Looking for some simple ways to improve your home security this spring? Help protect your home and deter would-be burglars with these easy tips:

Change Your Smoke Detector Batteries: Smoke detectors are your first line of defense against a fire. They operate whether you’re awake or asleep – as long as they’re equipped with fresh batteries. Take a few moments out of your day to replace the Duracells. For just a few dollars, you can greatly reduce the chance of a catastrophic fire.

Replace Your Door Locks: This is especially important for people who have recently moved into a new, previously rented or owned residence. Changing the locks on all doors prevents people with discarded keys from entering your home. If you don’t have a deadlock bolt – widely regarded as the industry standard – now is the time to upgrade.

Cut the Lawn: Why give criminals the opportunity to lurk and hide away in tall grass? Keep your lawn trimmed, especially in areas close to your home, and consider the installation of prickly shrubbery under low windows.

Change the Garage Code: Experts recommend that you update your garage code at least once every six months. Never pick a code that corresponds to birthdays, anniversaries or social security numbers. With the wide reach of the Internet, criminals have access to an incredible range of information about you and the members of your family.

Along with an ADT home alarm system, the tips above serve to help protect you and your family. With just a couple of hours of work, you can go a long way towards improving your home security.

Condo owners share unique home security concerns. Some of the issues are the same – making sure to keep doors locked, securing windows,and arranging to have mail taken inside while you’re away on vacation.

Other concerns are different, however. Perhaps the main contrast is that all condominiums and buildings are different. It’s necessary to take a close look at your building’s current security measures. Is there a doorman? Do you need a special key to enter the front door? Answering these questions will help you determine your next steps.

Consider installing a home security system. ADT home security offers great deals and their reliable security systems can help keep you and your family safe. You’ll also want to make sure that your lawn is well-maintained. Tall grass and overgrown shrubs provide the perfect hiding spaces for criminals on the prowl doing reconnaissance on your condo. Finally, be certain that the locks on your front door have been changed since the previous condo owner moved out. If you don’t, the person who lived there last has an easy way to access all of your belongings whenever they want; in fact, they can just walk right in.

Apart from the issues above, specific condo security concerns relate to behavior. Don’t give your key to neighbors, and make sure to close the building door behind you, not allowing anyone to follow.

Home security and safety for your condo needs to be taken seriously. Start taking the proper precautions today.

Forbes.com just released its annual list of America’s 40 Safest Cities, and topping the list this year, the beautiful Twin Cities.  Thanks to a low crime rate, decreased risk of accidents and the unlikelihood of natural disasters, the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, Minn.-Wis. area beat out every other U.S. location as the safest place to live.

Also ranking well on the list were Milwaukee, Wis. due to its low natural disaster risk, Portland, Ore. for having the least amount of violent crime, and Boston, Mass. and Seattle, Wash. whose residents suffer fewer fatal traffic accidents because  of easy access to public transportation.

But what about the cities that didn’t make the list?  Or the ones that scored well in every category except violent crime?  As hard as public safety officials work to make every city safe, crime will always be a factor in most of our lives.  That’s why homeowners in even the safest cities protect their homes with home alarm systems.  And the No. 1 choice among most homeowners: ADT.

ADT home alarms come with easy-to-use equipment and a multi-level protection barrier backed by four nationwide command centers.  Wireless systems make installation a breeze, and the advanced technology behind ADT-monitored home alarm systems means almost every lifestyle and budget can be accommodated.

A particular favorite among ADT customers is the keychain remote.  This miniature hand-held device lets you arm and disarm your ADT alarm from the driveway, or from your bedside table.  And the interior motion detector can be programmed with your favorite furry one’s weight to keep pet-triggered false alarms to a minimum.

But of all these features, ADT’s accessibility is what makes the home security provider stand out from the crowd.  No matter where you live — Safe City or not — ADT is there.  Through its vast network of nationwide installers, ADT is available from Los Angeles to New York to Miami.  Even in safe Minneapolis, ADT provides secure home protection for families across the city.

These days, home security is more important than ever.  Even if your hometown made the Safe Cities list, you can never be too careful.  Call today to learn more about ADT home alarms.

Homes are often left unattended during fall and winter months. People go away for the holidays, head south to escape the cold and leave town for business and other trips. Regardless of the reason for your departure, it’s very important to secure your home and activate your ADT security system. For burglars, an empty house is a much more attractive target, so you need to create the illusion of occupancy. Here are some easy ways to make that happen.

Avoid the easy tip-off: There are a few surefire signs that indicate your home is empty. One of the the most obvious is an overflowing mailbox and a doorstep covered in newspapers. Both scream “I’m not home” to potential intruders. Ask a neighbor to take care of these items. Thank them with a small gift card if you feel uncomfortable or are new to the neighborhood.

Buy a timer for your lights: If you don’t have a timer to turn lights on and off, ask a neighbor to occasionally stop by and handle the task. Leaving one light on in the house won’t fool a burglar and can even be a red flag that no one is home. A timer for the lights in your home is inexpensive and easy to install: the perfect option for maintaining the illusion that you’re home.

Post ADT decals around the property: When criminals see ADT, they run. Use the stickers, decals and lawn signs that came with your ADT security system and keep them up year round.

Install motion sensing security lights: These bright beams operate the same way, regardless of whether you’re at home or 10,000 miles away, and they’re a sure deterrent to a break-in.

Hire a house-sitter: Companies offer affordable services ranging from a once-a-day check-in to 24-hour maintenance. Alternatively, you could ask a friend or family member to stay at your home while you’re away.

Combine these tips with an ADT home alarm system to help ensure that your property remains safe and sound while you are out of town.

One of the unpleasant things associated with the recession and the rise in unemployment is what some believe is a corresponding rise in the crime rate. As normally honest, hard-working people find themselves without jobs, on occasion some of these people turn to crime to make ends meet. Police chiefs across the country agree that crime seems to be ticking upward at a frightening rate. In fact, many are calling for increased hiring, even in this time of budget cuts.

A recent article in the Scientific American noted that New York City suffered 54% more bank robberies in 2008 than in 2007. You may not have a billion dollars locked away in the vault, but you and your family still deserve a safe, secure home. So what can you do to protect yourself, regardless of whether there are more cops on the road or not? One way to help you feel more secure is a reliable home security system. With a powerful home alarm, you have the capability to stop criminals in their tracks.

Some companies rely on one command center to maintain patrol over all of their customers. That’s simply not good enough these days. Weather, power outages, and even computer hacking are all complications that must be taken seriously. ADT monitored security systems can help secure your home with a total of four connected command centers strategically spread throughout the country to diffuse the risk. When one goes down, the others are able to immediately pick up the slack.

Lately, you may have noticed some of your other investments decreasing in value. That’s all the more reason to feel great about putting your hard-earned money into a reliable home security system. For a very low initial outlay of money and a bit of cash each month, you can provide your family with a reliable home alarm system setup.

Are your kids home from school this summer? Are you leaving for a week to get away to the beach? There are more things to worry about this summer than choosing the right home security system to protect your loved ones and home. Let us help you ensure that you are making the right decision when it comes to picking the best home security system for you and your family.

There are a lot of details that will need to be considered when picking a home security system. What is your budget? How do you find the best alarm company? What features should you look for? The following home security alarm buying guide will help you to make the best decision for you and your home.

What do you want in a system?
With today’s advanced technology, homeowners have many options for a home security alarm system. While fire and burglar systems are the most common, you can extend your needs to carbon monoxide detection, propane/gas leak detection, water sensors, and even video surveillance systems. Discuss your needs with an alarm expert and you will find they will be more than helpful in recommending components for home security that will protect you and your family.

What are some of the features you want?
While the home security company you choose will be able to go over some of the features they offer, you should have a detailed list of some of the features you require. Some of these features may include a back-up system in case the power goes out, Or, if the telephone line becomes inoperable, as this is a direct line of communication between the monitoring company and your home.

What is your budget?
A home security alarm system can vary in cost from state to state. However, you should be able to get a basic system installed for under $500. You will need to know what your budget is for this project when you start your search for an alarm company. When you interview each company, they should set up a time to come to your home so they may provide you with a detailed cost estimate of the system, as well as what the system would include. This estimate should be provided to you at no cost.

What alarm company should you use?
When you first start searching for alarm companies to set up a home security alarm system, you may find it somewhat confusing as there are a lot of different alarm companies and each claims to be the best. The leading provider in home security systems, ADT, can help you with all of the above questions when it comes to choosing the right provider.  An ADT home security system offers many features and benefits, including home security systems available in a variety of levels. An ADT security system can offer you monitoring 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with easy-to-use one-touch keypads and wireless keychains. The most important thing you should understand is that a home security system can save your family’s life in an emergency situation. ADT home alarm and security systems are full-home monitoring you can count on. That’s why ADT is America’s #1 choice for home security.

Home security systems have always been advised by law enforcement agencies and insurance companies.  In recent times, consumers are starting to heed this advisement in greater numbers.  With the rising number of home security systems being sold comes a greater network of protection.  Home security systems have never been more efficient, and the features offered by companies such as ADT help provide homeowners a level of security that is unparalleled. It has never been a better time to invest in an ADT security system.

For starters, ADT has five monitoring centers around the country that are linked to thousands of law enforcement and emergency services agencies.  Offering more than one monitoring center provides a much safer security system in the event of a large scale event or an outage of one of the centers.  This provides homeowners an unmatched reassurance that their ADT home security system can truly help protect them no matter what.

The ADT-monitored home security systems offered through All Home Security come standard with door and window protection as well as motion sensors.  Customers have the option of a touchpad that uses a code or the new SafePass, which relies on programmed tags that can be given to family members.  SafePass tags are waved in front of the touchpad to arm and disarm the system and can be programmed to only function during certain hours for parents who want to provide limited control of the system to children.  There is also a touchpad on your keychain for events such as coming home and suspecting that there is an intruder in the home.

In addition to state of the art home invasion protection, there are a number of other options offered by ADT Security to help protect your loved ones.  Carbon monoxide and smoke detectors are available, as well as water and freeze sensors to alert you to floods or potential pipe bursts.  All systems come with manual police and fire alarms in the event of an emergency that does not involve the door or window sensors.

There are even services available that offer monitoring of elderly or sick people within the home.  Available as waterproof pendants or wristbands, these devices work within a three hundred foot radius of the home and can alert emergency personnel to a fall or medical emergency.  This allows the elderly more freedom to stay at home when faced with medical issues that could require medical attention.

ADT truly goes above and beyond in order to remain the top name in home and personal security.  Whether you believe your home is at risk of intrusion or you would just like the peace of mind that comes with knowing that your family is protected in the event of any emergency, these systems are designed to meet and exceed your needs.

There are many providers of home security systems, and choosing one can be a daunting task. How do you know who is the best provider? What are some facts to consider when selecting a home security provider? Who offers the best options and the most flexible and complete system for your home?

These are good questions to ask yourself when you are considering investing in a home security system. When considering a provider, you should consider their track record and reputation in the industry for providing innovative home security system technology and quality service. There are many providers out there, but who is trusted the most by homeowners to provide monitored home security for their homes? If a company is a market leader, chances are they did not get in that position by accident. They are trusted by millions of homes, and in addition, they are providing innovative security solutions for corporations, educational institutions and governmental installations such as courthouses. If they are providing a high level of service and innovative security solutions across the board to both homeowners and large entities, chances are they are at the cutting edge of providing both the latest technological innovations and quality service you are looking for in a home security provider.

When you are considering a home security system, you have to take a look at everything a potential provider can offer. Professional installation is a key factor to consider. A home security system has many technological components that work together to protect your home, so they need to be installed by professionals who have experience in installing thousands of systems in homes like yours. They can make sure all the components are functioning properly and are connected to the central monitoring system so your home is completely covered.

Monitoring is viewed as essential in a home security system. A live monitor is connected with all the technology that is protecting your home and reacts when the security system is triggered. They dispatch police to your home promptly so that the burglars can be apprehended before they make off with your valuables. A company that has a centralized monitoring system with regional monitoring centers can assure that your home is constantly protected. Monitoring not only provides protection for your home, but also makes sure your system is functioning properly. If any component of your system is malfunctioning, the monitor will be able to pinpoint the problem and alert you to the situation and dispatch professional service personnel to your home to insure that your system is up and running at all times.

Choosing a home security provider is an important investment in the safety and security of your home and your family. A provider that offers the most options and a flexible and expandable system for your home is the best provider for you. While there are many providers that offer monitoring and technology, one provider has a proven track record that makes it America’s number one security provider. ADT home security protects the most homes and also is trusted by more government facilities and corporations to provide innovative security solutions. They are the clear choice when selecting a home security provider that offers innovative technology, professional installation and service and live monitoring that protects your home around the clock. Visit All Home Security for more information.

If you work with a top home security company, you do not have to worry about dealing with more than one company for all of your home security needs. Today’s top home security companies look at all areas of home security.

That means that not only are they offering protection from burglaries and break-ins, but they also offer smoke and heat sensors, carbon monoxide detectors, water sensors and freeze sensors. These are upgrades that a homeowner should consider.

Sensors play an important role for homes, businesses and for government agencies. They convert a physical parameter, such as temperature, into a signal that is electrically measured. In home security, when a sensor is triggered, the homeowner and the proper authorities are notified.

Smoke sensors pick up the presence of smoke in a home or building. Fire prevention officials know that when there is a fire, it is the smoke and not the fire that kills more humans. That is why smoke sensors are important for early warning and to save lives. They come in very handy when residents are asleep at night. If there is the presence of smoke, a sensor can wake the residents so that they can leave the home and be safe.

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, tasteless, colorless, poisonous gas. It is as thin as air, so that makes it even harder to detect. The Journal of the American Medical Association says that carbon monoxide or CO2 is the leading cause of accidental poisonous deaths in the United States of America. Carbon monoxide kills hundreds of people in the United States every year.

A house can be invaded with carbon monoxide from faulty furnaces, gas stoves, gas fireplaces, automobiles in attached garages and more. When a person has ingested carbon monoxide into his or her system, the results will seem like the flu at first. There will be headache, nausea, fatigue, vomiting, confusion, rapid heart beat and more. The end result can be damage to the tissues, which blocks the oxygen needed, and then death. Carbon monoxide detectors can provide an early warning before the poison builds to a dangerous level.

Water sensors are another upgrade that homeowners of security systems should think about. If there is water leakage in your home, water sensors can trigger you. They can help in the laundry room, basement and other places that have the potentional for water damage. They can alert you so that you can fix the problem before extensive damage.

These are sensors that are also useful for property such as cottages or other locations where you are not present year round. They can notify you of leaks, broken pipes, cracked foundations, storm flooding and more. They are especially beneficial to people who live in flood zones.

Freeze sensors are also offered as an upgrade. They can give a homeowner an early warning sign about the potential for freezing temperatures that may result in burst pipes. They work well for people who live in areas that are susceptible to freezing.

When you are considering home security systems, chances are that you will examine the type of sensors that are provided, the monitoring system offered and the means of communication with the monitoring center. How many consumers consider the type of keypad that the system utilizes, though? Believe it or not, your choice of keypad can have a dramatic effect on your enjoyment and continued use of your security system. Let’s take a look at the two types generally available.

Standard Numeric Keypad

Most people are familiar with these. These keypads are compact, convenient and have soft alphanumeric buttons. There are quick access buttons many times, to directly alert the police, fire department or emergency services. Sometimes, there is a digital display that will provide additional information such as the location of a triggered alarm sensor or other important information. These are ubiquitous to the home security industry; a standard that many people never see past. While these provide vital access to the system via the keypad, they can also be a drawback. Why is this, you ask?

What would you consider the number one cause of false alarms in the home security industry? Perhaps you think that pets or small children are the most common cause. Perhaps you feel that consumers opening a door without disarming their system is the cause. The actual most common cause of false alarms is actually inputting the wrong security code. Whether it is because the code has been forgotten or the wrong button pushed erroneously, this can decrease your use of the system. If you cannot accurately input your security code, why continue to use the system? No one likes false alarms, neither the consumer, nor the monitoring company or the authorities responding to these alarms.

Options Available

There are options available, though, to go beyond these drawbacks. One of the best options, offered through ADT is a new range of touch screen security keypads. Far from being like the old style, these offer easier inputting of codes to reduce the number of false alarms present. This is accomplished with larger “buttons,” which are easier to read. For homeowners that have trouble using standard security keypads, this is a great option.

Another option exists, as well. Arming and disarming your home security alarm system no longer hinges on the use of keypads at all. One popular option offered by ADT is a keychain alarm remote. This operates in the same manner as your car alarm system. Push one button to arm the system, push another button to disarm the system. You can do this from your porch, your driveway or sitting in your vehicle. All you must do is make sure that you locked your doors. This offers a dramatic decrease in false alarms, since you no longer have to put in a code at all.

Regardless of your home security needs, you can find a system that will fit your needs, both in terms of complexity and in terms of ease of use.