Rochester NY Smart Home Automation – What to Know
How Does Home Automation Make Life Easier? Home automation is becoming more mainstream because of the convenience it gives homeowners. It is also becoming more practical every time a new product or capability is released. Take the smart thermostat, for instance. It adjusts to meet the comfort needs of the family and uses less energy in the meantime. The thermostat can be controlled from anywhere, which saves time and money. It also gives you peace of mind, such as making sure the thermostat is turned down or completely off when you’re away. No longer do you have to worry about going out of town or going to work and leaving a thermostat too high or a door unlocked. Smart Home Products The line of smart home products doesn’t stop at your thermostat. You can also make sure your doors are locked when you leave home. If you’ve ever left the house, got a mile or so away, and turned around because you weren’t sure the door was locked, you know this frustration all too well. Now all you have to do is pull over and use your smartphone to see if your doors are locked. If they aren’t, you can lock them remotely. If you need your neighbor to go into your house instead of you having to go home and take care of something, you can unlock the door from afar. Even appliances are a part of Rochester NY smart home automation solutions. This is done by monitoring and controlling a specific power plug. If you go out of town and forgot to turn an appliance off, you can turn it off from anywhere in the world as long as you have an internet connection on your mobile device. You can also control lights. Controlling lights works great when you are out of town or at work. You can turn one light off and another on to make it appear as if someone is home. This will keep burglars away. Remote Video Surveillance But even if burglars don’t want to stay away, video surveillance is valuable. You can view your video feed from anywhere to see how things are going at home. Cameras can be placed inside or outside. Outside, you can monitor the exterior of the home. Inside, you can see what is happening. If you have an inside pet, you can always see what they’re up to. You can also keep track of your alarm system. If the system is triggered, you will be notified by the monitoring center. However, being remotely connected to it will provide you with notifications. Many Home Automation Options There are many home automation options out there. You can control practically anything from anywhere, which makes life easier for you. Home automation can also benefit the elderly or disabled, such as being able to turn a light off or on while sitting down. It’s all about making life easier and safer for you and your family. Rochester NY Smart Home Automation Installers If you are ready to automate your home, SPS Fire and Security carries a range of home automation products that can make your home work for you. You’ll save energy, money, and you’ll always have peace of mind when you’re away. Call today at 585-770-0348 to learn more.
Protect Yourself Against Phone Scams
Identifying the Most Common Phone Scams What is this world coming to? Not only do we have door-to-door scammers, email scammers, and internet scammers but now scam artist have come up with new ways to scam the people that they are calling – through phone scams. And it should be noted that some types of phone scams can lead to a robbery. They might be putting out feelers to identify who is in the home, if there is a security system in place, and much more. Despite technological advances, telephone scams are getting more and more popular as a way to steal someone’s identity. Scam artist find it easier to do this type of scam and on their end a little safer because it is harder to catch the scammer doing it. There’s no paper trail like there can be on the internet. Plus, they are able to manipulate caller ID systems to make them look like something they’re not. Recently, there has been a new phone scam called “Can You Hear Me Now?” This scam is a way for the scam artist to access the sound of your voice that is recorded on the scam artist’s end. After the question “Can you hear me now?” is asked and you say “yes,” the scam artist will then say that you have agreed to something. During all the small talk back and forth, the scam artist is gaining access to your personal information or anything else that might be on your phone. Scam artists may use many other questions to gain access to your information. Some other questions they might ask are: Are you the lady of the house? Are you a homeowner? Do you pay the household telephone bill? Scams like this are being more and more popular and there are many ways that you can protect yourself from them. Protecting Yourself From Theft Through Phone Scams Don’t Recognize Phone Number: If there is ever a time that you don’t know the number calling or it says restricted, chances are it is someone you don’t know. If that ever happens, just let the call go to voicemail. Scam artists don’t ever leave messages and if it is someone other then a scam artist, they will leave a message. Act Slowly: Don’t always rush to answer your phone. Chances are if you are rushing thinking it is someone you might know and answer the call, you could end up being a victim of a targeted scam. Look carefully at all calls before answering and leaving the unknown numbers to go straight to voicemail. Don’t Answer Any Questions Over The Phone: Answering questions over the phone lead to information in many ways being leaked to the scam artist. Even the littlest details can help a scam artist gain access to your personal information. Never Give Out Information: No matter what, unless you initiate the call when buying anything over the phone, don’t give out your information. If a company ever calls you about an item that you have purchased, there are questions you can ask to verify the caller is really from the company you have purchased your item from. Don’t Pay: If you are ever ordering anything over the phone, the company that you order from normally doesn’t call you to initiate a payment. You as the customer always call the company to pay for your purchases. Never give out your payment information or social security number to an unknown number. One favorite tool of scam artists is asking for wire money transfers. If you ever hear the word wire transfer, you can be sure that it is a scam. Contact Your Rochester Security Company and Protect Yourself More! Take action now to be safer when answering the phone. You never know what scam artist is going to be calling next. If you have any questions on how to stay safe contact SPS Fire & Security at 585-770-0348.
Your February Home Safety Checklist
Safety Tips You Can Use Year Round Every year starts with resolutions, such as helping people more and losing weight. One resolution that some people forget about is home safety. It’s a good resolution to have and one that is not too late to make since it’s still early in the year. Below you will find a home safety checklist that you can use in February and year-round to make sure your home is as secure as possible. Bedrooms and Other Living Spaces Practice an emergency plan and come up with escape routes for each member of your family. Practice this escape route at least once a month so that everyone knows it well. Make sure there are flashlights with functional batteries in every storm in case the power goes out due to snow or a general power outage. Take a home inventory in case a time comes that you need to file an insurance claim due to burglary or damage to the home. Install smoke detectors in bedrooms and change the batter every time Daylight Savings Times begins and ends. Make sure instruction manuals and serial numbers to important things in these rooms are kept in a file. Include warranty papers. Hallway Test your carbon monoxide and smoke detectors. Also, remember that if you don’t have a home security system, they have built-in carbon monoxide detection and built-in smoke-detection so that authorities are alerted when these two dangerous elements are sensed and you aren’t interacting with the system. Make sure your fire extinguishers are full. The needle must be in the green. If the needle is not in the green zone, it is time to have it replaced or serviced. Make sure the hose isn’t cracked and that the handle and locking pin are in place. Kitchen Have a contact list on your refrigerator that includes all important numbers like Poison Control, the doctor, emergency services, and close family members. Check the hood fan of your range for signs of grease buildup, which can cause a fire, and regularly clean it so it performs properly. Check your kitchen fire extinguisher to ensure the needle is in the green and that nothing is broken or out of place. Deep clean your oven and range top. Use vinegar, baking soda, ice, hot water, and some lemon or lime to clean your garbage disposal. Basement Make sure the circuit breaker is clean to avoid outages and power surges. Make sure pipes are properly covered to make sure they don’t freeze. If the basement gets below 32 degrees, you are risking pipe freezing. Furnace filters need changed every four to six weeks. Air vents need to be dusted. Inspect the basement for cracks, leaks, or mold that could cause health hazards or other dangers. Make sure any outside doors to the basement are secure. If you are having a security system installed, you will want to have a sensor placed on the outside basement door, even if a thief would have to go through an interior door to access the contents of the home. Bathroom Make sure your first aid kit is full. Make sure windows have locks and that they are locked. This is something you should check throughout the entire house. Outside Check your outdoor lighting. Outdoor lighting is extremely important in ensuring that you and visitors can see where you’re walking. Outdoor lighting is also a burglar deterrent. If you don’t have outdoor lights, have some installed. Motion lights are great additions. If you don’t have outside video surveillance, this is important as well. You can see who comes to your home. If someone isn’t welcome, you can see who they are. Overall Consider a full security solution. You can outfit your home to be safer, but checking fire extinguishers and making sure garbage disposals are clear don’t keep thieves away. Unfortunately, homes throughout Rochester and all over New York are being accessed by burglars daily because they don’t have security systems. Not only does this result in the loss of belongings, but a loss of personal security. Contact Your Rochester Security System Installer To make your home more secure, SPS Fire & Security has a full suite of solutions available to you. All you have to do is make the call and ask us about the solution that will fit your home and your needs. Call us today at 585-770-0348 to learn more.
Another Type of Home Security: Children and the Internet
How to Keep Your Kids Safe Online Another type of home security, children and the internet, is something that people wouldn’t usually link together. Recently across the internet there has been a very disturbing video of a young girl killing herself and it has been accessed by many young children across the nation. After hearing about this video, a great number of schools sent out a letter to parents stating that they are doing everything that they can do to protect children by controlling what they see on the internet. We as parents can not be with our children every waking minute of the day, but in order to ensure safety online during computer use, there are many steps you can take to make sure that your child doesn’t ever come across another disturbing video again. Teaching Children about Online Safety Online safety is another measure in home security because of the information that can be relayed on the internet. The most important rule for online safety for children is to set up a time with how long that children can go online. Your children should never give out personal information to anyone or at anytime. Giving out any information should be the decision made by the parent. Never give out your passwords to any one other then parents. Never allow children to post pictures without approval from the parents. It happens and people find a way to use pictures as a source to find out where you or your children are at. If messages come across the computer and you don’t know who the person is, don’t respond. Your child should close the opened app or window and tell an adult. Before downloading any software that might damage the computer, children should ask parents first. What Parents Can Do To Secure Online Safety If you have young children that are using the computer ,you want to do the following things to protect your children and the computer: Set up security guidelines (block all sites your children can not go on) on the computer. Your children should only be on age appropriate websites. Set up a timer to measure the length of time your children is on the computer. Some software programs have a timer that will allow the computer so shut off after a certain length of time. After your children has been on the computer, always be sure to check the browser history to see where your child went to. If you are not home and you don’t want your children to have access to the computer until you get home, there are ways to add a password to the computer. Make the password something that your children will never figure out. Contact Your Rochester Home Security Company For any questions about more online security and protecting your children contact SPS Fire & Security at 585-770-0348.
10 Innovations in Home Security
New Security System Innovations Over the past few years, the world of home security has morphed into a competitive market. There is a wide range of technological offerings that have become available to homeowners, some of which are designed for safety. This is why homeowners are investing millions in safety equipment and home protection. Latest Home Security Innovations Here is a rundown of those products: Remote Home Monitoring This is becoming an increasingly popular request among homeowners because remote home monitoring systems allow you to remotely keep tabs on the inside and outside of your home. You can keep an eye on your child when they return from school, your pet, or can see if someone breaks into your home. If someone breaks into your home, you are notified by the app. The security system notifies authorities so that the break-in can be immediately addressed. Smart Doorbells The new technology is helping combat theft at doorsteps. A camera with a motion detector is fitted inside to give a clear view of the front door. What is better is that you can access the camera from an app on your smartphone. Remote Home Lighting Imagine being able to remotely control the lights in your home. This is part of home automation. When you are away on vacation or at work, you can turn on different lights at different times. This can deter a thief from entering your home. They think someone is home! Access Code Home Locks If you don’t like the traditional key, a keypad can be exactly what you need. The coded lock stores different combinations that allow for individual settings. No longer do you have to worry about losing keys. All you have to do is punch in a code and you are done. This is a great security feature for elderly people that live alone or for anyone that wants to avoid wrestling for keys every time they come to the door. It allows for faster entry and keeps the door secure. Emergency Notification Necklace This technology is helping the disabled and elderly. If something happens, a person pushes a button and they can receive assistance. Police, fire, or ambulance can be notified, depending on what event is occurring. Any Time there is a problem, the person has immediate access to assistance. Many lives have been saved with this technology. Smart Appliances Smart appliances are very convenient, but are helpful for elderly people. These appliances can detect overheating and prevent fires by shutting themselves down. If you forget that an appliance is running, a smart appliance can give you peace of mind. Fall Detection Fall detection is like the security necklace but different. There are sensors that can detect when a person passes out or loses their balance. This is ideal for people with medical conditions or elderly adults that are living at home who need to be monitored. When a fall is detected, a warning is issued to the right authorities. Some devices can now monitor other bodily functions. Remote Garage Door Opener Garage door openers have been around for a long time, but not quite like those that can be opened from an app. If you are anywhere in the world and you need your neighbor to go into your home, you can open the door remotely. This is a great added security measure for when you are away. Voice Activated Home Regulation This is also becoming a popular security option because it is controlled remotely through an app on a smartphone. A person can shut off the water to their home, change temperature settings, watch video cameras, and do so much more. When there is an issue in the home, this technology sends out a notification. Security Gates Security gates have been around a while with the purpose of keeping out unwanted guests. You get monitoring and protection capabilities and can let guests in or out. This system is becoming popular among Americans of all classes because it has become more affordable and more convenient to set up. Contact An Experienced Rochester Home Security Company Home security is everything because you need peace of mind that you, your family, and your belongings are safe. To find out how you can make your home more secure, call SPS Fire & Security today at 585-770-0348.
Raptor Access Control Check-In Security System for School Safety
School Security Taken One Step Further With Access Control Raptor Check-In security system for school safety, is an access control feature every school should consider. Security in schools across the nation is becoming more and more high tech. In order to keep children and facility safe while at school, many schools are upgrading their security systems. One local school in Wayne County, New York started using the Raptor security system to add to its security. Not only does this new system up track the incoming visitors to the school but it also helps monitor the environment for all the school and facility. There are many other positive aspects in using this Raptor system in the schools. What is the Raptor Access Control System? Raptor is a visitor registration system. This registration system will read visitors’ drivers’ licenses, checking the sex offender database to see if there is a match. If there is a match. the system will then alert the faculty member in charge. Assuming there no match, systems printer will then print off a sticker badge with the visitor’s information. What is the purpose of the Raptor System? The main purpose of this system is to keep the school, facility, and children safe and providing access control. With this Raptor System, it tracks unsafe visitors to the school before the visitor is able to make contact with any children. The system can do several things: The visitor coming in the school should have either of the following forms identifications: drivers’ license, military card, gun licenses, or passport. The system can read pretty much any kind of license that has your name, address and photo. If a visitor does not have any of the following, they should bring something with their name and date of birth recorded on it. The Raptor system will check the online sex offender registry to make sure the visitor is safe and able to fully access the school grounds. For any reason that there is a match, the system will send an alert message either by email, phone or text, to the designated faculty member in charge to come meet the visitor. This Person will escort the unwanted visitor off the school grounds. If there is no match, the Raptor system will then print off a visitor sticker badge with the name, picture of visitor, date, time and destination where they are going. The system will record all the information into the system to track the visitors hours and if the facility has any questions. Once the visitor is done at the school, they would sign out by telling the facility member in charge and they will sign out the visitor on their computer system. This is a way to provide entry and departure from the school building. Scanning ID information each time Each time a visitor comes to the school, the school has the ability to either have the visitor scan their ID or just have them print off a sticker badge. Some schools will have the visitor scan their ID each time they visit the school for safety precautions. This is due to the fact that the visitor’s information might change from the last time that they have been to the school. Having upgraded access control security systems like the Raptor System can ensure parents that their children are safe at school. Rochester Security Systems Anywhere Not only is this system good to use at schools but also any company or buildings that have high volume of visitors. If you have any questions regarding this type of system or any security system for home or business, contact SPS Fire & Security at 585-770-0348.
Burglars Targeting Homes During Funerals
Don’t Be the Next Victim Breaking into and robbing someone’s home has always been a very low thing to do, so there is no such thing as an honorable burglar. However, there is a such thing as a burglar stooping to the lowest of lows and that’s when they break into someone’s home during a funeral. This is a terrible act that is happening all around the country. Burglars are scouring the obituaries, getting the names of the next of kin so they can target their homes while they’re gone. Recently, one woman went to her mother’s funeral. When she returned, her home had been broken into and electronics were missing. Straight from the Burglar One of the comments the robbery victim made was, “I wish I had a home security system.” She then lamented about how her neighborhood has always been relatively quiet. Break-ins aren’t common there, so the need for a security alarm simply wasn’t something that had ever crossed her mind. She lived in the community her entire life, so such things as surveillance cameras, motion detectors, and a security alarm were never priorities. Many of the once safe communities around the Rochester area have noticed an uptick in break-ins, which takes away the sense of security that many people once had. What burglars are doing is going through the obituaries and looking for spouses, children, or grandchildren of the deceased. They can identify them on social media where they can find out their age. By simply knowing a person’s age, they can do a people search on the internet and find an address. It is that simple. Obituaries provide a lot of information about survivors, such as what cities they live in and who their spouses are. It can also be easy to identify which children are theirs. This makes it much easier to identify the exact person referenced in the obituary. The burglar knows that those individuals will not be home during the service for at least a couple of hours. They then case the house and determine how their plan will be executed. Preventing Burglaries During Funerals It is important to do what you can to avoid a burglary during a funeral. In just a matter of minutes, a burglar from go from the obituary to looking at your home via Google Maps to find vulnerabilities. Here is what you can do: Invest in surveillance cameras. Not only will they help you when you are at a funeral, but also while you are at work, out of town, visiting a friend, or doing anything away from home. With remote access, you can keep an eye on your home while gone. When a burglar arrives, you can capture their face. Have a security system installed. When a burglar accesses the home, the alarm will sound and the authorities will be alerted. Most of the time, an alarm runs a burglar off very quickly. Have someone watch the home while you are gone. It is good to have a friend come by to keep an eye on things if you are going to be gone for a while. If a burglar sees someone is there, they aren’t going to come inside. If someone can’t house sit for you, tell your neighbors you’ll be gone so they can keep an eye on things. When your home is under surveillance or has an alarm, make it known. You can post notices or alarm signage outside of the home, which tells burglars that they don’t have a chance. Contact An Experienced Rochester Alarm Company Don’t fall victim to funeral burglars. Even if you feel your neighborhood is safe, you never know when someone will take a chance and break into your home while you’re gone. This is a terrible trend that is growing in frequency, but you can cut the burglar off at the pass by calling SPS Fire & Security at 585-770-0348 and seeing how home security can keep you, your family, and your property safe.
Home Security Systems and the Elderly
Security Systems Protect the Elderly As we get older and our children grow up and move out, we may downsize our house or make other changes. While these changes occur, our home security systems must change as well. The alarm system that fits your family’s needs right now might not fit your needs as you get older. Whether it is the cold winter months when elderly people go to a place where it is warmer out of preference or medical reasons or any time of the year, alarm systems are always important to have. Elderly individuals and security alarms are like the four seasons (winter, spring, summer and fall) only they three seasons in life (medical, daily routines and second home). Three types of alarms that elderly people should have as time goes on are a medical alarm, home automation, and remote control access. Home Security Systems for Elderly Individuals’ Homes Medical Alarm Many elderly individuals as they get older will experience a great number of health issues. Some of the healthy issues will be either uncontrollable or cause individuals to fall. A medical alarm system won’t prevent bad health but will help an elderly individual in the case of an emergency. This type of alarm is easy for elderly people to access with just the push of a button. Because this alarm is available for elderly homeowners, it is great for them so that they are able to live on their own and live without fear longer. Home Automation Young people and elderly people are different when it comes to keeping a routine and, generally, it’s the elderly that do a better job. An elderly person who likes to stay in a daily routine will benefit greatly from having a home automation alarm. With this alarm, if they get up and go to bed at the same time, they can set the alarms for those times of the day. Home automation is also much more convenient for people of all ages because you can keep track of what is happening at all times. The technical things become a bit easier. Remote Control Access Elderly people remind us of birds. Once it starts getting colder out they both head south. While they are not home and if they don’t feel comfortable having someone come to their house, having an alarm system with remote control access can give them the ability to run their home without having to be there. Going south for warmer weather, visiting their children, grandchildren, friends or going on vacation any time of the year can give elderly homeowners the assurance they need to make sure their house is safe. Not only do elderly homeowners need certain alarms systems to ensure safety for health and their home but they need to make sure they get all the basics as well. Many elderly homeowners, when scheduling to get their security alarm installed, should make sure they get everything they need that will benefit them. Contact Your Rochester Home Security Company If you or any elderly homeowner you know may be looking for a security alarm system, contact SPS Fire & Security at 585-770-0348.
Home Security in the New Year
Make a Security Resolution The new year is almost here and so is the long list of New Year’s resolutions that you want to commit to so you can improve your life. One of the ways you can improve your life is through your level of home security. These are resolutions that can be applied to business security as well, such as adding surveillance cameras where they need to be or upgrading existing cameras to ones that have better picture quality. Regardless of whether you need improved security for home or business reasons, here is a list of home security resolutions that you can use to make life a bit safer for you, your family, your belongings, your business, or all your interests: Improve Your Habits Make sure doors are locked, the security system is set, batteries are changed in smoke detectors, and that lights are on when they need to be. Install timers for lights, especially before going on vacation, and make sure you have good outdoor security. A home or business that is lit up is one a thief is more likely to stay away from. Consider Adding Extra Security It may not be enough to have an alarm because thieves can strike other parts of your property. Surveillance cameras can capture who is outside. If someone breaks into an outbuilding or tries to break into your house, you can acquire footage that will help authorities catch the culprits. Replace Outdated Security Systems It is good for homeowners and business owners to replace outdated security systems. If your system is old, you could do better. Systems now have fire and carbon monoxide detection built in. You can add motion detectors and more sensors. There are many possibilities. All you have to do is talk to a security company that specializes in advanced systems. It is even possible to turn your home into a smart home, which makes life more convenient for you. Home automation is becoming very hot with the ability to remotely arm the security system, unlock doors, turn lights on and off, and even adjust the thermostat. All of this can be done from a smartphone. Change Your Passcode If you already have a security system, it is good to change your passcode. Having the same passcode all the time is a security risk. In fact, it is good to change it a couple times a year. Now is a good time to change it for the first time this year. Make sure you give the new code to everyone who needs to have it and remind them not to share it with anyone. Lock Outside Buildings If you have outside buildings on your property, keep them locked. Add outside video surveillance to give better security. You also want motion lights so that they are triggered when someone comes on the property. Light is always a good defense against burglars. Buy a Fireproof Safe If you haven’t already, you need a fireproof safe. While the security system, motion sensors, video cameras, and window and door sensors are all designed to keep thieves out, having valuables in a fireproof safe can give them even more protection in case someone does get in. One of the first places a thief visits when inside a home is the bedroom. When inside a business, they will go to the office in hopes they can find money, catch a cash register on the way, or break into the safe. Call Your Rochester Home Security Company To make yourself safer this year, consider investing in a modern home security or business security system. If your home or business is ever broken into or someone attempts to do so, you will be very glad that you protected everything you care about in this way. Call SPS Fire & Security today at 585-770-0348 to learn more.