What We Can Learn from How HOAs Approach Security

Owners of single-family homes can learn a lot from homeowner associations (HOAs) in their approach to security. After all, HOAs are often responsible for the security of dozens, if not hundreds, of homes. Because of this, HOAs have traditionally been early adopters of video surveillance, private patrols, and other security services. Here are some HOA insights from which homeowners can learn.

Lots of visitors means lots of risk.

In some HOA communities, there can be endless streams of neighbors moving in and out all year-round. On top of that, all of these residents have their own visitors frequenting the property. This is one reason HOAs go strong on security; they know even if all of their homeowners are law-abiding, there could be visitors who have criminal intentions. All of these factors inform the decisions of those responsible for HOA security. They can inform you when considering what home security measures you need to take as the owner of a single-family home.

Private patrols and nighttime surveillance can help.

An HOA may consider taking advantage of our Private Patrol Services that deter property crime with their consistent presence and vigilance. Homeowners like you can get incredible security benefits from our NightShield monitoring service: patrol, smart video, text alerts, and nighttime dispatch while you sleep. Combining the technology behind both of these services sets up a complete shield of protection that is incredibly efficient at deterring crime for HOAs and single-family homes.

Extra security is worth the investment.

If you’re the owner of a single-family home, you can supplement NightShield and other video surveillance with our Private Patrol Services. As our local patrol team members get to know your neighborhood, they promptly flag what they recognize as unusual activity. Next, they communicate with authorities so the activity can be investigated right away. The services are easily customized to your preference, and additional services such as vacation-watch are also available—a valuable security measure to take advantage of in the summer months. There’s a lot that owners of single-family homes can learn from the security insights of homeowner associations.

About Post Alarm

To learn more about any of the home security technologies discussed here, contact Post Alarm today. Our highly qualified and experienced home security experts can answer all your questions. Call us today at 1-800-654-7678.

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Reasons to Go Pro with Home Security in 2021

Reasons to Go Pro with Home Security in 2021

There are lots of things you can do yourself around the house successfully, with effective results. However, installing your own home security system isn’t one of them. The truth is, the home security systems people install themselves are nothing more than basic burglar alarms – and in Los Angeles County, most homeowners need more proactive intervention.

In 2021, it’s time to go pro with your home security technology. Here are some of the most important reasons to do it.

Protection against home invasion.

When it comes to home invasion, there’s good news and bad news. LAPD data shows that 2020 had the lowest home invasions in a decade; however, more than 13,000 were still reported. 2021 is the year to get serious about protecting your home against break-ins, so that criminals will be further discouraged to attempt this crime.

If a lawbreaker is foolish enough to attempt a break-in, your professional security system will trigger the audible alarm while also calling our central station monitoring center. All of this happens automatically, and gets the police to your home much faster than a do-it-yourself system would.

Protection for your outdoor property.

Here, we’re referring to your personal vehicles and any other equipment you may have outside. The LAPD reported almost 21,000 automobile thefts in 2020, and that crime continues to be on the uptick as we move further into the new year. A home security system that’s professionally installed, monitored and integrated with cameras specifically designed for overnight protection is the best way to guard your entire property from crime.

Protection from environmental risks.

A professional security system can also protect your family from dangerous environmental risks: fire, carbon monoxide and flooding. This happens with system components like:

Smart smoke detectors that communicate with our monitoring center.
A carbon monoxide (CO) detector to alert you when this toxic, unscented gas is present.
High water sensors that detect flooding before it becomes catastrophic.

Protection from high energy bills.

An amateur security system does nothing to protect you from the rising cost of utilities. In the hot summer months of Southern California, a professional security system with smart home technology can put your thermostats and lighting on autopilot to reduce the money you spend on energy. If you’ve never heard about using your home security system to keep your energy bills down, ask us for more info.

These are the reasons why choosing a professional security system means choosing protection for your family. For questions about making this choice in 2021, call Post Alarm today. We’ll be happy to speak with you.

About Post Alarm

To learn more about Southern California security technology, come see us at Post Alarm. Our highly qualified and experienced home security experts can answer all your questions. Call us today at 1-800-654-7678.

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Introducing Night Shield by Post Alarm

Newly released LAPD data shows that the second most common crime of 2020 in Los Angeles was car theft. Shockingly, the pandemic led to a 33% increase in the crime, with 20,934 vehicles stolen last year.

Fortunately, there is home security technology that can also help protect your vehicles during the dark nighttime hours. At Post Alarm, we’re excited to introduce that 360° protection with Night Shield technology.

Smarter Security with Night Shield

Night Shield uses smarter security cameras that send alerts directly to our monitoring center when suspicious activity is detected during the night. With this fast-acting security technology, patrol is dispatched and crime is deterred in a matter of seconds. Best of all, your sleep is uninterrupted. That’s what makes Night Shield the best way to protect your family from intrusion night after night.

Night Shield for Businesses

Night Shield is also an ideal technology for businesses, providing an overnight defense against thieves and trespassers who would breach the security of your business property. With immediate smartphone notifications, you’ll never be in the dark about what’s going on while you’re away.

To inquire about our new Night Shield security technology, contact Post Alarm today. We look forward to telling you more.

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New Year’s Resolutions and Your Smart Home

For many people, 2021 deserves bigger New Year’s resolutions than ever before. In addition to eating better and sleeping more, you might pledge to start making the most of the family time you have during this new normal. What if you also made an effort to align your home with this new goal? Here are some ways you can use smart home technology to take back your time in 2021.

Making coming home more pleasant.

After the turmoil of 2020 and a rough start to 2021, many of us are simply hoping for a more peaceful year ahead. If you’re working onsite at your place of employment and you want coming home to be a more enjoyable experience, we can help. Our smart home systems contain a Scenes feature that can detect when you’re almost home and automate your front door lock, garage door, indoor lights and security system so that everything is ready for your arrival. That means no fumbling for keys or coming home to a cold, dark house. Peaceful and pleasant!

Put your home to work for you.

Everyone in the family should be responsible for those obligatory chores that keep the home running smoothly: doing dishes, taking out trash, keeping restrooms clean. But that doesn’t mean everyone should spend all their time at home doing busywork. With the right smart home technology, you can put your home to work for you by automating your security, lights, locks, heating and more. That means less time flipping on lights, adjusting the thermostat and setting the alarm – and more time enjoying each other’s company instead.

Keep your family connected.

Many kids are home alone doing remote learning right now, and parents need all the help they can to stay connected during the day. With the two-way voice communicators in your cameras, it’s possible to talk to the kids anytime you check on them using your live video feed. It’s a great way to help you feel more connected until you get home at night.

By making your smart home technology work for you, you can feel good about keeping an important New Year’s resolution. To find out about any of the products and services mentioned here, call Post Alarm. We’ll be glad to answer your questions.

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The Image Sensor: A Great Addition to Your System

As technology evolves, photo images get clearer and crisper. Now, it’s not just your smartphone that delivers those images to you; even your home security system can send them as well. It’s made possible by an image sensor, which is a device you can opt to include in your system if you would like to receive high-definition photos of your home by text or email at specific times of day.

What the Image Sensor Is

An image sensor is a smart device that combines motion sensor technology with a still shot camera. It can integrate with your home security system to give you the same interactive control you have with video surveillance technology, but in a still image format.

What the Image Sensor Does

Just like a video security camera, the image sensor can intelligently detect activity in whatever room it’s in, day or night, and capture an image that gets sent to you in the form of a text alert or email. But unlike a video clip, a still image can be viewed in an instant – making it a quicker, less disruptive review if you only have a second.

What Events it Can Capture

When the sensor takes an image is up to you. You can set it up for certain times of day – the kids’ afterschool arrival time, or the time a caregiver is supposed to arrive. In fact, some people find it to be a less intrusive way to check on a caregiver than a traditional “nanny cam.” With a still shot instead of video, you can see a quick snapshot during the kids’ meal time, nap time or play time and have the same peace of mind.

Other Ways to Use the Sensor

Scheduling images certain times is just one way to use the image sensor in your system. Because of the motion detection technology, you can also set it up to capture images triggered by motion. Also, the image sensor can be mounted in any room of the home, on corners or flat surfaces, and at almost any angle. Because it’s powered by a cellular connection, it doesn’t even need wi-fi – making it a great security solution for your vacation home in the mountains or desert where connections are spotty.

To learn more about the image sensor or other new home security technology, call Post Alarm Systems. We’ll be glad to answer your questions.

About Post Alarm Systems

To learn more about Southern California security technology, come see us at Post Alarm Systems. Our highly qualified and experienced home security experts can answer all your questions. Call us today at 1-800-654-7678

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Finding the Best Home Security Camera Tech this Year

These days, the list of tech brands competing for your business seems eternal. How you can you narrow down your choices in home security camera technology? This rule of thumb may help: It’s not always the brand that matters. It’s the platform.

A quality home security camera tech platform is the backbone of the camera system. It lets you control all your home security functions in the palm of your hand with a user-friendly mobile app. Even better, it can help you perform these critical functions for the security of your home and family.

Use any device to view your home security video.

You want a home security camera system that uses live stream technology, so you can view all your video events from your smartphone, tablet, desktop, Apple Watch or even your TV.

Having the freedom to view your video from so many devices, no matter where you are, makes staying connected to your home life so much easier.

Send you intelligent alerts when video is recorded.

You want a system that uses motion detection to trigger its recording function. You want it to send you alerts as soon as the events happen. And, you may want to be selective about which alerts you receive. With the right platform, your system can do that. Get intelligent alerts to your smartphone when the video events of your choice are recorded. A high quality platform helps you stay in control.

Take a more active stance on protecting your home.

Once upon a time, homeowners could scare criminals away with a simple home security sign in the yard. Today, defending your home from break-ins requires more. Not only do you need home security camera tech; you need those cameras to connect with your other security devices, especially your alarm. When all your security technology is integrated together, you’re taking a much more active stance on protecting your home and family.

To learn more about the best security camera tech for your home this year, call Post Alarm today. We would love to show you what’s possible.

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Making 2020 Memorable with Home Automation

For many people, 2020 is a year to start enjoying the simple moments more. Of course, they still need to get all the complicated tasks done too. One of the ways we can do that is with technology, and one of the most effective technologies for this purpose is home automation. Here’s a scenario that illustrates this.

After a quiet night in as a family, you want to read the kids a story and tuck them in to bed. But first, it’s time for your nightly checklist:

Secure the home by locking the front and back doors.
Protect your family’s privacy by closing the window shades.
Turn off the lights, upstairs and down.
It gets too hot upstairs; that means turn down the thermostat.
And of course, arm the security system.

By the time you’ve done all those things, the kids have fallen asleep. When that happens once in a while, no big deal – but those nights of no story and no special time together add up. With home automation in your security system, you get that time back.

Setting the Scene on Your Smartphone

The app you use to control the home automation on your system features four Scene buttons. Each Scene is a multi-device command that makes all your smart devices work together. The Scene you can use to take care of your bedtime tasks is called Sleep, while the others – Home, Away and Wake Up – are designed to help you automate other parts of your day. And if you want to change the commands built into those Scenes, you can. Adjust the commands and name the Scenes anything you would like. They can incorporate your home security, locks, smart lights and even smart thermostat.

Taking it to the Next Level

If you use virtual assistant technologies like Alexa or Siri, you can take your home automation to the next level with voice command. Use Alexa to tell your system to wake up in the morning, or tell Siri to unlock the door and turn on the lights as you’re pulling into the driveway. When all those spared minutes add up, there’s a lot more time to spend with the people who matter most.

For questions on adding home automation to your security, contact Post Alarm. We’ll be glad to speak with you.

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A Smart Solution for Preventing Water Damage

One of the biggest threats to your home is an essential element. We all need it — but when there’s too much of it, the aftermath cam be a catastrophe. Of course, we’re talking about water.

Whether the source of your water damage is burst pipes, leaking appliances or dripping utility fixtures, you and your insurance company are responsible to cover the cost. That damage can be anything from unsanitary mildew or dangerous mold on the walls, to the complete flooding of your carpets or other flooring. Abatement and replacement is expensive, and not just financially. You’ll also lose time, privacy and security while crews are in your home doing the repairs.

Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be this way. There’s a smart solution to preventing water damage.

Smart Water Valve + Meter

The Smart Water Valve + Meter is a device that easily integrates with your other smart home technology and controlled by the same mobile app you use for your home security system. The device has water sensors that intelligently detect leaks and shut them off automatically. If you choose to integrate this with your system, here’s the protection you can enjoy.

Automatic Flood Shutdown

If a pipe bursts while you’re not at home, the most immediate need is to turn off your water at the source. Normally, you would need to call someone to help you do this or run home to take care of it. But with a Smart Water Valve + Meter, your system can turn off your home’s main water supply off right away. And of course, it will send you an alert just like it would if there was a security event. You’ll save time, money and headache with this simple service.

Whole Home Water Protection

With so many water sources in your home, the risks of leaking and flooding are everywhere. With a Smart Water Valve + Meter, we can offer you whole home water protection so that problems you can’t see are wirelessly detected. You’ll be notified anytime there’s a leak behind a sink, washing machine, water heater, toilet or another appliance. It can also tell you when the shower has been running for an extended period of time. When you aren’t home to intervene, these alerts can help you manage your water bill from anywhere.

Investing in a Smart Water Valve + Meter is a smart solution for preventing water damage in your home. To learn more, call Post Alarm Systems. We’ll be glad to tell you more.

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Protection from Crash and Smash Break-Ins

If a criminal breaks into your home and smashes the security panel to keep it from working, can your system still protect you? If your home security system has crash and smash protection, it can. Let’s look at what a crash and smash break-in is, and how our special crash and smash protection can outmaneuver perpetrators who try to carry them out.

How Crash and Smash Break-Ins Work

When planning a crash and smash attack, a criminal’s objective is to take advantage of the security system’s 30 to 60 second time delay. This delay gives the system time before sounding the alarm or triggering the emergency signal. During this time, the homeowner can disarm the system so the alarm won’t sound and the monitoring center will reach out to see whether help is needed. But in a crash and smash attack, the criminal obliterates the panel and its ability to signal for help. Effectively, it disables the system.

How Crash and Smash Protection Works

When you have crash and smash protection, even a smashed panel will not prevent your system from signaling for help during a break-in. The protection relies on cloud security technology, which ensures that the signal is sent to the monitoring center quickly and effectively. Meanwhile, you’ll receive a text alert about what is taking place and the criminal will be none the wiser. It essentially outsmarts the criminal, which is exactly what you want.

Crash and smash protection is the powerful, tamper-proof technology every home security system needs. To inquire about adding it to your system, contact Post Alarm Systems. We can answer your questions about this great enhancement to your system.

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Automating Your Day with Smart Scenes

Have you ever wished for a button to do all your home automation tasks at the same time? If you have the Scenes feature on your home security app, you do. In fact, Scenes gives you a total of four buttons: Home, Away, Sleep and Wake Up. Each of these buttons is programmed to automate those times of day when you need your system to do multiple things at once. Here’s what each one of them does.

The Wake Up Button

When you get out of bed, tap the Wake Up button to turn on some of your lights, warm up the house by a couple of degrees and disarm the alarm part of the system until everyone else has left for the day. Once you’re ready to leave yourself, use the Away button to set the alarm again.

The Away Button

As you leave for work, tap the Away button to tell your system to set your alarm again for the day. It will also lock your front door (if you have a smart lock), close your garage and adjust your thermostat. After that quick tap, you’re ready to leave with peace of mind while you go about your work.

The Home Button

When you return home in the evening, you want the house to be warm and welcoming. By tapping the Home button, you can tell your system to turn on the interior lights and unlock the front door. Now, entering the house after work is a comforting experience.

The Sleep Button

At bedtime, you’ll want to turn the lights off and lock the doors. That’s the job of your Sleep button. Of course, it also sets the alarm to make sure you sleep soundly without fear of intrusion. And because our systems are energy conscious, this button also turns down the thermostat for the night.

All four scenes are easy to customize and add to. You can add a porch light to your Home scene for a brighter welcome, or set your downstairs lights to turn off automatically when you tap the Sleep button. Need help with your Scenes feature, or looking for more information? Call Post Alarm Systems. We look forward to speaking with you.

What We Can Learn from How HOAs Approach Security

April 26th, 2021

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Lots of visitors means lots of risk.

Private patrols and nighttime surveillance can help.

Extra security is worth the investment.

About Post Alarm

Reasons to Go Pro with Home Security in 2021

March 9th, 2021

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Introducing Night Shield by Post Alarm

March 2nd, 2021

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New Year’s Resolutions and Your Smart Home

February 11th, 2021

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The Image Sensor: A Great Addition to Your System

September 27th, 2020

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What the Image Sensor Is

What the Image Sensor Does

What Events it Can Capture

Other Ways to Use the Sensor

About Post Alarm Systems

Finding the Best Home Security Camera Tech this Year

September 17th, 2020

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Use any device to view your home security video.

Send you intelligent alerts when video is recorded.

Take a more active stance on protecting your home.

About Post Alarm Systems

Making 2020 Memorable with Home Automation

September 17th, 2020

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Categories

Setting the Scene on Your Smartphone

Taking it to the Next Level

About Post Alarm Systems

A Smart Solution for Preventing Water Damage

September 17th, 2020

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Categories

Smart Water Valve + Meter

Automatic Flood Shutdown

Whole Home Water Protection

About Post Alarm Systems

Protection from Crash and Smash Break-Ins

September 17th, 2020

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Categories

How Crash and Smash Break-Ins Work

How Crash and Smash Protection Works

About Post Alarm Systems

Automating Your Day with Smart Scenes

September 17th, 2020

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The Wake Up Button

The Away Button

The Home Button

The Sleep Button

About Post Alarm Systems

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