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There’s nothing quite as rage inducing as having your security alarm go off and not knowing how to get it to stop beeping. It’s hard to think clearly with a constant annoying noise, especially in the middle of the night or when you’ve arrived home from a long day at work.

But beyond just having to deal with the noise, it’s possible that if your alarm system is designed to contact the police, you might get a call from your monitoring center asking you if everything is okay.

False alarms can cause all sorts of needless stress and worry. Being able to get your security system to stop beeping is important so you can get back to enjoying your day (or go back to sleep). The next time your alarm goes off for no reason, these tips will help you get your security system under control.

1. Locate the source of the beeping.

The first thing you’ll want to do is to make sure that it’s your security system that is going off and not another alarm system you have in place. It’s possible that the source of the beeping may be your smoke detector or a carbon monoxide detector that has detected harmful gases or is malfunctioning. Once you’re sure it’s your burglar alarm system that is the source of the beeping, you can take steps to disarm it.

2. Call your alarm monitoring company.

If you’ve just come home and hear the system beeping, call your security company and ask if they have detected any issues at your house. It’s possible there is an intruder or another problem, like a fire or carbon monoxide leak, in your home. You’ll want your security company to check all of your sensors and make sure your house is safe before you try to turn off the alarm.

3. Check the alarm system battery.

Once you’ve gotten the all clear from your security company, check the battery on your alarm system to make sure it isn’t running low. When a battery gets weak, your system will beep to notify you that you should check the battery and replace it. This is the best-case scenario, as it’s a relatively easy problem to fix.

After you install fresh batteries, the low battery warning should disappear, and the system should return to normal operation.

4. Disarm the alarm system.

If changing the batteries didn’t end the beeping, disarm your alarm system by entering your security code. Remain calm and take your time as you put in your code. Once you’ve entered the correct code, odds are everything will go back to normal.

5. If all else fails, call a technician.

If changing the batteries and disarming the system doesn’t work, there may be a hardware issue with your security system. Unless you’re an experienced alarm technician, call the security company that installed your system and describe the problem you are having.

The company should be able to walk you through additional steps to resolve the issue. If your alarm can’t be fixed remotely, the company will send a technician to your home who can resolve the situation quickly and professionally.

Your alarm system should work correctly 24/7 to ensure your safety. Getting your system reset and functioning properly is our top priority. If your Alarm New England security system ever starts beeping for no reason, please contact us immediately, and we’ll make sure the problem gets resolved as soon as possible.

Looking to upgrade your existing wired alarm system? Look no further than the Honeywell Vista-20P Wired Security System. The system is cost-effective and combines the best of both a hardwired system and wireless technology.

Rather than replace your entire wired alarm system, use the Vista-20P to customize and update your home security without breaking the bank.

How Does the Honeywell Vista-20P Wired Security System Work?

The Honeywell Vista-20P Wired Security System is mechanical, and as the name suggests, it works by bringing together the vast collection of wires that are placed in the walls of your home to create connections between the various sensors that make up your security system.

The Honeywell Vista-20P’s rock-solid reputation for quality and its ability to accommodate a wide variety of wired systems make it the ideal wired solution for many of our customers.

To get into the nitty-gritty, a wired system works through a relay. It incorporates an electromagnet, which becomes magnetized when electric current runs through a circuit, which then opens or closes another circuit. Simply put, they are used to turn switches on and off. While this relay functionality is fairly old technology, wired systems like the Vista-20P are known for their consistency.

As this particular control panel works on these kinds of relay-based principles, setting up the Vista-20P requires specialized wiring knowledge best left to skilled technicians or electricians.

The Vista-20P is designed to connect to each sensor via the electrical wiring in the walls of your home, and its versatile control panel is a blank slate from which you can add all kinds of cutting-edge functionality.

For example, you can connect the wired Vista-20P to a wireless receiver and use wireless devices. This way, you can use a combination of both wired and wireless sensors when setting up your home security system.

Style of the Honeywell Vista-20P

Think of the control panel as the “main brain” behind all of the other sensors and devices that you’ll be using to monitor activity and movement throughout your home. Most of the wires that connect your security equipment are safely and invisibly threaded through the walls of your home.

The Vista-20P control panel consists of a circuit board housed in a metal frame, which protects the panel from dust and tampering.

It might not be something that you’d want to show off in the foyer of your house, but in your basement or in a closet, the Honeywell Vista-20P control panel will be the silent, sturdy hub for all of your connected home security devices.

Honeywell Vista-20P Features

The Honeywell Vista-20P can support up to 48 zones and 8 keypads.

The control panel itself doesn’t come with a digital interface, but it is robust and can be integrated with a variety of additional display devices to add functionality.

For example, you can use the Honeywell Vista-20P with a Tuxedo Touch Keypad (see above) if you want touchscreen functionality or a 6160RF keypad if you’d prefer something with physical buttons.

In addition to the easy-to-use interface, the Tuxedo keypad has a built-in Z-Wave controller to communicate with Z-Wave devices like smart locks. With the Total Connect smartphone app, you can control your system from anywhere as long as you have an internet connection.

The app will also let you arm and disarm the system remotely, change user codes, and get notifications when alarms and other events occur.

You can also set up dual partitions, which allows you to separately arm and disarm parts of a single property while paying only one monitoring fee.

For example, a homeowner in a multi-unit home who rents out a portion of their home can their portion of the house separately from the tenant’s portion.

Wired systems rely on electricity, which means that ordinarily if your home were to lose power, your system will go down. But not so with the Vista-20P—it can accommodate a 12V 4.5Ah battery backup. This will keep your system up and running for about 24 hours in the case of a power failure.

Benefits of the Honeywell Vista-20P

Instead of spending a lot of money replacing an old alarm system that still works, purchasing the Honeywell Vista-20P is a more cost-effective way of breathing life into an older, wired system.

Besides saving money, you’re also creating a bridge between old and new systems. For example, you can use the Vista-20P to call the police, fire department, or other emergency services automatically through a wired landline connection, and you can combine it with other monitoring accessories to detect floods, smoke, fires, low temperature, and, of course, burglaries.

With the ability to integrate with wireless receivers, hardwired alarm devices, and alarm keypads, the customization options are virtually endless. In fact, when it comes to additional functionality, you’re only limited by your budget.

The Honeywell Vista-20P wired security system really is the best of both worlds: You can have the reliability of a hardwired alarm system coupled with the convenience of modern wireless add-ons.

If you’re looking for a cost-effective way to make use of the existing security system in your home, installing a Honeywell Vista-20P wired security system will give you peace of mind and give you upgrade options when you want them down the line.

When it comes to fencing for your yard, there are many options for you — from the material to the color and the style.

So how do you figure out what’s right for your home?

The type of fence you choose will depend primarily on the purpose the fence serves. Are you looking to add privacy to your backyard? Maybe you need an area to keep your dogs fenced in?

Regardless of your reason for needing a fence, we will go over fencing options and materials to help you make the best fence decision for your home.

Fencing Materials

There are many different fencing materials to choose from, below we highlight some popular choices:

Vinyl Fencing

Vinyl fencing comes in a variety of styles and colors. This type of fencing is appealing to many because it never needs repainting. You can choose from privacy, semi-private, and post and rail options.

While vinyl is very sturdy and won’t rot, warp or split, this sturdiness comes at a price. It’s one of the more expensive fencing options.

Wood Fencing

Wood fencing is the most widely-used fencing material thanks to its versatility. You can paint or stain your wood fencing in any color that you wish.

Wood fencing gives off a very natural appearance and can be customized to fit any style. This type of fence is significantly cheaper than vinyl fencing, but it has the potential to suffer from more wear and tear and require additional upkeep.

Aluminum Fencing

Aluminum fencing is durable and can be diverse in style, adding some modern flair to your home. One of the positives of aluminum is that it doesn’t rust, so maintenance is usually minimal.

Chain Link Fencing

Chain link may not be the most attractive type of fence, but it can be very versatile and easy to install. You will often see chain link used around sports courts and for pet enclosures. This is a long-lasting and robust fence option that does not require a lot of maintenance and upkeep.

Wrought Iron Fencing

Wrought iron is an ornamental type of fencing that is often used to increase curb appeal on your home. There are a variety of styles and colors to choose from. Also, this material is extremely durable and requires little maintenance.

Tips for Installing Fencing

Designing and installing a fence in your yard is not always an easy task. Here are a few tips to help in your fence planning process.

Know Your Local Codes

Fencing is typically subject to local zoning codes. Before you make any steps in your fence installation process, check with your local municipality to make sure you are in compliance.

There may be codes that dictate the height of your fence, how far it is from a property line and even whether or not the front yard can be fenced-in.

If you live in a development or community with a neighborhood association, be prepared to face even more obstacles when getting your fencing approved. They may have specifications style, color, and height of your fence.

Be Courteous to Your Neighbors

If you have close neighbors, installing a fence in your yard will also affect them by creating a tangible marker around your property. If you have a neighbor whose property will be affected by your fence, the courteous thing to do is to give them a heads-up first.

It is also a good idea to check with them on property lines. The last thing you want to do is have your fencing installed only to discover that you were off on your property line measurement.

Your neighbors will surely appreciate a quick conversation with you regarding the fence so that they know what is going on and can prepare.

Determine Why You Need the Fence

When choosing which type of fence is best for your yard, think about the main reason for putting up a fence.

Privacy Fencing – this type of fence is ideal for blocking sight lines and maintaining a bit of privacy from neighbors or people walking by. It can also be a way to prevent potential burglars from seeing into your yard or windows. However, this is not always an effective deterrent as it also affords someone who comes onto your property the same visual block. To create a privacy fence, you need solid fencing with vertical boards that are close together so that you cannot see out and your neighbors cannot see in.

Typically, people choose to have their privacy fence at least six feet tall to avoid anyone peering over it. If you want there to be slightly more visibility, you can choose to use pickets which have small gaps between them but still offer a lot of privacy.

Security Fencing – this type of fence is used as a security measure for your home to keep intruders out. Similar to a privacy fence, you will want a security fence to be at least six feet tall to be an effective deterrent.

The best security fences use a smooth outer surface that would be difficult to climb up and have sharp spikes on the top that would deter anyone from trying to get over.

Decorative Fencing – sometimes people want something to spruce up the look of their home and add curb appeal. In these cases, decorative fencing is your best way to go as it is typically much smaller and less obstructive than privacy or security fencing.

This type of fence is usually between two and four feet tall and pickets are more spaced out so as not to obstruct your view. You can customize your decorative fencing with different designs, patterns, and colors.

Safety Fencing – this type of fencing is excellent for enclosing an area for your dog, keeping pests off your property or protecting a swimming pool. Typically, chain link is best for safety fencing as it provides solid fencing without blocking the light or your view.

If you want safety fencing but don’t want to spend a lot of money on it, you can get metal or plastic mesh and secure it with metal posts. This is can be a good option if it’s in an isolated area where the fence’s appearance is not important.

There are many considerations when choosing fencing options and materials. But the key to creating the right fence is to spend some time thinking about its purpose, the aesthetics, and how your fence may impact those around you.

You ordered the perfect gift, you’ve tracked its shipping status in anticipation of its arrival, but you come home from work on delivery day to find the package mysteriously absent from your doorstep. Your package may have been stolen. Now what?

If a Package is Taken From Your Porch, Who is Responsible?

There is a dramatic increase in packages delivered to homes around the holidays thanks to the explosive rise of online retailers such as Amazon. These online retailers often deliver packages to homes when the residents are at work.

With the holiday season upon us, more and more packages are being reported as missing from front porches all around the country. According to recent survey published by Comcast, 31% of Americans have experienced package theft at some point, while a 2017 study by InsuranceQuotes found that 25.9 million Americans have had their packages stolen during the holiday season alone.

Thieves take advantage of the pile of unprotected parcels at your door by swiping them right from your front porch. Since porches often lack any security measures, criminals can get away scot-free with package theft. What can be done, then, to remedy the situation?

Read on to find out how to get reimbursed for your stolen item or have a new one shipped to you.

How to Handle a Package Theft

Verify that the package was delivered

The first step you need to take if you think someone stole your package is to track your shipment. If you haven’t been following the tracking updates closely and are only counting on the original estimated delivery date, you may have missed some important updates.

When a retailer ships your package to you, they typically send a shipping confirmation email with a tracking number. You can use that tracking number to check the status of your shipment along the way through the shipping company’s website.

Packages are often delayed for one reason or another, especially in the winter time with snow and inclement weather preventing trucks from reaching or departing fulfillment centers and post offices. Double check your tracking number to verify that your package was indeed delivered on this date.

Additionally, it is important to make sure that you didn’t inadvertently send the package to the wrong address. Maybe you just moved, and the retailer had your old address stored in their system.

After you have verified that the package was delivered and it went to the correct address, it is time to investigate further before contacting the delivery service.

First, check with your neighbors to make sure that the delivery driver didn’t mistakenly drop it off at the wrong door. This happens more often than you would think.

Also, make sure that a concerned neighbor didn’t grab it off your porch for you as a precaution because they knew you weren’t home to get it yet or they didn’t want the package sitting out in inclement weather.

Save yourself the time and trouble of calling customer service only to realize that your package was with your next door neighbor all along.

Contact the seller

If you believe that your package was taken from your porch and your neighbors have no information on the package’s whereabouts, it is time to reach out to the retailer that you bought the item from.

Every retailer has a different policy when it comes to situations like these, but most are sympathetic to the situation and will refund or replace the stolen item for you.

Amazon, for example, covers most stolen packages with their A-to-Z Protection. If your item was purchased through one of their retail partners, known as Amazon Sellers, you may have to reach out to the third party first to try to resolve the situation.

In most cases, you should be able to work it out with the seller and they will provide you with a replacement item. However, if the retailer refuses to assist you, you may need to file a claim with the shipping company.

File a claim with the shipping company

If the retailer who you purchased the item from denies any responsibility for the missing package and wants to lay blame on the shipping company, you can file a claim with the shipping company. All major delivery services provide a claims reporting service via their website or by calling their customer service department.

If all else fails, you can check with your credit card company to see if they offer purchase protection. There are many stipulations with these policies, so be sure to get clarity about your card’s policies to see if the company will cover stolen packages.

Steps You Can Take to Protect Your Packages

If you have ever experienced a package stolen from your porch, you know how frustrating it can be. It is especially exasperating if you have had to jump through hoops in the claims process to remedy the situation.

Consider these tips for protecting your packages this holiday season:

• Purchase package insurance for high-ticket items. For instance, if you are buying electronics like a new laptop, it is worth the extra money to purchase the optional insurance to ensure that you are covered should the laptop go missing. Insurance is usually purchased either through the retailer or the shipping company.
• Plan to be at home when the package arrives. This is the ideal scenario, although we understand it is not always possible to be home at the time of delivery.

  Perhaps ask a trusted neighbor to keep an eye out for the delivery and secure your package until you get home, or have the package delivered somewhere where you know a person is present to accept it. If you aren’t familiar with any of your neighbors yet, send the packages to your workplace.

• Request that your package be left at the Post Office or UPS store for pick up. This way, you can securely pick up your package when you have the time. No need to worry about thieves raiding your porch while you are away.

  In major cities, Amazon also offers a number of designated package pickup locations called

  Amazon Lockers, which will hold your item safely until you arrive. To retrieve your package, you need only enter in your special code at the machine or scan your smartphone.
• Get a lockbox. These reinforced containers are protected by a lock that can only be accessed by delivery drivers if they have a package that is addressed to you and scheduled for delivery on that day. BoxLock is one of the most well-known companies that create smart padlocks for you to do just that.
• Install a security camera. Cameras alone can sometimes deter thieves from encroaching upon your property, though in many cases thieves will wear hoodies, sunglasses, or use some kind of cloth to make their face impossible to recognize. One particular camera designed to watch your porch is the Skybell Video Doorbell, a doorbell that automatically detects people who approach your door and notifies you through your smartphone so you can verify the person’s identity.

  

• Require signature on delivery. When ordering or shipping expensive items, require that the package be signed for, so that only the designated recipient can pick up the package. While this also adds on an extra fee, that extra verification step goes a long way in making sure your item doesn’t end up in the wrong hands.

We hope that we have provided some useful tips for what to do if your package is stolen, and for preventing such situations in the future.

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The Honeywell Lyric alarm panel responds to RF jamming by alerting you with a warning and/or contacting the central monitoring station if it detects a signal jam for longer than 20 seconds.

What makes RF jammers so dangerous?

RF jammers are designed to block of the communications devices in a small radius, preventing your alarm system from contacting the central station. These devices can exploit gaping security holes that affect most of the cheaper alarm systems out there.

Although RF jammers are illegal in the United States, the online black market makes the devices accessible to criminals all over the world. Homeowners with larger houses are particularly at risk of being targeted by more sophisticated burglaries.

Fortunately, Honeywell equipment isn’t some ordinary consumer-grade junk that’s being handed out by most of the major security providers on the market. This is professional-grade stuff.

How does the Honeywell Lyric system stop jammers?

When a device frequency range (345MHz or 2.4ghz) has been transmitting for over 20 seconds, your Honeywell alarm panel displays an alert in the form of an exclamation point followed by number code that corresponds with the affected radio frequency.

There will also be some beeping noises that you can silence by pressing any button.

If you’ve enabled trouble reporting, your device will contact your Central Monitoring Station. Once the RF Jam condition is gone, you can clear the Trouble alert with a Disarm + Code entry.

The RJ Jam feature from factory comes activated with a RF Jam Log. To modify the Lyric controller RF Jam detection settings from the Lyric Controller’s home screen select Security > Tools > enter 4-digit installer code “default is 4112” > Program > System Type > Toggle RF Jam button to your liking.

If you have other questions about our products, contact us and we’ll help you out.