When it comes to home security, there are special factors to consider if you’re a woman living alone. After all, more break-ins occur at households with only one resident, primarily because it’s a easier to figure out the schedule of a home or apartment when there’s just one occupant. Here are the top 5 safety tips for women to maximize home security.

1. Invest in a home alarm. Installing a home alarm system is a great way to improve your overall safety and security. This is especially helpful for the times you’re going to be out of the house. A number of different brands are known for their reliability and good performance, but ADT home security is the national leader.

2. Don’t make it obvious that you live alone. This might sound counter-intuitive, but you don’t have to advertise the fact that no one else is there. Say “we” on your answering machine -as in, “We can’t come to the phone right now.” And don’t let people you date know that you don’t have a roommate until you really get to know them.

3. Leave a key with a trusted friend or relative. Even if you’re not going out of town, it’s a good idea for a close friend to have a key to your home. If there’s ever any trouble, they can come by and help you out. Home security isn’t just about keeping bad guys out – it’s also about making sure you can get into your own place.

4. Keep your lights on. When you leave home, strategically leave two or three lights on around your home. Choose different lights every few days, so it doesn’t look too routine. This will give your home a more “lived in” appearance and will help deter burglars.

5. Don’t forget to set your home alarm. Whether you go with an ADT alarm or another brand, there’s no point investing in an alarm if you’re not even going to to turn it on. Make it a habit to activate your home alarm every time you leave the house.

More than most industries, home security technology evolves out of necessity. Customers of companies like ADT expect the latest in home security equipment, and for good reason. After all, there’s nothing more important than keeping your home and loved ones out of harm’s way. Here’s an overview of the latest tech items for home security.

CCTV: Closed Circuit Television provides you with a view of the exterior (and potentially the interior) of your home from anywhere in the world. All you need is a broadband connection and a laptop. The days of peeking through a tiny peephole to determine who’s at the front door are gone. With 21st century technology, you can keep a much closer tab on your property.

Carbon Monoxide Detection: Available as an add-on to your ADT alarm system, a carbon monoxide detector protects you against what safety experts call “the silent killer”. CO2 is tasteless, odorless and you can’t see it. Protect yourself with this powerful technology, recommended by fire departments across the United States.

Keyless Door Locks: If you constantly lose your keys, consider upgrading to a keyless door lock. This useful technology completely eliminates the need to carry around a house key. As an added home security bonus, you can set a temporary code for workers or guests entering your house that expires after a certain period of time. That way, you won’t have to worry about unauthorized people gaining access to your home.

It’s time to update your home security technology. Along with the advanced electronics in your ADT home alarm system, the pieces mentioned above can help to protect your home, before a break-in occurs.

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.

The snow outside your house is rapidly melting, and that means March is on the way. This prelude to the spring time is a great opportunity to get your home security affairs in order. Below, we’ve outlined several ways to boost your home security in the coming month.

Create an Emergency Action Plan: Having a set plan to act upon in the event of an emergency can save lives. Apart from the standard fire safety preparation, talk about a place to meet away from home if a natural disaster should strike, knocking out cell phone service and limiting communications.

Trim the bushes: Warm spring temperatures and melting snow means that you’ll soon have to contend with rapidly sprouting grass. This and other shrubbery make for excellent hiding spots for burglars and intruders, which can turn into a home security nightmare.

Talk to an ADT Specialist: If your home isn’t currently under the protective shield of an ADT home alarm system, contact a representative of the company to find out your options. If you are an ADT customer, call to find out what new options are available to make your home even more secure.

Change the Locks on Your Front Door: This should become an annual event, and there’s no better time than March. Throughout the hustle and bustle of daily life, you likely give you a key to a neighbor, housekeeper or friend. Who knows whether someone’s written your address on a tag, and then lost the key? Eliminate the possibility of a break-in by changing the lock cylinders.

Home security is an ongoing battle, but choosing a set date to focus on it will help you focus. Take a day in March to get yourself back on track to keeping your family safe.

Texas residents are proud of their heritage – and with good reason. People pioneered this state with their own hands, often in the heat of battle. That lineage still rings true today, as more and more Texans become increasingly aware of home security issues.

A responsible homeowner will take into account the following statistics as he or she contemplates home security. According to the 2003 FBI Report of Offenses Known to Law Enforcement, there were more than 25,000 burglaries during the calendar year. If that’s not enough to convince you to bolster your home security, consider that there were also nearly 75,000 larcenies and thefts. These statistics make one thing clear: securing your Houston, Texas home should be a top priority.

So what’s your best option for drastically improving your home security? The most powerful weapon in a homeowner’s arsenal is an ADT home alarm system. For more than 135 years, ADT has helped keep people across the U.S. safe. They lead the home alarm industry in both technology and training, which means that you can be sure your Houston, Texas family has the best protection that money can buy.

Of course, there are other considerations to take into account. Houston homeowners need to always make sure to lock doors and windows, especially when leaving the home. They should also never leave blinds open – visible and expensive items like flat screen televisions and stereo systems are great ways to attract a burglar into breaking into your home.

With basic precautions and the installation of an ADT home alarm, Houston, Texas residents can stem the wave of crime that has recently marked the city. People living in the Lone Star State know what’s truly important, and home security measures are designed to protect those things.

I was reading some online news the other day when I came across on article about an elderly woman who had been the victim of a violent burglary. My heart was shaken by the story. I could not help but be saddened by the woman’s situation.

This situation is not an isolated incident. Across the country there are seniors living alone or with a companion that do not have adequate security. Often when these people become the victim of a violent break-in the perpetrator is from the neighborhood or knows that the home is occupied by seniors.

There are some things that seniors can do to make sure that they are protected from this type of crime. Here are a couple of quick tips for seniors:
•    Have your locks checked and replace any locks that are not of good quality or are not working.
•    When you leave the home make sure that you are accompanied by family and friends. This can minimize the potential of an attack as you leave the residence.
•    Do not open the door for anyone other than trusted friends and family.
•    If someone comes to the door for official business whether it be to drop off a package or check the meter ask for ID and call their company to verify there presence at your home.
•    Do not leave any keys outside the home under mats, in key holders, or under a plant. These are prime locations for people to look for keys to enter your home.

The most important thing that you can do to secure the home and protect senior residents is to invest in a home security system. I am a firm believer in keeping our independence as we age. Installing a security system with monitoring services can give your family the peace of mind that your home will be monitored 24 hours a day 7 days a week. It can allow you to rest easy and enjoy your time spent at home without fear of a break-in.

When looking for a home security system, find a trusted name in the industry such as ADT Security Services, Brinks, or Honeywell. ADT Security Services is the leading name in home security around the globe. Millions of customers are protecting themselves with their Safewatch QuickConnect system.

All of these systems work in generally the same way. If an alert is detected the monitoring center is contacted. A security associate will contact the number on file to verify the alarm and dispatch any local emergency response teams that are necessary. This all happens within a short timeframe which is much quicker than if you called 9-1-1 yourself. When selecting a system, investigate the company’s ability to monitoring the home. Most companies only have one monitoring center which can potentially leave your home unprotected. ADT Security Services has a total of five centers to make sure you truly get 24 hour coverage.

The ADT Safewatch home security systems have one important added benefit to seniors that companies such as Brinks cannot offer. Seniors can have difficulty getting to the telephone in a quick timeframe. This does not need to be a concern if ADT needs to verify an alarm. The control panel that is used with this system has built-in capabilities to speak with an ADT associate via speakerphone. The homeowner can be up to 75 feet away for the ADT associate to hear them which is an incredible range.

Another great feature of an ADT home security system is the instant call buttons for fire, police and medical. These buttons can be a lifesaver in the event of a medical emergency. When the user hits the button emergency response teams will be dispatched to the location.

As you can see it is still possible for our seniors to live a safe and healthy life in their own homes. A quick and easy installation of a home security system such as the ADT Safewatch system can provide comfort and security. Your senior will never be alone while their home is being monitored and you can rest assured that if a problem arises help will be on the way.

Every homeowner should consider a home security system to help prevent burglary, fire and carbon monoxide poisoning.  In addition, a home security system can provide local emergency notification for medical emergencies.

Your home is a place where you find peace and enjoy the company of your family.  While it is one of the most important investments you may make in your lifetime, the most important investment is the safety of your family.  A home security system is an ideal choice for families with children and when a spouse often travels for work.  It is also an ideal choice for the elderly and those that live alone.

Homes are always susceptible to burglary, which is why it is important to take the topic of home security seriously.  Even a basic system can provide protection and help prevent intrusion.  Burglars are more apt to choose a home that does not have a security system – and if your home does have one, it may be passed by.

Things to consider when choosing a home security system include researching security systems, comparing features and prices and contacting the local police dispatching center for information on how your area handles home security monitoring systems.

ADT Home Security is the nation’s leading provider of alarm systems, and while they are not the cheapest – they are the best by far.  A basic security system will include door and window contacts, interior motion detector and manual fire and emergency notification service.  Services start at only $35.99 per month.

Monitored home security systems provide enhanced features and are highly recommended.  The system will automatically contact the alarm dispatch center that will in turn confirm emergency services are needed.  If there is a real emergency, the alarm dispatch center will then contact the local fire and/or police to the home immediately.

Unfortunately, unmonitored systems must rely on the homeowner or neighbors to contact fire or police department.  The price difference between monitored and unmonitored is so negligible that it is recommended that homeowners invest the few additional dollars per month to provide a world of difference.

To help choose an ADT security package that is right for you, ask friends and neighbors about their home security systems and get feedback.  Review the features of the different plans available to see which plan meets your needs.  Be sure to ask about the warranty.  Learn all there is to know about monitored systems and how to handle home emergencies.  Educate the entire household on proper safety procedure and what to do should an emergency occur.

Next, call the local police department to see how home alarm dispatching is handled in your area; most communities have a protocol and will differ depending on where you live.  Finally, call your homeowners insurance company to find out what kind of discounts they can offer you based on the type of alarm system you have installed.  You may find you will save up to 20% per year on home insurance fees.

With the holidays just around the corner, people are making all kinds of plans. Some might be making all of the arrangements for hosting a party or dinner; others are getting ready for a much needed vacation, and still more are heading to their extended family’s homes for a long, enjoyable visit. Unfortunately, burglars and criminals also look at the holidays as a time to make big plans as well. In the weeks leading up to the busy holiday season they are usually “scoping” out prospective targets and picking the homes they will attempt to break into.

How can a homeowner ensure that such devious characters won’t succeed? There are many important efforts that will stop a criminal in their tracks, and it all begins with some planning and a tiny bit of effort. A very simple deterrent is your security system warning sign, such as those provided to customers of ADT Home Security. Burglars often avoid homes with security systems in place, opting instead for the easier target of another home in the neighborhood that isn’t monitored by a home security company.

One of the most common recommendations made by home security companies and law enforcement officials during the traditional gift-giving season is for homeowners to place their Christmas tree and holiday packages far away from doors and windows. Leaving an enormously tempting pile of gifts near an easily broken window often results in a very unhappy ending to the holiday season.

Additionally, homeowners who will be away for the holidays should work as hard as possible to make this fact difficult to distinguish from the outside of their homes. This means putting household lights, televisions and stereos on timer switches, turning the volume on the answering machine down to a very low level, asking a neighbor to retrieve any packages, mail or newspapers that have been delivered, and to make sure that exterior lights come on at least once or twice during each evening. Many homeowners invest in randomly timed switches that give an even more convincing appearance to the home, and these units will randomly turn things on and off during the day and early evening, giving the home a distinctly more “natural” amount of activity.

One major problem during the holidays is directly related to the beautiful exterior light displays that many people use. Unfortunately, not all houses have an exterior electrical outlet, and many people frequently run cords through basement windows or even into back entry areas. This leaves burglars with a direct route into the home. The best method of eliminating such a threat is to have proper outlets installed, which is a far safer method of adding some sparkle to the neighborhood without risking the safety of the home.

In addition to the days leading up to the holidays, the days following the celebration are also a time to be aware of home security. One of the biggest mistakes made by millions of homeowners is the breaking down and disposing of larger cardboard boxes that contained “big ticket” gifts like televisions, DVD players, computers, etc. These serve as neon lights to would-be burglars, indicating the kind of merchandise contained in the home, and are best brought out to the curb on the morning that the garbage company picks up trash.

The holiday season is supposed to be time or pleasure and fun, but this doesn’t mean that a homeowner should let their guard down. Committing to a few precautionary actions in home security, will help to avoid many of the common mistakes that can lead to a home burglary.

To ensure a safer and more relaxing holiday season, consider helping protect your home and family with a security system such as those offered by ADT Home Security.