Back to School Safey

It's that time of the year again when children head back to school and the parents celebrate. With all the celebrating, safety is still a topic most parents worry about. We picked what we considered to be the top safety tips to help you stay safe this school year. 

• Plan a safe route home- If your child walks home, or walks from the bus stop home, plan out a route for them to take. This way you'll know which way they walk and you can avoid dangerous areas, walk this route or drive this route with them a few times so they will be able to know it by memory. If your neighborhood  has no sidewalk area, have them walk on the left side of the street, this way they can see oncoming cars. If your child listens to music or plays on their phone while walking home, explain to them the importance of paying attention to your surroundings. Remind your child that telling you when they leave school, are halfway to home, and when they arrive home via text or phone calls is a great way to keep track of them.

• Stranger Danger- It is highly important to teach children about Stranger Danger. Even if the stranger seems friendly, offers them a gift, or a ride home, they should never accept the offer and yell Stranger Danger as well as run in the opposite direction. This will alert others around them that there is a threat and most often will result in 911 being contacted. Have a secret phrase or word set up between your child and a few other relatives or people who are close with your child so they know that the person is safe to trust. It is also important to teach your child who to go to for help, and who they can trust, such as a police officer, school official, or other parents with children. 

• Habits of locking the door- Making sure your child knows the importance of locking the deadbolt the moment they close the door is a great habit to teach. Have them lock the door they enter to the house the moment they close it and check the remaining doors to ensure they are closed before they start their homework. Also, make sure they know to never open the door for strangers or let anyone know they are home alone. Most kids are very trusting and will open the door for the mailman or the delivery man. If your child is left alone for a length of time, teach them to look through the peephole, rather than the window to see who is at the door and not to respond when someone yells through the closed door for them to open the door.

• Camera systems- These are great for all types of security but the comfort of seeing your child arrive home every day takes the cake. Our security system is activated by motion, so if you install one of the cameras at the front door you can see the moment they come home. This is great for those times they forget to call you and let you know they made it home safely. 

Give us a call today, any of our team members would be happy to help you with your security needs! 

5 Safety tips for living alone

Living alone can make you feel a little uneasy. We put together a list of safety tips to help you feel comfortable in your home. These tips can help everyone from people with families, to living alone or even with roommates.

1. Adopt a pet- Adopting a pet has multiple advantages, Dogs make great deterrents against burglars. Burglars do not want to go into a house that has a loud barking dog or one they might get bit by. They also make great companions so you won't always feel that you are home alone. 

2. Know your neighbors- You don't have to go to their Sunday BBQ but getting to know them can help protect you and your home. If they know you live alone, they are more likely to call the police when they see something suspicious. 

3. Keep your cell phone charged- Have you ever seen the movie "The Strangers"? Well if you have you will know that the main character notices her cell phone is dead right as she is calling for help. Most households do not have a land line so keeping your cell phone charged is highly important. Your cellphone can also be used as a flashlight to help in other situations. 

4. Lock up- Seems like a pretty easy tip, but once you start getting comfortable in your home you will tend to leave a door unlocked. For some burglars having a door locked will turn them away. They don't want to put too much work into it as it draws attention or is time consuming. Having the deadbolt engaged will keep potential threats away. 

5. Home Security System- All these tips are going to help keep you safe, but this is the most important. We offer a home security system that is completely wire free and you can monitor everything straight from your phone. The camera system acts as an alarm also, and will alert you when something is setting off motion. You can view the cameras whenever you would like right from your phone. It also records motion and saves it in the cloud. This system has lots of great features. If you would like some more information, one of our team members would be happy to help you.

As always your safety is our top priority! Please give us a call if you have any questions about your home security!

The Good, better and best of deadbolts

When purchasing your next deadbolt consider the difference in Grades and how they may affect the safety of your home.



Grade 3 deadbolt- This is the deadbolt on most residential homes. This is what would be considered the Good option. as it will provide the security to your home.

Grade 2- Is considered the Better option for your home as this deadbolt hardware is meant to outlast more usage. This deadbolt is more commonly used on apartments and some office buildings, as more people are using the lock.

Grade 3- Is the Best option. It adds the best security to your home or commercial property.
For us Mul-T-Lock is our Grade 3 deadbolt. Mul-T-Lock deadbolts are the best resistance to bumping, picking and forced entry techniques. On top of the security it adds to your doors, the keys are the highest security keys. You will never have to worry who has keys to your place. Only authorized Mul-T-Lock dealers can create a Mul-T-Lock key, and only people on your Authorized signer sheet can copy your key.

If you have any questions about upgrading your deadbolt please give us a call. A member of our team would be happy to discuss your options.

Main points of access for a burglar

Being in the security business for over 38 years we have heard all kinds of stories. 

The good, the bad and the ugly. We want to help keep you, your home, and your family safe. 

      Your safety is our top priority.

The most common ways a burglar can gain entrance to your home are:

The Front Door- One of the most common entry points for thieves. Experienced burglars know where your spare key is "hidden." Many will kick in the door or remove it from the hinges. 

Windows- The most fragile point of entry. Many windows don't have strong enough locks to keep a determined burglar out or they are simple just left unlocked. One thing to keep in mind is most windows are covered with vegetation. While that gives you some privacy it also provides a shield for the burglar as he tries to get through the window. 

Other access doors to your home- A thief will check every possible opening for a way inside. Side doors, skylights, and back doors. Making sure all possible access points are locked will help deter a possible burglar.

Be prepared- Since you are not home 24/7 the best thing to do is be prepared. Install a home security system. Just a sign of cameras, or an alarm can scare off a potential threat. There are many different types to fit the needs and budget of everyone. 

We offer home security to fit everyone's needs. One of our team members would be happy to speak with you.

Who has keys to your home?

"Who has the keys to your castle" used to be the Gene's motto. We have since left the castle but the question of who has keys to your home still stands. 

One thing many people don’t think about is all the people that may have access to your keys.

Example:

You valet park your car when you go our to dinner. You no longer have eyes on your keys.

You leave your car at the mechanics to get some work done on it.  The mechanic now has access to your key.

Maid or cleaning service, Plumber or a worker, Valet.  Previous owner or Tenant, Garage Mechanic.  These are just an example of who might have access to your keys.

Where do you get your keys cut? You can go to your local locksmith, or some other store that offers that service. They don't ask for proof that that key is your house key since there is no way to prove that when they bring it in to copy. The key just gets copied to the cool design you picked out.

We can offer you a solution to take that worry away -  to upgrade to a higher security lock. We offer Mul-T-Lock deadbolts. These deadbolts are the highest security lock we offer.  They add extra security to your home and the keys are Restricted. A restricted key means you must have permission to copy it.  You cannot just go anywhere to have a copy made.  When you get a Mul-T-Lock deadbolt from us, you will fill out the Authorized Signer sheet. That paper will list the people you give permission to allow to come in to make a copy the key.  ID must be presented when a request for a copy of that key is made.