With summer barbecues and parties to prepare for, and warm summer evenings to enjoy, it's the time of year to pay attention to your home's outdoor space. After all, you won't be the only one doing so. Summer is prime time for burglars. It's the season of unlocked windows, open doors and garages, and long vacation absences. Outdoor security is your home's first line of defense - so how does yours shape up? Does it deter intruders at first glance, or invite them to take a second look? These outdoor security essentials - all available as part of a Reed Security Smart Home system will provide you peace of mind all summer long, letting you make the most of the warm weather, worry-free. 1. Smart Security CameraEssential for: Knowing what's happening outside.
Most smart security cameras will let you know if there's activity outside. This one can tell you whether it's an animal, person or vehicle, and whether or not they're on your property. Customize your video alerts to see everything you want to know about—without the everyday activity that doesn't matter. As well as sending you live and recorded footage of your outdoor space, these cameras also send a clear message to visitors: I have a smart home security system. That's enough to keep most burglars away. Find out more: What's the Best Home Security Camera? 2. Smart LightingEssential for: Keeping visitors visible.
Shadowy characters rarely like to be in the spotlight—and this goes double for burglars. Automated outdoor lighting, triggered by your Alarm.com image sensors or smart security cameras, ensures that intruders have nowhere to hide after dark. Going on vacation? It's easy to set up a smart lighting schedule so that Alarm.com turns your lights on every evening, giving passers-by the impression that you're home. 3. Contact SensorsEssential for: Security and child safety
With Alarm.com, a little information goes a long way. Installed on a door or window, this wireless contact sensor can alert our 24/7 Monitoring Stations to a break-in, remind you to lock up for the night, or let you know that your kids are exploring the great outdoors on their own. When school's out, contact sensors become an essential outdoor safeguard for parents, giving you a new way to keep tabs on your pool gate, yard gate, tool shed, garage freezer or other dangerous areas that you want to keep off-limits from curious kids. Find out more: How Many Contact Sensors Should a Security System Have? 4. Doorbell Camera
Essential for: Protecting your porch
With plenty of package thieves and dishonest visitors out there, an Alarm.com Doorbell Camera is the best form of deterrence for your front porch. With motion-triggered video alerts, a live video feed and two-way voice, you can see and speak to visitors from anywhere, whether they ring the bell or not. Expecting a delivery or a late arrival to your outdoor party? Just open your Alarm.com app when the doorbell rings, verify your visitor, and unlock your door with your Alarm.com-powered smart lock. Find out more: Four Ways to Use an Alarm.com-Powered Doorbell Camera 5. Smart Garage Door OpenerEssential for: Protecting outdoor equipment and tools
Summer brings long evening bike rides, road trips, and plenty of outdoor DIY - all of which means plenty of opportunity to leave your garage door wide open. Incorporate this Alarm.com-powered garage door controller into your security system and you'll never be caught out. Should you leave home with the garage still open, Alarm.com knows (thanks to Geo-Services technology) and sends you a reminder. No need to pedal back home or turn the car around: just tap your phone to close the door, secure your bikes and tools and protect this commonly-overlooked entrance to your home. Find out more: Make Life Easy with Alarm.com's Geo-Services Want these security essentials in one easy package?
Source: Alarm.com
20+ Security Tips You Can Implement to Protect Your Home, Property & Family.
1. KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR YOUR NEIGHBOURS
- Let your neighbours know if there is unusual activity. This is especially important during vacations or travelling for work.
- Are there any strangers lurking around the block?
- Any moving vans or contractors parked on your neighbours driveway?
- Join your local Neighbourhood Watch on Facebook and share information about your community.
2. USE COMMON SENSE
- If you lose a key, then get the locks changed. A better alternative is to eliminate keys altogether by installing an Alarm.com smart lock with built in keypad.
- Ask all strangers for identification. The person who is “lost” and looking for directions could actually be a burglar checking to see if someone is home.
- Never hide an extra key outdoor - especially underneath a mat or on top of a light fixture. This is the first place the bad guys look. Leave an extra house key with a friend or a neighbor. Again, a better alternative is to eliminate keys altogether by installing an Alarm.com smart lock with built in keypad.
- DO NOT advertise on Facebook or Instagram that you are on vacation. Social media is the equivalent of a diary in a glass house. You may think you’re letting your friends and family know you’re having a great time, but people often forget to change their privacy settings. If you like to post photos - post them after you get back.
- For insurance purposes take photos of the contents of your home and keep all receipts in an off-site location. Great options are Google Drive, Microsoft One Drive and Dropbox.
- Write down the model and serial number of all electronics. This will come in handy for a future Police report and insurance claim.
3. MAKE IT DIFFICULT
- Door chains are easy to bypass. Install deadbolts. We have Alarm.com smart lock options with built in deadbolts.
- Install window bars on all basement windows. They are a great visual deterrent and can be connected to a monitored home security system.
- Install a stopper or stick on all sliding doors and windows. You can find these at your local hardware store such as Home Hardware, Canadian Tire or Rona.
- Make sure all doors and windows are locked. Many burglars go door to door looking for targets that forgot to lock their front doors.
- For cabins, consider installing roller window and door shutters. Visit kimbel.ca to see samples.
4. MAKE IT LOOK LIKE YOU ARE AT HOME
- Burglars target unoccupied homes so keep your home well lit at night. Install timers that turn lights, radios and televisions on at different times. This gives the appearance that someone is home. A better option is to install Alarm.com smart lights and smart appliance modules and setup on an alternating schedules.
- Cancel the newspaper and have a friend or neighbour pick-up your mail.
- Park a vehicle in the drive-way. Don’t forget to lock the doors and remove any valuables.
- If you’re taking an extended vacation of more than a week, hire a student or service to cut your grass.
5. INSTALL A MONITORED HOME OR CABIN SECURITY SYSTEM
- The insurance companies agree. You are 400% less likely to have a break-in and can qualify for an insurance discount of up to 25%.
- NEW! $0 Equipment, $0 Installation Plans
- No Phone Line required
- 24/7 Monitored Protection from intrusion, fire, flood, low temperature, and carbon monoxide
- Includes Police / RCMP and Fire Department dispatch and Call List notification
- Optional ALARM.COM - control your smart lights, smart locks, and smart thermostat with *free apps
- Optional ReedHD™ Wi-Fi Doorbell - Know Who's at the front door, record audio and video onto the cloud
- A monthly subscription is required for all service plans
6. IN CASE YOU DO HAVE A BREAK-IN
- If it looks like a door or window was forced open, DO NOT go inside. The Burglar may still be on site.
- Call the Police from your mobile phone and wait.
7. ALWAYS GET 3 QUOTES
- Do NOT Sign Up with Door to Door alarm companies with Limited Time Offers. Before you know it you will be on the hook for thousands of dollars with a company that doesn't have a local office.
- Many door to door alarm companies have summer programs (May to September only). After that good luck.
- Be sure to search Google for reviews and ask friends and family who they use for home security.
If you would like more information on Smart Home or Business Security please Contact Us for a Free Security Evaluation.
SASKATOON SECURITY INQUIRIES
Reed Security Headquarters
Call 306.653.3200 or 1.844.384.SAFE (7233)
SuRe InnoVations
Call 306.974.0888
PRINCE ALBERT SECURITY INQUIRIES
Call 306.922.7200
CALGARY SECURITY INQUIRIES
Call 587.393.2800
REGINA SECURITY INQUIRIES
Call 306.206.0700
Your front doorway is a busy place. With visitors introducing themselves, your kids charging to and from the school bus, packages arriving, and hellos and goodbyes galore, it's hard for you to keep track of everyone who passes through.
It's no wonder that doorbell cameras are now a smart home must-have, thanks to their ability to show you who's at the door, no matter where you are.
And with a ReedHD™ Doorbell Camera, that's just the start.
Because these doorbell cameras are fully integrated into your smart home security system, they're powered by Alarm.com and able to cooperate with other devices. That gives you and your family more ways to incorporate your doorbell camera into your everyday life. Answer the Door from Anywhere
A ReedHD™ Doorbell Camera gives you a safe, smart way to see who's at the door, no matter where you are. When a visitor rings the doorbell, you get an Alarm.com smartphone alert. Open your Alarm.com app and you'll see a video feed of who's there, with a microphone icon that you can press to start a voice conversation through the doorbell. Although you can see your visitor, they can't see you, and you don't need to indicate whether you're home or not. Given that burglars often ring a home's doorbell before a break-in, this makes your video doorbell a great crime deterrent. Protect a Package from Thieves
With a smart lock included in your Alarm.com-powered setup, you can go a step further and unlock your door remotely. This is great for protecting valuable deliveries that would otherwise be left on your porch. If you have a smart lock, you'll see an ‘unlock' icon in your app underneath your doorbell's video feed. Once you've verified the delivery person visually, tap once to unlock your door and ask them to leave the package inside. When they're done, use your app to lock your door and watch them leave. See and Share Suspicious Activity
A ReedHD™ Doorbell Camera is also a full smart home security camera, ready to capture and send you footage of suspicious activity in your front yard or porch area. A visitor to your porch will trigger a motion-activated video recording, even if they don't press the doorbell. You can have these clips delivered to your phone right away, where they're easy to download and forward to your partner, neighbors or local police department. Keep Up with Your Kids
Crooks and intruders aside, most activity at your front door is ‘good' activity: friends visiting and family arriving home. Alarm.com makes it easy to keep up. It's easy to create a custom doorbell camera alert, triggered by your kids' Alarm.com user codes, that sends you a video clip of your kids arriving home every day. It's a great way to make sure they're home safe and know who they're with. Once your kids know they're on camera, they might even give you a wave. PS: It's Also a Doorbell
Instead of waking a napping youngster with an audible chime when pushed, your video doorbell will simply trigger a silent smartphone alert that only disturbs you. Want to Upgrade to a ReedHD™ Doorbell Camera? If you already have an Alarm.com-powered smart home security system, Reed Security or a Reed Security Authorized Dealer can quickly upgrade you with a doorbell camera or other smart devices, including indoor and outdoor video cameras, smart locks and even a smart thermostat.
ReedHD™ Doorbell Plans start at $14.95/mo.*
SASKATOON SMART HOME/BUSINESS INQUIRIES
Reed Security Headquarters
Call 306.653.3200 or 1.844.384.SAFE (7233)
SuRe InnoVations
Call 306.974.0888
PRINCE ALBERT SMART HOME/BUSINESS INQUIRIES
Call 306.922.7200
CALGARY SMART HOME/BUSINESS INQUIRIES
Call 587.393.2800
REGINA SMART HOME/BUSINESS INQUIRIES
Call 306.206.0700
Source: Alarm.com
*Term subscription required.
*HD Video Quality - no blurry pixelated images
*Color NightVision - see in the dark
*Motion Sensing - you receive alerts even if the doorbell button isn't pushed
*Includes Professional Installation and Configuration
*Replaces your existing wired doorbell
*Requires high speed internet and strong Wi-Fi connection at the exterior of the door
"CES2019 SECURITY PRODUCT OF THE YEAR"
Smart Signal gives you a direct connection to Reed Security's 24/7 Monitoring Stations from anywhere, using only your Alarm.com app.
Smart Signal has simple emergency buttons within your Alarm.com app. These buttons let you quickly verify an alarm at your property to expedite emergency response, cancel a false alarm easily, or send a PANIC signal from your home or business if you discover an emergency yourself.
Smart Signal's CANCEL and VERIFY buttons only appear in alarm events. To confirm or verify the alarm, all you'll need to do is HOLD the relevant button for three seconds.
You can also trigger a PANIC signal for HELP! in a broad range of emergencies.
To enable Smart Signal or for more information on Smart Home/Business solutions please contact Reed Security or a Reed Security Authorized Dealer.
SASKATOON SMART HOME/BUSINESS INQUIRIES
Reed Security Headquarters
Call 306.653.3200 or 1.844.384.SAFE (7233)
SuRe InnoVations
Call 306.974.0888
PRINCE ALBERT SMART HOME/BUSINESS INQUIRIES
Call 306.922.7200
CALGARY SMART HOME/BUSINESS INQUIRIES
Call 587.393.2800
REGINA SMART HOME/BUSINESS INQUIRIES
Call 306.206.0700