1. Lock your doors.
2. Ask your neighbor to bring in your mail if you’re away.
3. And don’t forget the newspaper.
4. Have your “stay-at-home” neighbor bring in your packages, too.
5. Make sure your neighbor has accurate contact information to call you if anything suspicious occurs.
6. Let them know if you are expecting any pet sitters or house sitters.
7. Don’t share where you are on Facebook or Twitter.
8. Don’t share how long you’ll be away either.
9. Upgrade your door lock to a heavy-duty strike plate.
10. Install that with 3-inch screws.
11. Set timers or smart light bulbs so lights can turn on while you’re away.
12. Block visibility from the street with blinds or curtains.
13. Don’t leave valuables out in plain site in your house or car.
14. Check your locks to make sure they are functioning how you think they are.
15. Don’t leave a spare key outside.
16. Don’t compromise your window’s ability to latch for decorations.
17. Watch out for people who solicit donations door-to-door. Check IDs.
18. Test your fire alarms.
19. Install a monitored fire alarm so emergency personnel can be called even when you’re gone.
20. Avoid sharing all your valuable gifts on social media.
21. Take boxes apart and put them in the trash, don’t leave them outside so passersby can see what you have.
22. Before you leave, check all windows and doors to make sure they’re locked.
23. Watch out for scams online and know the site you’re buying from.
24. Make sure your safe is hidden somewhere unusual, not a closet.
25. Install a monitored security and alarm system that includes door sensors, fire alarms, video cameras, smart door locks, and more for the best protection against all emergencies.

Liked these tips? Share them with your friends and family! Use this link: http://bit.ly/VivintSystem

Originally published at www.vivintsystems.com on December 1, 2015.

If you’ve just gotten home from work to realize your house was robbed, taking these steps could help determine if the police catch the criminal or find your belongings.

The Devastation of Someone Breaking and Entering

Even worse than losing monetary valuables can be losing your sense of safety and security — a basic human need. In the next few months you’ll have to take some steps to prevent this from happening again in addition to regaining a sense of control over your home. The invasion of privacy coupled with an element of surprise, people often experience anxiety following a burglary.

Steps to Take After Your House was Robbed

Unfortunately, once your home has been robbed, it is much more likely to be a target again. The burglar knows what is in it, how to get in, and when you’re not home. Taking these steps will help prevent your home from getting robbed again.

1) Call 911!

If you notice your house was robbed before you even enter your home, call 911 immediately and do NOT enter your home. You never know if the burglar is still inside. Additionally, if you go inside, you could damage evidence the thief left behind.

If you’ve already entered your home during or after a burglary, do not touch anything and get out of the house immediately. Unless you personally saw the thieves leave the house, they may still be inside. Wait inside your locked car or in a neighbor’s home until police arrive.

2) File a Police Report with Your Insurance

Hopefully, you have documented your belongings with your home insurance. You will need a police report to file to your insurance company to receive monetary compensation for the belongings you lost due to the burglary. In most cases, you’ll need to file this document within 24 hours of the incident.

3) Remove Anything that Could Help Them Break In Again

Stools, benches, chairs, and other home decor could help the burglar access a window you didn’t think they could reach. You’ll want to make sure your home is as hard as possible to get into. If you have tools laying around, put those up so that the burglar doesn’t have any advantage against your home.

4) Talk to Your Neighbors

They may have seen something that could lead the police to a suspect. And even if they didn’t, building a relationship with them could be beneficial in the future. If you and your neighbors stick together, you’ll help prevent burglaries in the future. Getting familiar with your neighbors means they’ll get to know who is supposed to be at your home and who isn’t. Authorities could be alerted quicker if they know you and your family.

5) Install a Home Security

A home without a home security system is 3 times more likely to be robbed than one with a home security system. Your home security system should be monitored by a monitoring center so that immediate action can be taken if unusual activity is detected.

Vivint Home Security gives you peace of mind by giving you access to your cameras right on your smartphone. The Vivint in-house monitoring center has an average response time of 10 seconds, one of the lowest in the industry. Timeliness is important in protecting your home from burglaries as well as emergencies like fires or floods. The longer it takes to respond, the more damage can be caused to your home.

Ready to protect your home? Receive up to $1500 of FREE* equipment! Call us at 1–877–575–3474!

Originally published at www.vivintsystems.com on November 20, 2015.

*60 month monitoring agreement (48 months in AR, MI, WI, or CA total fees from $3,119.52) at minimum $64.99/month. Up to $199 activation fee may apply, home ownership, and satisfactory credit history required. Taxes and permit fees may apply. Offer valid for new customers only. Package includes 7” touchscreen Vivint Sky panel and 7 points of customizable security equipment. Additional equipment may be added for a fee and alternative packages are available. Speak to a representative for complete equipment and package details and pricing. Services not available in all areas. Services in Louisiana performed by Vivint Louisiana Commercial Certificate #58280. See Vivint license numbers here.

Chances are, if you’re looking into getting home security for your home, you’ve recently experienced a scary situation. If your home was recently burglarized, you’re probably looking for home security to prevent this situation from happening again. A modern home security system is your best bet to prevent a burglar from targeting your home. Burglars tend to target homes without home security systems first.

A good home security system will protect your family and home for years to come. In the last decade, the home security industry has made leaps and bounds with the equipment that is available to homeowners. Modern systems allow you to do things like answer your door from anywhere in the world or watch the kids come home from school right on your smartphone. These advances not only make your home safer, but also give you greater peace of mind because you can see for yourself that your home is safe and sound.

1) Understand What Kind of Protection You Need

Each family will have different needs depending on activity level, neighborhood, children’s ages, and more. If your parents live with you, that is something you should consider when purchasing a home security system.

• Do your parents live with you? You may be interested in a panic pendant option so the monitoring center can be alerted to medical emergencies if your parents are not near a telephone or you cannot be reached.
• Do you have children? Consider opting in for a smart door lock system so that your doors are never accidentally left unlocked.
• Do you travel? A smart doorbell camera can let you see activity and answer your front door from anywhere in the world.

These questions are just some of the things you need to consider before purchasing home security. Every family is unique and needs a system suited for their needs. Look at all the variables in your home and make sure all your bases are covered.

2) Decide What Kind of Monitoring You Need

If you have a smartphone, you now have the option to monitor your home yourself. You can receive alerts of activity and watch a live video stream of your home right on your phone. This concept is great, but it comes with some limitations.

Life can get in the way. You may not always be around your phone or be able to call emergency services if there is criminal activity in your home. You may be traveling where you don’t have cell service or your smartphone may run out of battery and leave your home without supervision. Additionally, if you are the only one monitoring your home, that leaves a lot of responsibility on you 24/7. Instead, consider opting for a company that will monitor your home for you.

Many companies offer 24/7/365 monitoring so that your home is always protected. They know who to contact and what signs indicate a possible emergency. The best part is that it takes a load off of your shoulders since you know someone will make the right call if there is unusual activity.

3) Is the Home Security System Wireless?

It’s 2015. There is no reason that a home security system cannot be wireless. Wires make your home vulnerable to anyone with a pair of scissors. A wireless home security system is the new standard in home security technology so avoid any options that require a landline to function.

Your wireless home security system should use a cellular connection, not a radio frequency, to monitor your home and connect to the monitoring center. A wireless system allows you to connect up to 30 monitoring devices (most homes only need 5–8 devices) with minimal installation time. Your walls won’t need to be torn apart to install your sensors and alarm system.

4) What is the Response Time?

If a sensor detects unusual activity and signals to the alarm monitoring center that there is an emergency, the monitoring center should have a quick response time. The quicker the response time, the less damage your home will endure. Average response times can vary from 10 seconds to 60 seconds.

Vivint strives to be a leader in the industry at 8–10 second response times on average. Vivint is able to maintain such a quick response time since the monitoring center is part of the Vivint company. They do not outsource this crucial part to home security to third parties like many other home security companies do.

5) Is Home Automation an Option?

Home automation is the process of connecting your appliances to an app on your smartphone. For example, home automation devices can connect your coffee maker to an app on your smartphone so you can turn it on or off from anywhere. Connecting your home’s appliances should be an option you look for in home security. These devices can help prevent fires by ensuring heating appliances are turned off when you are not home or help prevent burglaries by turning lights on to make it seem like someone is home.

Additionally, home automation devices like smart door locks will send you alerts when your door is left unlocked and then you can remotely lock them from your smartphone. Since over 30% of burglars enter through an unlocked exterior door, this is an important feature you should consider if you have a busy household.

Why Vivint is Your Best Choice

Vivint home security and automation offers wireless home security and automation solutions. A lifetime equipment warranty, service by a 24/7/365 award-winning monitoring center, and remote access are all included in each of the three packages we offer. You’ll never pay extra for these important components of home security.

With an average response time of 10 seconds, Vivint has one of the fastest response times in the industry. This is due to housing the monitoring center in-house instead of using a third party to monitor your home. Vivint home security is completely wireless and uses a cellular connection to communicate between devices and the monitoring center. With a Vivint system, you’ll be able to receive alerts, watch security footage, and lock your doors from the Vivint Smartphone App.

Contact us today to get a FREE quote and receive up to $1500 worth of FREE* equipment! Call us at 1–877–575–3474!

Originally published at www.vivintsystems.com on November 19, 2015.

1. Wireless is the ONLY security system you should consider.

Wired security systems leave your home vulnerable to a variety of burglar tricks or environmental changes. The truth is that there are too many great wireless options out there, like Vivint, that considering a wired system is almost as bad as not considering home security at all. Wired security systems are outdated, unappealing to the eye, and can leave your home vulnerable in too many ways.

2. Receive mobile phone alerts.

No matter where you are, you’ll be able to receive notifications on your cell phone about activity in your home.

3. Security is about more than burglars — fire response matters even more.

Keeping your home and family safe means protecting them about the devastating damage a fire, flood, or hard freeze could cause. Fire alarms, flood sensors, and freeze sensors can alert you to dangerous conditions before things take a turn for the worse. Quick response is an influential factor in the destruction a fire could cause. If your home is in a flood zone, your flood sensors could alert you to rising water before the weather channel.

4. Know when you’ve accidentally left a door unlocked.

Smart door locks will send you a notification if a door is left unlocked and the system is armed. From there, you can even lock your doors from your cell phone with the right system installed. Considering that most burglars enter through an unlocked door, this is an important factor in protecting your home.

5. Your home won’t be left vulnerable during a power outage.

During a power outage, burglars get the idea that homes are all of a sudden more easy to break into. Many homes are connected with wires that rely on power to function and protect the home. A power outage leaves wired homes vulnerable to attack. However, a wireless security system will not even flinch if the power goes out. You’ll still be able to do everything you could when there was power.

6. Who wouldn’t want a discount on home insurance?

A connected wireless home security system means someone is monitoring your home 24/7. Even if you are not around your phone to receive notifications, a monitoring center will be able to act on your behalf to get emergency personnel there in case of a robbery, fire, or flood. Your home insurance appreciates this! On average, home insurance companies give a 20% discount for customers who install a monitored home security system.

7. Relax while you’re on vacation.

Whether you don’t expect anyone to come over while you’re away or you want to make sure the pet sitter comes by when they said they would, you can watch what happens and get notifications of activity right from your phone — from anywhere in the world. This provides peace of mind while you’re miles away on vacation.

8. It’s easy to integrate home automation features.

Wireless home security and home automation go hand-in-hand. Wireless technology applies to security as well as automation so there is no reason they can’t be combined into one system. Vivint takes full advantage of this fact and offers customers the ability to control not only their sensors and other security devices, but also remote controlled door locks, lighting, and small appliances.

9. No more annoying low-battery beeping in the middle of the night.

With a Vivint wireless home security system, low battery notifications for fire alarms or sensors pop up on the SkyControl Panel. You will never be woken up in the middle of the night by annoying beeps from your alarm. Cheers to that!

10. Burglars cannot cut the cord.

Before wireless security systems, burglars could easily deactivate an alarm system by cutting its’ cord. Wireless systems remove that vulnerability and secure your home through a cellular connection. The cellular connection also ensures that if the power goes out or there is terrible weather outside, your home will still be able to reach out to the monitoring center in case of an emergency.

11. Wireless also means child-proof and pet-proof!

Children and pets are known for getting into things that could cause them harm — like wires. A wireless system ensures your loved ones, two or four-legged, don’t put themselves in harm way by pulling or chewing on wires. Electric shock from touching wires can cause burns which are extremely painful.

12. If you are robbed, you have crystal clear proof.

You insurance company will not be able to deny your claims and the police will have HD video of the thief. When dealing with insurance claims, it is difficult to prove that something was stolen actually used to belong to you. Video proof of the theft makes it impossible for your insurance to back out of providing proper coverage for your home and your belongings.

13. Keep an eye on kids — and their babysitters.

Wireless security cameras can be placed anywhere in your home. To save energy, the cameras do not record 24/7, but they will turn on once a motion sensor detects activity. Vivint’s HD video cameras can be used to check in on what is happening in your home to make sure the kids are working on their homework and the babysitter is actually watching the kids.

Vivint Wireless Security System

Vivint provides home security and automation solutions to homeowners. The benefits to using Vivint, in addition to those listed above, include having an award-winning monitoring center a few seconds away. Vivint’s monitoring center is staffed with employees — not outsourced to another agency or contractors — and they have the fastest response times in the industry. As a Vivint customer, you are a part of a community that cares about your safety. Contact us today to get a no-commitment, FREE quote for your home and needs.

Originally published at www.vivintsystems.com on October 5, 2015.