4 Ways to Protect Packages from Porch Pirates
Tips to Protect Your Holiday Packages from Porch Pirates The holiday shopping season is here, so we conveniently order gifts online and have them delivered. Many of us are at work when these packages arrive. Home video surveillance systems reveal that some delivery people don’t knock due to their heavy workload this time of year. Porch pirates take advantage of this. Sadly, about 23 million Americans have had packages stolen right off their porches after they were delivered. These thieves are called “porch pirates.” Also, their stealing is happening more because more people are buying things online. According to the Porch Pirate Report by Shorr.com: 92% of consumers have their packages delivered to their homes 5% of consumers have their packages delivered to their businesses 1% have packages delivered to a friend’s house, 1% to a neighbor’s house, and 1% to a parent’s house 53% of people have changed plans to ensure they’re home to receive a package, although they aren’t required to sign for it. Protecting Your Packages To truly protect your packages, install a home surveillance system. Specifically, a camera right outside your delivery door gives you all the details. For instance, you see exactly when the package arrives. Furthermore, this ability not only helps you catch a porch pirate in the act but also effectively resolves delivery disputes. Unfortunately, however, delivery companies sometimes deliver packages to incorrect addresses. Therefore, if they mark your package “delivered” but it never arrives, you can deduce someone else received it and readily start a claim. If porch pirates see a camera pointing right at them outside, that can make them turn around and leave. Also, you can protect your packages in other ways. For example You can have your packages delivered to your job if that works. Another way is to have them sent to a friend, neighbor, or family member who will be home. Finally, you can tell the delivery company to leave your package at a back door or somewhere hidden. Your Rochester, Syracuse & Buffalo Video Surveillance Experts There are different ways for protecting your packages, but having a camera by the door is something that can serve you all year round. You will always know who has come to your porch, can be aware if anyone attempted or succeeded to get into your house, and can keep an eye on activities outside of your home. To learn more about you can protect your family and your home, call SPS Fire & Security at 585-770-0348 for a FREE, no-obligation consultation.
Prep Your Home Now: Don’t Wait for Disaster
7 Tips to Help You Prep Your Home for Fall The weather feels warm for now, but can you sense it? Fall is definitely here! The leaves are changing colors, pumpkin spice fills the air, and fall events are happening everywhere in Ashland. However, this change of seasons can still affect your home. Therefore, it’s important to prep your home now, which will also start the process of getting it ready for winter. Tips to Prep Your Home in the Fall Luckily, here are some tips to help you prep your house: Prevent flooding by cleaning your gutters. Water that overflows the gutter can pool around your foundation and get into cracks. Over time, this pooling can create cracks that let moisture into your basement. A gutter leaf guard helps keep leaves and debris out, making gutter cleaning much easier. Clean your fireplace, chimney, or chimney pipe to prevent fires. You can hire a chimney cleaner who will make sure the damper closes correctly and that they remove all burnt wood and ash. Next, drain your outdoor faucets to avoid freezing. Water left inside an outdoor faucet can freeze and crack it, which will cause a leak. Also, remove hoses and turn off the shutoff valves to those faucets. Gaps around windows should be sealed up so you can keep home energy costs down. Plus, you’ll be a lot more comfortable if you don’t feel cold air from outside blowing in on you when you’re trying to cozy up on the sofa. Now, Here’s a Little More: Furthermore, schedule a roof inspection now. Specifically, this time of year is perfect to have a roof inspector come and check for small damage. Because this prevents the damage from getting worse over the winter. Additionally, roof inspectors can also tell you if you’re at risk for ice dams. Although less common in Rochester compared to some areas, prevention is still key. Therefore, you don’t want to call an ice dam removal service in the middle of winter to fix a problem. Next, vents to the furnace to make sure they are not clogged or covered up by furniture or rugs. Blocked vents are fire hazards and can affect airflow. Lastly, update our security alarm system if you haven’t yet. Systems can now detect fire, flood, and carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is a bigger danger in the fall. Carbon monoxide is a bigger danger in the fall – protect your family! Call Your Rochester Security Company Today! At SPS Fire & Security, we have helped people throughout Rochester, Syracuse, and Buffalo keep their homes safe and secure. These tips, along with our business security and home security services, will keep some money in your pocket and keep you and what’s yours safe. Call today at 585-770-0348 for a free estimate.
Protecting Holiday Packages: Simple Steps to Secure Your Deliveries
Don’t Be the Victim of a Porch Pirate It is that time of year again where many individuals get so busy that they are unable to make it to the stores to purchase their Christmas presents for that special someone. Since they are unable to make it to the stores, these individuals are heading straight to online shopping to make many purchases. This means protecting holiday packages is a must. Unfortunately, during the Christmas season, there have been reports of many package thefts happening all around the world. People will order their items online and then have them delivered. Chances are, they are unable to be home when that special item arrives. Leaving your items unattended all day and night on your doorstep will result in them getting stolen. According to ABC News, the average cost is $28 worth of packages stolen from your front door. Tips for Protecting Holiday Packages Major tip: Home security systems can come with video surveillance. Keep an eye on your porch and keep thieves away. If they still take the package, you have evidence. Here are other tips to for protecting your holiday packages: Have your packages shipped to you at work if that is possible. If that is not an option, have a neighbor or friend wait at your house on the day your package arrives. When ordering online, keep a lookout for an email from the company you have ordered from for a link to the website with a tracking number. By watching the website for when your package will arrive allows you to plan accordingly for what day and time to expect the arrival. If you are sending a package to someone, pay the extra money if needed to have a signature requested when the package arrives. That way the delivery person cannot leave the package and you can feel more at ease to know it got to that special person. If the first three ways don’t make you feel comfortable then you can install a video surveillance camera. By doing so you can protect your home and packages. Plus you will have evidence of the package thieve. These tips for protecting your holiday packages also apply year round. For example, you might receive packages for birthdays or just because. Amazon, Walmart, and other online stores have become a way of life. Contact Your Fire & Security Experts and Make Protecting Your Holiday Packages a Priority Also keep in mind that the holidays is a time for Christmas light hazards, tree fires, and break-ins. Consider contacting SPS Fire & Security at 585-770-0348 to make an appointment to have a security system installed. There are many options to protect you, your family, your home and make protecting holiday packages a priority.