Fire Alarm Inspection: Tips Before Hiring a Company

If you need to get a fire alarm inspection, you should consider a few details before hiring anyone. There are lots of companies that can perform this service, but they do not all do it well. This is why you should ask a few questions before you hire a company.

The first thing you need to find out is whether the fire alarm inspection business has worked with alarms like yours. You need to get this job done by someone with experience, not someone who does not know how this type of product works. Someone who is not aware would have no idea if it is working right or not, which is why you should first make sure alarms like yours have been inspected before by the business you are considering. If the company you are checking out offers a free quote or consultation, you can ask during this time.

You should also make sure you can afford the cost of the fire alarm inspection. Not surprisingly, not all companies charge the same amount. You do not want to be charged more than you can afford when you are surprised by the prices. In fact, you should ask for a quote before you agree to services. If you cannot afford the price, feel free to shop around by requesting quotes from a few businesses offering this service. You should be able to get your item inspected without paying more than you are comfortable with.

In addition, you should find out what the fire alarm inspection process entails. Get to know what the employees will be doing when inspecting this item, and then find out how long it will take. You should also learn whether you will need to be present or gone when it occurs, especially if you have pets or young children who might be sensitive to loud noises. You should be able to get all this information during the first meeting, or even over the phone when setting up the appointment. These details can help you choose the best company for the job, so you should be sure to ask about them.

You need to get a fire alarm inspection at least occasionally, whether you own a home or business. When you decide to get it done, you will have several businesses to choose from. Considering these tips first should help you hire the best company for the job.


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Questions to Ask a Home Security System Company Before Buying

If you are looking to purchase and install a home security system, you will want to make sure you are getting the services of a company that will help you sleep soundly knowing your home and family are being watched over at all times of the day or night. To ensure the companies you are considering will be reliable, forthright and trustworthy, here are the questions you should ask each and every security system company you are considering for your system.

1. How long have you been in business? Obviously, the longer a company has been operating, the better. You will know that the company is not likely to go out of business anytime soon, leaving you without the security you depend upon.

2. Are you properly licensed? Do not ever employ the services of a company that cannot produce a copy of their license or with the number of their certificate. You do not want to give your money to a company that might not be around next week or next month.

3. Are you bonded and insured? If the company is not insured and something happens to your home security system to where it malfunctions and you are robbed or worse, you will not be able to recoup any of your costs.

4. Do you own your own monitoring company? If you do, where is it located? You should know where the company's central monitoring center is located so that you know that your system is not being monitored by just the owner of the company when he is at his computer. You want eyes on your system 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

5. What kind of warranty do you offer and what components are covered? Again, if your system malfunctions, you want to have some guarantee that you will get at least a portion of your money back. Never purchase a home security system that does not offer a warranty. You want the company to stand behind its product.

6. How much do you charge for monthly monitoring in addition to the equipment and the installation fee? This is important for you to find out because it is the one charge that will be recurring. You will pay for the installation and the equipment right away, but the monitoring will be paid each month until you discontinue service. This is especially important information if you are entering into a contract for a set amount of time. You will want to know how much you are going to have to pay for that term.


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Five Home Security Tips You Probably Never Thought Of

Home security is a complex entity with so many different facets. It is hard for most people who are not professional burglars to fully understand all that are involved in protecting homes from intruders. That is why it is helpful when former professionals agreed to do interviews for media outlets offering tips to thwart would-be burglars.

Many of the tips offered by security professionals include common sense things like:

• installing and maintaining a home security system
• hiring a monitoring service to complement an alarm system
• making sure windows and doors are kept locked
• using electronic timers and other devices when you're away for extended amounts of time

Most of the tips we commonly hear are great advice, to be sure. However, below we have compiled five home security tips you have probably never thought of. These are tips that are not talked about much, yet they are right from the mouths of former professional burglars.

1. Fix Your Doorbell

There is a number of ways burglars case a neighborhood to find vulnerable homes. One way that is becoming increasingly more popular among small-time crooks is to impersonate a sales representative or service provider then walk through a neighborhood ringing doorbells. If a burglar rings the same doorbell without answer two or three days in a row he may assume the house is empty.

For a housewife who is home alone with a broken alarm, this is a bad situation. She could come up from the basement to find an intruder rummaging through personal belongings. Do her a favor and fix that broken doorbell.

2. Secure Those French Doors

French doors and sliding glass patio doors make the easiest points of entry for a burglar. Don't trust factory locks or a cut down broom handle to provide you adequate security. Invest in proven security locks from a local locksmith or security equipment dealer.

3. Use Surveillance Cameras

If you have a home security system, make surveillance cameras part of your package. According to the pros, cameras are one of the things burglars fear most. If they spot a camera, they have no way of knowing where the recording equipment is, so even if they break the camera there is already evidence of them doing that much. Cameras will typically send a burglar on to easier pickings.

4. Love Your Attic

The first place in your home a professional burglar heads for is the master bedroom. That is where he is likely to find expensive items like jewelry and collectibles. One of the last places to look is in the attic or basement. That means the attic and basement are good places to hide your valuables. If you do not have an attic or basement, the professionals say the next best place is your kitchen.

5. Consider a "Yip-Yap"

Unbelievably most burglars are more concerned about small "yip-yap" dogs then large, mean looking ones. Why? Because most dogs (with the exception of trained security animals) can be placated with some sort of treat. However, smaller dogs tend to be those that just will not stop barking. Burglars hate noise; ergo they also hate little dogs that will not be quiet.

In addition to these tips, you should consider arming your home with a security system. A home security system is an excellent tool and an important component in your overall security and safety plan. Better yet, include 24/7 alarm monitoring with your security system. Monitoring provides you an extra set of eyes and ears around the clock to help keep an eye on your property.

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When Are Fire Extinguisher Signs Necessary?

If possible, no obstructions should be allowed to hide extinguishers. However, even the applicable NFPA standard recognizes situations exist where obstructions cannot be completely eliminated. In such cases NFPA 10 6.1.3.3.2 demands a means shall be provided for identifying those extinguisher units obscured from view.

Here are some ways for identifying the unit locations. According to our observation, signs are the most often used means of extinguisher location identification. They are inexpensive and easily installed or removed. They come in a variety of sizes and shapes; some display the words FIRE EXTINGUISHER, others are shaped as arrows designed to point toward the extinguisher. Signs may be adhesive vinyl, rigid plastic, or metal.

Adhesive vinyl signs are the easiest to use. After determining where the sign must be located to keep the extinguisher in compliance with code, the extinguisher service technician will make sure the chosen area of wall or column is clean and dry. Then the technician will peel the paper from the adhesive back and apply the sign. She will press the sign firmly with a cloth, rubbing to the edge, to assure no air bubbles are trapped.

Rigid plastic and metal signs are sometimes held in place by glue or two-sided tape. Most have holes provided so that they can be attached to a hard surface with screws or other fasteners for a more secure installation.

Another common means of identifying the locations is coding the wall or column, usually directly above the obscured units. One large retailer used 6 inch wide red tape to mark the columns or poles which had fire extinguishers attached. Some factories have painted the wall red above extinguishers to indicate unit locations.

There are special purpose fire extinguisher signs that are required in some situations and under certain circumstances. For example, class K portable extinguishers require a special placard. Signs that extend out from the wall draw attention to fire extinguisher cabinets mounted flush to the wall. Vinyl signs that wrap around a pole or column can be seen from any direction. Signs reading "FIRE EXTINGUISHER INSIDE" and signs having the words "FIRE EXTINGUISHER" over an arrow pointing right or left direct the viewer to nearby extinguisher units. Signs may be used to remind a user which extinguisher should or should not be used on certain hazards.

To remain effective fire extinguisher signs must be maintained. Inspection may reveal some signs are falling, are dirty, or for some other reason are difficult to see or read. Correcting the problem, whether it involves cleaning or sign replacement is not expensive.

Obstructions to seeing extinguishers is a difficult problem; signs are a simple solution.


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Home Security Insider Secrets Revealed

Sometimes you don't have to make up stories get a point across; real life provides enough examples for you. In this case a burglar who had a very long, successful track record of burglarizing homes over a five-year span of time without getting caught finally was caught. He had sold most of the goods that he had taken from homes in that time, but police were on his trail and finally caught up with him.

It was estimated that he had committed over 120 burglaries in two different cities. He finally went to trial and was convicted and sentenced to several years in jail. That doesn't seem like enough but that's another story altogether. As part of his deal with the D. A., he agreed to reveal some of his "insider secrets" in the hopes that homeowners would pay attention to what he had to say and take steps to increase the security of their homes.

As the old expression goes, you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink.

Contrary to what a lot of people think, burglars actually do some homework prior to selecting a target. It is called "casing a neighborhood." They look for obvious weaknesses in homes that would make good targets and strength in homes that would make bad targets.

To me it was very interesting to read what he had to say. The very first thing he said was he would never go near a house that had a dog. Not only does a barking dog alert neighbors to activity going on in the house, but they can take a bite out of crime, literally. So if he saw a kennel in the side yard or backyard or a sign in front of a house that warned of a vicious guard dog, that was enough for him. He would stay away and pick on somebody else. A home security alarm of a barking dog works very well.

The second thing that he said was any neighborhood that was part of a "Neighborhood Watch" was less likely to be targeted because there are more eyes on what's going on in a neighborhood. They have been proven to be an effective deterrent to crime.

The third thing he said was if there were security cameras on the property, he would stay away. It is a proven fact that if a homeowner has security video footage of a burglary, the chances of catching the bad guys increase by 50%. So if he saw a security camera outside a home, he would stay away. Most burglars cannot distinguish a fake security camera from a real one especially from a distance over 50 feet-the normal distance from a home to the street. No one can tell if a fake security camera is in place or not.

Those are some secrets straight from the old horses' mouth so to speak. A wise homeowner will take heed and listen to what the tips are and take action to improve his own home security.


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Don’t Let Your Home Security System Get Left Behind The Times

As everyone surely knows, the times are a-changing: we are now well into the 21st century and technology has furnished us with a remarkable variety of amenities and luxuries beyond our wildest dreams just a few years back. Equally importantly, the technological advances that seemed to be only within the grasp of the rich and elite not that long ago are now well within the reach of the working middle class, the backbone of our nation. This holds particularly true within the realm of home security technology: the methods of protection and monitoring and the individual technologies that seemed taken from a sci-fi novel are now donning the homes of ordinary families throughout the nation. Of course, some people have failed to appreciate these changes and never made a point of bringing their security systems up to date (but still within their budget constraints). This article intends to shed light on the matter in hopes that such individuals will take urgent steps to right their wrong and help imbue communities throughout the country with a greater degree of security, both real and perceived.

Home Security System

The first upgrade many people ought to be thinking about deals with the switch to wireless technologies that many home security providers have adopted. Though most people think about internet connections when they hear the term “wireless,” in this context it has to do with the communications guaranteeing effective security within and around a home. The various magnetic door and window sensors installed as part of a home’s security system used to all be hardwired to the central console, whereas today it is preferable to use wireless transmitters with battery packs. The reason for this is that hardwired systems are more vulnerable and can be bypassed by clever crooks in a jiffy, while wireless protection puts up a much more effective and impervious wall against criminal minds and deeds.

Furthermore, home security customers should be considering what upgrades they can implement in the communications between their home and their provider’s monitoring center. This line of communications is quite literally the home residents’ lifeline, as it will enable dispatchers to detect a problem and send police, fire or medical assistance (as the case may be). Rather than staying with simply a land line connection, many homes today are outfitted with an alternative, backup cell tower communications line that can be used in the case that something should go wrong with the land line. That means that hurricanes, earthquakes and cable-cutter-equipped criminals notwithstanding, you and your family will be guaranteed the help you need and deserve.

home security devices

Finally (within the scope of this article, not within the universe of home security advances!), there is the option of boosting your system’s wall unit to a highly functional two-way voice intercom machine. This implies improvements to the speakers and microphone used in the wall unit so that it can pick up a resident’s voice from just about any place within the house, meaning that no matter where you are inside you’ll be able to communicate with the live dispatcher. A real lifesaver, this is one upgrade just about any home security system owner should be thinking about getting.

Home Security - Three Worst Obstacles Of The Home Burglar

Home burglary is as popular as ever. As a matter of fact it is one of the few areas of crime that has steadily shown an increase in the last couple of years. Many people think that is because of the economy. When the economy is bad people start doing desperate things, and home burglary is a crime of desperation for many.

Home burglary is a low risk crime because homeowners don't pay that much attention to their own home security and home protection. If a burglar gets caught, the penalties are insignificant. So the bad guys think that it is worth the risk to steal things from people's homes to put food on their table or buy drugs.

More people have alarms on their cars than have alarms for their homes. That's pretty bad! Statistics show that one out of every six homes will be burglarized annually. Statistics also show that 90% of all home burglaries happen through unsecured windows and doors.

There are several things that people can do to improve their home security without spending a lot of money. The most obvious thing is to start locking their doors and windows even when they're at home. Homeowners can start or join a neighborhood watch. They are a very effective tool adding increasing awareness of home security in a neighborhood. It is easy to start and it is free of charge. Check with your local police department or sheriff's office for assistance in starting one.

There are three things that burglars don't like. They are the three worst obstacles of a home burglar.

The first is TIME. The more time it takes a burglar to get into your house, the less likely he is to continue his pursuit of breaking in. The more time it takes him the greater the chance is that he will get caught. And he doesn't want to get caught.

If he does get in, the second thing that he doesn't like is NOISE. If you have a motion activated alarm, when he does get in and it goes off it will scare him away. So, consider getting a motion activated alarm.

The third thing that burglars don't like and the third enemy of a burglar is LIGHT. Lights create shadows which make detection easier. Motion activated spotlights on the outside of the house, motion sensing lights on the inside of the house or lights that are on Programmable Random Timers can prevent a burglar from getting in or if he does get in can spook him and scare him away. They turn lights on at random times.

So time, lights and noise are the three biggest obstacles of the burglar. You can get home security devices cheaply. They can help you improve your home security and home protection and prevent home burglary. You don't want to become a victim of a home burglary.

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Home Invasion: Tips To Protect And Prevent

For most of us, home is where we feel the safest. It is where we spend time with our families, return after a stressful day, and lay our heads to rest at night. It is also, where we keep most of our valuables and important documentation. It might be surprising to know that burglary occurs at a rate of every 14 seconds. Over two million burglaries are committed every year, and 60-70% of these are residential. As a result, billions in personal property loss occurs each year, and this leaves individuals at risk for identity theft due to stolen documentation and financial information. While these statistics are worrisome, there are a number of ways to protect your home from burglary.

It is typically assumed that most burglaries occur at night, when detection is harder and most inhabitants are asleep, but this is not always the case. In actuality, most home invasions occur during daylight hours, mostly after 9:00 a.m. and before 3:00 p.m. This is because adults are usually at work and children are in school or daycare. This leaves the house unattended and easier to rob. Furthermore, it is not the professional thief that usually invades your home. It is usually a young male, and more often than not, he lives in your neighborhood and is familiar with your comings and goings.

To protect your home from theft, there are a several ways to make your house an unappealing choice. Since 34% of thieves enter the house via the front door, make sure to keep it and all other entrances locked with a good quality lock. It may sound simple, but a large number of people leave their front door or other doors such as garage, basement, and back doors, unlocked. Simple locks are easy to bypass, make sure it is a deadbolt lock, and secure pins in windows and sliding glass doors to prevent entrance. An alarm system is an excellent deterrent. Alarm systems can be motion sensitive, alert when a door or window is opened, or accompanied by a monitoring service that will alert authorities when you are away. Often, just a simple sign in the window alerting potential thieves that the house is protected, is enough to scare them away.

Other deterrents include keeping a car in the driveway, and lights that are on timers. This gives the illusion that someone is always at home. Security cameras are another option. This will make the thief think twice, and also provide visual proof for authorities. Befriend your neighbors. This is crucial when it comes to relying on them to pick up mail or keep an eye out on your house when you leave town.

Sometimes, taking all of the necessary precautions does not work. If a thief does gain entry, a home safe is an excellent way to protect documents and valuables. Most of us store important information in drawers, file cabinets, or even the freezer. Thieves know where to look. They come in looking for cash, jewelry, guns, electronics, and other sellable items, and they spend less than ninety seconds in the home. Ninety seconds is all it takes for them to swipe your personal items. A home safe is the perfect place for birth certificates, social security cards, emergency cash and financial documents stored on CD or flash drives. Thieves do not want or have the means to carry out extremely large items like a safe. Safes can have electronic and combination locks that make them almost impossible to open. Identity theft is a huge problem and it can take several years to recover from since it jeopardizes everything from credit ratings to bank accounts. A home safe has other benefits as well. It protects from natural disasters like fire and flood, and keeps guns kept for personal safety out of children's hands.

While a home burglary is a scary thought, there are many things we can do to protect personal property and ourselves. Sound locks, alarm systems, and investing in a good quality safe, are sure ways to make a potential thief think twice.


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The Significance Of A Residential Security System

Is your home and family protected with a residential alarm system? Are you considering having a security system installed? Many individuals feel they are safe because of the neighborhood in which they live. Are you more protected if you live in a subdivision surrounded be hundreds of homes? The answer to this is no!

It does not matter where your home is located for thieves to target you. It is essential that household contain a home alarm and monitoring system to provide the utmost protection for your family. Alarm systems work at adding extra protection against thieves. Let's face it; thinking like a criminal are you going to take on a house with a home security system or head to the next house with the door left unlocked and windows wide open?

A residential alarm system is essential for homeowners to keep the people living inside the home safe. It also protects the possessions you have worked hard to obtain. When seeking out a system that best suits your home and lifestyle it is important to seek out an industry leader in home security. Find a company that will work with you, evaluate the home and suggest which options will work for you.

When looking into home security systems for your home consider purchasing an alarm and monitoring system that is able to provide installation and monitoring. Residential monitoring works to alert the police of an intrusion and also provides benefits that go beyond this. Look into options that tie in a fire alarm system. Systems that include this type of system allow you to tie into the police, the fire department and ambulatory system. This can be incredible beneficial for working parents with kids at home and on the other end of the spectrum seniors living independently. It is especially important for individuals who travel as much as they are at home. Monitoring and securing your home and possessions is a huge in keeping your peace of mind.

Home security alarms allow you to maintain an eye on your home when you can't be there. Residential monitoring allows help to be notified when you aren't there to do it yourself. All of this provides peace of mind when you are not able to be around taking care of stuff yourself.

No matter where you live issues arise. People become desperate and don't really think before they burglarize your home. It is important that your provide barriers that make someone reconsider your home. Making your home less accessible is the goal with any home security system you might employ. Door locks and dead bolts were enough twenty years ago. Adding a stick to your door walls was considered securing your home. Times have changed. The days where you could leave your windows open, doors unlocked and garage door ajar are long gone. No matter how safe you may think you are in your home environment consider this: it takes only one minute for someone to enter your "secure" world and change your future forever. Don't take a chance when it comes to your loved ones!


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Home Security Tips For Protecting Your Home Office

Working from home used to be something somewhat uncommon, but today it's becoming more important and feasible than ever before. And it's not just those who happen to be lugging home assignments to do, either. There are countless individuals who, in tougher economic times, have turned towards remote working or freelancing, and still countless more try to take on the challenge of running an independent business during tougher times.

Of course, there's a lot to think about if your business is something that is based out of your home. And in addition the logistics of conference calling, making plans, and everything else, you have the need to also handle home security concerns that arise when suddenly you have the office equipment at your house. Since so many virtual offices are dependent on the prospect of having all of the right technology in place, a lot of people who do work from home invest in having the right tools needed to get the job done. And if you have all of those tools but aren't protecting them properly, it's entirely possible that in tougher economic times, someone might make their way into your home and make off with the items in question.

If you're considering better ways to take care of your home office and need to reassess the manner in which you're handling home security, start out by assessing the area first. If you have a seriously tech-savvy office space at home, then you need to make sure that every single piece of data on every computer, laptop, and hard drive is backed up somewhere. And when these items are backed up, you also need to ensure that you are taking care to keep that back-up copy elsewhere, rather than on the premises. If there's a robber who is cleaning out your home, then they are just as likely to snag an external hard drive as they are to be dealing with carting off your main computer. Backing up data means putting it somewhere safe, after all.

Anyone with a home office should definitely be thinking of a home alarm system, too. If you don't already have one for the rest of your living space, it makes perfect sense to invest in one for when you are trying to get major projects accomplished from at home. So be sure to take care to set the alarm, as well as to learn what might trigger false alarms. Learning how to work the equipment that protects your house makes a whole lot more sense than never putting it to use in the first place.

While worrying about home security might not be the first thing that you want to start doing once you're working from home, the truth is that handling anything involving your business life operated out of your house makes a whole lot more sense, considering the amount of stress that it would cause if anything went wrong. So be sure to take care, and to make sure that everything in your house is all settled before heading off on long trips. After all, you want to make sure that your work space and your living space are both taken care of and okay.


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Commercial Fire Alarms and Control Panels - What To Be Aware Of So You Do Not Get Burned

Before there were modern day fire alarm control panels and easy-to-use touch screen computer interfaces, the only defense against fire was for an individual to call for emergency response services. The first electric smoke detector was patented over 100 years ago, but was unable to be affordably mass produced until around 1970. Prior to then only large businesses were able to afford smoke detectors. Up until fairly recently most fire alarm control systems were also prohibitively expensive for all but the largest companies. Fire control equipment is constantly evolving as are the fire codes. There are many considerations to be concerned with when dealing with fire control panels and fire suppression systems.

As advancements in electronics and computers were made the cost of fire alarms have leveled. Newer effective fire suppression chemicals have also increased the effectiveness of fire suppression systems. Depending upon the type and purpose of the building, specific types of fire suppression systems may be required for the intended purpose. For example, restaurants will require a different fire suppression system than a computerized data center.

Of all the varying types of suppression systems available on the market, the most commonly installed is a standard wet pipe system which is what most of the public has seen throughout retail shopping stores. Other systems can be dry pipe systems or strictly use a chemical suppression system designed for sensitive electronics or conditions where grease or other flammable liquids may be present.

If the building is in the planning stages a basic fire sprinkler can seem like a sizable investment. If the building in question is already completed or being purchased retrofitting the structure may be necessary in order to bring the property up to minimum fire code requirements. The cost can be much higher than new construction. It is important to note regarding real estate transactions of commercially zoned property that real estate agents will very likely be ill equipped to make an informed assessment of any fire control panel or suppression system. Contacting a fire alarm or security company which may inspect fire suppression equipment may be necessary to prevent additional costly oversights after the real estate transaction has been completed.

Regardless of the type of business, it is mandatory to have an inspection performed of any fire sprinkler or suppression system present at regularly scheduled intervals. Usually the interval is consistent with a one year period. In many jurisdictions, however, it may be more frequently required.


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