Top Three Home Security Tips for Recent Movers

/1 Comment/by American Alarm Blogging Team

home-security-tips-recent-moversMoving into a new home is a busy time for families and individuals who are suddenly faced with what seems like endless list of chores they need to accomplish in order to bring the house up to spec. One of the most important considerations when tackling the work that goes into transforming a house into a home is to make sure that your property is safe and secure for everyone who lives inside. Below are three home security tips for recent movers.

1) Check Locks and Latches

It seems like a relative no-brainer, but it’s easy enough to forget to re-key all of the locks in your new home as soon as possible. Most people will have the front doors done immediately, but it’s crucial to make sure that any side doors, back doors, and gates are also taken care of at the same time. This is especially important given that these entryways are often shielded from view, making them ideal access points for would-be burglars. A check of your house’s window latches and locks is also in order, as these can wear out with time and are frequently a low maintenance priority for sellers. Read more →

Modern Business Security Systems: A Primer For Property Managers

/1 Comment/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Owners of investment real estate properties understand the value of highly skilled property managers. Property owners, especially those that own multiple income properties, rarely have the time or expertise to manage the day-to-day operations, and routine maintenance of their properties. That’s where a property manager comes in.

A property manager has many responsibilities, and is usually very good at multi-tasking. The property manager is the liaison between the owner, the occupants, and all the other people who interact with the building. He’ll be responsible for everything from collecting rents, or fees in the case of condominium properties, to keeping the building well occupied and maintained. Read more →

Home Security Options: Text Message Alerts When Child Arrives Home

/3 Comments/by American Alarm Blogging Team

home security and latchkey kidsBusy schedules often mean that family members are not always able to arrive home from work or school at the same time. The “latch-key kid” phenomenon is hardly a new one – children and teenagers have been beating their parents back to the house after getting off the school bus for decades – but advances in home security systems mean increased peace of mind for moms and dads concerned about the safety of their offspring.

Some modern home alarm systems are capable of providing parents with remote alerts each time people come in the door – whether they’re welcome guests or unexpected intruders. This type of alert can be adapted so children can virtually “check-in” as soon as they arrive at their homes. By assigning individual access codes whenever the alarm system is deactivated, parents can receive text messages indicating the time of entry as well as the identity of the person who entered the house. Read more →

Top Five Ways to Protect Your Family From Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

/1 Comment/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Do you know that carbon monoxide is the most common cause of poisoning deaths in the United States? The fact is more carbon monoxide poisonings occur in the month of January than at any other time of the year. Did you also know, the best way to protect your family is with a carbon monoxide detector? Check out the video below to learn the top five ways to protect your family from this colorless, odorless, silent killer.

To learn more, read our November blog post on how to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.

How to Maximize Network Bandwidth with IP Video Surveillance

/1 Comment/by American Alarm Blogging Team

IP video surveillanceSystem administrators often have to look for innovative solutions for managing bandwidth when it comes to establishing IP video networks to accommodate your business video surveillance system. Because digital video can place a high demand on network resources, you have to do some careful planning to maintain expected service delivery standards, especially in larger facilities where you’ve deployed a formidable number of cameras.

Fortunately, there are a number of solutions available that can simplify the bandwidth requirements of remote video monitoring without compromising security or coverage. One of the most promising is moving from a unicast-type IP video network system to a multicast model. You can greatly reduce bandwidth requirements by avoiding direct, concurrent connections between IP cameras and workstations or recording systems requesting video feeds. Read more →