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Your home security system is only as strong as the technology behind it. A good home security company will go the extra mile to stay up to date with technology and change your system as new products become available. If your current system has one or more problems, it might be time to update that old obsolete system.

No Home Automation

Home automation is a feature offered by Vivint, ADT and other companies. Whether you choose Vivint home automation or a system from another company, you have the chance to use your alarm system to control the thermostat, appliances and other things in your home. Outdated systems won’t offer this feature.

Lack of Remote Control

The newest alarm systems give you remote access. You can log into your account from your phone, tablet or computer, and the system will let you take a look at security footage, turn the alarm system on and off or even control the lights. An obsolete system will still have just one panel that you must control from inside your house.

Importance of Yard Sign

Does your alarm company still talk about the importance of having a sign in your yard or on your window? While these signs were once an effective warning system to potential thieves, homeowners can now buy those signs even if they don’t purchase an alarm system. If your security company still makes this feature a selling point, move on.

Still Hardwired

Old security systems once used a hardwired connection. While there are a number of benefits to hardwired connections, the best systems now use wireless connections. You don’t need to worry about cutting into your walls, tripping over wires or dealing with hardware failures.

No Panic Button

A panic button lets you push a single button, which will emit a loud beeping noise that scares robbers and sends an alert to the security company at the same time. If your system has a panic button on your main console, you might need a newer system. These newer security alarms let you carry a panic button with you to reach help from anywhere in your home.

Having an alarm system in your home protects your family against robbers, thieves, vandals and anyone else who wants to do them harm. If you still rely on an old or outdated system, it’s time for an upgrade. Alarm companies now make systems that come with wireless designs, remote panic buttons and even total home automation.

Security is something that every home-owner should take seriously. The vast majority of burglaries are opportunistic ones where burglars enter a victim’s home via a weak or unlocked door or an open window. If your home does not present such obvious entry routes for a burglar, then it is likely that they will move on to an easier target. Here are some tips to help make your home look less appealing to criminals.

1. Lock your windows

Get into the habit of locking your windows at night, as well as locking them whenever you go out during the day. Don’t assume that it’s safe to leave upstairs windows open; a resourceful burglar may grab a nearby ladder and use that to gain entry to your home.

2. Invest in strong, sturdy doors and high quality locks

If your front door is flimsy, or has a weak lock, it would be trivial for a would-be burglar to kick down the door while you were away on holiday. Consider replacing your door frame, fitting a good deadbolt, and/or getting a door with a steel core for maximum security.

3. Take extra measures to secure sliding doors

Sliding doors, such as the ones that are used on most conservatories, are easy to force open. The good news is you can make them a lot more secure without having to spend a fortune. Placing a wooden brook handle in the track will prevent people from being able to open the door from the outside. For a more discrete form of security, drill a small hole in the middle of the doors and insert a metal pin to keep the doors “locked” together.

4. Make sure your yard is well-lit

Dark yards and big hedges are a burglar’s ideal surroundings. Don’t give burglars the chance to work in peace. Install motion-sensing lights in your yard so that anyone entering it will be noticed immediately.

5. Install a burglar alarm, and use it

Burglar alarms are a good deterrent against casual intruders. Installing a burglar alarm could save you money on your home contents insurance too. Be sure to use your alarm every time you leave the house. If you are broken into and you had forgotten to arm your alarm before leaving the house, then your insurance company may refuse to pay out.

6. Keep expensive possessions out of view of your windows

A burglar is more likely to target a house with a plasma TV, two games consoles and a bunch of expensive jewellery on the bedside table than they are a “normal” house where the only things on display are a sofa and a vase full of flowers. Hang net curtains to stop people from peeking into your home, and be discrete about expensive purchases. If you post details of your expensive home entertainment system purchase on Facebook then you are basically advertising your possessions to potential thieves who will jump at the chance to break in the next time your home is vacant.

7. Put your mail on hold when you go away on holiday

A stack of un-touched mail in the porch (or worse, hanging out of your mailbox) is an open invitation for burglars. If you’re going to be away from home for more than a few days, either put your mail on hold or ask a trusted neighbour to collect it for you.

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