Rain, Rain, Go Away!

Here in Northern Virginia, it seems we haven’t had much of a summer. It has been nothing but clouds, rain, and storms. This has made trips to the pool fewer and farther between; but worse than that, it has caused flooding and damage to many homes in Fairfax and Loudoun County.

Keep YOU Safe

The first priority in case of a flood is keeping you and your loved ones safe. There are some basic safety tips to follow when it comes to flooding to ensure you do not become a victim. 1) During inclement weather, pay close attention to the news. Set up alerts to your cell phone to get notified should any watches or warnings be issued. Once they are, follow the instructions to stay indoors or evacuate. Don’t try to be brave – be smart. 2) If you do have to leave your home, do not enter into moving water. Even just 6 inches of rushing water can knock you down. The advice “turn around, don’t drown” should be followed. If you end up in your car in moving water, leave your vehicle immediately and head to higher ground. 3) Remember that electricity and water do not mix! Never touch anything electrical while in standing water and avoid any downed power lines.

Keep Your Home Safe

There are things you can do in advance to help prepare your home for flooding. Although some damage is unavoidable, preparedness may be the key to reducing your losses. 1) Seal your basement with waterproofing agents. Repair any holes or cracks which may cause a leak. Creating a watertight haven for your belongings will help reduce your losses should flooding occur. 2) Installing a sump pump is a smart way to ensure any standing water near or around your basement is cleared. Especially lately with all these long days of heavy rain, the ground can become saturated and cause excess moisture or flooding in basements. 3) Install a home monitoring system that can detect any extra moisture or flooding in your home. These can be placed in a basement, near an AC unit, in a laundry room, or any other potential source of flooding. By connecting to an automatic water shut-off valve or by simply alerting you to any flooding, you can save yourself thousands of dollars in damages or loss.

If you are interested in how Watch Guard can help protect your home against flooding, reach out to us today to discuss how we can help! Don’t let you or your home become the next victim of these summer floods!

Don’t be a Victim of Vacation!

When it comes to vacations, we always ensure our homes are secure before leaving. We lock our doors, close our windows, set our alarms, and make sure the garage door completely shuts as we’re pulling out of the driveway. House is secure. What happens once we’re on the road, though? How can we ensure our valuables and we are safe once we arrive to our destination? Hotels can be a relaxing and enjoyable experience, but they can also pose a safety concern. There are several tips to follow throughout your hotel stay to help protect you from being a victim on vacation.

Research before Reservations

Before you ever book your hotel, do some research on the surrounding area. What type of community is around your destination? How are the crime rates for the area? Is it isolated or near other businesses? Determine where you will have to park and the walk you will have to take before entering the facility. If you need anything during your stay, will the hotel be able to provide it, or will you have to walk through uncertain neighborhoods to get it? If travelling abroad, consider any terrorist threats and whether or not that country welcomes American tourists. Knowing what you’re getting into will help you be better prepared for your stay or help you know if you should reconsider and relocate.

Safety during Stay

Upon checking into your hotel, ask the receptionist to not announce your room number. You don’t want other visitors in the lobby seeing you and what you have with you and knowing exactly which room you will be in. Do not request a first or second floor room or one near the stairs, as those are much easier to break into. Although, keep in mind that in case of a fire, the higher levels are more difficult to escape from or be reached by fire engine ladders. Ask for phone numbers to call for security or emergencies. Check in any valuables to the hotel safe (don’t forget a receipt of what you’ve turned in). Keep hidden any valuables you need to use in your room or take them with you when you leave. Always locate stairs and the emergency exits in case of a fire. Never leave your door or windows unlocked and use the deadbolts or chains while in your room. Keeping the “Do Not Disturb” sign on your door, even when you are not there, will help deter thefts. You can always make special arrangements with housekeeping if you still need their services while you are gone.

Stranger Danger

If someone knocks on your door, never open it right away. Look through the peephole, ask why they are there, and only open the door if you know the person. Even if they say they are with the hotel, call the front desk and confirm their identity and reason for being at your room. If you order any type of delivery service, ask them to meet you in the lobby or leave the delivery item at the front desk. Never give out your room number or room telephone number. When outside of your hotel and speaking with strangers, do not mention where you are staying or your name. It is not difficult for someone to track down your room number if they know your name. If someone volunteers to help you take your luggage up to your room, politely refuse, and ask for an escort instead by an employee of the hotel.

Vacations are a much-needed escape from our busy lives, but they can also make us a potential target for crime if we are not careful. Doing thorough research ahead of time and following simple safety precautions can help to ensure you have a memorable and relaxing vacation. If you would like more information on travel safety or keeping your home secure while you are away, contact Watch Guard today!

A Steal of a Deal

We are all guilty at some point of falling for a gimmick for what we thought was a good deal. Whether it’s something as simple as a coupon to get you in the door or something as elaborate as those “free” Caribbean vacations, we know companies will do anything to try to make a sale and we, too often, fall right inline with their marketing schemes. So, when it comes to your home security, how can you know when you are being fed a bunch of lies to get you hooked or when you are dealing with a legitimate company?

There are three main questions you should ask when dealing with a home security company offering you the deal of a lifetime on your system.

Will you own the equipment when all is said and done?

Many times, even though you have been paying monthly fees for your equipment, the company still owns the system if you terminate your contract. So all the money you’ve invested just goes to waste, and you have to start all over with your next company. At Watch Guard, we use only name brand equipment that you own even if you should decide to leave us and let another company take over.

What is the quality and effectiveness of the equipment? Is it under a warranty?

Not all security equipment and systems are created equal. You have to carefully research the system that the company will be using for its effectiveness. For example, many systems have the control panel as part of a self-contained keypad. This will give the intruder a chance to smash the unit and cancel any alarm signals being transmitted. Watch Guard systems have the control panel in a locked metal box in a separate location. This way, even if the intruder breaks the keypad, the alarm will not be stopped and authorities will continue to be alerted. We also warranty all of our parts and labor for a full year.

What all is included in the “deal” and how long will it last?

Many times, only certain parts of the system are included in the “free” promotional, and you will have to end up paying for the rest of the needed equipment before services can begin. You have to look, too, at the terms of your contract to know exactly how long your reduced monthly fees will last and how much higher the fees will be once they do increase. Many times, the companies will make up for the discounts they offer up front later on in the duration of your contract. We are upfront at Watch Guard when it comes to all your pricing, fees, and contracts. We can lock you in for however long you request and will not leave you with any surprises along the way.

Those Tiny Treasures

When we are on vacation, we all worry about the valuables in our home and do our best to protect them while we are gone.  We hide them, lock them away in a safe, and secure our doors and windows.  What about our little furry treasures, though?  Who’s looking out for man’s best friend? Many of us like to use home pet services, friends, or neighbors to check in on our pets while we are on vacation.  This is typically cheaper and more convenient than housing them in kennels or pet hotels.  However, this also means they are spending a lot of time on their own, unsupervised, while their beloved owners are away.  So, how can you ensure their safety and well-being?

The good news is that a home security system can offer monitoring services that help keep an eye on your dear furry friends when you are not there.  If you opt for video monitoring, you can check in on them from your mobile device to ensure they are safe (and to see how many shoes and pillows have been destroyed).  You’ll also be able to observe whether or not your hired caretakers are doing their job by knowing if food/water is being replenished and if your pets are going out as they should be.  This is also helpful to make sure nothing shady is going on with those entering your home, as well.

Even if you don’t have video monitoring, home security systems can offer alerts for fire and break-ins.  If your house is broken into, your pets may be in harm’s way or have an avenue for escaping from your home.  Obviously, if there is a fire or other emergency, they are in urgent danger.  By receiving an alert and by having authorities immediately notified, your pets have a much higher chance of survival when you cannot be there physically to help.

Now that school is out and you are making all your plans for summer vacation, don’t forget about those smaller members of your family you may be leaving behind.  You cannot put a price on the joy they bring to your home, so don’t risk their safety by overlooking those tiny treasures when you are considering securing your home while on vacation!  If you’d like more advice on the safety of your home and pets, please contact Watch Guard today!

Springtime Security Scams

How do you feel after a door-to-door salesman stops by? Are you one of those people simply agitated and annoyed and who probably won’t even answer your door? Or are you more likely to hear them out and wonder afterwards if you should have snatched up the deal they were selling? Perhaps, you are one of the few who always say yes, just because they are way too convincing. No matter which category you fall under, you should be warned when it comes to home security scams. With the nicer weather of spring abounding, door-to-door salesmen come out of hiding. You will likely begin hearing your doorbell more and more, with many of those rings coming from salesmen pushing home security systems.

Call and Verify

While a few of these may be legitimate, chances are high that most will be scams you should run far away from. The number one litmus test you should always apply is contacting the parent company before ever agreeing to anything. Get the name or business card of the salesman with whom you are speaking, and then call the company they are claiming to be from to verify their employment and the offer they are selling. You may be surprised to find out the company has never heard of this employee or their sales pitch.

Do Your Research

Even if you call and verify with the company, you should still do your due diligence in researching the company. Salesmen are smart when it comes to scams (that’s why they work so well), so you have to research thoroughly the legitimacy of the company. Fortunately, the Internet is a powerful tool for this, but you should also check with your neighbors to see if they have had any positive of negative experiences with this company. Many HOAs also have requirements to register before being allowed to solicit, therefore helping to weed out the illegitimate companies. Before buying into any sales, check with your HOA to make sure this is a verified company.

Never Sign on the Spot

A big part of why door-to-door scams work so well is that they get you to sign and agree to it on the spot. By making statements such as “If you sign up now, I’ll give you a 50% discount,” or “This is good for today only, if you sign right now,” these tricky salesmen will get you to sign a binding contract in pursuit of a great deal. Never let yourself be enticed by a “deal you can’t refuse,” because that deal will likely cost you big time. A reasonable and legitimate company, one you would want to entrust the security of your home to, should honor any offer presented to you by a salesman at your door when you call to verify.

If you would like to know more about a home security company who will not run any scams and one you can rely on, consider contacting us at Watch Guard Alarms today. We’ll walk you through what you need, why you need it, and get you an affordable home security system – without the need for shady door-to-door tactics!