We are all familiar with the functions of a home security system. They help protect households from burglaries, fires, carbon monoxide poisoning and help in the event of a medical emergency. At one point, users could only arm or disarm a security system—and if something ever happened, the security company would only then notify the homeowner. You couldn’t check up on things while you were away (unless you reached out to a neighbor or house sitter). Home monitoring, with smart technology operates much differently—providing remote home monitoring and video surveillance.

ADT Pulse is Revolutionizing Home Monitoring

ADT Pulse combines all of the great home monitoring features and capabilities that is standard of ADT monitoring systems, but goes a step further. It integrates remote monitoring, which allows instant security access to a home— from virtually any location. All that’s needed is an Internet connection and a compatible Apple iOS, Android or Windows device.

Remote monitoring is a great feature that allows you to stay in control… regardless if you are across town or in another country. ADT Pulse sends email and text alerts; informing you when any of your custom settings are triggered. With ADT Pulse, you are in control and can know your home’s status instantly.

Keep tabs on your home and have a newfound peace of mind—24/7. To put it plainly, ADT Pulse allows you to take your home and monitoring system with you, anywhere you go.

Transform Your Home Into a Smart Home

Remote monitoring with home control transforms any home into a smart home. Home control provides the following remote functions:

• Lighting Control
• Door Lock Control
• Appliance Control
• Temperature Control

Monitor Your Property with Video Surveillance

ADT Pulse’s video control provides live stream and recorded video of your home. Now you can monitor when someone is scheduled to arrive, make sure your kids are okay while you’re gone or even keep tabs of your pets. A picture says a thousand words, making video control a vital part of taking your home—and ADT home monitoring with you, anywhere.

Did you know? ADT Pulse can help you save money on home energy expenses.

We’ve all been startled over small things…like a bump in the night or a creak when the house settles. But it’s these small things that put life into perspective. How often do we actually feel safe? So many incidents can happen every single day, such as a burglary, fire, flood, carbon monoxide leak or medical emergency. Fortunately, with ADT home monitoring protection, you aren’t alone. ADT’s 24/7 monitoring protection helps keep your home and your family safe– day and night. Find the right monitoring package for your home today. Enjoy life without all the worry and stress that surrounds your home safety.

Take it from Frank, the star of this little video.

Parts of the mid-Atlantic and Washington D.C. were met with less-than-pleasant weather this week with freezing rain causing dangerous conditions on the road. While this weather in particular wasn’t anything that would cause long-term issues, it does raise awareness into the somewhat tricky yet relatively rare phenomenon that is freezing rain.

As this system passes, Choose Home Security wanted to take sometime to provide a little education into what freezing rain is, as well as tips to help you stay safe while on the roads, or even just walking outside of your home.

So, what is freezing rain?

The science of it

Freezing rain seems like a physically impossible event, since it should really just be snow, right? Sure, but in the world of thermodynamics lies a process known as supercooling. This is where a liquid substance, despite being in an environment where it should freeze and turn into a solid, remains in a liquid state. How does this happen? For the sake of time and practicality, let’s stick with one substance to use as an example: rain water.

Rain starts as snow when it is high up in the atmosphere, and if it’s cold enough towards the ground, it will just remain as snow. But when conditions are right for freezing rain, a warm front will pass through otherwise cold air, trapping it. As the falling snow, high up in the atmosphere initially meets the air of the warm front, it will turn into rain. But with the cool air trapped, the rain will pass through a layer of sub-freezing air and go through supercooling.

SOURCE: http://earthsky.org/earth/all-about-freezing-rain

Although it should be cold enough to freeze, the rain water remains in a liquid state since no crystal nucleation occurs. This is because some rain water is free of nucleation sites – the epicenters of freezing.

As the water hits the freezing ground, nucleation occurs, and the rain water begins to instantly freeze. This is what we know as dangerous freezing rain.

Tips on staying safe

Now that you have an idea of the science behind freezing rain – how can you keep yourself safe while walking or on the roads?

Outside of your home:

• If enough ice builds up on power lines and trees, the weight could cause these structures to snap. If you have any trees on your property, it’s a good idea to be mindful of (and to remove) dead branches that are much weaker than live ones.
• If you know an ice storm is approaching, apply road salt to your driveway, or anywhere else you usually walk outside. Consider your neighbors as well!
• Stay clear of any downed power lines, and let the proper professionals handle the situation.
• Do not try to force your car door open if it is frozen shut. It would likely be best to refrain from driving all together if the ice is that bad.

On the road

• Your local authorities should have the capability of salting the roadways. If this doesn’t occur, it is better to let temperatures warm up
• If you encounter any ice, be sure to give yourself plenty of space to hit your brakes. Do not slam on your brakes, as you will just skid. Slow and controlled braking is the safer route.

Home security cameras may not be part of everyone’s home security system yet, but they are certainly growing in popularity more and more. As customers shop around for the best option in security systems, one of the questions that seems to be popping up more and more is: “Which security camera can I get that’s both effective and cheap?”.

It’s certainly a fair question, as any resident wants the best system for their home. You don’t have to spend large sums of money on security cameras to get the access to information that you’re looking for. Luckily, ADT Pulse^® provides the technology for security cameras as part of packages available to all customers. You don’t have to go out looking for expensive, individual sets of cameras in order to get what you’re looking for.

Take some time to learn how video monitoring with ADT Pulse^® can make your search easier and help you provide your home with the level of security that has been on your mind.

What are the advantages of security cameras?

The answer to this question might seem obvious, but there’s actually more to security cameras than just spotting criminals who have attempted to break into your home.

When installed through ADT Pulse^®, your security camera can be used to check up on your pets while you’re away for the day. All you would have to do is tap into a Web-accessible device such as your smartphone or tablet, and you’ll be able to access a live stream of your home wherever you happen to be.

Having a security camera installed simply provides more peace-of-mind to the homeowner or renter that likes to have visual confirmation on the status of their home. Surely, ADT is capable of providing customers with live updates of their home, but being able to actually see what’s happening at any given time can provide that extra boost of confidence that everything is alright.

Why get a security camera through ADT Pulse^®?

Simply put: it’s easier to manage! You could go through companies that strictly sell security camera equipment, but this often requires self-set up. Through ADT, you’ll have the option to let the professional installer set the cameras up for you, or you can do it yourself if you wish.

As mentioned, you’ll be able to view the status of your home through your video camera through the web. With ADT monitoring, you’ll be able to access a history of camera activity when you wish. ADT will store recorded video for up to thirty days. It’s your home, and you should know what’s happening at any given time.

How can customers get video monitoring through ADT?

Think that video monitoring is the way to go? You’re definitely making the right move. With millions of homes broken into every year, sometimes you want more than just monitoring. You want to put a face to the intruder, and with the high-definition technology that ADT monitored cameras are capable of providing, you’ll be able to do exactly that.

In order to get video monitoring through ADT, simply call 1-888-712-8785 and ask about the ADT Pulse^® package that features video. ADT monitoring is offering ADT Pulse^® with either home control (appliance automation) or video monitoring, but customers can also get both home control and video monitoring together with Pulse^® services. It’s easy to get, and works in almost any home. Don’t go out of your way to get expensive home video monitoring. Call ADT and let the professionals take care of it for you.

Halloween is one of the most exalted and anticipated nights of the year for children and adults alike, but it also necessitates a great deal of caution for parents and homeowners who must consider the safety of costumes, candy, strangers at their door, and drivers whizzing by their kids.

It’s no coincidence that October is also Crime Prevention Month, recognized since 1984 as a time to promote and celebrate the important issues involved in creating safer, more caring communities.

Every year, only 1/3 of parents talk to their children about Halloween, although 3/4 report having Halloween safety fears, according to Safe Kids Worldwide. Make this Halloween a fright-free yet still festive one for your children, your home, and you with these simple tips:

Tips for your home

• To keep your residence safe for other trick-or-treaters, remove garden hoses, toys, bikes, lawn decorations, and anything
  else a child could trip over from your front porch and lawn
• Keep outdoor lights on and replace burned-out bulbs
• Sweep wet leaves away from your sidewalk
• If you have active, rambunctious pets, restrain them so they can’t get near trick-or-treaters
• Ask your Neighborhood Watch group to keep watch over the community that night
• Be on alert yourself and report any suspicious activity to the police

Tips for parents and trick-or-treaters

• Watch for children in the street and on medians when driving
• Keep lit pumpkins away from where children will be walking
• Establish a curfew for your children
• Lock all doors and arm your security system when and if you leave your house
• Trick-or-treat only at well-lit houses; remain on porches rather than entering houses; and stay in familiar neighborhoods
• Older children should travel in groups, and younger children should always be accompanied by a trusted adult
• Carry a cell phone for emergencies
• Remind your children not to eat their treats until they get home and you can inspect them
• Don’t run, walk, and obey all traffic signals carefully
• Make sure your children’s costumes don’t drag on the ground and masks don’t obstruct their vision

Read more trick-or-treating tips from the National Crime Prevention Council.

Interested in long-term crime prevention? Call today to learn more about Choose Home Security’s security system packages from ADT.

1-888-712-8785 

Spring is in the air and summer is just around the corner. Like many people, you may have a whole lineup of day trips and vacations in store during these warmer days. But before you go anywhere, ask yourself whether your home is protected. Every 15 seconds, there’s a home invasion that takes place somewhere in the U.S. Whether it is a home invasion, fire or flood—anything can happen when you least expect it.

Don’t leave matters up to chance; make the proper precautions to safeguard your property. Along with ADT’s home monitoring equipment, these tips can help you protect your home during your next vacation:

Practical Landscaping

Homes located in more mature neighborhoods are subject to fuller trees and bushes. Make sure your windows and doors are not hidden by overgrown shrubbery; they can help conceal potential burglars who are looking for an entryway. Having a well-maintained yard will help eliminate these risks.

Hold the Mail and Newspapers

The best way to advertise that you are out of town is to have a stack of newspapers laying in the front yard or have mail spilling out of the mailbox. Contact the U.S. post office and your mail delivery service to hold your mail and newspapers during the days that you’ll be gone. Another option is ask a trusted neighbor, friend or house sitter to collect these items.

Turn Off or Unplug Appliances

Homes today have numerous appliances—some of which are even set on automatic settings. Before leaving your home unattended, be sure to either turn off or unplug your electrical appliances. Unplugging your appliances is the best safety solution to reduce the likelihood of a fire (it will also reduce your energy consumption).

Refrain from Posting or Checking in on Social Media

It’s natural to want to share the intricate details of a trip or vacation. Whether you are posting a pic of a beautiful beach or are checking-in to somewhere, they both do the same thing: announce you are away from home. Yes, it feels almost impossible not to post and comment during your travels, but for safety reasons, it’s best to share the details of your trip once you are back at home.

Make this spring and summer completely memorable. Enjoy your vacations while knowing your home is safe and protected.

Having home security protection is invaluable when it comes to protecting your home. According to FBI reports, each year, over 9 million property crimes are reported throughout the United States. Factors like social media (which give out various personal information), make it more important than ever to protect your home from the unknown. Homes with an alarm system installed are three times less likely to be victimized by a home burglary. Burglarized homes not only suffer from emotional trauma, but may lose an estimated average of over $2,000 in losses. In choosing ADT for your home protection needs, there are a number of monitoring features and equipment that separate us from the rest; providing the ultimate home security experience.
Here’s how:

1.       Two-Way Voice Communication

ADT customers have the ability to have two-way voice communication via their LCD digital keypad. It makes phones unnecessary in the event of an emergency. By pressing the marked button on the keypad, you can speak directly to ADT’s emergency personnel who will not only contact your local fire department, police department or paramedics, but can also give you step-by-step instructions during your crisis situation.

2.       Wireless Keychain Remote

The ADT wireless keychain remote provides additional accessibility to the alarm security system. Sometimes it’s more convenient to remotely arm/disarm the alarm without needing to use the digital touchpad. It’s perfect for when you leave or return home with armfuls of groceries, paperwork or anything else. The remote comes with four buttons: a STAY button, an AWAY button, a DISARM button and a PANIC button. Consider it much like a car remote.

3.       Pet-Sensitive Motion Detector

If you select to have motion sensors with your ADT monitored alarm, they include pet-immune infrared motion sensors. These will eliminate the risk of pets accidently setting off the alarm. It’s just the thing to prevent false alarms.

4.       ADT Pulse

ADT Pulse is available in addition to a monitoring system. It has the dual functionality of providing complete home automation and remote home protection. Using Z-Wave wireless technology to link your home and your Internet-enabled mobile devices together, you can manage your home anywhere—regardless of your location.

These features are on top of the standard 24/7 home monitoring protection, Keypad, yard sign/window decals and three entryway contacts. There’s a reason why ADT is the number one security provider in the country! We understand what it entails to provide complete and practical home security protection.

Throughout the country, there are many different types of households to be found. Whether you work full-time, go to school, travel frequently or have an active family life with people coming and going, ADT Pulse is the perfect home security feature to have. It has the dual ability to provide remote home monitoring protection as well as complete home automation. So, regardless of where you are or what you are doing, ADT Pulse lets you manage your home and security components via your personal mobile devices (laptop, tablet or smartphone).

Who knew today’s technology could do so much? It all works using Z-Wave wireless technology to create a united network between your home and your mobile devices. When you install the Z-Wave app (which is available for download on iOS, Android and Blackberry devices), you can open the Pulse portal and manage everything within your home. Once on the portal, you can remotely turn the lights on/off, adjust the thermostat, unlock/lock doors, manage appliances and even arm/disarm the security system. It’s home protection that you can manage and monitor within your fingertips. Now, the next time you are out running errands and realize you’ve forgotten to lock the front door (or turn off the toaster oven), you don’t have to quickly circle back home anymore. As long as your mobile device is receiving an Internet connection, everything can be remotely adjusted on the ADT Pulse portal

Technology, combined with safety, protection and convenience are what make ADT Pulse great. Now your home can be modified to fit your lifestyle with your own preset custom settings. Depending on what settings are selected, custom emails or text notifications are sent out when your child arrives home afterschool; when a housekeeper arrives and leaves and many other scenarios.

With ADT Pulse, you have the ability to install home cameras and receive live video or still photos for additional surveillance. ADT Pulse provides the ultimate home protection—giving you a peace of mind never experienced before. For any additional information, our customer service representatives are informed and are more than happy to answer your questions. Call us today and find out how to get ADT Pulse in your home.

Andrea Fisher is an online marketer and content specialist for Wine Tours DC. She has been published in a variety of publications, including The Chicago Tribune and Business Insider.

There is a breakthrough in home security protection. ADT Pulse is a revolutionary new feature that combines home security monitoring and mobile technology. Together, you get remote control access throughout your entire home. It may seem futuristic, but Pulse provides additional security measures to the home.

HOW IT WORKS:

It uses Z-Wave™ wireless technology to create a uniformed system within the home. It is able to communicate with various appliances and your Internet-enabled mobile devices (such as your tablet, laptop and smartphone). The ADT Pulse Mobile App makes the system easy to interact with and control.

PULSE FEATURES:

With ADT Pulse, it seems like the sky is the limit with what you can achieve. Regardless of the location; whenever you’d like, you could remotely access the following via your personal mobile devices:

• Lock/unlock doors

It’s perfect for locking the door, if you’ve forgotten to do so when you left your home. The unlock door feature is great for when you return home and want convenient access inside (without fumbling for the right key, balancing groceries, etc.)

• Adjust the thermostat

During the winter months, it’s easy to forget to lower the temperature at night or when you leave the house. And it’s a horrible feeling to open that high monthly utility bill. The same is true during the summer, when we want the A/C blowing as high as possible. ADT Pulse allows you to remotely adjust the thermostat whenever you’d like— with the simple press of a button.

• Manage the lighting

How often does this scenario happen: you’ve left the house and all of a sudden remember that you left the hall light on and are too far away to circle back? Using the ADT Pulse Mobile App, you can turn that hallway light off without any inconvenience.

• Turn off appliances

Use your mobile device to turn off appliances that were accidentally left on. Or maybe you are watching your favorite TV show in the living room and don’t want to get up and miss the scene. The Pulse mobile app can turn off the electrical outlet of

• Arm or disarm your security system remotely

It’s nice to have keypad access, but there are times that you wish the alarm would engage or disengage remotely. And now that is all possible. It’s great for when you have your hands full and need a little help getting inside.

• Receive both text and video alerts from your home (in real-time)

Stay updated to what’s going on inside your home. Choose when you want to receive the alerts—it can be when someone enters the home (scheduled time or not) and more.

Pulse’s Z Wave wireless technology will undoubtedly become a key asset to ADT’s monitored alarm systems.

Andrea Fisher is an online marketer and content specialist for Party Buses Rentals. She has been published in a variety of publications, including the Chicago Tribune and Business Insider.

ADT Pulse is the revamped, modernized version of home security protection. Not only does Pulse fit right in with our mobile, on-the-go needs, but it also helps to promote green living. It’s the perfect 2-in-1 combo for any household.

How does ‘smart’ home security work exactly? ADT Pulse allows you to connect your monitored ADT home security system to any of your mobile devices. Manage your home while you on the go from your personal laptop, smartphone or  tablet. It means never again worrying whether you’ve turned off a light or closed the garage door— you can remotely manage it all with the simple press of button.

ADT Pulse completely customizes your home security system. It has the ability to help protect your home and cut costs on your monthly power bill. Here’s what you can do, even if you aren’t at home:

1)  Regulate your thermostat

Whether it’s the summer or winter time, it’s not cost-effective to leave your home at the same temperature when no one is at home. Be free to adjust the thermostat as you please with ADT Pulse.

2)  Turn appliances on or off

Forget to turn something off? No, problem—quickly turn them off while you aren’t even at home. From a coffee pot, space heater to everything in-between, you have the ability to turn off any connected appliance within your home. Not only will this feature save you from wasting unnecessary energy, but it will reduce the likely hood of a home incident while no one is at home.

3)  Control your lighting

ADT Pulse also allows you to turn on the lights as you pull into the driveway or walk up to the front door. Better than any light timer, this ADT Pulse feature is also great to have while away on vacation.

ADT is bringing home security into the modern age, in more ways than one. Green living is something to strive for to reduce waste and consumption. ADT Pulse is our resource to you to make a daily ‘green’ effort. Cut costs, save energy and do it all from any of your mobile devices!

Get on-board with the new era of home security. ADT Pulse makes all the difference.