Homeowners across the broader Southwest region have watched as their neighbors go into foreclosure due to lost jobs and inflexible mortgage lenders. Unfortunately, some Phoenix, AZ homeowners may be ignoring their home security during this troubling time. Below, we’ve listed some tips to help you maintain your home throughout the recession.

Create a Neighborhood Watch Group: Talk to the homeowners around you about things you can do to keep up the neighborhood. Discuss group measures to preserve the appearance of the neighborhood, such as mowing lawns of unoccupied homes. It’s important that you show potential burglars that your block is still off-limits.

Install a Home Security System: One of the best ways to combat an intruder is with a home alarm system. Surprisingly affordable, this may be the most important thing you can do for your family and home security.

Change Your Locks: If you live in a rental, it’s important to change the locks when you move in. This is one of the simplest and least expensive home security measures in your arsenal, as well as one of the most effective. You can even ask your landlord to do it for you.

Remove Your Hide-a-Key: It’s amazing how many homeowners leave keys in easily accessible places. Think criminals are too stupid to look under your door mat? Think again. A safer alternative is a keypad door lock, which can be modified to accept a temporary code if you need to let someone in.

Home security for your Phoenix, AZ property has never been more important. Invest in some simple measures today, such as an ADT home alarm system, and you’ll be safe, rather than sorry.

For something as important as the safety of your family, home security often doesn’t rank as high on priority lists as other household routines. That’s a mistake, because nothing can change your life faster than a lapse in the protection of your property. Below, we’ve listed five of the most common mistakes that homeowners make. All can be easily remedied for immediately improved home security.

Unlocked Doors: In their rush to get to school or work, many people leave their front doors unlocked. No matter how safe and secluded you feel your home is, always secure the door, preferably with a deadbolt lock.

Open Blinds: Never leave your blinds open when you’re not home. Why give burglars a view into your house so they can see the value of your possessions?

Unlocked Vehicle: Many people keep garage door openers in their cars, along with information that includes your full home address. A criminal can easily steal these two items and use them to break into your home.

Unruly Landscaping: Aside from the aesthetic value of a nicely kept lawn and landscaping, tall grass gives criminals a place to hide as they scope out your home. Properties with unmowed lawns are also a sign to criminals that you are not home or have been away for a while.

Unarmed Home Alarm Systems: Home alarm systems can go a long way towards keeping your home and family safe…but only if it’s been armed. It takes mere moments to turn the system on using the keypad as you leave your home or go to sleep for the night. Those extra seconds spent turning it on could save your life or prevent your house from being robbed.

The installation of an ADT monitored home alarm system is a great way to immediately improve the security of your property, but there are additional measures you can take to improve key home security issues. Below, we’ve listed a few relatively easy Do-it-Yourself tips that can be taken care of in one afternoon.

Change Your Locks: Home security experts recommend changing your locks once every two years if you’re a homeowner, and more frequently if you rent. You give out your home keys more than you might think; friends, family members and even the occasional repairman all may have been past recipients. That’s not counting the folks who may have accessed your key (and potentially made a copy) without you knowing.

Plant Some Prickly Bushes: Landscaping is fun, adds value to your home and creates something beautiful that you can be proud of. It can also be a burglar’s worst nightmare. Strategically placed rose bushes under first floor windows block access to entry points, enhancing your home security.

Install Floodlights: Thieves thrive in darkness. It provides them with the cover they need to perform recon on your home. Eliminate the possibility of them skulking through the night by installing motion sensing floodlights around the periphery of your home. They’re available at your local hardware store, putting them up is a cinch, and they’ll offer a great deal of bang for the buck.

Remove Your Hide-a-Key: Many homeowners place a key under a mat or air conditioning unit for ease and convenience in case they find themselves locked out. The trouble is, burglars know that too. By leaving a key exposed, you open yourself up to an increased risk of a break-in. If you’re the kind of person that frequently forgets their keys, consider installing a door lock with a fingerprint reader or digital keypad.

The tips above are the perfect supplement to your home security system. They’re easy, inexpensive, and can all be finished today, so get started right away!

When it comes to home security, there is a certain something to be said about strength in numbers. There are several components that come together to determine how well-protected your property is. The easiest to value are physical, like home alarm systems or improved bolt locks on all doors. Then there are the “intangibles”, things that can’t be boiled down to statistics and data.

One of the most powerful things you can do under this second category comes with the establishment of a neighborhood watch group. Your house, as it stands, is just one part of a larger community. By bringing the other homes in your neighborhood into a collective security agreement, you ensure that crime won’t have a chance of taking hold.

Start small: invite your neighbors into your home for a short meeting about home security. This will likely be a get-together that people will be very willing to attend. Compose a short agenda, talking about the major points of home protection, such as the importance of maintaining lawns, locking doors, and reporting suspicious behavior around the neighborhood. Talk to your local police department; they will likely be thrilled to send out an officer to talk to the group.

A neighborhood watch group is especially important for maintaining home security while you’re away on vacation. Let your friends in surrounding homes know of your vacation plans ahead of time. That way, if they spot something out of the ordinary, they can take the appropriate steps to stop a crime before it happens.

Security and safety start inside your house with concrete measures like the installation of an ADT monitored home alarm system, but it doesn’t stop there. With the help of the other property owners that live in your neighborhood, you can keep your home even better protected from intruders.

When people think about their home alarm system, the first thing that usually comes to mind is the image of a burglar crashing through a window or busting through a door. Intrusion is certainly something that every responsible property owner needs to consider and confront as they ponder home security, but there are other hazards as well. One of the most potent is a silent, deadly killer: carbon monoxide.

Carbon monoxide is a seriously toxic gas, and one that is virtually impossible for a human being to detect until it’s too late. It is odorless, tasteless, and colorless. Large amounts of CO can kill within minutes, while smaller concentrations can build up and cause long term damages if breathed in over time. Either way, an effective method of detection is extremely important.

As an important part of your home security system, carbon monoxide detectors give you warning before levels reach a dangerous point. This can give you enough time to ventilate an area and bring in fresh air to lessen the amount of CO in a room.

Sometimes, however, that’s not enough. What if you’ve already been incapacitated by the time the alarm goes off? If you’re protected by an ADT monitored home alarm system with optional carbon monoxide detection, you have an additional layer of security. That’s because, in the event of an emergency, highly trained technicians at one of ADT’s five interconnected command centers across the country are automatically notified. From there, they can contact the appropriate local authorities to ensure a rapid and effective response. When it comes to carbon monoxide poisoning, every second matters; ADT knows that, and works to deliver the help you need as quickly as possible.

Homeowners should take carbon monoxide seriously as one of the main potential hazards around the property. With the help of ADT, you can greatly reduce the chance of your family coming to harm at the expense of CO.

1. Home Security is Affordable: At these prices, you virtually can’t afford to leave your home unprotected. For just a little more than a dollar per day, you can give your home the finest home security monitoring that money can buy.

2. Technology is changing: As technology evolves, so are the techniques of the criminal community. It has never been more important to stay ahead of crime with an innovative, cutting edge system.

3. Decals are a Deterrent: A cleverly placed sticker on your window or post in your lawn can let criminals know that your home is not an easy target. Let them know that they are dealing with a reputable company with more than 130 years of experience.

4. Your Home is Vulnerable While You’re Out of Town: Many folks don’t realize just how susceptible their home is to a break-in while they’re traveling. Criminals scout out unoccupied residences, waiting to pounce once the resident is out of town.

5. Insurance Doesn’t Cut It: Home insurance does protect against theft, but there will likely be a gap in what you believe your possessions are worth, and what your insurer pays you. The installation of a home security system will also almost always result in lower insurance payments each month.

6. Your Family Deserves It: More than your possessions think about your loved ones. They should be protected by the very best in home alarm technology and service.

7. Fire and Carbon Monoxide: Criminals aren’t the only things that put your family at risk. ADT home alarm systems offer both fire and carbon monoxide detection.

8. Fast Response Time: When an emergency occurs, seconds matter. ADT leads the industry in response time, meaning that local police, fire, and medical services will be there ASAP.

9. Installation is Easy: Many homeowners are daunted by the prospect of a complicated ordering and installation process. That couldn’t be further from the truth. From the beginning of your dealings with ADT, you’ll be impressed by the professionalism and knowledge of the sales representatives and technicians. They’ll answer all of your questions in easy to understand terms.

10. Peace of Mind: Lastly, think about your own peace of mind. Sleep easy knowing that you have the best in home security protecting your property.

Most residents of New York City wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. The Big Apple, with all of its people and excitement, can feel like the center of the universe. Of course, with all of that excitement comes danger, in the form of burglaries and home intrusions.

The New York Police Department (NYPD) publishes crime statistics weekly, and a quick glance at the data shows that continued vigilance is necessary. For the week of January 11-17, for example, there were more than 1000 grand larcenies and burglaries across the city. Avoid being one of those affected by adhering to the following home security tips for your New York City home.

Install a Home Alarm System: Alarms are important for New Yorkers, whether they live in apartments, townhomes, or houses. Installing an award-winning brand can make a real difference in your protection.

Change Your Locks: Many New Yorkers live in rental units. This begs the question: how many people had access to those keys before you moved in? Avoid a potential problem by changing the locks on your door each time you rent a new apartment. In fact, you can ask your landlord to perform this service for you, often free of charge.

Meet Your Neighbors: They’re not there just to socialize; the neighbors across the hall can be a powerful part of your home security plan. Have a candid discussion about what home security means to you. Encourage them to call you and the police if they spot suspicious behavior. It’s always better to respond to a false alarm than do nothing in the face of an emergency.

New York City is one of the most wonderful places on Earth. Don’t take any chances with your home security, and you’ll always be able to enjoy it.

Being a single parent is perhaps the hardest job on the planet. More often than not, single parents are mothers, and they face a unique set of challenges raising, providing for, and protecting their family. One of the most important issues faced by single moms in particular is home security. Luckily, with some simple measures, keeping your loved ones safe can be made much less daunting. Below, we’ve listed some tips for single moms who want to bolster their home security.

Install a Home Alarm System: For single mothers on a budget, an alarm system may not seem to be the most cost-effective way to secure the home. But for less than the price of your habitual cup of coffee each weekday morning, you can enjoy the peace of mind that comes with having the best name in security monitoring keeping you safe. Alarm systems can help protect your family from theft and burglary, fire, medical emergencies and carbon monoxide.

Talk to Your Community: Stay in contact with neighbors and friends to help keep an eye on your home and children. You and your family will benefit from the help you can get from the entire community. Carefully and gently explain your home security expectations with your children and let them know the difference between helpful neighbors and harmful strangers.

Put In Floodlights: No one wants to come home to a dark, empty house. With the installation of motion-detecting floodlights, you’ll ensure that your house is never pitch black. This improves your security at night while also deterring criminals looking to hide in the darkness.

Upgrade Your Locks: In this digital day and age, keys are quickly becoming a thing of the past. The latest high-tech solutions for securing your door include electronic keypads and fingerprint readers. These systems, a perfect addition to your home alarm, can be purchased at a local hardware store and take less than an hour to install.

The cold temperatures outside are no excuse to ignore your home security and safety. Property owners need to take special care to avoid potential disaster. Below, we’ve outlined ten of the top tips for keeping your home safe from the first freeze to the first thaw.

Don’t Be Afraid to Spread Some Salt: One hard fall can be the beginning of a lifetime of injuries. When the temperatures dip below freezing, spread rock salt liberally on walkways to avoid a tumble.

Have Your Home Inspected by an Expert: From faulty furnaces to blocked fireplace flues, there are hazards throughout your home. If you haven’t had an expert inspect your home yet this year, it’s not too late.

Drive Your Children to School on the Coldest Days: In the northern reaches of the United States, the coldest days of the year can mean a high risk of frostbite within minutes of exposure to the air. Drop your kids off at school rather than having them wait for the bus.

Have Someone Take in Your Mail: If you go away on vacation, have a friend or neighbor take in your mail and newspapers.

Protect your pipes: When the temperatures really start to drop, open a slow drip in a couple of faucets around the home to prevent burst pipes. The added cost to your water bill is nothing compared to plumbing expenses after a catastrophe.

Join a Carpool: Why drive if you can avoid it? Talk to neighbors and co-workers about carpooling. This not only saves energy but allows you to keep your car parked in your driveway; a clear sign to criminals that someone may be home.

Use Care With Fires: Your fireplace is a great way to stay warm during the winter, but take steps to make sure it is under control. Keep the glass closed, and don’t build the blaze past a reasonable level. Also look into a home alarm system that monitors carbon monoxide.

Install an ADT Monitored Home Security System: Short winter days give criminals the opportunity to take cover in the darkness. Make sure you have a home alarm you can trust.

Have you been contemplating 2010 improvements for your Houston, Texas home? One of the most important improvements you can make is the installation of a home alarm system. In these uncertain times, there’s simply no better way to protect your family and precious possessions. With over 130 years of experience, ADT offers Texas residents the peace of mind that comes from knowing your home alarm system is the product of over a century of experience in the home security business.

As one of the largest cities in Texas, Houston has a relatively high incidence of crime, especially in the downtown area. The latest monthly statistics show over 12,000 acts of theft or burglary in the month of November 2009 alone. This is clearly a statistic that every homeowner needs to take seriously.

How can the installation of a home security system help keep you protected against crime in Houston? The first part of the equation is deterrence. When a criminal sees the familiar ADT decal, he knows that your home is not going to be an easy target.

The main benefit, of course, is ADT’s award-winning technology. Standard ADT monitored security systems come equipped with innovative, cutting-edge features that lead the industry. Two-Way Voice, for example, is perfect for older Houston residents. This feature allows a homeowner to communicate with a trained home security professional from nearly anywhere in the house in the event of an emergency.

Have you recently ditched your landline in favor of your cell phone? Texas homeowners without access to land lines can still enjoy ADT products. Unlike other home security companies, ADT accommodates these customers with CellTech, eliminating the need for a hard line through the use of cellular technology.

Protect your Houston, TX home with the most powerful solution on the market — ADT. No other security system can offer the same level of protection.