Month: May 2017

Summer months are carefree and as the temperatures rise, people become a lot more laidback. Unfortunately, these happy-go-lucky attitudes have a bit of a negative effect, as July and August are the most common months for break-ins. As a result, it’s important to know how you can protect your home while you’re on vacation.

Homes are left for weeks at a time, and most people fail to use basic tactics to prevent these summer burglaries. Keep your belongings safe and protect your home while you’re on vacation with these easy tricks.

Hire a house-sitter

While a bit on the pricey side, the most secure way to make sure that burglars don’t target your home is to have someone staying there. A house-sitter keeps your home running, from watering plants and getting the mail to feeding pets, which prevents burglars from thinking that there’s no one home. Not an option? Ask some friends or family to stop by for help with these tasks, instead.

Plug in an electrical timer

A dark house is a clear sign that no one’s home, but it’s expensive to leave lights on for the entire time you’re away. A good alternative is an electrical timer, which you can plug into the wall and set to turn your lights on and off at random times.

Stop the mail

Having piles of mail sticking out of your mailbox is a surefire sign no one is home. If you don’t have someone coming by to check on your house every now and again, then you can ask the post office to stop your mail for specific dates. If you’re ordering packages, request to pick them up instead of having them dropped off at your house.

Remove spare keys

You won’t be home, so that spare key isn’t necessary! Hide your key somewhere in your house instead of leaving it out where strangers could find it when you’re gone. If you have someone coming by, give them their own copy of your house key to lessen the chance for someone else finding it.

Put your valuables in a safe

If you haven’t already, put your valuables in a wall safe before you leave. If burglars do end up coming in, they won’t be able to get to your valuable possessions.

Privatize your social media

It’s tempting to post every detail of your vacation on social media, but it’s better to wait until you get home to post that sunset picture. Check-ins, posts, and geotags all alert burglars that you aren’t at home. If you do feel the need to post, make sure that your account is on private so that only your selected friends can see that you’re away.

Keep your blinds open

One of the most common mistakes that people make is closing their blinds when they leave for vacation. A closed up house is a tip to burglars, especially if you normally keep your blinds open. By leaving the blinds up, it seems like you’re home and going about your day like normal. Just be sure to hide your valuables from view.

Another great way to protect your home while you’re on vacation? Installing a verified security system from Sonitrol. Enjoy your vacation knowing that your home is safe in Sonitrol’s hands.

Did you know police officers respond to an average of 36 million security system alarms each year, costing about 2 billion dollars? That’s a lot of money. And over 90% of the calls the police get are false alarms, costing time as well as money.

False alarms prevent true burglaries from being stopped, keeping police from stopping crimes that are actually happening. Fortunately, Sonitrol’s security systems utilize technology to reduce false alarms, as well as other common security system issues.

Here are a few of the ways Sonitrol’s system goes above and beyond the average security measures:

Using Audio Technology

Firstly, Sonitrol’s verified alarm systems surpass standard security measures to stop crime. When something triggers your alarm, our verified security systems allow our monitoring professionals to access audio and assess what is happening. Since our alarms are sound-based, we can tell if it’s just a case of a forgotten code or if it’s something more serious.

Reducing False Alarms

In the case of a false alarm, our monitoring professionals can simply reset the system without bothering anyone. But if there is a break-in, we can dispatch the police immediately and keep them updated with the situation in real-time. Thanks to this system, Sonitrol has the highest apprehension rate and lowest false alarm rate in the industry.

Achieving Faster Response Times

Sonitrol’s goal is to reduce false alarms and increase criminal apprehension. With the aid of police officers, our verified response technology is the leader in the industry. Non-verified systems can expect up to a 45-minute response time from the police, while Sonitrol’s Verified Response system is over 5 times faster with responses taking an average of 8 minutes.

Apprehending More Criminals

Finally, Sonitrol security systems apprehend more criminals. With over 173,000 apprehensions, Sonitrol systems average about 1 apprehension every 111 minutes. 20% of these apprehensions were made before the criminals even entered the building. Non-verified alarms waste police time, resources, and money with an average of less than 1% apprehension rate.

These statistics prove that Sonitrol goes above and beyond the standards for security systems. Protect your home or business with a verified security system from Sonitrol. Contact our sales department today!

The most important part of your security system is the passcode. These four digits are like a key to your house. The more secure these numbers are, the more secure your home is. From forgotten passwords to false alarms, Sonitrol has experience dealing with all ranges of security alarm code problems.

Here are some tips to protect your security alarm codes and keep your home safe.

Stay away from commonly used codes

Stand out from the crowd and pick a password that protects you. A DataGenetics study of 4-digit passwords found that almost 11% of the 3.4 million security alarm codes that were surveyed were “1234.” Try to avoid patterns, like “2580,” which goes straight down. Also avoid sequences taken from dates, social security digits, and phone numbers.

Pick a code you’ll easily remember

To choose the code that will protect you best, make sure that you can actually remember it. Our tips for choosing a security alarm code you can remember? Spell something out with your code, or use a mnemonic device to remember it.

For example, you can remember the seemingly random selection of numbers “5397” by knowing those numbers spell out the word “keys” on the keypad. Now, that random series is a word you can easily remember.

Give each user their own individual code

While it may seem easier to use the same set of numbers for every user, it’s actually safer to pick a unique set of numbers for everyone using the system. By continuing to randomize the codes that are being used, it makes each one a little bit more difficult for intruders to crack.

Do not write down your security alarm code

Writing down your code is dangerous! It may seem like common knowledge to avoid putting your passcode by the keypad, but it’s important to be reminded of the fact. If you cannot remember the code without a note, do not just write down the four digits.

Try to conceal it by putting other random numbers in. If you know that every other number is your code, “6481” becomes “060408010,” so that if that note does fall into the wrong hands, it is significantly more difficult to guess the password.

Don’t share your code with others

Sharing is caring, but keep your code to yourself! By letting friends and colleagues know about your security passcode, you are putting yourself at a higher risk. Treat your security code like a key to your house, and keep it close to you.

Update your code frequently

Finally, you should change your code at least twice a year. And if there’s ever any worry someone has accessed your code, update your security alarm code immediately.Worried about forgetting your new passcode? Just change one digit from your old code to make it easier to recall.

If codes still seem a little too difficult to remember, there are other options! Sonitrol offers alternatives like a mobile app, a card, or a key fob. If you need further assistance, be sure to contact a Sonitrol sales consultant for your free security assessment. Call us today!