Home Security for Safer Deliveries

As more Americans make online shopping a regular part of their lives, the phenomenon of porch theft continues to grow. A shocking 210 million packages were stolen off the front porches of homes across the U.S. in 2021, totaling losses of $5.4 billion. Locally, porch pirate crime has exploded; in fact, the CBS Los Angeles affiliate reported that California has the worst porch theft problem in the nation.

Fortunately, Post Alarm has services to help protect you from becoming the next porch pirate victim. With our Professional Home bundle, you can get two of the most effective home security tools to fight porch pirates and support safer deliveries to your home.

Doorbell Cameras

Doorbell cameras continue to grow in popularity, with more homeowners waking up to the benefits of a small camera mounted on the porch. Even though many porch thieves are savvy enough to see when a doorbell is actually a doorbell camera, they also tend to be brazen enough to appear right in front of it. This gives you a clear view of the thief’s face, which you can share online to warn your neighbors.

Additionally, the doorbell camera sends an alert to your phone that allows you to act quickly by speaking to the thief through the two-way speaker. Because most criminals are not expecting you to use this feature, it can send them running (after dropping your package) and keep them from returning to your home again. This protects your future deliveries from getting into their greedy hands.

Auto Door Locks

By replacing your old doorknobs with intelligent locking devices you can control with your smartphone, you can open your front door from wherever you are and ask your delivery driver to leave packages inside. If you miss the doorbell camera alert and the driver is gone, you can ask a friend or neighbor to do it instead. If your neighbor has the same home security features, consider how covering for each other can be a great partnership to keep each other’s deliveries safe.

For safer deliveries in the era of porch pirates, you need the Professional Home security bundle from Post Alarm. Call us today to request more information.

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.

Back to Articles

Put a Halt to Holiday House Fires

It’s the holiday season again, and you want yours to be memorable for all the right reasons. One way to make sure your family enjoys this time of year as much as possible is by doing everything you can to reduce your risk of a house fire. Here are some important tips for lowering your fire risk at home during the holidays.

Be smart with your Christmas tree.

According to the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA), U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 160 home fires that started with Christmas trees every year from 2015 to 2019. Sadly, these fires caused an annual average of two deaths, 12 injuries, and $10 million in direct property damage. To help prevent this from happening to your family, you can:

Buy a tree closer to Christmas day from a farm that allows you to watch it be freshly cut.
Water your tree every day you use it, and promptly take it down once it dries out.
Keep your tree away from direct heat sources like radiators, space heaters, and candles.

Use heat and candles with caution.

That last guideline is overlooked far too often, with tragic consequences. The NFPA reports in two out of every five decoration fire incidents, the decoration was too close to a heat source such as a candle or heating equipment. Candles cause 45% of the home decoration fires that fire departments respond to every December. The NFPA recommends you keep candles at least 12 inches away from anything flammable.

Put safety first with cooking and baking.

The NFPA states the three peak days for home cooking fires are Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and Christmas Eve. Whether holiday foods are cooking on the stove or in the oven, stay nearby and turn off the appliance immediately if anything begins to burn.

NFPA data also shows that cooking equipment was involved in one out of every five home decoration fires. To prevent this, keep decorative items, including kitchen towels, at least 12 inches away from cooking equipment and appliances.

Protect your home with fire detection.

In addition to having the required number of working smoke detectors in your home, you need a fire alert system that responds to a fire emergency and quickly gets help to your home. At Post Alarm, we own and operate our own UL-listed monitoring station; that’s where our locally-based agents dispatch fire and emergency services to your home the moment you need them. To get this protection for your home and family, call Post Alarm today. We’ll be glad to answer your questions.

About Post Alarm

Back to Articles

Auto Door Locks: A Smarter Lock Option

Auto door locks are sometimes called “smart locks” because of their intelligent capability and connectivity. Smart locks can replace traditional keys with an electronic lock so homeowners can have a smarter, completely keyless way to secure their homes. Here are some of the advantages these auto door locks can provide.

Keyless Entry Options

Keyless entry isn’t limited to a single mechanism; there are multiple locking and unlocking methods from which to choose. Whether it’s a numeric code you enter into your keypad or the lock/unlock button you tap on your mobile app, an auto door lock gives you the flexibility that traditional keys can’t. Imagine never being locked out of the house again. It’s a great feeling.

Remote Locking and Unlocking

Giving access to a family member, friend or neighbor is a cinch with the remote capability of a smart lock. You can even let in a worker or delivery person from wherever you are, whether it’s the office or your tropical vacation. When you see someone at the door with your doorbell camera, all it takes is a tap on your mobile app to unlock the door for them.

Connectivity to Multiple Devices

By connecting to your WiFi, Bluetooth or Z-Wave, smart locks can receive commands and integrate with devices like your video doorbell and home security
alarm with Post Alarm monitoring. As part of our Professional Home package, it can also integrate with your smartphone, enabling remote management. Doing so lets you to see who is at your front door, unlock if a guest arrives before you, or allow someone to place a package inside the door.

Smart Speaker Voice Command

For locking and unlocking inside the house without getting up, you can integrate your smart lock with your Amazon Echo or Google Home smart speaker. This is a wonderful safety feature for answering the door without abandoning the stove as you’re cooking, the kids while they’re swimming, or your bed if you’re convalescing.

These are some of the reasons millions of homeowners have opted to have smart locks installed. To find out if an auto door lock is a good home security measure for you, call Post Alarm to inquire about our Professional Home security package.

About Post Alarm

Back to Articles

DIY Security for Dads this Father’s Day

The past year has brought about some big changes for dads. Some spent months working from home and are now going back to their onsite workplaces. Others may still work from home but have limited time to spend on home improvement projects due to the demands of remote employment.

If one of those dads lives with you, consider giving him the gift of a simple, starter DIY home security system from Post Alarm. Our Light & Easy system is easy for Dad to install himself and includes all the essentials your family needs to feel secure at home.

Self-Installation Security Features

Light & Easy contains all the basics of a high-quality starter security system, including:

Three door and window sensors and one motion detector.
A powerful touchscreen keypad control panel with an embedded interior camera.
A high-decibel alarm siren with audibility that scares off intruders.
An infrared pet-immune motion detector prevents the alarm from sounding if the “intruder” is a pet rather than a person.
Auto door locks to help your family move past the security risks of traditional door locks.

This system is everything Dad needs for a simple but effective home security setup. In addition, to have this system monitored by our locally-based central station, we make it easy to budget at just $43 per month.

Add-On Features for Now of the Future

As a starter security system, Light & Easy has the ability for you to expand its features, either now or in the future.

Night Shield®
An excellent add-on option is Night Shield®, our overnight security patrol service that uses smart and AI technology to help families throughout Southern California stay protected from vehicle theft and nighttime prowling. With the spike in vehicle theft throughout Los Angeles County, Night Shield® is valuable in the crime-heavy summer months.

Please note Night Shield® is exclusively available in areas with Post Alarm Patrol service.

Doorbell Camera
The doorbell camera tells you who’s at the front door and lets you communicate with them via the two-way voice speaker. If you have kids and parents coming home at different times of day, a doorbell camera is a great way to keep family routines connected. Using smartphone integration, you can unlock the door for delivery drivers and ask them to leave your packages inside.

Smartphone Integration
If Dad and Mom want the convenience of controlling these features using their smartphones, we make smartphone integration an optional add-on to the Light & Easy package. Connecting your Light & Easy system to your smartphone is the best way to maximize its effectiveness.

We make DIY security easy for the dad in your life, so call Post Alarm today to give him the gift of home security this Father’s Day. We’re ready to help you get started.

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.

Back to Articles

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

Back to Articles

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

Back to Articles

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.

About Post Alarm

Back to Articles

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.

About Post Alarm

Back to Articles

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.

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.

Home Security for Safer Deliveries

April 25th, 2022

Share:

Categories

Put a Halt to Holiday House Fires

November 29th, 2021

Share:

Categories

Auto Door Locks: A Smarter Lock Option

September 8th, 2021

Share:

Categories

Keyless Entry Options

Remote Locking and Unlocking

Connectivity to Multiple Devices

Smart Speaker Voice Command

About Post Alarm

DIY Security for Dads this Father’s Day

June 15th, 2021

Share:

Categories

Self-Installation Security Features

Add-On Features for Now of the Future

About Post Alarm

What We Can Learn from How HOAs Approach Security

April 26th, 2021

Share:

Categories

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

Share:

Categories

Introducing Night Shield by Post Alarm

March 2nd, 2021

Share:

Categories

New Year’s Resolutions and Your Smart Home

February 11th, 2021

Share:

Categories

Automating Your Day with Smart Scenes

September 17th, 2020

Share:

Categories

The Wake Up Button

The Away Button

The Home Button

The Sleep Button

About Post Alarm Systems

Thank You!