indoors. Have you had it checked for creosote buildup in your chimney?
Space heater—many families use space heaters as supplemental heat for certain rooms. Make sure these heaters are 3 feet away from flammable materials. Never leave your home without turning off these heaters. Every year we hear dozens of stories about home fires caused by space heaters.
Furnace—make sure your furnace is in good working condition. Change your filters and performed an annual maintenance on this vital winter system.
Frozen Pipes—can cause a mess in your home. If you have pipes on outer walls, you can cover them to prevent them from freezing. As part of our home protection system, we have waster/flood sensors that alert you went a water pipe has burst. There are also flood stop systems for water heaters.
Power Outages—are your prepared for a power outage like last year’s mega storm in Atlanta? People were without electricity fordays because an ice storm destroyed the power lines. Do you have the supplies you need in your home?
Conclusion
If you have lived in Atlanta, you know about the dangers of the winter season. It is not something to be fear. The winter season needs to be respected. By following the simple tips I have listed about, your home will be safer and more secure during the winter months. In the next post, I will share some tips about winter security outside your Atlanta home.
by Tommy Smith | Aug 9, 2017 | HOME SECURITY TIPS, NEWS
Winter Security Outside Your Atlanta Home
We spend a lot of time indoors during the winter months. You might guess that we don’t need to worry about home security. Guess again. Home burglaries occurs just as often in the winter months. Winter increases a number of safety issues.
In my last post I gave suggestions on how to keep the inside of your home safe and secure during the winter months. In this post, I will offer additional suggestions on keeping the outside of your home safe and secure during the winter months.
Sidewalks can be slippery with ice and snow. Eliminate this risk by cleaning the walkways, or adding salt and sand.
No body home! There is another reason for keeping your sidewalks and driveways clean of snow. It lets would be burglars know that someone is at home. Accumulated snow on walkways and driveways provide an open invitation that no one is home.
If you do receive substantial snow, many home owners blow the snow against their homes. Over the course of a cold winter this can provide a ramp to windows that provides a better access for the bad guys.
With longer cold spells you can have ice build up in your gutters. This can cause extensive damage to the inside of your home when it melts down the inside walls.
Burglars love to see trash with boxes in their weekly trash pickup that have indicated the home owner has just gotten a new TV or IPad or other products. Bag all trash in opaque bags so you are not advertising your latest purchases.
Winter means less daylight and more darkness. Outdoor lighting becomes even more critical in preventing home burglaries. Check your outdoor lighting and motion detection equipment to make sure they are working properly and the cold had not hindered their functioning.
Should you get snow that needs shoveling, be careful about the extra exertion needed to get the shoveling done. Back conditions and heart attacks are frequent with snow removal. Use a snow blower with care.
Check your garage security doors that may have not been closed properly because of ice and snow.
While technically not on the outside of your home, make sure your car has been winterized. A stalled car can put you and your family members at risk.
Review the above list of outside safety and security measures to make your home safe and secure for the winter months.
