Home Security Beat

Beware of Home Security Frauds

Not only do you have to worry about burglars and people stealing your identity, but you also have to be concerned about potential home security frauds. Just because one company is dirty doesn’t make all of them that way, but you definitely need to be cautious when choosing a home security system for your home.

Recently, CastleRock Security Inc., which is located in Arlington Heights, IL has allegedly provided false information with regard to its cancellation policies. If found guilty of this accusation, the company will have to deal with consequences of consumer fraud.

So how did this situation play out?

Many consumers reported that they were not able to cancel their service even after making several attempts to do so. The four former consumers who filed the lawsuit say that the company’s employees would omit pertinent information, which caused them to stay enrolled in the home security plan. As a result, these consumers incurred thousands of dollars for a service they didn’t wish to keep.

In addition to these four customers, the Better Business Bureau has a record of more than 750 complaints against this company. The lawsuit names CastleRock’s president Brian Johnson and also seeks to prevent the company from engaging in deceptive business practices in the future.

The state of Illinois has a Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act and an Automatic Contract Renewal Act to protect its consumers, so it will be interesting to see how this lawsuit resolves.

Before enrolling in any home security services, it’s important to ask as much information as you can, especially about the company’s cancellation policy. If you end up having trouble canceling your service, keep records of your phone calls and who you spoke with. Your phone records might serve as evidence, because it documents your attempts.

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Ways to Bring Your Home Up to Code

Do you know whether your home is up to code? Whether your buying a new house or staying in the one you currently reside in, it’s important to become familiar with its safety features or lack of safety features. Builders are responsible for ensuring that the structure is built and equipped with proper safety requirements, but if you’re buying or living in an older home, your structure might be over due for some improvements.

There are many different updates you might want to make, but consider making some basic adjustments first so your home is up to code. If you own a home built before 2000, here are some things you might want to start on:

• Install hard-wired smoke alarms in all of the bedrooms and even in the hallways near the bedrooms. These smoke alarms should also have a battery backup in case there is a power outage.

• Install ground-fault circuit interrupter receptacles in all rooms where water and electricity are available. This includes your bathrooms, any utility or laundry rooms and kitchen. These types of receptacles prevent people from getting shocked.

• Prevent electrical fires with ac fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs). These are used in bedrooms.

• Replace your shower valve with an anti-scald valve. This prevents the person in the shower from getting burned if someone else in the house flushes the toilet.

• Replace your current toilet with a low flow one. These are more efficient and will save you money on your utility bill.

• Replace windows in the bathroom and any windows near a staircase with tempered or safety-glazed. If someone were to hit the window, the tempered glass won’t shatter.

• Choose double-pane windows over single-pane ones. This is another way to make your home more energy efficient.

• Install handrails on indoor and outdoor staircases.

• Use a water tank with an expansion tank. This prevents your water heater from exploding if it gets too hot and expands.

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Ensure Your Sweetie Is Safe This Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, so what are you planning on surprising your sweetheart with? Of course, a romantic dinner, chocolates and maybe flowers are nice to show your significant other how much you care, but what about adding in some home security improvements? When you love someone, it’s important to protect them from harm and ensure that they’re safe, and there are many simple home security features that you can give as a gift.

Before buying just any home security device, consider what your Valentine is most in need of. First, think about basic home security products like locks, new windows, new doors, etc. If you recently noticed that you loved one’s front door is on its last leg, consider replacing it for him/her, or at least getting a gift card to Home Depot. It’s fairly easy to pick out locks and peepholes, but it’s a little more difficult to pick out a door for someone, especially if you’re not living together.

Another option if you live with your sweetheart is to surprise them with a high-tech security system. Consider options that will make your loved one’s life easier. When you can access lights, locks and other aspects of your home from a smartphone or the Internet, your home becomes more efficient. Gifts like this might seem so practical and boring, but if they will make a positive difference for the household, they are well worth it.

Even installing DIY security cameras outside the front door, garage and back door can be a nice surprise. Then all your Valentine has to do is view the surveillance footage at the computer to see who is at the door. This is a great idea if your sweetie has a home based business or is a stay at home parent.

Along with chocolates and roses, practical gifts can be meaningful too on Valentine’s Day, so show how much you care by providing a safer, securer home environment for your loved one.

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Enjoy Peace of Mind on Your Winter Vacation

Where are you heading this winter? Maybe you plan on taking friends and family on a weekend ski getaway or maybe you have decided to go off on your own and take a cruise to the Bahamas. Wherever you’re heading to get away from the winter gloom and snow, you need to be aware of your home security before you jet off without a care in the world.

Vacations are a great way to relieve stress, and it’s healthy to go off and enjoy different scenery for a change. However, the important part of vacationing is having a sense of peace and calm while you’re on the trip and when you return home. If you leave your house susceptible to theft, you’re not going to come back in good spirits.

The first order of business before leaving your home for an extended period is to make sure your locks are safe and secure. If you know that the lock on your front door is falling apart, don’t go on vacation until it’s fixed. Leaving the state for the weekend is beneficial for your sanity, but you need to put money toward a new lock for your security and safety.

Another issue in winter involves dealing with the fallen snow. When this piles up in your driveway, people are going to know that you’re away. So hire a trusted neighbor kid to shovel it while your gone. Also, those low hanging branches should be trimmed so everything is clear around your home. It’s also wise to fix those parts of your home that are deteriorating. For example, any loose boards or wood casings around the door should be repaired. These are just signs for a burglar to come break in and enter.

During the winter, there are so many reasons why you could be away from home. Between family getaways and school vacations, there are plenty of opportunities for thieves to target your home but don’t let them even think about it.

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Vivint Takes Home Security Solar

Depending on what forms of home security you setup, you’re going to be allocating more energy and electricity toward it. If you’re an eco-conscious individual, this aspect of home security might concern you. How much energy will those surveillance cameras and new security system use? Vivint is a home security company that is marrying eco-friendliness with its burglar prevention systems.

Vivint, formerly known as APX Alarms, will be announcing it’s new name and new take on home automation. Currently, the company has 16,000 homeowners using its alarm and energy management system, and Vivint hopes to expand into 100,000 more homes in 2011.

Right now Vivint offers a touch-screen home security system that you can control from your smartphone or Web page. In order to control your thermostat, you either need a smartphone or a computer connected to the Internet. The latest version of Vivint’s system includes wireless light switches and plugs for small appliances. The wireless technology connects to the Z-Wave protocol and communicates your request to turn off the stove or dim the lights. Through pre-set programs, homeowners can save around $25 per month on electricity bills.

Vivint is yet again changing up its system to include solar technology. Within the next few months, you can expect to see solar installation services from this company too. In addition, Vivint is looking into smart meters so they can provide rebates to consumers who perform energy packed jobs like washing dishes and clothes to off-peak times.

With solar energy in the mix, homeowners will be able to save even more on their utility bills every month. Controlling your home via your smartphone or computer is definitely the trend for the future of home security, but you don’t have to sacrifice your eco-conscious to have these incredible devices. In the years to come, it will be interesting to see how much more efficient homes get through the use of eco-friendly home security systems.

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Make It Through Winter Storms Safely

Winter storms can be beautiful and scary all at once, and it’s hard to tell which storms will really affect your town until the snow or freezing rain actually descends upon your home. Because the weather and wind patterns are constantly changing, it’s hard to tell which storm warnings you should heed. But when the lights go out and you’re in the darkness, there are some basic tips to follow.

If you have a feeling you’re going to be experiencing an extended power outage, it’s time to take action before the lights come back on. Maybe you see that a tree is down and has caused the electrical lines outside to go down, or maybe the weather is so bad that no one is permitted on the roads. In both of these cases, you’re not going to have electricity until conditions clear and someone can come out to your neighborhood. So you need to shut off the valve that allows water into your home and also drain water for any areas (e.g., water heaters, sinks, toilets, etc.).

When it comes to your food supply, you need to ration it out and preserve as much as you can. Therefore, don’t open the freezer and avoid opening the refrigerator. Food in the freezer if left untouched can stay frozen for 24 to 72 hours. It’s wise to wrap food in newspaper to prevent it from thawing — this is a great way to recycle too. If the food reaches a warming temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit, you shouldn’t freeze it again so eat it before it spoils. For the refrigerator, you can put the frozen ice outside from the storm in a container and use it to keep your food cold. However, when in doubt about food, just throw it out or compost it.

Dealing with major appliances such as the refrigerator and freezer during a winter storm can be a hassle, but by tending to these issues ahead of time, you can prevent food waste and ensure your family has sustenance for the next few days.

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Need Home Security? Find It on Security Cubed

Where can you go to find home security systems fast? It can take hours of research to find a trustworthy local company that has everything you’re looking for, and when you’re trying to make a choice right away, sometimes your friends and family aren’t available to give you a full review of the system they installed. Instead of wasting your time, check out a new online tool from Security Cubed. This new website is dedicated to helping individuals find the right security company, and it might enable you to find one.

Security Cubed has a wide range of trusted home security companies in your area. You will probably recognize some of the names they give you. In order to receive more information, all you have to do is fill out the simple online form, or you can contact one of the company’s representatives and receive information in 10 minutes by phone. Security Cubed’s goal is to track down appropriate home security for your needs and get you well on your way to having it installed so your property is more secure.

There are so many security companies and products out there, it can be overwhelming trying to choose which one is the best on top of which one meets your needs within your budget. Protecting your resident isn’t an easy task, but once you have the proper equipment to prevent break-ins, home security becomes exponentially easier.

Check out what Security Cubed recommends for you. There might be more options out there than you initially found when researching the phone book and online. This is a quick way to get yourself started. Sometimes taking those first steps are the hardest, but once you weigh the pros and cons and see your available options, your home security problems are solved after installation.

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Is Your Space Heater Leaking Carbon Monoxide?

Space heaters are incredibly luxurious during the inclement weather of winter. Sometimes your fireplace or heating isn’t enough to keep you warm when the temperatures drop below zero degrees Fahrenheit. However, it’s important to be aware that space heaters and home heating in general can cause house fires as well as carbon monoxide pollution. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), from 2005 to 2007, home heating was related to an average of 33,3000 fires and 180 deaths from fire every year during this two-year period.

Carbon monoxide is a gas that quietly kills, and it can be a byproduct from any fuel-burning appliances including fireplaces and furnaces. This invisible gas can’t be detect with the naked eye, and it can’t even be detected by smell. In order to keep this “invisible killer” away from your family, it’s important to check out your fuel-burning appliances every year and have a professional perform the inspection.

Here are some more tips:

• Never use portable gasoline-powered generators in small spaces like the garage, crawlspace or inside the home.

• Place portable generators as far away from your home and neighbors’ homes as possible, because they can leak carbon monoxide too.

• Avoid purchasing a space heater that hasn’t been safety-certified. These are often designated, and they will have the most advanced safety features. There are designs out there that automatically shut off when oxygen levels decrease too low.

• Don’t use portable propane space heaters indoors unless it’s specifically designed for inside use.

• Never use a gas or electric stove to warm your home, because they can leak carbon monoxide since they’re not made to heat a large living space.

Carbon monoxide can be more of a threat in the winter season, because your windows and doors are closed up for several months. It’s in your best interest to keep the indoors as pollution free as possible, and having carbon monoxide detectors is crucial if you’re going to be using fuel-burning appliances like a space heater throughout the year.

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Homes of the Future Are Available Now

What do you imagine homes of the future will look like? Obviously, a beautiful exterior is important, but a home that is aesthetically appealing and safe for your kids to live in is even better. Although the thought of having a house that can also babysit your kids to a certain point seems like a far fetched idea from the way distant future, it’s actually available in the present time with ADT home security.

Lifestyle expert and “Safety Mom” Alison Rhodes toured a home from the international builder’s show in Orland, Fla., which was managed by some of the best technologies available today. When you have technology working for you, your family is safer and you can become more efficient as a home unit.

One device in particular that Rhodes highlighted was ADT’s Home Pulse Monitoring System. From one unit, you can control lights, cameras and motion detectors.  Then you will be able to tell when your son or daughter arrives home from school, or you can check on your elderly family member when you’re not at home. If you left lights on or doors unlocked, you can fix the problem without driving all the way back home — what a time saver!

A common trend is smaller, more manageable homes instead of mansions, and it’s easy to manage a home when everything is accessible on a computer. You can view surveillance video from inside and outside of the house, or monitor your utility bills to keep costs down. The particular home Rhodes was touring had solar panels and was self-sufficient, but the monitoring system kept track of the energy usage.

This ADT system is available to anyone, and you can customize it to meet your safety needs and budget. By getting organized and installing an all-inclusive security system, you can have peace of mind when you’re away from home juggling your work and personal life.

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Could a Car Crash into Your Home?

Living by the highway can be an annoyance — the noise pollution, crazy drivers and potential passerby can make you crazy. However, living near a highway can also be a safety hazard for you and your family. In addition to worrying about people coming from the highway to break into your home, you also have to be cautious of car crashes into your house. It’s not uncommon for automobiles to become weapons — when they’re traveling at speeds of 70 or 80, it can spell a dangerous situation.

For a couple of homeowners in Sebring, Florida, this exact situation occurred. Owners of a mobile home were surprised to wake up and find a car that had driven through their house. Fortunately, no one was injured, but the driver left the scene of the accident. This situation could happen to anyone, but there are ways to prevent it from happening to you.

These mobile home owners live near a dangerous curve that drivers take too fast. Although warning signs have been posted up, drivers have literally crashed into them. If you have a steep hill or sharp curve near your home, it’s important to discuss preventative traffic measures with your local police department. Providing a safe road and neighborhood should be at the top of the list, but you might have to peacefully petition if your concern isn’t being heard.

For additional preventative measures, you can take matters into your own hands and build a fence. A sturdy fence around your property is a great idea for privacy, but a brick or wrought iron fence might be a good deterrent for vehicles too. You can also create your own warning signs near your property. To protect your mailbox, you can place a shield of wood or steel on the side or secure your mailbox into the ground with cement.

Waking up to find that a car has driven through your front door isn’t a good way to start the day, so if you live near a dicey road, some action on your part or at least your community’s is in order. You might also want to check into your homeowner’s insurance to find out whether a circumstance like this would be covered.

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