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Homeowners: Beware of Unlicensed Security Companies

/1 Comment/by American Alarm Blogging Team

beware unlicensed security companiesControlling the safety of your home has never been easier. With a simple click from your smartphone or tablet, you can open windows, unlock doors, even start your car — but before you hire a home security company to protect your valuables, you should first do some research.

A recent letter from the Massachusetts Systems Contractors Association warns consumers about the dangers of hiring unlicensed companies to secure your home.

It said security companies in the state are required to be licensed by the State Board of Electrical Examiners and have a public safety license to protect you from people who may have a criminal background and to ensure their system effectively works in an emergency situation.
Watch our video below for this and important tips to consider when selecting your home security company:

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Selling Your House? Follow these Home Security Tips

/1 Comment/by American Alarm Blogging Team

The last thing you want to worry about when you put your home up for sale is whether some thief is going to rip you off while you’re showing your home.

Home Security Tips for Selling your HouseAlthough protecting your home and your valuables is something that you have to consider when you list your home for sale, there are some common-sense steps you can take to keep from being burglarized when you put it on the market.

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Home Security: Protect Your Car While It’s Parked in Your Driveway

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

If you think your car is safe parked in your own driveway – think again.

Recently, a man in Waltham, Massachusetts was arrested for allegedly trying to steal another car and its contents, according to the Waltham Patch.

car-thiefPolice arrested the man after they caught him fiddling around under the dashboard of a car while it was parked in the driveway of a home — and this car was allegedly not his only target. Waltham Police Sgt. Joseph Guigno credits “good old fashioned police work” in apprehending this man — but what steps could have been taken to catch this criminal sooner?
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Home Security: Safety Tips while On Vacation

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Spring vacation is just around the corner, and keeping your home safe and secure is a full-time job no matter how far away your travels might take you. Just because you are on vacation doesn’t mean that local thieves and burglars have also decided to take some time off — in fact, a significant number of houses are targeted because their owners are out of the area and they have been marked as an easy score.

Spring Vacation

Don’t worry — there are a number of ways you can make your home a less appealing choice for burglars even when you can’t be around. Let’s take a look at a few easy ways to keep thieves from ruining your relaxed state of mind after you’ve come home from vacation.

Below we outline our top 3 tips to keep your home safe while on vacation:

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Home Security: What Your Burglar Won’t Tell You

/1 Comment/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Burglaries in the US have increased from 2010 to 2011, according to an FBI preliminary report issued in June 2012.

One of the more obvious ways to deter a potential thief is by installing a home security system.

17255779_BG3In the past few years publications like Reader’s Digest and news outlets in various US cities like Stoughton, Mass. have taken us inside the mind of a burglar, compiling tips to give us more insight into other ways to thwart would-be thieves. Read more →

Holiday Home Security and Safety Series: Thanksgiving Away-From-Home Safety

/6 Comments/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Crime doesn’t take a break for the holidays.

In fact, statistics show most burglaries are residential (74.5% of all burglaries in 2011, according to the FBI), and incidences of these crimes spike during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. The fact that people are away from home, coupled with a struggling economy and the desire for money for holiday shopping, contribute to the increase in property crimes.

That’s why we at American Alarm encourage you to take extra steps to ensure your home is secure during the holiday season, particularly if you’re traveling for the Thanksgiving holiday. Read more →

Invest in Peace of Mind with Radio Back-up Monitoring

/3 Comments/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Gone are the days when wireless communications were considered the weak links in emergency response systems.

Radio and cellular systems have become so robust that they’re now the backbones used by first responders and recovery teams when disaster strikes, especially when wired infrastructure has been obliterated by heavy winds, flooding, winter storms or an earthquake. Read more →

Break-ins Pile Up In Newton and Carlisle

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Two Massachusetts municipalities have suffered through a recent spike in break-ins and robberies – and thieves have made off with items ranging from laptops and iPods all the way up to professional business equipment. Even more worrisome are cases where break-ins are reported but no theft has occurred, causing residents to fear the true intentions of those involved.

The incidents, which have been piling up in Newton and Carlisle, should remind homeowners and business proprietors of the importance of protecting their properties – and families – from intrusions by installing high quality burglar alarm systems that can serve as deterrents to potential thieves. Read more →

Security System Credentials: Don’t Get Burned By Fly-By-Night Contractors

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

cheap home security systemsInstalling a security system isn’t like installing a satellite dish: you can’t just do a quick Craigslist search and have someone come to your house and do a bang-up installation job.

Unfortunately, there are a number of so-called professional home and business security companies out there that misrepresent their actual licensing and certifications, and whose employees pose as legitimate, authorized burglar alarm installation technicians when the reality is quite different. Read more →

Fire and Security Maintenance – Keeping Your Systems Up To Spec

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Security and fire alarm systems are only useful if they work when they’re called upon to alert business owners or home owners to break-ins or fires. One of the easiest ways to ensure that your alarm is capable of answering the call of duty is to respect its maintenance schedule.

Keeping up with alarm system maintenance is easy, and it’s key to reducing the number of false alarms related to problems with equipment. Let’s take a look at some of the key aspects of ensuring the safe and continual operation of your security or fire monitoring system. Read more →