How To Choose The Right Security Company

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You should know what you’re getting when you sign up for a home security plan. There a lot more companies out there now and the choice can be daunting. So, here is a little guide to help you know the right questions to ask a home security company to make sure you’re getting the best coverage possible and the most bang for your buck.

Budget

Outlining a budget is an important step in every new endeavor including picking a home security company.  It’s hard to put a price tag on what your security is worth but most everyone prefers to get the best bang for their buck. Your family’s security is important but it should be affordable. 

 

Monitoring

Depending on which home security company you choose, the monitoring coverage can be drastically different. Some companies don’t offer to monitor at all; they call these “self-monitoring” systems. This means that when an alarm is triggered it notifies the homeowners and no additional emergency services. Conversely, professional security companies like WISE offer 24/7 monitoring 365 days a year.

 

WiFi vs Cellular

It’s important to know how your home security system works before you buy it. Nowadays the most commonly used systems use either Wi-Fi or a cellular source to operate. WiFi-based systems use your internet connection to send you alerts and give you real-time access to the devices in your home. It works great, but the system is not entirely reliable. If you don’t have a battery backup, a power outage can lose access to your security system and leave your house unarmed. And even if you do have a backup battery, there are devices that can temporarily jam WiFi signals that burglars can use to disarm your system and gain access to your home.

Cellular-based monitoring systems are the most reliable method of home security.  They use encrypted codes to send signals from your control panel to the cell towers. Be sure to ask the reps you’re talking to about which monitoring system they use.

 

Choosing A Plan

Lastly, there a couple of things you should ask about when choosing a plan. The most important being is there an option to customizing a plan. There is nothing more annoying than a salesperson pushing products on you that you don’t need. Having an option to customize and build your own plan is great because it gives you, the customer, complete control. This way you can pick exactly the devices that you need and nothing you don’t.  You should also ask if there is an option in the future to upgrade your plan. Maybe you decide later on that you want to add some home automation devices to your home security plan. You should in advance if that option is available to you.

 

We’re happy to chat about any questions you may have for us, give us a call at 1-844-904-9473!

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How To Build Your Energy-Efficient Home

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April showers bring May flowers. In other words, it is officially spring! Soon we’ll be prepping our gardens and getting back to doing the yard work we all love to do so much. But before all that, we’ll celebrate Earth Day! In its honor, we wanted to highlight how home automation devices can make your house an energy-efficient home are a win-win for both you and the planet. They save you money, which is a win for you, and by using less energy, it lessens your carbon footprint which is a win for the planet! Yay, go you!

 

Utilities

Each household is different and therefore uses more or less energy depending on a few different factors like location, size, number of occupants, number of electronics, and so on. If you live in an apartment in the U.S., the average utility bill is between $100-150 each month.  If you are a homeowner, your utility bills will be closer to the $400/ per month give or take. Some utilities like sewer, trash, internet, and cable are billed as services and do not depend on energy usages. The average cost for energy in US households is $1411.80 per year. Luckily, swapping some of the typical household features in your home with smart devices can help lower that number and put you well on your way to becoming a more energy-efficient home! 

The Savings

So what devices can save you the most money? Great question, reader—we were just getting to that. Nest Learning Thermostat on average saves you 10-12% on heating and up to 15% on cooling. According to Move.org, nearly half of the average energy bill every month goes toward just heating and cooling. Switching to a smart thermostat alone will save you hundreds every year. Next up would be replacing the light bulbs in the most frequently used rooms in your house with smart light bulbs. Traditional light bulbs are about 60-watts at least and only last between  750-2000 hours. Smart lights only use 9 watts of energy that mirrors a 60-watt brightness and lasts 22,000 hours. That’s 22 years of use at 3 hours per day! Adding motion sensor lighting to the exterior of your home, running your dishwasher, washer, and dryer at night are other minor things you can do to conserve energy!

 

If you’re ready to start building your energy-efficient home call WISE today at 1-844-904-9473!

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How Home Security Can Increase Your Home’s Value

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Have you noticed how the real estate market has been booming lately? If there was ever a time to sell your home, it is now. Ready or not, we have officially entered a seller’s market. In fact, the National Association of Realtors has named the Provo-Orem, Utah market one of the top ten markets in the nation in 2020, despite the pandemic. They also predict it will be one of the most successful markets after the pandemic. So how can you capitalize on this and get the most value for your home?

 

The Appeal

According to a survey conducted by realtor.com, 4 in 10 Americans expressed they were more interested in adding smart home features to their homes. Having home security already installed in your home can set your home apart from other listings. As of March 2021, the average sale-to-list price is 100.1%. This means that the average home is selling for above its initial listing price. So, any perk or advantage can be the difference between a buyer choosing to buy your home or going with someone else’s in this competitive market. 

 

Savings

Hopefully, you’re taking advantage of saving on home insurance with your home security system, but in case you aren’t this is your reminder.  Most insurance companies will give homeowners with a home security system a discount of up to 20%. You are less of a liability to them with your system, therefore, you pay less. This lowers the financial burden of being a homeowner. Then, when you’re ready to sell your home, you get both the appreciation value and the savings from home insurance.

 

Convenience 

Lastly, have a combination of home security and home automation devices in your home add a level of convenience that you simply cannot have without a security system. These devices save you time and money and give you a level of security that is invaluable. 

Call WISE today if you’re ready to add more value to your home! 1-844-904-9473

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5 Ways to Improve Your Spring Cleaning

We’ve been cooped up in our homes all winter—well actually we’ve been cooped up for about a year now so for some of us, spring cleaning is long overdue. Unfortunately, home injuries account for 21 million medical visits every year. This year we’re going to go about it the safest ways so no one starts off his or her summer with an avoidable injury. Stay tuned to learn how to improve your spring cleaning routine. 

 

1. Plan

You remember that old saying “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail”? It’s true. So before you start doing any heavy lifting, make a plan. Take a walk around your house—inside and outside—and make a list of everything you’d like to accomplish. Once your list is made, you can organize it by order of importance and to ease the flow of your spring cleaning.

 

2. Declutter

This is a crucial step to avoid those injuries we talked about earlier. Give yourself room to work. Make sure your area is clear of bigger items of clutter that you could trip over, walk into, or that could fall on you. This includes small children and pets.

 

3. Top to Bottom

Always work from top to bottom. Whether you’re inside or outside, this forces debris down where it will eventually be cleaned up. It also lessens the number of times you’ll have to re-clean the same places.

 

4. Ventilate

You are about to be using multiple different methods of cleaning: dusting, vacuuming, utilizing cleaning products, etc. It would be wise to open a few windows or doors to keep your home properly ventilated while you air everything out, especially if you have allergies. You may even want to consider wearing a mask—something you’re probably a pro at, at this point.

 

5. Watch Your Step

This goes for just about every step of the process. While your moping your floors, watch your step. When you’re up on the ladder cleaning your rain gutters, watch your step. If you’re using power tools for whatever reason, watch your step. In general, just be careful. You don’t want to hurt yourself or anyone around you because of a lapse in judgment.

 

We hope these tips helped and if you’d like to protect your home from more than germs and dust, give us a call at 1-844-904-9473!

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