In fact we have seen these windows stand up to baseball bats, brick, hammers and some things that we don’t want to even mention.  For some homes we install this film on either side of the front door on the vertical windows that let you see who is at your front door.  This is a convenient area for burglars to break the front window and then unlock the front door.  In some homes they may have glass in the front door or glass in a back door. There are often basement windows that really need to be protected as well.  Granted, we will contact all the accessible doors and windows with contacts that are part of the security system.  However increasing the physical security on the most vulnerable door in the doors and windows is a good idea.   This works with the concept of a layered defensive system of physical security and electronic security working together.  When a home is attacked by a burglar we want to make it as tough as possible.

The security films can be tinted and they come in versions that block Ultra-Violet (UV) which can damage your furniture and carpets.  There are also tints that do a good job of blocking Infra Red light which is a primary source of heat energy coming into the home.  There are even decorative patterns that make the window attack resistant and offer excellent privacy.    These security films are a nice alternative to bars and can save on cooling costs as well as protect your furniture from UV damage.

The other threat to a senior parent that may be living alone or may be a care giver for their spouse are the various medical emergencies that can arise.  It is a fact that as a parent ages there will be health problems and most likely a medical emergency will happen sooner or later.  One thing we can do is to provide the parent with a water resistant medical alert pendant.  This can be taken into the shower where falls are common.

Recently we have been installing interior sensors on the medicine cabinet or a cabinet in the kitchen where the coffee is kept.  When your parent makes their coffee in the morning you can receive a text message or an email letting you know what time they opened the cabinet door to the coffee.  In addition you can receive text messages or emails of when the alarm system is armed and disarmed as well as notifications of a medical emergency or other alarm conditions in a matter of seconds.   You may not have time to call your mom 4 times a day to check up on her.  However, you can receive text messages that let you keep track of the activity in the home.  We can install a wireless camera in the kitchen and you can even see your mom when she makes the coffee in the morning.  This type of security system protects your senior parent from burglars, fire, medical emergencies and also lets you make sure they are active and in good health.  With the busy schedules that most people have in the DC area this is a way of using technology to be “virtually” in two places at the same time.

We can install new digital wireless locks that also can let you know when your child or nanny has unlocked the door.  These locks can even tell if someone has tried unsuccessfully to unlock the door.  Another way to keep track of your home is to install a camera on the primary entry door or an outdoor camera covering the driveway.  The camera only records motion and can send you by email a video clip of when someone enters your home or comes into your driveway.   We are empowering parents by letting them know what time their children come home from school and also to let them see who is coming into their home while they are at work.  If you have some children where their “baby brain” has fallen out and the “adult brain” has not fully arrived, then keeping an eye on them is a very good idea.

Another option in lighting is low voltage LED lighting and possibly even solar LED’s.  These lights give a pleasant ambient light that can let you know if someone is on your property.  They are not a substitute for motion activated lights and do not offer any shock value to a potential burglar.   Having some interior lights on a couple of timers is a good idea as well.  In this application it is fine to use compact fluorescent lights to make to the home look occupied while saving electricity.  It is a good idea to run a couple of timers and you can even put a loud radio on the same timer as the light.  Lighting is a low cost way to protect your home while making it safe for friends and family when they come to visit.

Because burglars are becoming more aggressive we suggest using a layered defensive system. This does not mean that you have to go overboard with this concept.   The first layer is visual deterrence which makes the home or business look like a difficult target so burglars go somewhere else.    The next layer is physical deterrence with good locks on the doors, locked windows and lighting.  The third layer is electronic deterrence with a working alarm system – with the yard sign and window decals.  The final layer is a safe that is bolted to the floor.

The important goal is to stop the burglar while they are still outside the home.  We can show you how to create a layered defensive system without killing your budget.  We can suggest lighting that you may be able to install into existing outdoor fixtures and locks that will strengthen your doors.   When it comes to burglar alarms we are one of the highest rated firms in the DC and you will be speaking with a trained security professional with many years of experience.  We even have a full time specialist who installs attack resistant security films on glass doors and windows.    If you decide to work with us on your security, we can toughen up your home.  You will sleep better at night and can worry less.

That leaves houses with all the jewelry, cameras, laptops, TV’s and other things that can be quickly sold.  Some homes have cash and various forms of “electronic money” with credit cards, debit cards and identity information.  The laptop may be worth $500 while the information on the laptop could be worth $5,000 or more. When we see the cash for gold ads on TV we often wonder how much of the gold may be stolen.  Once it is melted down, your grandfathers solid gold pocket watch is definitely not going to be traced.  This leaves you with a choice of doing nothing and hoping for the best or using “due diligence’ and preparing your home for an attempted robbery. We hear a homeowner tell us every day that they have lived in their home for 20 years and never, ever had a problem.  Sadly, burglaries are hitting neighborhoods that never had these problems in past. There is probably more activity in your neighborhood than you may know about because burglaries are not something most people brag about.

Times have changed and you can “be prepared” or choose not to “be prepared”. This is a choice that you have to make.  If you choose to be prepared we will help you. On a positive note if you are prepared, you can enjoy piece of mind and sleep better. Most important, you will know that you are protecting your family from some very unpleasant people that are truly dangerous.