Create the Illusion.

With it being within days for summer vacation to begin now is the best time to remember to create the illusion that someone is occuppying your residence while you are away.  Keep in mind these tips are best followed anytime when you are leaving your home, whether for a long holiday or just a short weekend getaway.

• If you are going on vacation, leave your home in the care of someone you trust and let them know where you can be reached in case of emergency.

• Arrange to have your mail and newspapers picked up, your grass cut, the leaves raked (or the snow removed as necessary).

• Have a neighbour check both inside and outside the house every few days.

• Use timers on interior lights when you are going to be away or just out for the evening. These can be set to turn the lights and radio or television on and off intermittently to give the appearance that someone is home.

• Have a neighbour park their car in your driveway or your designated parking stall. If you have a garage, keep the door closed and locked so no one can see if your car is gone.

• Turn the ringer on your telephone off or set your answering machine or voicemail to pick up on the second ring and do not leave specific information about your absence.

• Install security lights around the perimeter of your house. They are relatively inexpensive and are a great deterrent, especially if they are set with motion detectors. If you already have non-motion lights, battery operated add-on motion sensors exist that simply screw into the existing light socket and mount near the fixture.

• Never leave a note or a voicemail message indicating you are not at home.

• Leave shades, blinds and curtains in normal positions.

• Do not share your vacation plans in social media, like Facebook and Twitter.

For this and more information contact Kelly Lynn Wicks at kellywicks@atlasalarms.com

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Home Security Tips for Women

Criminals and burglars are more likely to strike out against women than men, and the best way to avoid unsafe situations is to prevent them from happening in the first place. Follow these home security tips for women to enhance your security and to give yourself peace of mind regarding the safety of your home.
• Always lock up! Whether you are heading out for a long vacation or just making a quick trip to the store, it is crucial that you make sure that all doors and windows are locked. In fact, it is a good idea to maintain locked windows and doors even when you are at home.
• Install a home security system and make sure you turn it on every time you leave the house. If possible, also activate your home security system before going to bed.
• Eliminate any potential hiding places: keep the exterior of your home well lit, and make sure that there are no shrubs or fences obscuring the view to your house.
• Only open your door for people you know or are expecting. If you are unsure of who is on the other side of the door, you should not open it.
• If someone drops you off at home, ask them to stay and watch until you are safely indoors.
• Have your key ready before you get to your door.
• Don’t list your full name on your mailbox. This only gives burglars more information about who is living in your home.
• If you come home to an open door and know that nobody else is home, do not go inside. Instead, call the police from a nearby home and ask them to escort you into your home.
• If you live alone, do not advertise this fact. Lone women are an easy target for criminals.
• Trust your judgment. If you feel that a certain situation or person may be a threat to your security or that of your home, avoid it. It is always better to be safe than to be sorry.

For this and more information please contact Kelly Lynn Wicks at kellywicks@atlasalarms.com

Alarm Systems for Townhomes.

Most people don't even think to install an alarm system inside their town home because of the way they are set up so close to other houses, people figure no one would be brash enough to break in. This is absolutely not true, and having an alarm system in any type of home you live in is a good idea. What can make a town home prone to theft is the fact that there are so many houses in such a small area. Thieves can easily steak out a house and figure out what the schedule is of a tenant. Everyone should have his or her town house protected just as if it were a traditional home.

A good thing about having a town house is that you will have less entry points in your home. This means that when installing the system, it will be easier to make sure every window and door is hooked up to your alarm device. After the system is installed, a small sign will be placed in the front of your property, and small stickers will be placed on every window you have in your home as a warning to people that plan on breaking into your home.

Other benefits of alarm system for your town home is all the warning features you can have with your system. If there is a fire in your town home, this means other homes are at serious risk of catching fire too. By having your alarm system installed be able to notify authorities in case of a fire while you are not home, this will help protect not only your home, but also protect other families around you. There are also other buttons and special features that you can have installed that can contact specific medical entities, or of course you can have a panic button for when you believe someone is trying to break into your home.

As homeowner, when your house is armed with an alarm system, your homeowner insurance will go down every year because of the extra security provided. Your alarm system will also bring added value to your town home, so that the money you put into it will be seen when it is time to sell the house. Either way, the potential benefits for having a state of the art alarm system are endless, and because these systems are cost-friendly, it is senseless not to have one installed in your town home as soon as possible.

For this and more information please feel free to contact me, Kelly Lynn Wicks at kellywicks@atlasalarms.com

"Do I Really Need Security"?

Time after time I hear that people do not think that residential security is either affordable or really required. Some believe that because they live in an apartment or town house, the neighbours live close and they will respond if anything happens. Today’s society is programmed to “mind their own business” and unless you are one of the lucky ones, no one will even bat an eye. Did you know that intrusions occur mainly between the hours of 10am and 2pm? If your neighbours are at work or away, they’re not going to be any the wiser. Sad but true.
A residential security system can be the most basic of systems which covers a couple of entry points along with an interior motion detector to provide you with more security. This is a good starting point and most systems can be added to as finances allow. Keep in mind that the interior motion detector is only turned on (active) when you are not at home. More elaborate systems can, and should be designed to suit your needs and, of course your budget.
Whatever the reason is for the rise in crime in all areas of the country, we as citizens must take more necessary precautions to protect our families and our belongings. This is just another form of insurance. It is a proven fact that homes with visible security are less likely to be broken into than those without. Signage is your first line of defence; use it to your advantage. Decals should be placed in any areas that are visible for possible entry. Use common sense, think like a thief and scope out your own house. Ask yourself, how would you break in? Then fix it!!
For those that have a security system be sure to use it, the system is designed not only to be used when you leave your home but for when you are at home whether it be day or night. More often than not thieves enter through the front door. And thieves will enter even if you are home. If someone rings your doorbell and you are not expecting anyone, make noise, let the person at your door know someone is home. By ignoring your doorbell, you are telling an intruder the home is empty. Keep your doors locked and the security system armed on the “stay” mode. What this means is that if anyone enters the home through any secured opening the system will sound the siren immediately and simultaneously transmit the signal to your Alarm Monitoring Centre and if needed, the Police are on route.
For this and more information contact Kelly Lynn Wicks at kellywicks@atlasalarms.com

Home Security 101

Congratulations, you have now decided to go ahead with a residential security system. Where to start?

This can be a very daunting decision, so many companies to choose from and so many views on the subject. Word of mouth is the best place to start when researching security alarm companies. Friends, neighbours or family members all are great resource tool. Yellow pages or the Internet are also good resource tools to implement. This can still be over whelming to say the least! Choose a couple of different companies to contact, each will have their own view on the subject and will advertise different packages to choose from. Remember your home is not a cookie cutter home therefore the cookie cutter package may not fit your security requirements. It is best to have a professional security representative visit your home and provide you with a professional quotation. Keep in mind when comparing the security company quotations that your should compare apples to apples; same number of door/window contacts, motion detectors, keypads, term of agreement and location of the alarm monitoring centre.

Facts to know about home security systems; what are the devices to be used?

Door/window devices or known as magnetic contacts are placed in the door/window frame and are triggered when the door/window are opened.

Motion sensors or motion detectors are placed through out your home to detect movement of an intruder once inside the home. Pet Immune Motion detectors are also available.

Keypads are the device that you use to operate (arm or disarm) the security system, normally placed at the main entry to your home. Additional keypads can be placed in locations such as master bedrooms or secondary entry points to your home.

Control panel this is the "brain" of the security system and is placed in a secure location within your home. A home owner rarely if ever has to access the control panel.

Smoke sensors or detectors are just that, smoke detectors, however the alarm company smoke detectors are connected to the security system and will send a "fire" signal to the monitoring centre.

There are two basic installation methods of security systems; hardwired and wireless or in some circumstances hybrid which is a combination of both hardwired and wireless devices. Hardwired means that each device has a wire connecting it to the main control panel, normally the wire is hidden in your crawl space, attic or unfinished basement. Wireless devices are just that - they are wireless, they are connected to the main control panel via RF signals.

Overwhelmed yet? Yes it is a bit confusing and that is why you should have a professional security representative visit your home. The professional is best to determine the number of points (entry areas) that are at risk and whether or not your home should be hard wired or wireless.

A monitored security system vs a non-monitored (local) security system.

When a monitored security system is activated, it connects to a monitoring centre via the phone line. If a detector goes off while the system is activated, the phone line automatically sends a signal to our monitoring centre. When a non-monitored security system is activated you are on your own, you can hope that the neighbours may hear the alarm siren and call the authorities but in today's society we are all trained to avoid others problems. Therefore for the few dollars a month it costs for security alarm monitoring is well worth the investment, besides most insurance companies will provide you with a discount upon proof of a monitored security system.

Not A Cookie Cutter !

Along with Atlas Alarms Ltd. strive to be the industry leader in the sales and installation of high quality alarm systems by combining expertise, exceptional customer service, and competitive pricing for both residential and commercial applications.

I will attend your premise, residential or commercial and provide you with a complete security evaluation, tips on “how to secure your home yourself” and a professional quotation from Atlas Alarms Ltd. I will design a security system to fit your Budgetary needs and your security requirements. Do not be fooled by other alarm companies offering a "Basic System", your house is not cookie cutter why would you want your security system to be.

I will work closely with the technician to achieve a balance of feasibility and functionality in order to ensure that both the needs of the and the challenges of the individual system are met. Contact me either via kellywicks@atlasalarms.com to have your professional home security evaluation.

BE PROACTIVE not REACTIVE

Let me start from the beginning: As a home owner you should be proactive instead of reactive. Thieves will not wait until your home is protected they will strike now while the picking is ripe. To many home owners wait to contact a security company until they become victims of a robbery, while in fact it is proven in statistics that homes with visible security are 14 times less likely to become victims of burglary.

To secure your home you should step back and think like a thief, take a walk around your home and look at the obvious entry points. Are there ladders just laying about that can easily reach that second floor balcony with that open French door? Are there windows left open for ventilation that can easily be accessed by a thief from the level of a nearby fence? These and many more areas are the most inviting to thieves, as they give them easy access to your home without much effort on their part. Take the time to lock down your ladders and always ensure that all doors and windows are properly secured before leaving your home unattended.

All exterior doors should be solid doors with deadbolts and door enforcers. Install peep holes for viewing before opening. Windows and sliding glass doors that can be lifted out from the outside can be secured by installing pan head screws in the upper track, adjust to allow free back and forth movement but with minimum up and down movement. Also secure with commercially available locks or use a broomstick or wooden dowel in the lower track. I personally liked broken hockey sticks, the shafts fit just perfect into sliding door tracks. Garage doors should be closed and locked whenever you are not around.

Install timers on all exterior lights that automatically turn on at dusk and turn off at dawn, thieves do not like to be seen. Keep shrubs and bushes trimmed as to not allow for hiding places. Outdoor sheds should also be locked with secure heavy duty locks.

Residential Security Systems: As every home is different with its own strengths and weaknesses, consult a security expert to visit your home and provide you a quality system designed to fit your security requirements and your budget. For less than a $1.00 a day you can protect your home with a security system, keep that in perspective when you think you can not afford one when you purchase your morning coffee.

A security system will not guarantee to keep the bad guys out but it will keep the time they are in your home to a minimum. Be sure that the security system you purchase is monitored. Alarm monitoring means that someone is always watching your home via the security system along with the alarm monitoring center. Once the system has been breached the monitoring center is notified and the appropriate authorities are dispatched to your home. The loud obnoxious siren will scare off the thief as well.

Security Systems are unique to each premise; hard wired, wireless or a combination of both, they can include fire protection, flood/water, heat and carbon monoxide, perimeter (doors and windows) and interior protection. Again have a security expert visit your home for your requirements. For more information on security for your home and a host of useful tips on safety visit email me at kellywicks@atlasalarms.com Kelly Lynn Wicks