Author: GuardMe Security

While you are assessing your home for a fresh coat of paint or even a possible remodel this spring, how much thought have you put into your home’s security system? Over the past five years, the home security industry has seen some remarkable technological advances. From home management systems to energy savings and even video surveillance, is your existing system up-to-date?

Is it Time to Upgrade Your Home Security System?

You upgrade your lawn, your décor, and even your barbecue set. What about an upgrade to your home security? Just like other technology, it is easy for your once state-of-the-art system to become obsolete. If you are not sure whether you need an upgrade, here are some new features available on the market—compare what you have and decide if it is time to call a security company.

• Energy Management Systems – Home security systems today can now help you save on your energy bills. These home automation systems allow you to program the time your lights turn on and off, turn off appliances and lights remotely, change the temperature regardless of where you are, and even create customized rules. That means you could turn the heat down while you are away, and program the system to automatically start heating the house once again, right before you get home.
• Access Control Systems – Do you know who enters your home and when? Whether you have young children or even a housekeeper, these unique access codes are given to each individual. When the code is used, it is recorded, telling you who was in your home and at what time.
• Video Monitoring Systems – Video surveillance paired with a home security system gives you complete control over your home. From monitoring packages sitting on your porch to seeing when the kids come home from school, you can access live video, recorded feeds and even set up cameras to be motion-activated. With the latest technology, you can get alerts on your smartphone and check-in on your home from a tablet, PC or your phone while you are away.

About GuardMe Security

The advances in home security technology are remarkable. If your home does not have some of these new features, call your local home security experts and get an assessment. GuardMe Security can offer you a no-obligation, in-home estimate to upgrade your existing home security system.

Call the experts at GuardMe today at (800) 235-0644.

“Active-shooter drills on the rise at K-12 schools in the wake of Sandy Hook massacre” – The Denver Post

“Violent incidents involving female students surge on campuses, in schools” – The Washington Post

“2015 school year off to a violent start” – USA Today

Violence in schools and on college campuses continues to rise. Elementary, middle, and high schools have seen an increase in on-site security guards, and university police departments have chosen to hire increasingly more campus police to combat this worrying trend. Superintendents and chancellors throughout the nation know that they face an existential threat and are desperate to find a solution, but in their desperation, many are choosing to simply put more boots on the ground instead of seeking more cost-effective solutions.

Obviously, when it comes to children’s safety, no expense should be spared; however, on many campuses, the solution with the highest monetary return on investment is also the safest for our students.

This rise in violence is a modern problem and must be fought with modern tools. The implementation of virtual guard services and managed access control will provide a much-needed sense of relief, both in the minds of administrators with finite resources and in the minds of parents who send their children off to school every year.

What Can Be Done To Help Schools Be Safer in NJ?

Virtual guard services detect and deter threats and employ trained operators who utilize advanced analytic settings to improve operations and performance. In the event of suspicious activity, operators will challenge the suspect directly, which has been shown to be substantially more effective than only sounding a siren. Experienced security professionals install and configure this system, and, in terms of manpower and capital expense saved, virtual guard services pay for themselves in less than a year.

Campus Security Solutions That Are Available

Managed access control simplifies administration and maintenance and takes access control responsibilities out of the hands of laymen; instead its efficacy relies on trained professionals. Many schools and universities have a rudimentary access control system at best and have no way to verify who has access to anything and no database to manage or administer this access system. Managed access control can provide hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly reports, as well as generate alarm notifications via e-mail or mobile device if someone is somewhere they shouldn’t be. Schools and campuses will also save on the cost of constant re-keying and re-verification. Managed access control affords a state-of-the-art security system to children and college students who desperately need it.

About GuardMe Security

Our hearts go out to those families and victims that have been affected by the recent spate of school shootings. GuardMe Security wants to help. Ultimately, almost all schools and universities will implement some form of these security systems, simply because no administration has the resources to employ a security guard for every student. However, those schools who adopt these essential security tools in the near future will provide a safer environment for children to learn and will have a clear advantage when parents decide where to send their kids. Contact us today for a free consultation.

Over the last decade, medical alert systems changed the way we approach nearly every aspect of our daily lives. Those technologies however, have largely been geared toward young people. That trend is shifting, and now home security and smart home technologies are leading the way in improving the lives of seniors and helping them avoid assisted living or nursing care for as long as possible.

The greatest hope for most seniors is to continue to live in their home where they are most comfortable, and in the community to which they have grown accustomed. Now, thanks to technology, that hope is being realized. Home security and smart technologies are providing a non-intrusive way to provide support and assistance in a way that solves some of the most difficult aspects of aging.

Home Security Solutions Help Individuals Retain Independence

Retaining independence is very important in maintaining a happy and healthy lifestyle. With the right technologies in place, individuals can continue to live as independently as possible. Here are some ways smart home and security products aid in independent living.

• Wearable call buttons put seniors in immediate contact with help should they fall or have a medical emergency.
• Video surveillance allows the individual to see who is at the door or verify the presence of someone should they hear as noise, which reduces stress and anxiety.
• Knowing that loved ones can see them reduces fear and feelings of isolation.
• Home automation allows seniors to manage tasks such as turning off and on lights, lock doors, turn off and on the television, and manage the thermostat from their computer, phone, or tablet. This reduces the opportunity for slip and fall injuries.

Technology Supports the Caregiver

Balancing the need to provide support and supervision with the need to provide care that retains dignity and autonomy can be a difficult task. Nobody wants to feel as if they have people hovering over them or need to be watched when they have spent their lives caring for others and living independently. Home security and smart technologies can help address both of these issues and keep everyone happy in the process.

• Access to real-time video surveillance provides caregivers a way to check in on their loved one without intruding.
• Remote access to automation gives caregivers a way to make sure appliances are off, that the temperature in the home is safe and comfortable, or schedule tasks.
• Motion sensors can monitor movements, or the lack of them, which could indicate a fall or medical emergency.
• Door sensors can provide alerts to arrivals and departures of helpers like in-home health aids.
• Sensors on the refrigerator can help ensure that the senior is eating frequently enough.
• Sensors can provide information about whether the loved one is getting enough sleep or activity levels within the home.

Home security and smart technologies are some of the most valuable and cost-effective tools in supporting the health and independence of elderly Americans today. If you want to know about how these technologies can create more opportunities for your loved ones, give us a call today. We are always happy to share the many ways people can integrate these technologies to address independent living.

Did you know that heating and cooling a home costs the average American family $900 every year? And with the hot summer months upon us, saving on your AC bill can account for a big, fat chunk of that $900. After all, most families in the area turn on the AC in the summer far more than they turn on the heat in the winter. With that in mind, it’s no wonder that energy-saving smart thermostats have skyrocketed in popularity.

What is a Smart Thermostat? 

A smart thermostat is equipped with a sensory system that reacts to the activity in a home and automatically adjusts itself in order to save energy. The more a smart thermostat knows, the more effective it can be at achieving this energy-saving goal.

Our smart thermostat is fully integrated into your home security system so it knows what’s going on in the home environment: whether people are home, whether people are expected to come home soon, etc. – and all of this amounts to some remarkably convenient ways to help out homeowners who are concerned about saving on the AC bill this summer.

What Makes a Smart Thermostat Smart

As most homes security system owners know, the contact sensors placed around the home are designed to alert the system any time a potential intruder is present. A smart home security system takes the intelligence provided by the contact sensors one step further, by using it to adjust the home’s temperature according to whether anyone is home or not. In a smart home security system, “waking up” the contact sensors by arming the system can trigger the smart thermostat to set back. Naturally, this saves the homeowner money on the electric bill by reducing the amount of time the AC is being used.

Another Option for Saving Money

With a smart thermostat, homeowners also have the option to automatically make the AC turn on when the temperature outside hits 95 degrees or higher. This is just another way to program your system for energy savings – and as anyone who pays attention to their summer electric bill knows, saving energy equals saving money.

About GuardMe Security

To learn more about saving on your AC bill come see us at GuardMe Security before the summer kicks off. Our highly qualified and experienced home security experts can answer all your questions on smart home technology, including smart thermostats. Call us today at (800) 235-0644.

Deciding how to upgrade your vacation home can be tricky. There are many things that will add value or make it more aesthetically pleasing, and it is easy to jump in enthusiastically without weighing all of your options. Here are some reasons to set aside the kitchen remodel and make upgrading your vacation home with home automation your top priority.

1. You can fake occupancy even when you aren’t there. By using the video doorbell to answer the door, and by turning off and on lights and entertainment intermittently, thieves have a hard time telling whether the home is occupied or not which makes it less of a target.
2. Having smart locks means you can let friends or family use the home without having to worry about keys.
3. Smart security cameras allow you to check in on the property from your smartphone so you always know that everything is fine.
4. Environmental sensors can pick up any signs of trouble such as carbon monoxide or water leaks and trigger an alarm and initiate emergency services.
5. Tripped glass break and motion sensors initiate a push alert on your phone and can initiate emergency services for a tswift response.
6. A smart thermostat can control the temperature for eco-friendly savings.
7. Your smart home system can learn your normal usage patterns and minimize wasted energy by automatically turning off lights or adjusting the room temperature.
8. The use of a smart garage door and smart locks increase safety. While you are busy vacationing, it is easy to forget to close the garage or lock the doors. If you do, your smart home system will send you alert and you can do it remotely.
9. Home automation takes care of a long list of routine tasks so you can spend more time enjoying your well-earned vacation.
10. If you rent your vacation home, home automation upgrades make your home more attractive to renters, which boosts your profitability.
11. Home automation is considered a luxury amenity by renters and makes them feel well cared for in your home.
12. Home automation upgrades protect your investment. You have already invested time and money into your vacation home. Home automation and home security systems help you keep your home and property safe, even when you are not there.

Headquartered in Old Bridge, NJ, GuardMe Security is a premier provider of monitored home alarms and home automation systems. Whether it is your primary home or a vacation getaway, GuardMe Security can help you with your home automation upgrades.

If you think that smart homes seem to be gaining in popularity, you’re right. Approximately 30 million households added smart home technology within the last year alone. And the trend is expected to continue. In fact, a recent Intel study found that 68% of Americans expect smart homes to be as common as smartphones by 2025. It is a realistic expectation.

It’s Too Late to be an Early Adopter, But That’s Okay

The excitement level over smart home technologies is on the rise with millennials and parents leading the pack and over half of those surveyed about industry trends say they will be purchasing at least one smart home product within the next year. Researchers predict that the typical family home will have an average of 500 smart devices by 2022. Smart technologies are no longer a trend; they are a way of life.

Why Are Smart Homes Popular?

That’s an easy answer. While users cite numerous reasons for having and using smart home technologies, the top two reasons people give for purchasing a smart home system are for enhanced safety and increased energy savings.

Home Automation Peace of Mind

Year over year, industry surveys, and research show that better safety and increased peace of mind is a primary reason for purchasing a home automation system. This is true for around 90% of users. A burglary takes place every 18 seconds somewhere in the US, taking 14 seconds to commit. And over half of all break-ins use the front or back door to gain entry. Not surprisingly, this makes smart security, smart cameras, smart locks, and video doorbells among the most popular of all smart home technologies.

Increased Savings is also a Motivator

Heating and cooling accounts for 48% of all energy use in the typical home, so controlling that can result in very noticeable savings. Smart technologies provide a new approach to energy consumption and savings. Products such as the smart thermostat and smart lighting not only simplifies life, they also add significant savings by allowing users to cater usage to their needs and tap into their homes remotely to control energy efficiency. Smarthomes also help curb usage by gleaning information about usage patterns and presence from motion sensors to respond appropriately.

Consumers are increasingly aware of the advantages of smart home technologies and appreciate how home automation simplifies tasks so that the saved time can be used doing what they love most. GuardMe Security connects you to the products and technologies that provide convenience and peace of mind.

If you feel like “been there, done that” when it comes to home security systems, it is probably time to reconsider. Chances are good that you opted in because you valued increasing your safety, and wanted to protect your family and home. Then, you found the benefits were great but there was room for some improvement. While useful, old school home security systems did have some drawbacks with limited controls and capabilities. But things have definitely changed in home security technologies and smart security systems are just better than any other security alternative.

Smart Technologies Add More to Your Home Security Investment

It is hard to miss how the IoT (internet of things) has changed the way we do things, and the way things operate. In home security, smart technologies mean that smart security systems offer far more features and capabilities than ever before, and add even more value to your investment.

Here are just a few of the many reasons you should check out what smart security systems can do for you.

The Systems are Easy to Use

One of the biggest problems with old home security technology was that it was difficult to use and restrictive. Smart Security systems solve those problems with easy to use interfaces. You can access all of your features and functions a through a smart home app on your phone.

Smart Home Security System Features Are Always Useful

With an old school security system, you armed it and it sounded an alarm if there was any sort of intrusion. That was great, but that’s where it stopped. Smart security systems are for daily use and offer countless ways to increase safety. For example, in addition to raising an alarm in an emergency, it can send you notifications when someone gets home– and can even tell you who through the unique codes. When someone comes to the door, you can see who it is and talk to them through the video doorbell before disrupting your activities. You can also worry less about what the kids are doing in the backyard by checking in on the security feed from the HD security cameras. When you have family or friends arriving unexpectedly, you never have to worry about them standing at the door waiting for you to let them in. Just use the smart security app to let them in remotely.

It’s Proactive Security

As well as alerting you to eminent emergencies like break-in or fire, a smart security system can also detect and alert you to smaller problems that could turn into big ones, such as doors opening at odd hours, water leaks, or a garage door left open. It can also act proactively by doing things such as turning off the HVAC system if it detects carbon monoxide or turning off the home’s main water source if it detects a leak.

GuardMe is a premier provider of smart, interactive security systems and has been trusted since it opened i ts doors in 1997.

Don’t let your home and property be the target for damage by lightning. While lightning strikes seem like rare occurrences, they actually happen far more often than people think, and they result in severe consequences.

When it comes to protecting your home from lightning strikes and other foul weather, you should understand that fire is your biggest concern. Each year, the U.S. fire departments across the country put out several fires that were started by lightning. According to the Insurance Information Institute, lightning was responsible for about a quarter-million claims in 2008, a combined $1.065 billion in losses. Don’t let your home and property be the target for damage by lightning.

3 Tips to Protect your Home from Lightning Strikes

The following are expert-recommended lightning protection tips:

1. Install lightning rods on your roof and tall trees around your home to redirect the path of destructive lightning strikes. Choose lightning rods that are Underwriters Laboratories or National Fire Protection Association approved as these are the only ones that provide a direct path to draw lightning into the ground rather than through the structure of your home.
2. Install a whole-house surge protection system on your electric panel. This will help protect your appliances and equipment inside the home including computers, entertainment equipment, etc.
3. Unplug unused electronic equipment and appliances during a lightning storm. Stay away from corded telephones, computers, and other electronics that could put you in direct contact with electricity.

Bad Weather Break-ins

It is very important to understand that when bad weather strikes, break-ins can occur. This is because thieves know that when the electricity is out, there is less risk of getting caught. They think security cameras are down, security systems are disarmed, and they won’t get caught. They are usually right too. That is, unless your home security system has battery backup.

Make sure that your home security system has a backup for electrical outages.

About GuardMe Security

Wireless signals can get through in even the worst storm, so if you lose your landline protection, you don’t have to be worried about being cut off from your home security monitoring.Learn more about how a home security system offers strong protection in lightning storms. Call the team at GuardMe Security: (800) 235-0644.

While you are on vacation this Spring Break enjoying the great weather and school-free days, your home will be sitting there empty. Empty houses are prime targets for criminals because they know you will leave plenty of valuables ripe for the taking while you are away. By taking the right precautions, you can keep your home safe.

Tips That Will Ensure Your Home Is Safe While You Are Away

Before heading out on vacation, make sure you take a few safety precautions, including:

• Asking Neighbors or Friends to Help – Let your neighbors know you are leaving town for a few days and see if they can keep an eye out for any suspicious activity. Consider having a friend or family member drop by to get your mail, water plants and check in on the house.
• Make Your Home Look Occupied – Making intruders think you are still around will make your home less of a target. Use your home’s automation system to put lights and electronics on at certain times of the day. If you will be gone longer than a week, have a landscaper come and mow the lawn. An overgrown lawn is a sure sign that owners have been away for a while.
• Do Not Leave the Spare Key – Do not leave a hide-a-key outside your house. If you have someone checking in, give them an alarm code or give them the key physically. The first thing burglars look for is a key hidden outside.
• Install a Home Security System – If you do not already have one, a home security system can protect your home regardless of how long you are away. With the right combination of glass break sensors, door and window sensors and even motion detectors, you can catch intruders and deter ones that previously considered your home a target.

About GuardMe Security

The professionals at GuardMe offer free estimates for home security systems. We can assess your home and help you pick the right security solution for when you are home as well as when you are away. Call the GuardMe experts today at (800) 235-0644.