Will a Power Outage Affect Home Security System and its Safety?

The heavy wind, rain, and even hail of summer storms cause a lot of power outages and downed power lines. While a power outage is annoying, it should never be life-threatening and you may wonder whether a power outage can affect your home security system … and your personal safety.

You’ll be pleasantly surprised to learn that it will not and here’s why: reliable home security systems such as the ones GuardMe Security installs now include battery backups that protect your home during a power outage.

Why it’s critical for home security to work during a power outage

You can imagine why this might be an ideal time for a break-in. After all, burglars and other criminals see power outages as an opportunity to break-in and steal or harm residents without fear of being caught simply because traditional home security systems used to rely on power supply.

In fact, the rate of crime even today goes up when there is chaos due to storms, flooding, and other severe weather. This is why the local police are always on high alert during a storm. Therefore, keeping your home security system activated and available is probably even more critical when the power outage occurs.

How does my home security work during a power outage?

With a modern home security system, the power will switch over to battery power immediately. You can set your system to alert you if a power outage has caused the system to switch power systems and it will inform you that it is now on battery power.

Backup batteries have a life span of between 3 and 5 years, and you should test your battery annually, just like you test and check the batteries in your smoke alarms.

It’s important to note that while you get a lot of benefits out of using cellular monitoring, that option also takes more power and could drain your battery backup more quickly.

How often to I change/check my home security backup battery?

You should check it on an annual basis. To change your battery – it’s located in the alarm panel – simply open the panel and remove the old battery and slip in a new one. It’s a good idea to have a few spare batteries on hand should the power outage continue and drain the original battery.

Don’t worry, you’ll have time to switch out the batteries and your home security system will let you know when it’s running low.

When power is restored, your home security system will automatically switch back to using household power and it will recharge the battery back to normal levels, so you’re immediately secure again without having to do anything.

To discuss installing a monitored and/or integrated home security system in your home as a first line of defense, call our expert team at (800) 235-0644 or click to get a quote. We can also answer your questions and address any concerns about monitored home security and help you learn how to use it.

5 Home Security Tips for your Summer Vacation

Before you pack your bags for summer vacation, let’s take a good look around and think about your home security. 

Many neighborhoods these days have been blighted by foreclosures and homes are sitting on the real estate market for too long. If your home is in one of these neighborhoods, it’s important to note that empty houses are a risk for squatters, vandals, and more. It’s unfortunate, but it’s also very true. 

Even if the neighborhood where you live is fully occupied and vibrant, there is no place that’s 100% safe from thieves who want to break in and steal your stuff – especially in a bad economy when it’s hard to find jobs. Plus, lots of people take advantage of the break in school, the longer days, and the cost-savings and travel in the summer. That’s one reason that home break-ins typically rise during the summer months. Not only are you traveling, but your neighbors are also traveling and that leaves a lot of unattended homes ripe for burglary.

Before you head out this summer, consider these home securitytips:

1. Use multiple and random light timers

If a thief is watching your neighborhood or your home for hints that you’re on vacation, this technique will throw them off. Lights turning on always at 6 p.m. and then turning off at 10 p.m. right on the dot is a dead giveaway. Set random timers around the home to make things look like there are people in the home and moving about instead.

2. Glass-break detectors for all first-floor windows

Glass-break detection is primarily critical on first-floor windows – where someone is more likely to walk up, smash a side entry door window and let themselves into your home. All ground floor windows and doors should have sensors to let you know when they’ve been opened or smashed. Even if you’re in Bora-Bora, you’ll know something’s amiss and you can get someone over there to handle it.

3. Fire safety improves when you unplug

The day you leave on vacation, roam through your home and unplug everything that doesn’t need to remain plugged in as part of your vacation security plan. The kitchen is a good place to start. Everything you unplug reduces the risk of fire in your home and it also means less power usage while you’re gone, so it’s a double win.

4. Check the delivery options for expected packages

Leaving packages on the front porch is a dead giveaway that you’re not home. If you did a little online shopping and haven’t received all your packages, set the delivery options so you can pick it up at a local store or use your smartphone to track it and when it’s delivered have a neighbor drop by and pick it up.

5. Be cautious with social media

Sure, it’s fun to share your vacation plans with friends and family, but you’re not the only one keeping an eye on those social media sites. You don’t have 100% control over who sees that information and with whom that information is being shared.

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Home Security Tips for Seniors during Summer

Every summer in the U.S., the seniors and elderly of our communities struggle with the high heat and humidity and most of the victims of heat-related deaths each year are over the age of 50. When the temperatures reach 90 degrees Fahrenheit and above, it’s critical that older adults make some changes to keep themselves hot weather-safe. 

As the environment continues to change and summers get hotter, this problem is only likely to increase, so it’s important to consider how to keep the seniors in your home safe and comfortable while they age.

Extreme Heat Hits Seniors Harder

A combination of age-related factors work together and it explains why seniors and the elderly are at higher risk of serious health problems, heat stroke, and even heat-related death.

• Older people don’t feel as hot when temperatures climb dangerously high
• Seniors don’t feel as thirsty – even when they’re dehydrated – so they don’t consume enough water
• Older adults may be taking medications that confuse their ability to be aware of discomfort with the current temperature
• Older bodies simply don’t cool down as well as they did when they were younger

In addition, the presence of heart disease, diabetes and other diseases make it more difficult for seniors to cope with the high heat and humidity of summer.

How a Home Security Helps Seniors Trying to Stay Cool

When a monitored home security system is installed in a senior’s home, alerts can be set to ensure that the air conditioning keeps things cooler. If the air conditioner fails and the temperatures in the senior’s home start to climb, alarms can be set to tell the senior that the temperatures are unsafe and give them time to get into other air conditioned places and contact a repair company.

For families and caregivers trying to help independent seniors stay safe, it’s a great freedom to know that the home security alerts can be sent to more than one device. If a concerned son or daughter gets an alert that their mother’s home is too warm, they can call and check on her or even adjust the temperature from their phone to make sure that mom and dad are staying cooler.

With camera surveillance, those concerned about their elderly parent can keep an eye on them even if they’re in the yard. If you call and don’t get an answer, you can check the monitoring system and see whether your elderly parent is simply enjoying the breeze on the porch or if they’ve fallen in the yard and you need to send help immediately.

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Latest for Homeowners who want Residential Security Systems

Many homeowners initially begin looking into home security due to a break-in or theft in their own home or in their neighbor’s home, but burglars are not the only risk. Protecting your loved ones from fire and carbon monoxide leaks and your home itself from mold infestations and destructive water damage is also important. This is especially true if you’re like most of us – overworked, busy, and away from your home a lot.
 

Some of the most popular – and most impressive – features of today’s residential security systems include the following:

• Continuous protection – even through a power outage: when your power fails, your home security system switches immediately to battery backup so you’re never without protection.
• Pet-friendly motion detectors ensure that your pets can comfortably lounge around and roam the home without triggering the alarm.
• 24/7 monitoring that gives you control over what you keep an eye on – triggers will sense bedroom windows or doors opening at odd times, for example, so you know when the teenagers are breaking curfew.
• Text alerts to your iPhone, Android, or Windows smartphone give you knowledge about what’s going on at home and remote controls mean you can monitor and adjust your home security from wherever you are in the world.
• Camera security gives you a picture to match what you’re seeing with the text alerts and help you keep track of certain parts of your home, like the liquor cabinet or your safe.
• Protect your home from damage as well with fire alarms, smoke alarms, water leak alarms, and temperature alarms so you can make adjustments to keep your home safe.

One of the most affordable residential security options is the use of wireless home security. Wireless is less expensive than the traditional hard-wired models and it’s far less intrusive than having holes drilled into your walls. In addition to the standard features, many homeowners choose wireless residential security systems because it’s easier to add useful ‘extras’ like glass break detectors, interactive camera surveillance, and more. 

While there is a wide range of options when choosing a residential security system, it’s important to work with a trusted home security provider. You need a provider that understands your concerns, listens to your needs, and will help you design a home security system that works for you, your family, and your lifestyle. All the bells and whistles are great, but when it comes right down to it, you care about keeping your home, your family, and your possessions as safe as they can possibly be, especially in an uncertain world. 

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