How Safe is Your Home?

Experience Matters

A key part of our process is talking to homeowners to help them understand the vulnerabilities in their home. We also look at environmental threats and how to best protect against these potential dangers with a reliable home security system.

Our industry experience and thought leadership has given us a unique perspective that can help you determine the system that will best protect you and those you care about.

We’ve also worked closely with law enforcement and first responders, participated in industry conferences, and served on professional panels to discuss all aspects of home and public security.

Finally, aligning ourselves and working with leading technology companies has helped us stay one step ahead in terms of the latest developments in the industry.

We hope this guide is a useful tool to get you started.

Interested in learning more?

Home Vulnerabilities

Here are some key questions to ask yourself to begin to understand your home security needs.

• How close is your home to your neighbors’ home?
  
• What type of home do you have? (Single family, Townhouse, Condo with common walls, High Rise)
• How many exterior entrances do you have?
• Do you have an attached garage with an entrance to you home?
• Do you have a way to see who is at the door if they knock or ring? 

Traffic Patterns

• Are you in a rural, urban, or suburban neighborhood?
• Do you live on a street corner or cul-de-sac?
• How many people are entering and exiting your home each day?
• Do they all have their own set of keys or access codes?
• Do solicitors ever come to your door?
• Do you ever get packages delivered to your home when you are out?
• Do you ever get flyers, advertisements, newspapers or other material left outside your home?

Already Have a Security System?

From there, you can assess whether or not they are useful for the type of home you have and it’s vulnerabilities. It may even be outdated in terms of technology.

• Do you currently have a home security system?
• Is it Wi-Fi based with cellular or hard-wired?
• Does your security system have cameras, alarms, or motion lights?
• Does your security system allow you to monitor and communicate with those who are at your doorstep?
• Can you view security camera footage or be notified about security breaches on your phone?
• If there is a technical problem with your security system, who is responsible for fixing it or troubleshooting?

Security Monitoring

• Does your security system have 24/7 alarm monitoring?
• If so, does the security company own and operate the monitoring station?
  
• Is the monitoring center for your security system located near your home?
• Does the company who installed your security system contract out the monitoring to another company?
• If so, do you know how to contact that company in case of a customer service issue?

Environmental Safety

• Are your smoke alarms properly installed in your home?
• Are they being monitored 24/7 even if you are not home?
• Do you check your smoke detectors periodically to ensure they are functioning?
• Are there carbon monoxide monitors in your home?
• Are they functioning properly and being monitored 24/7?
• Do you have a water heater that is connected to your home or a basement?
• Are there electrical systems that might be damaged in the case of a water leak?
• Do you have a system in place to alert you if there is water pooling from a burst pipe or water heater leak?
• Do you have a warning system in place to warn you that your pipes are in danger of freezing?