Spring is here. That means its time to update your garden – and your home security. While weather-related home security issues decrease in the spring, it’s important to update your home for other potential dangers like burglary and fire.

Always remember to activate your home security system. Most burglaries occur during the day when people are at school or work. Make activating the home alarm part of your morning routine. People too often install a home alarm and forget to use it. Leading home security providers like ADT connect your home to security centers that monitor your home 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Spring is also the perfect time to check the batteries in your home’s smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. You can upgrade your ADT home security system to including monitoring for both.

There are some easy ways to improve your home security while improving the look of your lawn, too. Check for overgrown bushes and shrubs near windows. Burglars often use these areas to hide as they work on gaining access to your home. By trimming bushes and keeping areas near windows and doors clear, you can make your home less appealing to criminals.

If you haven’t invested in a home alarm, spring is the time to do it. It’s a great way to increase your home’s security before taking off for that next family vacation.

Single parents have their own unique set of challenges when it comes to keeping their kids safe. There’s often no one that can provide a second opinion for home security decisions. Below, we’ve outlined ten tips for you to think about as you take steps to improve your child’s safety both inside and outside of the home.

Avoid Busy Bus Stops: A ball rolling into the street, forgotten glances both ways: there are any number of things that can go wrong while your child waits for the bus. If your child’s bus stop is in a busy spot, have them wait in the car, or drive them to school.

Have a Serious Talk About Home Security: Your son or daughter is old enough to hear the basics of home security. Tailor it to their age, but make sure to remain serious, impressing upon them how important home security is.

Install a Keypad Lock: Kids lose keys all the time. With the installation of a keypad lock, you can greatly reduce the chance of your child being locked out of your home.

Enlist the Family: Make Grandpa and Grandma and aunts and uncles part of your home security solution. Every little bit helps, and you’ll likely find that they’re happy to lend a hand.

Install an ADT Home Alarm System: No other home security provider in the industry has the experience and know-how that ADT offers. Their systems are so easy to learn that a child can be taught how to operate the control panel.

Cover Sharp Edges: Furniture often has sharp edges that can injure young children running around the house. Tape up pieces to avoid lacerations.

Get a Dog: Apart from the joy that a dog can bring into your home, there are real home security advantages that come along with a canine. Criminals will move to the next street when they hear the faintest bark, unwilling to contend with what could be a vicious pet.

Arrange Daycare: You don’t need to pay for someone to watch your children. Instead, set up a schedule with the parents of your children’s friends, saving everyone money and making sure that there is always an adult to supervise.

Add Carbon Monoxide Coverage: ADT home alarm systems offer optional carbon monoxide coverage. This silent killer is responsible for thousands of deaths each year; make sure your home is protected.

Plug Electrical Outlets: If you have younger children in your home, place cheap protective covers over electrical outlets to lower the risk of electrocution.

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.

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.

College can be one of the most exciting times in a person’s life, but dorm life requires an increased sensitivity to personal and home security issues. Life in a residence hall can be lively and stimulating, but living with your fellow students increases your risk for falling victim to property crime. Below, find some tips to help you maintain safety while you live in your college dorm.

Lock the Door: It’s tempting to leave your door unlocked, but don’t assume that everyone is a trustworthy as you are. People you think are your friends may not hesitate to “borrow” items.

Don’t Let Strangers Into the Building: Exit doors in your dorm building require a keycard for entry. This is to ensure your safety as well as the safety of other residents in your building. Never prop a door open or let a stranger into the building with you.

Be Aware of Emergency Telephone Locations: Colleges are mandated by law to place emergency communication systems throughout the campus. Indeed, you’re supposed to be able to see at least one of the distinctive blue lights from any outdoor location. Know where the telephones are around your campus, and don’t be afraid to pick it up if you feel threatened at any time.

Limit Alcohol and Drug Intake: Pressure can quickly mount to partake in alcohol and drugs, but never consume any substance to the point where you lose control. Intoxication is one of the leading factors when it comes to injury and crime on a college campus.

Go Out in Groups: Especially important on campuses in an urban setting, never go out by yourself. Traveling in a group of at least two or three people is a significant deterrent to someone who might think about perpetrating a crime.

Home security isn’t just for your parents’ property. As you get older, you’ll realize that staying safe is a huge part of living on your own.