Category: Home Security

Do you wish your home security system had more smart home features, like controlling the thermostat from an app, turning on lights, or seeing video footage of the goings-on around your home?

Do you wonder why you’re paying high monthly fees and getting terrible customer service from your current alarm system monitoring company?

You deserve better. And it’s out there.

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Depending on the manufacturer of your security equipment, other companies may be able to monitor your alarm system even if they weren’t the original installers. Alarm monitoring using your existing system? You’ll find it here. This blog post will guide you through the process of switching alarm monitoring companies.

When You Can Reuse Your Current Security Equipment

If you’ve decided to switch alarm monitoring companies, you first need to determine whether you can reuse your current security equipment or whether you’ll need to install a new system. In most cases, it’s fairly straightforward to use your existing security system and switch to a new alarm monitoring company.

Switching to a better home security monitoring service is called a system takeover. The benefit is that—if it’s relatively modern and compatible—you can keep the equipment you already own rather than buy a completely new system.

How does a home security system takeover work?

If you’re considering a system takeover, first schedule a time to speak with your new alarm monitoring company over the phone so that their employees better understand how they can help.

For example, when you call Alarm New England, the main details we’ll go over are the layout of the property, the type of equipment currently in place, and if you want to add anything onto the system.

Let’s say you live in a small apartment in downtown Boston on the ground floor with a main entry door, a glass sliding back door, and six windows. In which case we’d probably recommend two door sensors, two or three glassbreak detectors depending on the location of said windows, and eight window sensors.

Once we get a good sense of your situation, we’ll send one of our trained technicians to your home to assess your equipment. In many cases, we can switch you over for minimal upfront cost, depending on if the system needs an extra part to function correctly or if you’d like to add on to your system.

If your system is quite old, we recommend you replace the main brain of the system altogether so that you can upgrade it to be compatible with the latest smart home security.

To help you save, we’ll give you a free video doorbell camera with your security system when you design your system with us over the phone or on our website.

With over 50 years of experience serving residents and businesses in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, we know the importance of building strong relationships with our customers that last many years. Our goal is not to sell you equipment you don’t really need, but to make sure you are properly protected and that your system can communicate with our alarm monitoring service in an emergency.

If we exhaust all other avenues to get your current system to communicate reliably with our central monitoring station, we’ll suggest equipment options tailored to your New England home and lifestyle and give you time to consider them.

If we can’t take over your system for whatever reason and you don’t want to replace the equipment, we’ll shake hands and be on our way.

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When You Need to Replace Your Security System to Switch Monitoring Companies

Using your existing security system is ideal if the system is modern and compatible with your new alarm monitoring company. However, there are some cases when you’ll need to replace your entire home security system in order to switch to a new monitoring company.

1. Your alarm system is proprietary.

If your alarm system is proprietary, your system is programmed to function correctly only as long as you continue paying the original company that sold it to you.

For example, no other company can monitor a SimpliSafe, Cox, Brinks Home, or Xfinity Home system. These companies designed their equipment this way to make customers stay with them longer, because switching monitoring companies means hundreds of dollars down the drain and a huge headache for customers.

We know how expensive replacing proprietary technology can be. That’s why we only sell equipment that all alarm companies can monitor so that you can reuse the same system indefinitely. If you ever want more features, you can just add on individual pieces of equipment for a relatively low price.

2. Your alarm system is too old to provide adequate protection.

Many houses and apartments still use systems that were manufactured decades ago, severely limiting your options for sensors, security cameras, and smart home upgrades.

An outdated system also presents a security risk to you. Older equipment relies on landlines to communicate with the central monitoring station, and smart burglars will cut those landlines before breaking in. If your system is too outdated, we recommend replacing it to provide better security.

3. Your alarm company changed the installer code.

When our technicians reprogram the equipment, we need to punch in an installer code to access the back end of the alarm’s programming. We know the default codes, but if your alarm company changed the code, it’s much more difficult for us to reprogram your system.

It’s possible that even if your equipment is compatible, your previous alarm company has effectively locked out other companies from taking over your existing equipment.

If you find yourself in this situation, ask your previous alarm company for the installer code to see if they’ll provide it to you. If that doesn’t work, you’ll need to replace the equipment in order to switch to a new monitoring company.

4. Read your monitoring contract.

If you currently have a monitored system, you probably signed an agreement with the company stating that you’ll stay with them for a certain amount of time. You want to be sure you’re not on a contract when you make the switch—otherwise, you’ll have to pay more.

This contract is what enables many alarm companies to reduce the upfront cost of your equipment and let you pay off the difference over several months as part of the alarm monitoring agreement. (A contract of 36 months is the industry standard.)

If you can’t find your contract, ask your alarm company to send over a digital copy via email or a physical copy to your mailbox.

When reviewing your current alarm monitoring contract, take note of the following:

• Expiration date
• Renewal (is it automatic?)
• Early contract cancellation fees or penalties

5. Find a local alarm monitoring company.

Local monitoring matters.

Ask anyone who’s shopped around at multiple alarm companies and tested them out. They’ll say the same thing: Go local.

Whenever you buy professional-grade home security systems, you want the reassurance that customer service will be able to help you if things don’t work as they should. You want customer service that treats you as valued individual, not a number.

As you search for a new local alarm company, consider these three factors:

• Where is it based? Does the company handle its own monitoring, or does it outsource it? Is the company locally based?
  
• Call the company. Does the company answer the phone immediately, or are you pushed into an automated system without an option to speak to someone?
  
• Read the reviews. Reading customer reviews is a valid way to evaluate what current and past customers are saying about the experiences they had working with the company.
  

You should also ask these questions about any potential alarm monitoring company:

• How much will you have to pay per month?
• How long does the monitoring contract last?
• Can the company walk you through any additional fees in addition to the upfront equipment costs and monitoring subscription?
• What certifications does the central station have? Will you ever need to contact it for any reason?
• Can you reuse your equipment with another alarm company?

6. Contact your new alarm company.

Once you’ve found the right security monitoring provider, get in contact via phone or email.

Schedule an appointment with your new provider. If you know what system you currently have installed, it’s easy for the security provider to know whether they can simply reprogram it or if it will need a new panel.

Check for an insurance discount. Many insurance companies understand the value of having a home security system and offer discounts for homeowners who install monitored security systems.

Call your insurance provider to find out how much of a discount they offer for a monitored security system. Your savings could be as high as 15-20 percent when you have a burglar and fire alarm system monitored by a UL-Listed central monitoring station.

Finding the Right New Alarm Monitoring Company

Finding a local alarm company may take a bit more work on your part, and many people settle for using a larger national brand. But the effort can be well worth your time.

In large cities like Boston, it’s easy to find local providers in your area using services like Yelp or Google Maps. Conveniently, these services also feature customer reviews to help you narrow down your search and save time.

Rather than pay inflated prices to support national advertising and marketing costs, you may find that you can get superior service, top-of-the-line equipment, and local monitoring from a local provider.

If you want the best security company in your area, we encourage you to shop around and ask your sales rep the right questions. Spending those few extra minutes to understand your security company will save you a lot of headache and disappointment down the line.

More Questions About Alarm Companies?

Want to learn more about security systems before you make a decision? Contact us at 857-445-4010 and we’ll answer any questions you have.

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Bank-level encryption is the term that financial institutions use when referring to their security measures that are used to help protect you and your assets. This term gets thrown around a lot in the online and financial world, but how safe is bank-level security?

In today’s world we all have to be hyper-aware of protecting our financial security online. There is no shortage of hackers, ID thieves and malware out there that are trying to gain access to secure information. We hear about major security breaches what seems like all the time on the news.

This is the age of convenience and this includes online transactions. Unfortunately, utilizing online transactions comes with a risk. Hackers are constantly after your social security number, credit card numbers, banking information, and log-in credentials.

Most expense tracking providers have made it their priority to keep their clients safe from identity breaches and some even use the term bank-level security or encryption to convey how serious their security level is.

What Banks Actually Use for Security

Banks work tirelessly to make sure the security of their clients is not compromised. A security breach can mean detrimental consequences for a banking institution and is avoided at all costs by implementing an advanced security protocol that goes beyond username/password and security questions.

Financial institutions employ firewall software as a first line of defense against cyber attackers. The software is constantly being updated to keep ahead of the hackers and viruses that are also always improving and enhancing.

Additionally, financial institutions implement a level of encryption over all of your digital files and transactions. What does this mean? Basically, everything gets encoded in a way that prevents cyber hackers from easily accessing your information.

The standard bank-level encryption is 256-bit AES, or advanced encryption standard. Most professional-grade security systems — including those we sell — use a similar encryption standard to protect your data from being intercepted by third parties.

What does 256-bit Encryption Mean?

256-bit refers to the exponent that represents the incredibly vast possible encryption combinations that your financial institution data has been coded with. This means that there is an indescribable number of possible encryption combinations that a hacker would need to go through in order to crack the code.

There is also the 128-bit encryption level that many companies, besides financial institutions, use to encrypt their secure data. Although this number is half the size of 256-bit, it is still incredibly large and safe when it comes to protecting data.

Let’s put it this way, the 128-bit encryption represents about 340 undecillion. Which is 34 followed by 36 zeros. To say this is a huge number would be an understatement. Even a company who is not using bank-level security, but is using 128-bit encryption, is still proving high quality security that is virtually impossible to breach.

While many companies use only 128-bit encryption, the main benefit to switching to 256-bit is for marketing reasons. Think about it, if you are looking to choose between two expense tracking companies and one boasts 256-bit encryption and the other is only 128-bit, you are probably more likely to choose the one with the big number.

Why Data Encryption is Essential for True Security

In a world where cyber attacks and security breaches are a part of the everyday news, it is more important than ever that security be implemented to prevent such occurrences.

Banks and other financial institutions use bank-level security as an industry standard for protecting themselves and their clients from serious identity and financial threats.

While there are no guarantees, and with hackers working overtime to develop software to beat the system, you can still feel safe in the knowledge that your financial institution employs the highest level of security possible to keep your information secure.

How Security Systems use Bank-Level Encryption

Like banks, we protect your assets. Your safety is our top priority. Due to the latest home security systems integrating with smart home apps and your smartphone, it is more important than ever to keep your personal data under lock and key. A vulnerable alarm system provides a false sense of security, and could potentially have serious consequences.

The Qolsys IQ Panel 2protects your wireless home security system using 128-bit encryption, while Alarm.com cameras use 256-bit encryption. Even with just 128-bit encryption, it would take the world population 77,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 years to crack the encryption key by testing every possible combination.

The more secure your data is, the more secure your home is. To learn about more ways you can secure your home, download the Ultimate Guide to Home Security.

Mold is a type of fungi found both indoors and outdoors. Mold is not a welcome sight for homeowners: It produces nasty smells, and some varieties of mold can even cause health problems. Black mold is one such variety.

You have probably come across black mold (also known by its biological name Stachybotrys chartarum) in an old house, or maybe even in your own home.

Black mold is a type of fungus, and although it appears to be black at a distance, it can appear dark green upon closer examination. It is those black marks you see on walls, particularly low down near the skirting.

Room walls are an excellent breeding ground for black mold as it loves surfaces that contain cellulose, such as plasterboard, chipboard, or paper. Mold grows in damp, warm conditions. That is why mold is more common in shower rooms, bathrooms, and laundry rooms.

On its own, black mold is not dangerous, but it can release harmful toxins into the environment, affecting air quality and causing health problems for people who inhale those toxins.

That’s why it is important to make sure your home isn’t a breeding ground for black mold. Here’s how to identify black mold in your home, remove it, and prevent it from growing in the first place.

Identifying Black Mold in Your Home

One way of identifying black mold is from its color. Other molds you might observe are usually different colors, but black mold is distinctively black. Black mold grows slowly and only takes on its distinctive black color when it is fully grown. It can sometimes be mistaken for dirt or dust due to its color.

Another big giveaway of black mold growth is the smell: It has a distinctive musty odor, even if you can’t see it.

How to Test for Black Mold

There are now a plethora of mold test kits on the market to help you determine if you have black mold.

With some kits, you can get a result within minutes. With other test kits, you send the results away for analysis by qualified labs, which is likely to get more accurate results.

In general, home testing kits are not reliable enough to make any conclusions. We recommend that you get in touch with experts to determine if you have black mold present in your home, especially if you or other people in your home are experiencing any symptoms or health effects that may be caused by mold.

Symptoms and Health Effects from Black Mold

Mold exposure affects people differently. One person living in a home with black mold may have reactions, while another person living in the same space may experience no physical effects.

Some people have genetic predispositions or immune system responses that make them more sensitive to mold than others. Age and general health can also be factors: The elderly and young children are most affected by exposure to black mold.

The symptoms of exposure to black mold range from fatigue, headaches or migraines, mood swings, tremors, eye irritation, sneezing, and coughing. One of the problems identifying a reaction to black mold is that the symptoms are also common in other respiratory disorders.

If mold exposure or a mold allergy is suspected, a doctor may order allergy tests. An allergy test might involve dropping liquid containing the mold onto the skin and monitoring the reaction.

Preventing and Removing Black Mold

Black mold needs four things to develop and grow:

• Oxygen
• A water source
• A food source
• Optimal growing conditions

With these four factors in mind, there are certain areas in the home where black mold is more likely to accumulate.

Where to Look for Black Mold

Any drywall areas might be a breeding ground for black mold, as well as areas that are wooden and cellulose-rich. Look closely, because the mold might be growing behind the wall.

The basement is probably naturally damper than other areas of your home, making it an excellent breeding ground for mold. Look around water pipes if you have any, as they tend to sweat in a humid environment. If you have a washer or dryer in the basement, check the inlet and outlet pipes for both.

Another common place for black mold growth is in the shower room or bathroom. Avoid using any carpet in a bathroom, as that would be a perfect home for mold infestation. Bath mats outside the shower or around the toilet should be washed regularly for this reason.

Check the shower stall, at the bottom of shower curtains, and in the crevices in built-in shower screens because moisture can collect behind them.

Finally, another area of the home susceptible to mold growth is in the attic. Look for any moisture collecting in the attic space and signs of frost that indicates water collection.

Black Mold Removal

If you find black mold, you can usually clean it with water and bleach. Keep in mind that bleach will kill surface mold, but it will not get a mold that has penetrated wood. After the bleach and water has dried, apply a fungicidal product.

If your mold infestation is greater than 10 meters in length or height, you should call a professional mold inspector. For mold infestations this extensive, it takes professional expertise to determine the proper course of action.

How to Prevent Black Mold

You can take several steps in your home to prevent black mold.

• Keep humidity levels in your home as low as possible. Use an air conditioner or humidifier to control humidity.
• Ensure your home has enough ventilation. Make sure your clothes dryer vents outside the building.
• Fix any leaks in your roof or leaking pipes so mold does not have the moisture to grow.
• Clean bathroom and showers regularly with mold-killing products.
• Remove or replace carpets that have been soaked and can’t dry properly.
• Don’t use carpets in rooms exposed to water and moisture, like bathrooms, laundry rooms, or damp basements.

It is estimated that, on average, more than one million people are victims of stalking every year. While the majority of victims are women, there is also a high rate of men being stalked.

In many cases, the stalker is someone you know — someone you were in a romantic relationship with or currently are seeing, a co-worker or even a casual acquaintance. Stalkers can also be complete strangers.

Stalking can come in many forms — ranging from willful, unwarranted and repetitive contact to following someone or harassing them. In more extreme case, it can include physical threats or assault.

Many victims will be unsure or scared when it comes to responding to a stalker. Some may try engaging or reasoning with the stalker in hopes of deterring them in a more civil manner, while others may confront them directly.

In any situation, it is imperative to know how to stop a stalker while still ensuring your personal safety.

6 Tips On How To Stop A Stalker

1. Explicitly Tell Your Stalker Once to Stop Contacting You

The first step may be daunting but once you have done this, you have clearly defined your boundaries. Thereafter it is imperative that you cut off all communication with them. Any kind of engagement or response could reinforce or encourage the stalker’s actions.

2. Always Be Prepared

In many cases, stalkers may not respect your wishes, so it is vital you keep your cell phone with you at all times. Keep numbers of trusted friends, family members and the local police department on speed dial. If you are in imminent danger and unsure of what to do about a stalker, call the police immediately.

3. Understand that Stalking is Illegal

It is normal for you to want to solve this problem on your own, but support is always available. Trust your instincts. If you ever feel uncomfortable, even if nothing serious is happening at that moment, reach out to a trusted friend, family member or law enforcement.

You are not responsible for protecting anyone except yourself. Knowing how to stop a stalker is not easy, but you are not alone! Statistics show that 1 in 19 men and 1 in 6 women have been stalked during their lifetime, so it is not something to be ashamed of, and it is therefore crucial to know how to stop a stalker.

4. Create a Safety Plan

Another key step in knowing how to stop a stalker is considering the worst-case scenario and having a safety plan in place. Enhancing your home security and changing your locks are two initial steps you may want to take.

Thinking through and having a safety plan will help you act quickly if you assess that a particular situation may be dangerous. A safety plan should include:

• The quickest and safest way to exit your home or workplace (and other places you frequent)
• Having a list of go-to people to call in an emergency
• Knowing the location of the nearest police station(s) around you

If you are lost and unsure of how to stop a stalker, whether in a moderate or extreme case, it is advisable to seek assistance from trained law enforcement.

5. Ensure Digital Safety

Technology has become a key tool used by stalkers/ If you are being stalked online, through text messaging, email, or phone calls there are important steps you can take including:

• Blocking the phone number
• Blocking and blacklisting their email
• Blocking them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and any other social media platforms
• Setting your social media accounts to private
• Changing your passwords

Another important step you can take to make yourself less vulnerable to stalking is to be aware of what information you are sharing on the internet and on which social media platforms.

Ensure all your online profiles have the highest security settings and limited personal information, as stalkers tend to be extremely resourceful, especially regarding technology.

6. Keep Records of Any Contact Made by Your Stalker

One of the most important steps in the process of stopping a stalker is documenting any encounters, or evidence you have about your stalker by:

• Recording and saving all written or verbal communication
• Documenting details of any situations where physical contact was made
• Collecting any ‘gifts’ given or sent to you
• Taking pictures of any damage to your property
• Documenting any attempted or actual contact made with your friends or family

It can be easy to underestimate the threat of a stalker. However, many victims have later stated that they should have taken the situation more seriously.

By documenting everything related to the stalker, you are providing law enforcement officials with potential evidence. Stalking is a serious criminal offense. Understanding how to take action to stop a stalker can be critical to your safety.

You do not deserve to be intimidated, harassed or stalked by anyone. Support and help will always be available to you if you reach out.