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Tag: Safety Tips

Tips For Leaving The House
Criminals look for easy opportunities. Often that involves casing houses. They watching for patterns or windows of opportunity. Casing a house nowadays also includes using social media to see who is posting about going away on vacation. So, don’t make it obvious when you are not home.
Here are three tips for protecting your home while you are away.
- Make You Home Look Occupied There are lots of little things that you can do to make your home look occupied. Set your lights on a timer (our Total Connect app is great for that too!) Turn your TV or radio on – the noise adds an element of someone being home. You also want to to leave your curtains or blinds in the same position they are usually in.
  
  • Take Care of ChoresUn-shoveled driveways and junk mail piling up are sure signs that nobody is home. Have a trusted friend, neighbor or family member help out. Ask them to come by and shovel your snow, clean off your car and pick up the mail – and the junk mail!
  
  • Check Your Locks and Alarm System
  
  Double check all your doors and windows are locked. Test your alarm system as well. Call our Central Monitoring Station and let us know your test the alarm, then go ahead and set it off! Then let us know how long you’ll be away. We’ll note it on your account.
Adding a cellular module to your security system allowsyou to eliminate your phone service. Further, it means your system is not relying on another company’s service, nor is it relying on a physical wire coming off a pole and into your home, which can be cut – accidentally or on purpose. To add a cellular module to your security system as a means of communication call 1-800-265-5317 or just CLICK HERE.
December 4, 2015
Fall Safety Tips

Fall is here, the days have gotten shorter, the temperatures are cooler, and the leaves are starting to change colour. After a great summer, it’s time to get back into the swing of regularly scheduled household chores. It’s also the time to get ready for winter.
Here are a few fall security tips and safety tips that will keep you safe and secure all season:

Check your heating and cooling systems
• The air conditioner has been turned off or put away, its almost time to turn on the heat. Take this time to get your heating and cooling systems serviced and inspected. Make sure there are no electrical problems, cracked pipes or clogged filters. Damaged systems can cause serious problems including fires.

Remember to check your smoke detectors
• We’ve turned back the clocks and now it’s time to check your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors to make sure they’re working correctly. Doing so could save your life. This is a great opportunity to upgrade to monitored smoke detectors and carbon detectors on your security system for even greater security.

Improve your lighting
• Criminals prefer to take advantage of the darkness when committing crimes. During this time of year, the days are shorter and the nights are longer. This means that there’s more darkness for criminals to work with. Installing motion-activated lighting on your property is an easy and cost-effective way to improve your security.

Clean up your yard
• Rake leaves, clean gutters and perform maintenance on your property before the winter arrives. Doing so will keep your home safer and reduce the risk of floods, clogged drains and other issues.

Stock up on emergency supplies for winter
• Make sure you have shovels, ice salt and ice scrapers at home and in the car. It’s better to get them now before you need them than to be stranded without them during the first winter storm.

By being proactive and taking some precautions, you can be sure to have a safe, happy and secure fall. Take advantage of our Fall Life Safety special – buy 2 wireless smoke detectors or carbon monoxide detectors, get 10% off! Call 1-800-265-5317 or just CLICK HERE.

October 9, 2015
Summer Home Safety Tips

Secure it. Survey your property. Look for ways to get in. Be sure you have good locks on your doors. Lock up ladders, patio furniture, recycling bins and anything else a thief could use to climb up to a second-storey window. And never hide a key anywhere outside. Most criminals take advantage of opportunities, so a home that’s well protected is less likely to attract that kind of attention.

Keep it living.Your home is less likely to catch the attention of a thief if it looks like it’s being lived in. Draw the shades or curtains. Turn down the volume on your phone – constant ringing is a sure sign that you’re away – and don’t forget timers for your lights.

Maintain it.A home that’s well cared for is a less attractive target for thieves. Trim hedges that exceed window-height and cut evergreen branches up at least three feet from the ground to eliminate hiding places on your property. General maintenance also decreases the risk of other problems, especially water damage. Hot water tanks, toilets and pipes are the usual culprits, so keep them in good repair as prevention.

Shut it off.If you’re going on vacation for more than a few weeks, turn off the water to your home and drain the lines (turn on your taps for a few minutes and flush your toilets). The less water and pressure there is, the safer your home will be if a pipe, toilet or tank happens to burst. With the water on, even a tiny leak can cause devastating damage in a short period of time. Also shut off the gas and pilot lights in your furnace and electric appliances to minimize the chance of ignition if ever a gas leak occurs or the pilot light blows.

Make a friend. Find a friend or neighbour you trust to keep an eye on your home. Have her cut the grass, park a car in your driveway, pick up your mail and even put out some extra garbage on garbage day. Inside, she can occasionally adjust the blinds or other visible property. Guardians can also check for any water, fire or wind damage and stop it from spreading.

To schedule a free, no obligation security evaluation of your home, call 1-800-265-5317 or just CLICK HERE.

May 29, 2015
Preventing Break Ins

Break ins can happen anytime, anywhere. They take away your peace of mind and leave you feeling violated. Here are a few tips that you can to help reduce the chance of a break in happening to you.

Lock your doors and windows
It’s easy to want to leave your windows open during the summer to let in a breeze are to cool down the house, but it is also an invitation to burglars. When you’re not home, make sure your windows are closed – and locked. Use a bar for sliding glass doors, deadbolts for the main doors, and window bars on windows that are easily accessible.

Don’t Advertise Valuables

Don’t encourage burglars by putting high ticket items like your TV, computer, or jewelry box where they can be seen from the road. Close your curtains at night.

Get an Alarm System and Use It

A home with a monitored security system is three times less likely to be broken into. Make sure that you use it – and that everyone in the home is comfortable arming and disarming it. Arm the system when you are home alone or sleeping. In the event that anyone attempts to break into your home, the alarm will sound.

With a monitored alarm system, our central station is immediately notified if there is a crime in progress. The station can then contact you to inform you of the situation so that you can take appropriate action. The central station is also able the dispatch the appropriate authorities directly.

Use Lighting

Criminals don’t want to be seen while they are in the act of committing crimes. Have motion-activated lights installed on your property. Use lighting inside your home to deter criminals as well. If you’re going to be away for a long period of time, set your lights on a timer. With our award winning app Total Connect, your control the lights in your home from your smart device from wherever you are.

To schedule a free, no-obligation review of your home security plan, call 1-800-265-5317 or JUST CLICK HERE.

July 27, 2014
Winter Driving
Weather conditions can often be unpredictable, placing extra demands on your vehicle and your driving skills. Ensure you are well prepared for winter roads and always adjust your driving speed to road and weather conditions.

Always drive according to road and weather conditions. By staying alert, slowing down, you’ll have a better chance at maintaining control.
- Keep a distance of three car-lengths between you and the vehicle in front of you
- Keep your vehicle winter-ready with regular maintenance check-ups.
- Keep your fuel tank at least half full
- Keep your windshield washer fluid at least half full. Keep an extra jug in the vehicle.
- Clear all the snow and ice from your windows, lights, mirrors and the roof.
- After starting your vehicle, wait for the frost or fog to clear from the inside of the windows.
- Check the air pressure in the tires regularly. Cold weather decreases air pressure quickly.
January 10, 2014